Automakers build concept cars all the time to show off technology or preview future models. Once they’ve outlived their useful life they’re typically stored by the company internally. Sometimes these projects just get thrown out, though, which is what appears to have happened to the Mercedes’ “S-Classic Digital ‘My MBUX'” concept, revealed in August of 2020. It’s not really a car, but more of a funny-looking pod meant to give people a taste of the technology going into vehicles like the EQS. It was seemingly disabled and abandoned in a scrapyard just like any other car, though, which has provided us with some extremely unusual photos.

Images of the pod were recently posted to the r/justrolledintotheshop subreddit. The visuals of something that looks more like Wall-E’s girlfriend EVE as opposed to an actual car languishing next to a bunch of discarded metal tubes caught people’s attention, to say the least. Noah Mansico, who took the photos, says they were taken outside of Atlanta, where Mercedes-Benz has its North American headquarters. It’s likely that it was kept there until it outlived its useful purpose, and was simply discarded. Automakers don’t just sell or donate their functional concepts once they’re done with them due to legal concerns, which is why many get this sort of treatment. 

The concept has been stripped of all its Mercedes branding—including the entire steering wheel—but as such a unique object it was reasonably easy for internet sleuths to identify. It features sculptural seats, a massive touchscreen, and other components very similar to those that were eventually found on higher-end models from the German automaker like the S-Class and EQS. A press release from the time details the project’s hundreds of LEDs, heated and cooled massage seats, and a powerful air filtration system equipped with a perfume dispenser. Unfortunately, it’s likely many of these features are no longer functional on the disposed pod.

It’s a shame that such an interesting project was simply disposed of in a field somewhere outside of Atlanta, but keep in mind that many fully functional Mercedes got pretty much the exact same interior and technology. So while seeing EVE in sleep mode with no rescue from a cube-shaped robot with binoculars for eyes may seem a little depressing, the technology the concept previewed lives on. As time passes, people are going get more and more confused by what this thing is, assuming it doesn’t get crushed soon.

Image Credit: Noah Manisco

The Toyota Yaris nameplate seems to be very dear for the automaker. We’ve seen several derivatives of the hatchback, including the high-riding Yaris Cross and of course, the popular GR Yaris that captured the hearts of enthusiasts worldwide.

The latest Yaris derivative, however, gears toward commercial vehicle use. Joining the Toyota Professional range in Spain is the Toyota Yaris Hybrid ECOVan conversion, based on the new Yaris that was launched in the European country last year. Of note, it’s designed as a solution for urban transport and ‘last mile’ deliveries.

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Obviously, the changes in the Yaris ECOVan lies in the cabin where the rear seats are deleted. Instead, a raised wooden floor with a rubber matting is installed, along with a cargo compartment divider and tie hooks for cargo hauling tasks.

Toyota said that the Yaris ECOVan can carry up to 720 liters of cargo as long as it weighs under 430 kilograms (948 pounds). These numbers are way better than the default 286 liters cargo volume space of the non-ECOVan version.

Outside, the tiny Yaris ECOVan hatchback remains identical with the standard version, though Toyota adds an option to add a vinyl-covered rear window in case the buyer wants to add corporate branding.

Under the hood, the Yaris ECOVan comes with a hybrid system, consisting of a 1.5-liter three-cylinder gasoline block, an electric motor, and a small battery, for a total output of 116 horsepower (87 kilowatts) and 104 pound-feet (141 Newton-meters) torque. And since it’s hybrid, it boasts a WLTP fuel consumption rating of 54.7 miles per gallon (4.3 liters per 100 kilometers).

The Toyota Yaris ECOVan comes in two flavors, Business Plus and Active Tech, coming with varying equipment. However, both variants come standard with Toyota Safety Sense, climate control, rain sensors, 15-inch alloys, auto high-beam, and a 7.0-inch infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

For now, the Yaris ECOVan is only available in Spain but it’s likely that Toyota will offer the tiny cargo hauler to the rest of Europe.

If you’re reading Motor1.com from Europe, yes, this is a Fiat Ducato / Peugeot Boxer / Citroën Jumper / Opel Movano. In the United States, the equivalent Ram ProMaster is getting an update with the 2022 model year, bringing fairly important changes to the commercial vehicle lineup. Mechanical and technological upgrades have been implemented, along with a Crew Van configuration carrying three passengers in the second row.

The most obvious change has occurred inside the cabin where the ProMaster switches to Uconnect 5, bringing a choice between 7- and 10-inch touchscreens. In addition, the driver’s display can be upgraded from a standard 3.5-inch screen to a full-color 7-inch setup offering reconfigurable display options, representing a significant upgrade over the outdated screen installed in the 2021MY.

