Particularly in light and heavy commercial vehicles, strong growth in electric drives is on the horizon. According to a survey, the members of the importers' association auto-schweiz believe that the market share of zero-emission vans could rise from around ten percent today to 23.3 percent by the end of 2025. As early as 2025, plug-in vehicles are expected to account for half of new passenger car registrations.

In the same year, one in four new delivery trucks could also be electric.

en, and from 2030 onwards, the majority of new trucks are expected to have electric drive systems.

Existing incentives to remain

However, this still requires favorable framework conditions and support measures. auto-schweiz is therefore calling on the Federal Council to ensure that electric vehicles remain exempt from automobile tax on import beyond 2023.

Andreas Burgener, Director of Auto-Switzerland: "Sustainable transport services will be in greater demand in the future. Swiss car importers are well prepared for this and are continuously expanding their range of electric and hydrogen commercial vehicles."

But growth in electric passenger cars and commercial vehicles is not a foregone conclusion. Appropriate incentives are needed.

Marcel Guerry, Vice President of auto-schweiz and Managing Director Switzerland of the Emil Frey Group: "Switzerland hardly knows any nationwide support measures such as purchase premiums, which many of our neighboring countries have created. But now the Federal Council also wants to abolish the exemption of e-cars from automobile tax from 2024. In doing so, it is thwarting the self-imposed expansion of electromobility."

Delivery situation increasingly reliable

Donato Bochicchio, Vice President of Auto-Switzerland and Managing Director of Ford Switzerland: "The start of the year 2023 has been successful, the supply situation is becoming increasingly reliable after the difficulties of the Covid pandemic and the outbreak of the Ukraine war. This is also having a positive effect on the market shares of electric drives. After two months, for example, the number of new electric delivery trucks is two-thirds higher than in the previous year."

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By 2030, up to 100 percent of the delivery vehicles for the last mile at DHL Express Switzerland will also be electrically powered. As part of this commitment, 14 new all-electric E-Transits were handed over to the DHL Express Switzerland team in mid-February. A further 52 vans have been ordered and will be delivered before the end of the year.

More than 300 kilometer range

The Ford E-Transit is a key component of Ford Pro, the Group's global sales and service offering. At the heart of the zero-emission E-Transit is the battery with a net capacity of 68 kWh. This gives the E-Transit a range of up to 317 kilometers in the WLTP cycle.

The vehicle can be charged with both direct current and alternating current. The quick-charge function allows the battery to be charged from 15 to 80 percent in just under 34 minutes.

Three wheelbases and two roof heights

Ford Marketing Director Michel Jutzi: "With the E-Transit, we are strengthening our ability to offer environmentally friendly delivery services not only in Switzerland, but also worldwide. Another advantage: Thanks to the 44 configuration options, European customers can find their customized electric delivery van quickly and easily."

The range includes panel vans with double or single cab, two equipment lines and three wheelbases as well as two roof heights. DHL Express Switzerland has opted for the L4H3 Trend variant with 135 kW and a DHL-specific body.

Commitment to mobility solutions

Donato Bochicchio, Managing Director Ford Motor Company (Switzerland) SA: "We are very pleased to support DHL on their journey to decarbonize their fleet. Both Ford Pro and Deutsche Post DHL Group share a clear vision of greater sustainability and a commitment to electrified mobility solutions."

Ford Pro achieved a market share of 15 percent in the light commercial vehicle segment in Europe last year. This makes the brand the European market leader once again and for the eighth time in succession.

ford.ch

With the LB744, Lamborghini is once again setting new standards in terms of performance. The new car is driven by a powertrain producing more than 1,000 hp, combining the power of a twelve-cylinder naturally aspirated engine with three electric machines and a sophisticated dual-clutch transmission.

Lithium-ion battery in transmission tunnel

The V12 mid-engine with 6.5 liters displacement is supplemented by three electric motors, one of which is integrated into the 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. The lithium-ion battery is installed in the transmission tunnel, which was previously used for the propshaft.

The e-motors improve power delivery at low engine speeds and can also transform the LB744 into a fully electric vehicle. Lamborghini calls the plug-in hybrid supercar the first High Performance Electrified Vehicle (HPEV) on the market.

High-revving twelve-cylinder with 725 Nm

The new L545 V12 engine with 6.5 liters displacement is rotated 180 degrees compared with the arrangement in the Aventador. It produces a maximum of 825 hp at 9250 rpm and delivers 725 Nm at 6750 rpm as maximum torque. The air intake ducts have been redesigned to ensure optimum airflow into the combustion chamber. And, of course, special attention has been paid to the sound of the new engine.

