Lamborghini recently decided to demonstrate the power of a new variant of the Urus SUV in all of its awe at the Pikes Peak international hill climb.

The camouflaged Urusu finished the 20 km long course complete with 156 turns in just 10:49.902. This is 17 seconds quicker than the Bentley Bentayga which was the official record holder for the climb in the ‘Production-spec SUV’ category.

The Urus which broke the Pikes Peak record, was equipped with the standard twin-turbo V8 engine. The body was modified to comply with the Pikes Peak safety regulations. It featured a roll cage, racing seats with a 6-point harness, and a fire extinguisher. Semi slicks Pirelli P ZERO TROFEO RS were fitted to the car. The tires were specifically developed for the first time for an SUV.

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Pirelli’s test driver and hill climb champion Simone Faggioli was behind the wheels of the new Urus variant to achieve this record. Lamborghini Chief Technical Officer Rouven Mohr, while commenting on the achievement, said:

“The decision to test ourselves at Pikes Peak reflects the Lamborghini spirit of ‘expect the unexpected’ and demonstrates the outstanding performance of the new Urus model to be presented shortly.”

Lamborghini has confirmed that it will launch two variants of the Urus this August. Whether one of those upcoming two models achieved this feat is yet to be confirmed. The new variant will reportedly feature the same 4.0L V8 engine, but with higher power output as well as design modifications that would include vents on the front hood and rear fenders.

Battery-electric car sales still increase, despite the overall market being down.

Passenger car sales in the Netherlands continue to decrease. In July, the number of new registrations decreased by 18% year-over-year.

It seems that only all-electric cars are still able to maintain some positive results, as plug-in hybrids are also in the red.

According to EV Volumes' data, shared by Jose Pontes, last month 6,766 new plug-ins were registered, which is roughly 1% more than a year ago. The tiny increase is a result of two trends - expanding BEVs (up by 13% year-over-year) and shrinking PHEVs (down 19%).

Overall, plug-in cars accounted for some 31% of the market (including 22% for BEVs).

New plug-in car registrations:

BEVs: 4,759 and 22% share
PHEVs: 2,007 and 9% share
Total: 6,766 and 31% share

So far this year, over 55,000 plug-in electric cars were registered in the Netherlands, which is 31% of the market.

New plug-in car registrations year-to-date:

BEVs: about *35,500 and 20% share
PHEVs: about *19,500 and 11% share
Total: 55,023 and 31% share
* estimated from the market share

Model rank
In terms of models, the top electric model (and #7 overall) in July was the Skoda Enyaq iV with 539 registrations, which enabled the MEB-based model to strengthen its top year-to-date rank with a total result of 3,249 units and relatively substantial lead.

The next two electric cars last month were the Kia EV6 (366) and Citroën e-C4 (312). Interestingly, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 also noted a relatively strong result (262).

Top 10 last month:

Skoda Enyaq iV - 539
Kia EV6 - 366
Citroën e-C4 - 312
Hyundai Ioniq 5 - 262
Peugeot e-208 - 260
Volvo XC40 PHEV (est.) - 217
Peugeot e-2008 - 189
Volvo XC40 BEV - 187
Audi e-tron - 186
Kia Niro EV (e-Niro) - 181

Top 10 year-to-date:

Skoda Enyaq iV - 3,249
Lynk & Co 01 PHEV - 2,484
Peugeot e-208 - 2,221
Volvo XC40 PHEV (est.) - 2,004
Kia Niro EV (e-Niro) - 1,936
Kia EV6 - 1,830
Audi Q4 e-tron - 1,646
Citroën e-C4 - 1,481
Fiat 500 electric - 1,430
Peugeot e-2008 - 1,121
Volvo remains the most popular plug-in brand in the Netherlands with a 9.6% share in the segment year-to-date. However, Kia is approaching with 9.1%. BMW noted 9.0%, Peugeot 7.6%, while Skoda is fifth at 6.6%.

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Among the automotive groups, the ones with the highest number of registrations are the Volkswagen Group (19.9%), Stellantis (18.3%), Geely-Volvo (including Lynk & Co and Polestar) at 15.9%, Hyundai-Kia (13.2%) and BMW Group (10.9%).

The Bolt EUV’s $35,000 starting price, 247-mile range, and excellent driving character are more than enough to overshadow a flimsy cabin.

The current EV market moves damn fast. Every week seems to come with a new story about a long-range, quick-charging electric car that has blistering performance and bleeding-edge technology. But like so many things in life, the folks that are gobbling these new vehicles up are paying for much more capability than they really need.