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The transition to a new model year brings a nine-speed automatic transmission (from the ProMaster City) to replace the old six-speed ‘box and improve fuel economy by nine percent. It works with the same 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 producing 280 horsepower (224 kilowatts) and 260 pound-feet (364 Newton-meters) of torque. As opposed to the rear-wheel-drive Ford Transit, the Ram ProMaster’s engine sends power to the front axle.

Firing up the engine no longer necessitates a physical key as the van now boasts a push-button start, along with keyless entry. It also switches to an electric parking brake as well as electric rack-and-pinion power steering enabling variable amounts of steering assistance. Speaking of things going electric, Ram briefly mentions a zero-emissions ProMaster will arrive in 2023, with details to follow closer to market launch.

Meanwhile, the workhorse comes with a lot more tech beyond the upgraded infotainment system. Ram bundles a generous array of standard safety kit, including Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning, Crosswind Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition, Post-Collision Braking, and Drowsiness Detection. At an additional cost, buyers can opt for Lane Keep Assist, Intelligent Speed Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control (with Stop & Go), and Traffic Sign Information.

The 2022 Ram ProMaster can be ordered with a 360-degree camera system and front parking sensors, not to mention a digital rearview mirror and a hands-on-wheel and eyes-on-road semi-autonomous driving system. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are available, and so is a wireless charging pad complemented by two USB Type C ports along with an optional 115-volt/150-watt outlet positioned below.

Ram will have the revised ProMaster at dealers during the fourth quarter of the year. No fewer than 18 configurations are available, including three wheelbases, two roof heights, and four lengths. The newly added Crew Van Package will come with a choice of six different high roof cargo van models.

Suzuki in the UK has found a great way to market the Jimny. While the cute off-roader has been relegated to an LCV in the country due to strict emission regulations, the company wanted to show how it can be turned into a real commercial vehicle.

Introducing, the Jimny Beans – a mobile coffee bar that’s remotely connected to the iconic Rowan Atkinson TV show. It’s just recently completed and will be used for Suzuki’s promotional events across all divisions involving car, motorcycle, ATV, and marine products.

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Featuring a fully operational mobile coffee bar, the single-seat Jimny Beans comes with one-off modifications to accommodate an LPG tank with side exhaust pipe, a 57-liter water tank, 3M filtration system, and a compact Waeco, 12V drawer refrigerator.

Of course, there’s Fracino high-spec coffee machine at the back of the vehicle, which can serve two specialty coffees at the same time and froth milk. Just like a regular espresso machine, it also has a central hot water dispenser for tea because, well, the UK.

On a personal note, there are two things I love the most: the Suzuki Jimny and coffee. This bespoke creation just gave me another reason to love the Jimny even more.

There’s no denying that the Jimny is a popular model. In fact, Japan had a hard time keeping up with the demand for the boxy off-roader back in 2018, so much so that it had to outsource its production in India under Maruti Suzuki. For the uninitiated, Suzuki has been the number one car brand in India for quite a while now, so producing the Jimny there was a good decision, we reckon.

Then again, the Jimny, or any Suzuki vehicle for that matter, is still a forbidden fruit in the US. We’ll see if there’s any chance for it to arrive in the future but in the meantime, don’t count on it just yet.

Electric motors and battery packs will transform more than just passenger vehicles. The technology could be a boon for commercial vehicles, with many sectors already exploring or beginning to adopt new propulsion systems. One vehicle likely to completely go all-electric is buses. Set routes, scheduled recharge times, and good logistics could eliminate dirty urban transit, and one such offering that’s in development is the double-decker Jewel E.

The double-decker bus comes from Equipmake, a commercial vehicle electrification specialist, which built the Jewel E in partnership with Beulas, the Spanish coachbuilder. The Jewel E packs Equipmake’s Zero Emission Drivetrain, which can adapt to fit different bus sizes. The powertrain can produce up to 536 horsepower (400 kilowatts) and an astounding, though necessary, 2,581 pound-feet (3,500 Newton-meters) of torque. The company’s HTM 3500 motor can pair with a lithium-ion battery pack that can be as big as 543-kilowatt-hours.

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The batteries and torque give the double-decker a range of up to 250 miles (402 kilometers), which should be plenty for a bus’s day-to-day schedule. Equipmake says the Jewel E is also the first all-electric bus to meet the Transport for London bus safety standards that arrive in 2024. Not only does that mean the bus is designed for London’s grueling bus service system, but also that it has enhanced safety features.