Permanent electric all-wheel drive

While the combustion engine drives the rear wheels, two electric motors provide propulsion at the front axle. The combined torque of the combustion engine and the three electric motors enables an enormous level of performance. The V12 delivers 725 Nm, the three electric motors 350 Nm each. The manufacturer names 1015 hp as the maximum system output. The battery pack can be fully charged in just 30 minutes. However, charging is also possible via brake energy regeneration at the front wheels or directly via the V12 engine in just six minutes.

lamborghini.com

As car enthusiasts, younger people have a strong interest in the cool vehicles of the past. Youngtimers, the classic cars of tomorrow, are suitable for everyday use and are often still reasonably priced. What's more, some of them offer considerable potential for appreciation. Which models are the most popular will be revealed in the Youngtimer Wahl 2023.

The organizers of Swiss Classic World (June 2 to 4), together with the Swiss classic car platform intergas.com is launching a major online competition. Interested parties can vote for their favorite youngtimers on zwischengas.com until April 3.

Well known brands to choose from

Vehicles from well-known brands are up for election in the categories of small and compact cars, sedans, coupes, convertibles and targa, super sports cars and SUV/4×4. Once online voting is complete, the winners will be presented live in front of an audience at the trade fair in Lucerne.

The event is supported by Amag Classic, Schinznach-Bad, and the Porsche Classic Center, Schlieren, as well as by the insurance company TSM with its special offer Classic Wheels for young and classic cars.

Attractive prizes for the best

The first prize in the voting competition is a youngtimer or classic car weekend with a vehicle from the rental range of Amag Classic Schinznach-Bad, and for the runner-up there is an invitation together with 20 friends to Amag in Schinznach-Bad with a visit to the showroom, a guided tour and an aperitif.

Two times a vintage black-and-white photo of choice in a picture frame with passpartout will be awarded to the third-place winners, and five times a one-year full membership to zwischengas.com will be offered for fourth place. Ten times two admission tickets to Swiss Classis World are associated with fifth place.

swissclassicworld.ch
intergas.com

In just twelve units, Rolls-Royce is launching the Amber Roads special edition Ghost model on the range. This range was inspired by amber, the gold of the north. The fossilized tree resin was considered a precious stone for centuries and was transported from the Baltic Sea, the Baltic, to the Mediterranean.

The Rolls-Royce developers of the Ghost Amber Roads were inspired by the color of the precious material for the exterior and interior design. Various warm colors ranging from Armagnac to Mandarin are used. In the headliner, the historic amber sea routes are depicted using an elaborate manufacturing process.

Amber as a link to the past

The new model was presented for the first time in Kaltene, Latvia. On this stretch of the coast, pieces of amber are still occasionally found today.

Designer Nicholas Rhodes: "Amber is a remarkable material. It is fossil and allows a tangible connection to past life on Earth."

rolls-roycemotorcars.com

This result at the first race of the year places Team Stake in fifth place in the constructors' standings - as a reward for its hard work during the winter break. The four championship points scored in Bahrain also mean that the Sauber stake team is now a member of the club of Formula 1 teams that have already scored more than 1,000 points in their history.

Race Highlights | 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix

Continuous progress

Alessandro Alunni Bravi, Team Representative: "The team did a really good job, we can be satisfied with the result. This result underlines our continuous progress and is a reward for the work we did during testing before the start of the season. We finished ahead of the McLaren and the Alpine. That's more than we could have hoped for."

... but there is still much to do

The drivers did superbly in the car, Zhou even setting the fastest lap of the race shortly before the finish. The strategic decisions and the pit stops were also good. Alunni Bravi also extends a big thank you to his colleagues at headquarters in Hinwil, who provided a competitive car, and to technical partner Ferrari, from whom the engines came. The race in Bahrain was a good start to the season, but there is still a lot to do.

Comments of the satisfied drivers

Valtteri Bottas (left gallery): "I'm really pleased with the race. Four points is a nice reward for the team and shows that the work everyone did during the winter is paying off. We proved that our car is fast and that we can keep up with the other teams in the midfield."

Zhou Guanyu adds: "It's nice that Valtteri was able to score points at the season opener. That's a good starting position for the team. The car felt better than in qualifying. That shows that development is going in the right direction. We need to find further improvements to be even faster in the next races."

Aston Martin caused a surprise

World champion Max Verstappen continues in the new Formula 1 season where he left off in his record year of 2022: The Dutchman easily wins the season opener in Bahrain. Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez comes in second, twelve seconds behind. Red Bull's one-two finish is a perfect debut. With Fernando Alonso's podium finish, Aston Martin finally confirms the strong form of the tests and practice sessions in Bahrain.

formula1.com
clean-group.com

The video could be part of a James Bond movie: a snowboarder jumps out of a moving all-electric ID. Buzz, slithers along a rock face and down a steep slope with fresh snow, makes a jump over the bus, to finally land back in the ID. Buzz to spend the night there.