With nearly 250 miles to a charge, a roomy cabin for four adults, and a starting price below $40,000, the 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV is exactly as much EV as most people need and not an ounce more. That makes it an unquestionably boring choice – because being responsible is almost always boring – but Chevrolet's first electric crossover is an undeniably smart value, even if it falls well short of the current crop of electric crossovers in a few key ways.

The Bolt EUV accompanied the refresh of the standard-issue Bolt EV, adopting the cleaner, smoother fascia that came out last year. A closed-off grille with a body-color insert and slim running lights with integrated LED turn signals presents a more modern, assertive face, while a gloss-black strip ties together slimmer taillights. At the back, an uncomfortably high bumper and a perilously short overhang conflict with a ride height that still awkwardly straddles hatchback and crossover.

Chevy's 2022 model year refresh saw a sizable overhaul to the Bolt's cabin. A new Honda-style gear selector highlights the updated floating center console, and overall material quality is up across the board. But while soft-touch plastics on the dash are a welcome addition, I never got the sense the cabin was screwed together with much care. The power locks operate with a metallic “thunk” that echoes through the cabin and flicking the flimsy turn signal stalk has a similar effect. At the same time, my test car's gray/gray/white color scheme looks as dull and over-sanitized as a hospital waiting room.

For a vehicle that's a mere 14.1 feet long, the Bolt EUV is a roomy thing. Passengers in both rows have as much or more leg and headroom as a Chevy Equinox, which is over a foot longer and three inches wider. At the same time, there's ample cargo space, with a false floor expanding the hold to below the rear bumper. Loading is a bit of a pain, owing to the high clearance and narrow tailgate, but that's a minor annoyance.

The Bolt EUV's ride is suitably isolated on rough roads, although it never feels especially plush or pleasant in other situations. Basically, this car rides as good as it needs to, which is the highest praise I can muster for a primitive torsion-beam rear end. Wind noise is more of an issue than tire roar – those big side-view mirrors are great for visibility, but not much else – but the Bolt EUV is as good in either metric as any other $35,000 hatchback.

Every Bolt and Bolt EUV comes with an 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.2-inch touchscreen above the center stack with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The touchscreen's software has a dedicated home screen and a smartphone-inspired collection of icons for navigation. Response times are quick, although the color palette is uninteresting. That's a shame, as the graphics are fantastic.

That's doubly true of the digital cluster, which feels like something engineers designed specifically for the Bolt. A predictive range gauge on the left and a power graph on the right are crystal clear and unfussy tools for efficient driving. The use of green and yellow for conveying efficiency information isn't new, but it's an ideal solution for an EV.

I mean, are you surprised? Tasking a mere 200 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque with 3,700 pounds of weight is not a recipe for rapid acceleration. Yes, the Bolt generates all its twist from a standstill and that makes it feel downright nippy in places where the speed limit won't crest 35 miles per hour. Put the EUV on an interstate and its tendency to run out of steam shortly after calling for more power is tiresome.

Handling isn't a highlight either. The Bolt is only ever happy when driven gently. The lone highlight are the brakes. If you do decide to dip into the bigger pedal, the results are easy to predict, unlike a lot of regenerative systems.

The Chevrolet Bolt EUV is the most affordable vehicle with a hands-free driving aid in the United States. My road trip with the Bolt included 284 miles of freeway driving and I used Super Cruise for at least 90 percent of that time. It was flawless, with none of the annoying ping-pong behavior I experienced the last time I used Ford's rival, Blue Cruise.

While the Bolt EUV’s range is competitive with the other single-motor models in the segment, its 55-kilowatt DC charge rate is both well below the 150-kW target we set for this segment and easily the worst of any comparable vehicle.

The Bolt EUV makes its strongest case based on price (and 2023 models will be stronger still). The LT trim is available for $34,495, including a $995 destination charge. The Premier adds $4,400 to that figure, for a starting price of $38,995. While GM burned through its income-tax credits years ago, the EUV still undercuts most comers.

My tester carried the $5,430 Launch Edition package, which basically combines the $2,200 Super Cruise package and $2,495 Sun and Sound pack (navigation, panoramic sunroof, Bose audio) black 17-inch wheels and an illuminated charging port. The as-tested price was $43,495 and included a $430 discount for the Launch Edition. The Sun and Sound pack feels like a poor value, considering the standard wireless CarPlay. Super Cruise is a must-have, though, and at $2,200, it pushes the EUV's price just a hair above $40k. That's a damn fine price for an EV with 247 miles of range that will basically drive itself.