The bus is expected to begin testing before the end of the year. In-service trails are expected to start in the first quarter of next year, with plans for production and sales to beginin 2022, too. The UK wants at least 4,000 more British-built zero-emission buses in the country by 2024. Buses are perfect vehicles for electrification due to their regimented use and short driving distances, and recharge times aren’t as much of a concern when the buses are parked overnight.

Do you remember the Fat Truck? Made by Canada’s Zeal Motor Inc., the Fat Truck is an amphibious truck that looks like a North American answer to the Russian Sherp ATV. More importantly, the go-anywhere machine gets a new version from Zeal, one that’s warranted by the utility industry.  

Meet, the Fat Truck 2.8P – a pickup version of the Fat Truck that’s designed to transport materials and tools to job sites. It’s practically the same Fat Truck but with a bed, allowing payload transport through harsh conditions with the occupants separated from the cargo.

The Fat Truck 2.8P has a payload capacity of 2,200 pounds (1,000 kilograms). With its amphibious capabilities, it can help ease up work in hard-to-reach job sites. It’s available in two versions: open cab or closed canopy but what makes the 2.8P special is the bevy of options available such as the high-speed capstan, vegetation control spraying unit, water tank, firefighting foam kit, and small service crane for recovery after a storm. Simply put, the 2.8P is a versatile tool.

The 2.8P isn’t a fast truck. It can only reach speeds of up to 25 miles per hour (40 kilometers per hour), while water wading is only possible up to 3 mph (5 km/h) and climbing steep muddy hills up to 75% of grade with all the safety requirements.

What makes the Fat Truck a great go-anywhere off-road vehicle is its light ground pressure, rated at 1.6 psi with its maximum payload. This is five times less than a human footprint, which goes at around 8 psi.

If you’re interested in the Fat Truck 2.8P, it will make a public appearance at the Utility Expo in Louisville, Kentucky in booth N1819 from September 28-30, 2021.

In July this year, we had our first encounter with the next-generation Ford Tourneo Connect in the form of spy photos, showing a camouflaged prototype. However, even the disguise wasn’t able to hide the fact that the new commercial vehicle from the Blue Oval will essentially be a rebadged and slightly redesigned version of the Volkswagen Caddy.

Now, approximately three months later, the new van is ready to make its official debut before going on sale in Europe in early 2022, with customer deliveries set to follow in the spring.

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The biggest design change between the Caddy and the Tourneo Connect is at the front where the Ford gets a wider and more pronounced radiator grille, flanked by headlights with integrated C-shaped LED daytime running lights. Customers will be able to choose from a total of three trim levels – Sport, Titanium, and Trend, and there’s also an Active model with additional body cladding and distinctive design tweaks. Ten exterior colors will be available at launch.

If the cabin looks familiar to you, that’s because it basically mimics the interior of the new Caddy with its minimalistic center console layout. The HVAC and audio system controls are integrated into the infotainment system and Ford doesn’t even mention the word SYNC in its press release, which means the new Tourneo Connect uses Volkswagen’s infotainment software. As standard, the entry-level model comes equipped with an 8.25-inch screen, while the Titanium, Sport, and Active models are fitted with a larger 10-inch display. Optionally available also is a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster.

Under the hood, the engines are again shared with the new Caddy. This means the selection includes a 1.5-liter turbocharged gas engine with 115 horsepower (85 kilowatts) and a 2.0-liter diesel in two power tunes, with 122 hp (90 kW) and 102 hp (75 kW). While Ford calls these units EcoBoost and EcoBlue, respectively, these are essentially Volkswagen’s TSI and TDI four-cylinder engines.

All models are fitted as standard with a six-speed manual gearbox, while optionally available is a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. For the first time in history, the Tourneo Connect will be offered with an all-wheel drive for the more powerful diesel with a manual gearbox.

There’s a new electric vehicle in the US, and it’s something that you wouldn’t want to be on unless it’s an emergency. DocGo, a leading provider of last-mile mobile care services and integrated medical mobility solutions in the US, has unveiled its all-electric ambulance.

DocGo touts that its zero-emissions ambulance is the first of its kind to be registered in the country. It is, of course, significantly more eco-friendly than the usual ICE-powered ambulance, plus the lack of fuel costs could potentially lower patient transportation costs. This marks DocGo’s first step in the company’s latest sustainability mission to have an all-electric fleet by 2032.

