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7 major automakers to build open EV charging network

A new joint venture established by BMW, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis will build a new North American electric vehicle charging network on a scale designed to compete with Tesla's industry-benchmark Supercharger network. The 30,000-plus planned new chargers will accommodate both Tesla's almost-standard North American Charging System (NACS) and existing automakers' Combined Charging System (CCS) options, effectively guaranteeing compatibility with the vast majority of current and upcoming electric models — whether they're from one of the involved automakers or not.  "With the generational investments in public charging being implemented on the Federal and State level, the joint venture will leverage public and private funds to accelerate the installation of high-powered charging for customers. The new charging stations will be accessible to all battery-powered electric vehicles from any automaker using Combined Charging System (CCS) or North American Charging Standard (NACS) and are expected to meet or exceed the spirit and requirements of the U.S. National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program." Critically, the automakers involved will have a say in how the charging tech is implemented, guaranteeing that the hardware will play nicely with each automaker's in-house charging systems. Hyundai and Kia, for example, were hesitant to jump on board the Tesla NACS bandwagon earlier this year over concerns that the Supercharger network is insufficient for powering the two automakers' 800-volt charging systems; similar tech is used by Volkswagen and Porsche.  In addition to providing much-needed capacity and high-output charging for America's growing fleet of electric cars and trucks, the new network will integrate seamlessly with each automaker's in-app and in-vehicle features, rather than forcing customers to use third-party tools and payment systems, as is the case with some existing public charging infrastructure.  "The functions and services of the network will allow for seamless integration with participating automakersÂ’ in-vehicle and in-app experiences, including reservations, intelligent route planning and navigation, payment applications, transparent energy management and more. In addition, the network will leverage Plug & Charge technology to further enhance the customer experience," the announcement said.

Lexus gets top brand marks from Consumer Reports; Ford, Jeep hit hard

Consumer Reports has released its 2014 Car Brand Report Cards, with Lexus again reigning at the top and doing so with the same industry-topping score of 79 that it registered in last year's Report Cards. This year, the institute credited its lineup for being "usually quiet, comfortable, and fuel-efficient," noting it's the only brand on the list "to achieve an excellent average overall reliability score." The Car Brand Report Cars list is meant to rank the best all-around vehicles based on CR testing and reliability results tallied by subscribers it surveyed. Each brand included must have sufficient test and reliability data for at least three models, a standard which left out 11 marques including Fiat, Jaguar, Land Rover and Porsche.
This 2014 Brand Report Cars edition is the first of a new format in which sub-brands have been broken out from their parent brands, with Acura using this year to move up the leaderboard into second place with a score of 75 for its "reliable, well-finished and somewhat sporty models." The top three was rounded out by Audi, climbing from eighth to third by scoring a 74 for "well-crafted interiors, nice handling and good gas mileage." Audi scored highest in the road-test portion, its improved reliability aiding its rise. The top nine was completed by Subaru, Toyota, Mazda, Honda, Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz.
Ford and Jeep weighed in at the other end of the rankings, Jeep taking the lowest overall score in the road tests and hampered by "a mix of spotty reliability." Ford was sunk by reliability issues with its MyFord Touch infotainment system which consumers found troublesome enough to negate its cars earning "solid test scores" for being "very nice to drive." Perhaps the rumored switch from Microsoft to Blackberry's QNX for the next generation SYNC will help them out. Cadillac's score also took a hit for infotainment reasons after it was the leading US brand last year, the CUE system in the XTS dragging Cadillac to the bottom of all General Motors brands.

2019 Acura NSX gets a refresh and an eye-catching new color

After two model years and about 1,000 deliveries to the U.S., Acura's given the 2019 model a few enhancements and a small price bump. The car debuted at The Quail, A Motorsport Gathering, during the festivities surrounding Pebble Beach. While there are no major powertrain changes, some new color options and a few chassis refinements will be appreciated by NSX fans. Let's start with the hardware, since this is a sports car, after all. Most important, there's new all-season rubber, still Continental SportContacts but the next version thereof — the 6. Acura claims better handling in all conditions, and the way tire technology has been improving, we'd believe it. The optional Pirelli Trofeo Rs remain — and remain highly recommended for anyone looking to sample the NSX on track, which is an exhilarating experience. Acura says the rest of the enhancements we'll mention shaved a full two seconds off the car's time at Suzuka, so take that for what it's worth. They consist of a 26 percent stiffer front sway bar and 19 percent stiffer rear bar; 21 percent stiffer rear toe link bushings; a 6 percent stiffer rear hub; and a new software calibration for the computer controlled bits: the SH-AWD system, magnetorheological dampers, electric power steering, and stability control systems. For a car as precisely engineered as the NSX, these are relatively significant improvements. Don't necessarily expect it to shave two seconds off your personal best lap time, but if you're highly attuned to the chassis dynamics, the '19 NSX should offer more precise and direct feedback to the driver. No need to be precisely attuned to the cosmetic changes — they're pretty obvious. Thermal Orange, a new exterior color, and the chrome beak-ectomy (it's not body colored) crown the exterior changes. Inside, the leather/Alcantara combo seats are now available in blue, and the full leather seats can be had in red. While the price for the 2019 model has gone up by $1,500, Acura says that there's now $4,700 in formerly optional equipment (power seats, satnav, premium audio, parking sensors, and sport pedals) included as standard equipment. That sounds like a good deal to us. If you want one, the order books are open and cars will be delivered starting in October. Related Video: