Currently reading: Autocar confidential: Kia not committed to hydrogen, PSA still focused on value, and more

Our reporters empty their notebooks to round up a week in gossip from across the automotive industry

In this week's round-up of automotive gossip, we find out whether Kia has room in its line-up for a hydrogen-powered car based on the Hyundai Nexo, get PSA's view on affordable cars, and more.

Is a Nexo sister car still on the way?

Kia is "not sure" if it will keep its commitment to offer by 2021 an FCEV based on sister brand Hyundai’s Hyundai Nexo, due to the pandemic fallout. “We don’t think it’s something we have to push”, said Emilio Herrera, Kia’s chief operating officer for Europe. “If we’re saying EVs are expensive for the consumer, hydrogen cars are more expensive still”.

Just can't get enough

The future of the city car may be uncertain, but the new Seat Mii Electric is selling very strongly. Product marketing boss Pedro Fondevilla said: “Demand for this kind of car has been higher than we were expecting, and Germany and Norway have already sold out what they were willing to sell for this year. We can say it has been a success.” Skoda’s version, the Citigo-e iV, sold out in the UK in just two months.

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The price will be right

PSA Group boss Carlos Tavares claims his firm’s merger with FCA will focus on developing affordable cars, despite the pressure of green legislation. He said: “We can’t talk about clean mobility without talking about affordability mobility. If it’s expensive, it doesn’t meet the requirements of our customers.” Tavares said the groups’ combined resources and larger scale will help them achieve this.

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Start 'em when they're young

The biggest age group for Renault car-sharing in Paris is 34-38-year-olds. As a result, the most popular car on the scheme is the Renault Zoe, of which 20% come with baby seats. Rival Citroën recently launched the Ami electric quadricyle, but Renault’s EV boss Gilles Normand said there’s little demand for its own Renault Twizy.

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si73 2 June 2020

Mii and citigo EVs selling

Mii and citigo EVs selling out, shows there is a demand for cheap ish EVs and that the range offered for its intended use is more than adequate. They would suit me, as would a twizzy of it was as good as it could be and cheaper.
artill 2 June 2020

Renault wonder why there isnt

Renault wonder why there isnt much demand for the Twizy? No doors looks fun, but in Northern Europe its daft, and on top of that its stupidly expensive, and you still have to rent the battery which has got no cheaper, nor any power powerful since introduction. The Ami looks much more useful, and massively cheaper, even if it looks much less fun too.

si73 2 June 2020

artill wrote:

artill wrote:

Renault wonder why there isnt much demand for the Twizy? No doors looks fun, but in Northern Europe its daft, and on top of that its stupidly expensive, and you still have to rent the battery which has got no cheaper, nor any power powerful since introduction. The Ami looks much more useful, and massively cheaper, even if it looks much less fun too.

Actually I think in the UK at least they are now battery owned, I couldnt find any battery lease info for the twizzy on Renaults website. There are doors and zip on windows but the doors don't lock which is daft and I agree, they should be a lot cheaper, and allowed to use bus lanes like a scooter as they're not much bigger. This would increase their uptake I reckon as suddenly they'd be a safer dryer alternative to a scooter and be a genuine congestion buster. But as it is they're an expensive under achieving curiosity.

xxxx 2 June 2020

Hydrogen cars just went pop

Honda next, why does it take some so long to realise it's just a folly

jason_recliner 2 June 2020

xxxx wrote:

xxxx wrote:

Honda next, why does it take some so long to realise it's just a folly

If only the world's industrial giants, and the trillions of investment behind them, listened to you, right?

:-P

xxxx 2 June 2020

jason_recliner wrote:

jason_recliner wrote:

xxxx wrote:

Honda next, why does it take some so long to realise it's just a folly

If only the world's industrial giants, and the trillions of investment behind them, listened to you, right?

:-P

..and not just me. Most car companies and all the people who voted with their wallets by not buying Hydrogen fool cell cars.  Those trillions don't look such a good investment afterall