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“We are tireless in our quest to innovate how care is provided,” said DocGo CEO and founder Stan Vashovsky. “Our ‘Zero Emission’ Initiative exemplifies how DocGo is revolutionizing the delivery of mobile medical care, and building a company that’s better for our patients, for our care providers, for our customers, and for the planet.”

DocGo’s electric ambulance is based on the Ford E-Transit that was revealed in 2020. Though not mentioned in its release, the low-roof, non-ambulance variant of the Blue Oval electric van has 126 miles (203 kilometers) of range.

DocGo worked with Lightning eMotors to create the all-electric ambulance. The Colorado-based company provides specialized and sustainable fleet solutions since 2009, deploying complete zero-emission-vehicle solutions for commercial fleets since 2018.

“We are honored to have had the opportunity to work alongside DocGo on this exciting initiative,” said Nicholas Bettis, director of marketing and sales operations at Lightning eMotors.

DocGo plans to have a ribbon-cutting ceremony with a hospital partner in New York to celebrate the first patient to be transported using the all-electric ambulance. The exact details of that event are yet to be revealed.

Smartphones have become so advanced that they’ve become both a handheld communication device and a camera. In New York City, however, you can use your smartphone (or any video capturing device) to report instances of idling commercial vehicles – and earn from doing so.

According to a report by NBC New York, NYC’s 2019 law called Citizens Air Complaint Program has already received $2.3 million in idling fines. A quarter of that amount went to the New Yorkers who reported the incident, and a good portion has already been chalked up to one person. 

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Donald Blair, who goes after idling trucks and buses in Brooklyn, has already collected $55,000 just by reporting these idling commercial vehicles. Another $70,000 is on the way for a combined earning of $125,000. Blair’s haul is the most any single New Yorker has earned from this scheme, according to NBC.

Of note, citizens who report idling commercial vehicles receive $87.50, or a quarter of the issued fine. All they have to do is to catch one in the act, record it on video for three minutes (one minute if it’s in a school zone), and submit the footage to the city’s Department of Environmental Protection along with a sworn statement. The commercial vehicle owner can be fined $250 or more.

A group of watchdogs in NYC called “Idle Warriors” has around 60 New Yorkers on its roster, all dedicated to catching and recording idling commercial vehicles within the city.

The NBC report stated that there are about $8 million in unpaid idling vehicle fines. Amazon owes $250,000 of those fines and stands as the frontrunner. UPS’s next at $70,000, while FedEx is at a close third at $60,000. All three companies have said that they’re already working on paying those fines to NYC.

These logistics companies have already started their foray into electric commercial vehicles. Amazon has already struck a deal with Rivian for a fleet of electric delivery vans. Automakers are in on the initiative as well, with GM already developing two new all-electric commercial vehicles.

The ID. Buzz – Volkswagen’s battery-powered bus for the family or the business – has been in production since June this year. It is already enjoying strong demand from customers and the Wolfsburg-based automaker wants to keep the momentum high and has plans for different special versions of the model.

The ID. Buzz is a platform that can easily be transformed into different types of vans and the company’s commercial vehicle division will showcase a number of ID. Buzz-based vehicles during the IAA Transportation 2022 in Hannover, Germany.

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The show starts today with the official media day and Volkswagen will have more than 30 models during the event. Possibly the most interesting concept comes in the form of an ID. Buzz paramedic bus, which combines the eco-friendly powertrain of the production model with special emergency equipment. The zero-emissions prototype has been developed in cooperation with German superstructure manufacturer Bosenberg.

There’s no specific information regarding the equipment on board but from the outside, the ID. Buzz paramedic looks almost exactly like the production model. Obviously, there’s a special livery and an additional light bar mounted on the roof. 

Other vehicles from the automaker’s LCV division that will be shown during the specialized event in Hannover include the all-new Amarok truck sharing its underpinnings and technologies with the new Ford Ranger. Also on display will be a Multivan-based vehicle for transporting passengers and goods at the same time, designed and built by a Dutch company called Snoeks. A mobile e-bike workshop from the German company Kogel/Flexmo will also be displayed among a number of camper vehicles based on different VW products.

Volkswagen will keep expanding the ID Buzz’s lineup and the upcoming ID. Buzz GTX is shaping up to be the most exciting of all new versions that are currently under development. The fast family hauler will get a dual-motor electric powertrain with a peak output likely matching the numbers of the ID.4 GTX and ID.5 GTX. If this assumption is correct, the electric bus will have 295 horsepower (220 kilowatts) and 338 pound-feet (460 Newton-meters) channeled to all four wheels.