Car news, 18 Mar 24: Honda and Nissan could co-op with EVs and autonomy, Skoda reveals its cut-priced electric Epiq SUV, and more

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Thanks for joining us this Monday March 18th 2024. Notably in car news today: Honda and Nissan in discussion to co-develop future EVs and autonomous driving, and Skoda teases details about the forthcoming Epiq electric SUV.

Browse this issue:

• Honda and Nissan set to partner for batteries and autonomous tech
• Skoda reveals entry-level electric SUV called Epiq
• MG Cyberster spotted on Sydney roads before Australian debut this year 
• BMW Neue Klasse X teased, likely to be first Neue Klasse SUV

• Nissan X-Trail Ti E-Power long term review: Month 4

Honda and Nissan could team up to take on Chinese automakers 

• Key Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan have begun discussions to potentially build EV parts and systems together to fight strong competition from Chinese automakers such as BYD and MG.

• According to Carscoops, Nissan’s chief executive officer Makoto Uchida told journalists that “emerging players are very aggressive and are making inroads at incredible speed” in EV development and commercialisation. 

• The news comes as Honda has already joint ventures in place with General Motors’ Ultium technology, while Nissan has ties with Renault and plans to build a new Micra with the same underpinnings as the new Renault 5. 

• Nissan was one of the first automakers to introduce an electric car, the Leaf, but the nameplate has seen slowed progress for electric cars in many global markets. 

• Nissan and Honda aim to work together globally and not just in Japan, which could yield interesting results.  

Entry-level Skoda Epiq electric car revealed 

• Skoda has announced a new, cheap battery-electric car called the Epiq.

• At 4.1 metres long, the Epiq will start at around 25,000 euros (the equivalent of AUD$41,450) and will be built in Spain. 

• Due to be unveiled in 2025, it’s set to offer over 400km of range, and will still remain practical with up to 490 litres of capacity.  

• The new EV will be the second in Skoda’s lineup to go electric, following from the MEB-based Enyaq. 

• The Epiq will be built on the MEB-Entry platform that is also set to underpin the Volkswagen ID2 and Cupra Raval.  

MG Cyberster spotted undergoing testing in Australia, set to go on sale by year’s end 

• Chasing Cars has spotted a camouflage-free MG Cyberster in the south of Sydney, which was confirmed by the Chinese automaker’s local arm to be currently undertaking testing and evaluation for our market. 

• Pictures have begun to surface on Facebook of MG’s new electric sports car that boasts as much as 400kW of power. 

• There are currently two Cybersters in Australia undergoing evaluation, with an MG spokesperson telling Chasing Cars that the Cyberster is an important car “they want to get right”. 

• The Cyberster is set to go on sale in Australia in 2024, but more specifically at the end of the year. 

• Chasing Cars understands the Cyberster will be an extremely limited release, with only between 100 and 150 units coming down under. 

BMW Neue Klasse X officially teased online 

• BMW has teased what will very likely be the SUV version of its original Neue Klasse concept, a model announced in September 2023. 

• The Neue Klasse X, as it’s been called, is likely to be the successor to the BMW iX3 and is set to go into production around 2025.

• Set to feature on the concept X will be BMW’s Panoramic Vision head-up display, along with a unique steering wheel design, thin air vents and an offset shape centre touchscreen. 

• BMW told Chasing Cars last September that many of the elements from the Neue Klasse concepts would be introduced into production BMWs going forward, more specifically from 2025.

Nissan X-Trail Ti E-Power long term review

• Chasing Cars production specialist Tom Place’s road latest long term update of the Nissan X-Trail Ti E-Power was published, focusing on the topic of servicing.
  
• In month 4 of his time with the X-Trail, Place took the Nissan in for a service and found the experience to be efficient and pleasant.
  
• Some errors in the diagnosis of the long term X-Trail did raise some eyebrows, however.
  
• Road tests were also published on the Nissan Juke ST-L and the Range Rover Velar Autobiography.
  

READ: Link to written review 

The next issue of Car News Today will be published on Tuesday 19th March at 4.30pm Sydney time.