

Electric Cars
China’s Wingtech Builds $ 1.8 Billion Plant To Make Semiconductor Products For Electric Vehicles
Chinese electronics manufacturer Wingtech Technology is investing $ 1.8 billion to build a semiconductor manufacturing plant for electric vehicles. Wingtech is building an enterprise in Shanghai together with the Dutch company Nexperia, over which the Chinese gained control back in 2018. The facility is expected to be commissioned next year.
The factory will manufacture discrete semiconductors, including power transistors. The production capacity of 400,000 plates with a diameter of 300 mm per year will make the factory one of the largest specializing in discrete devices.
So far, Nexperia in China has only had the capacity for packaging and final testing of the chips. The new factory will be the first to manufacture and test wafers.
The main reason that prompted Wingtech and Nexperia to build is the global shortage of semiconductor products for automotive electronics. However, the source reminds that power semiconductor products are used not only there.
Another factor is called the fact that discrete devices are not subject to US sanctions. Unlike processors, discrete devices do not require complex manufacturing processes and can be produced on older equipment.
It remains to add that Nexperia is already the ninth largest power semiconductor manufacturer in the world. All in all, discrete devices will account for 38% of the total semiconductor output this year, which is predicted equal to 1.1353 trillion pieces.

Electric Cars
“The perfect family car for style-conscious parents.” Alfa Romeo Tonale Edizione Bambini presented

Unveiled this week, the Alfa Romeo Tonale Edizione Bambini crossover is positioned as “the perfect family car for style-conscious parents.”
Opening the tailgate of the Alfa Romeo Tonale Edizione Bambini reveals a retractable changing table that fits into the luggage rack. There is also a car baby monitor that connects to smartphones.
The driver and front passenger seats are made of gray leather with stitching and an embossed Alfa Romeo logo. The car also received cup holders and various storage spaces.
In addition, there are special devices on the backs of the seats for the entertainment of children. There is a holder for a smartphone and a tablet to keep the kids busy during the trip, as well as clips for a thermos and other small things. There is storage space for toys in the middle of the rear seat. A 6.0 liter removable dustbin is located in the footwell behind the center console.
Even more accessories are in the luggage compartment. There is a vacuum cleaner that runs on a 12-volt outlet, a convenient organizer with several compartments that can be filled with wet wipes, diapers and other things.
Motor1.com contacted Alfa Romeo about plans to bring this project into production. The answer was: “We will consider every possibility, but we cannot confirm the launch yet.”
The Alfa Romeo Tonale is powered by a 1.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine as part of a hybrid system delivering a total output of 285 hp. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes 6 seconds.
In the US, the regular Alfa Romeo Tonale is offered at $44,590.
Electric Cars
Golden mean between Toyota Corolla and Camry? China starts production of Toyota Lingshang sedan

The production of the 2023 Toyota Lingshang mid-size sedan has started in China. It is a cross between the Camry and Corolla in terms of size and performance. The car will go on sale in June, but prices have already been announced.
Lingshang looks like a Corolla, but the platform is TNGA, like the Camry. Dimensions are 4695 x 1780 x 1435 mm, with such a length, the wheelbase is quite decent – 2750 mm. In terms of wheelbase, the Lingshang is 50 mm larger than the Corolla and 70 mm smaller than the Camry.
Externally, Lingshang looks like a stretched Corolla. As for the interior, the equipment is better, and even at the level of materials (more soft plastic). The top version of Lingshang has a 12.3-inch screen on the front panel. The medium version has a screen diagonal of 9 inches, while the basic version is 8 inches. The interior can be leather two-tone, there is more space in the back than the Corolla.
If for Corolla in China everything starts with a 1.2-liter turbocharged engine, then here in the base is a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated engine with 171 hp. At the same time, the engine is designed to work with AI-92 gasoline, and the declared consumption is low – 5.9 liters per 100 km. The cost of Lingshang is from 21,600 to 23,000 dollars.
Electric Cars
Car Prices Continue to Rise: The Average New Car Price in the U.S. Will Exceed $50,000 This Year, According to Toyota

Average U.S. new car prices reached a new peak in February, rising 4.8% to $46,229, according to JD Power. Jack Hollis, head of sales for Toyota North America, said the price will continue to rise. In his opinion, the average transaction price will exceed $50,000 in 2023.
Hollis believes that nearly 17 million vehicles could be sold in the US auto market in 2023 if there are no supply issues. We are talking about 15 million projected sales and another 2 million “unmet demand” vehicles since last year.
According to Bob Young, vice president of Toyota, rising car prices are the result of high material costs. While Yang says improvements are starting to happen in this area, users are unlikely to see price cuts until 2024.
Hollis predicts that Toyota and Lexus, which sold 2.1 million vehicles in the U.S. in 2022, could improve by another 100,000 units this year.
The company expects to end 2023 the same way it did 2022.
-
News6 days ago
Duster will receive an improved successor: Dacia Bigster will be launched into mass production
-
Components3 days ago
Resident Evil 4 favors Radeon RX 7000 graphics cards. Even with ray tracing, the RX 7900 XTX is faster than the RTX 4080
-
Electric Cars3 days ago
The first Geely crossover with Meizu Flyme Auto interface, Harman Kardon acoustics and a 92-inch projection screen. Lynk & Co 08 introduced
-
Components4 days ago
10-core processor Intel Core i5-12600K fell in price in the US by almost a third