Screenwriter, director and composer

In this action video, Pat Burgener, all-rounder and ambassador for the ID. Buzz, scriptwriter, director and composer in personal union. Swiss television has aired the short film once. Those who missed the TV premiere can watch the video on Pat Burgener's social media channels, on the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles website or right here at AutoSprintCH.

volkswagen-nutzfahrzeuge.ch

Porsche wants to maximize its chances of winning its 20th overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. For this reason, the Porsche Penske Motorsport factory team has entered a third Porsche 963 for the endurance classic on June 10 and 11. The Le Mans organizer ACO has now confirmed eligibility for the additional hybrid prototype.

The vehicle will start the race with the starting number 75. After all, the sports car manufacturer celebrates its 75th birthday in 2023 and the Le Mans race its 100th anniversary. In addition, the customer team Hertz Team Jota is bringing a fourth Porsche 963 to the start.

Confident before the big race

Thomas Laudenbach, Head of Porsche Motorsport (gallery, left): "For us, it's all about maximizing our chances of winning our 20th overall victory at Le Mans on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Porsche brand. That's why we're fielding a third car. The history of the race has shown that it's precisely the additional cars fielded that can tip the scales."

And Urs Kuratle, Head of Works Motorsport LMDh (gallery on the right): "We want to make the most of our opportunities and shine in the 75th year of the Porsche brand and at the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans."

These pilots belong to the driver teams

Taking turns at the wheel of the number 5 Porsche 963 are American Dane Cameron, Michael Christensen from Denmark and Frenchman Frédéric Makowiecki. The number 6 sister car will be driven by Kévin Estre from France, the Belgian Laurens Vanthoor and three-time Le Mans overall winner André Lotterer from Germany.

Brazilian Felipe Nasr will be in the cockpit of car number 75. His two teammates will also come from Porsche Penske Motorsport's existing IMSA driver squad. The customer team Hertz Team Jota has nominated factory driver António Félix da Costa from Portugal, Briton Will Stevens and Yifei Ye for the number 38 car.

porsche.ch

In 2021, the German Federal Ministry of Digital Affairs and Transport (BMDV) and Astra had agreed on a temporary mutual recognition of various country-specific vehicle IDs and license plates. This brought relief to garage owners in areas near the border, as it made it possible to drive in Germany with Swiss dealer plates. However, this regulation is only valid until December 31, 2023.

New agreement from January 2024

In response to a request from the AGVS legal service, Astra says: "Astra is in contact with the BMDV. An open-ended solution is being worked out, which will be in force from January 1, 2024 at the latest."

So that there are certainly no buses when driving with the U-number, however, something to keep in mind is that the license plate must not be leaned against the window from the inside, because depending on the lighting conditions and the inclination and tint of the window, legibility can then be considerably more difficult.

Positioning accurately is important

Article 45 of the VTS regulates how garage owners must correctly affix U-numbers to the vehicle. According to this, the "garage numbers" must be affixed in a clearly legible manner and as vertically as possible, just like the normal license plates. This means that the plates must be between 20 and 150 centimeters above the road surface. And when looking at the vehicle from behind, the rear license plate must still be legible at an angle of 30 degrees on both sides, starting from the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

agvs-upsa.ch

The virtual time trial on the Anneau du Rhin circuit is run on authentic simulators in the well-known Race-Centers.com facilities and can be mastered by anyone. Of course, the virtual version of the American Legend Car is used.

Interested parties can compete at these centers: A Plus Simracing Lounge, Hinwil (ZH), Race Sim Zone, Hunzenschwil (AG), RacingFuel Academy, Horgen (ZH), RacingFuel Academy, Dietlikon (ZH), Racing Lounge, Pratteln (BL) and BEO Racing, Spiez (BE). Reservations via the website of the nearest center or race-centers.com. The prize is a 20-minute test drive in a real Legend Car on the Anneau du Rhin circuit..

Gasoline smell and racing experience

Alain Chatton from Legend Cars Switzerland GmbH: "Such a collaboration is especially pleasing to me because the virtual world of motorsport has seen huge progress in recent years. I'm very excited about the immediate feedback from the fast gamers and hope that the racers will have the pure racing experience with the fierce driving wind and the strong smell of gasoline."

Alternative to real motorsport

Of the real sports, soccer, basketball and football currently dominate in e-sports. In no other sport, however, are reality and digital simulation as close as in motorsports - since, on the one hand, operation is via steering wheel and pedals, and, on the other hand, the driving technique acquired can be applied in the real sport.

That's why sim racing is becoming increasingly popular and is the low-cost alternative to real motorsport. Not only do top racers like Max Verstappen (NL) or Nico Müller prepare for their races in the simulator, but there are also many examples of sim racers who are successful in real motorsport

In Switzerland, sim racing has already been experiencing a real boom since 2019 thanks to the Swiss Series of RacingFuel Academy AG from Horgen (AutoSprintCH reported).

race-centers.com