Good morning and welcome to our daily digest of automotive news from around the globe, starting with…

Ford Plans To Nearly Double F-150 Lightning Production In Order To Meet Demand

Ford will ramp up production for the F-150 Lightning after orders had been temporarily halted at 200,000 reservations. Initially targeting an annual production of 40,000 vehicles, the Blue Oval will increase output to facilitate 150,000 units of the EV truck by mid-2023.

2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV Debuts With 664 HP, 400 Mile Range, And The Avalanche’s Midgate

Ford’s F-150 Lightning will soon have some company, with GM taking the wraps off their take on a full-sized electric truck. The new Silverado EV will debut in 2023 as a 2024 model and will be built on GM’s modular Ultium EV platform. For now, it’ll be available exclusively in Crew Cab configuration, with a frunk for increased practicality. The 400-mile (644 km) range WT version that’s targeted at fleet use will debut first, with 510hp (375 kW / 517 PS) and 615 lb-ft (834 Nm) of torque. A fully-loaded Silverado EV RST First Edition will launch later, with a dual-motor all-wheel drive system producing 664 hp (495 kW / 673 PS) and 780+ lb-ft (1,056+ Nm) of torque. It too will have 400 miles (644 km) of range, but a 0-60 mph (0–96 km/h) time of just 4.5 seconds and a sticker price of $105,000.

Cadillac InnerSpace Concept Debuts As A Luxurious, Autonomous Coupe

The Cadillac InnerSpace concept introduced at CES 2022 is billed as a “dramatic, two-passenger electric and autonomous luxury vehicle.” The futuristic exterior is complimented by an equally impressive cabin, complete with lounge-style front seats with power-deployable footrests and an “immersive and panoramic SMD LED display.” The InnerSpace concept is designed with a focus on autonomous driving, the tech-filled interior serving to let passengers enjoy the journey rather than driving.

Euro NCAP Reveals The Safest Cars It Tested In 2021

The European New Car Assessment Programme has published its list of vehicles that performed the best during their rigorous crash safety testing. The Mercedes-Benz EQS was deemed to be the best performing Executive vehicle, as well as achieving the best in class award for electric vehicles. Skoda picked up two honors, with the Enyaq iV the best Large Off-Road vehicle and the Fabia the best Small Family Car. Other high scorers in their own segments were the Toyota Yaris Cross and Nissan Qashqai.

Chevrolet Previews $30,000 Equinox EV Launching In 2023, Confirms Electric Blazer Too

News that will no doubt rival that of the Silverado EV is the preview of the new 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV that will start at around $30,000. The low-cost crossover EV could undercut the likes of Ford’s Mustang Mach-E and Volkswagen’s ID.4 EVs when it launches in the latter half of 2023. A separate car altogether from the ICE Equinox, tech details such as power and range weren’t revealed, but we do know that it’ll be built on the Ultium platform. At the same time, GM confirmed a 2024 Blazer EV, too, although no preview images or technical details were revealed.

BMW’s E Ink Body Wrap Can Change From Black To White At The Touch Of A Button

BMW’s trippy new tech demo sees an iX wrapped in E-ink panels (the stuff you get with e-readers), enabling the car to change color at the touch of a button — sort of. The car can go from white to grey, but the full spectrum is so far off-limits. Nevertheless, it’s a remarkable example of tech we’d love to see someday in the future. Plus, it has practical uses, too — in colder climates, you could keep your car dark to absorb heat, and turn it white for the opposite effect during summer months.

U.S. Judge Filmed Crashing, Arrested And Charged With DUI

Definitely not what you want to see from those holding such a position, San Joaquin County Judge Michael Mulvihill was filmed crashing his SUV into the side of a bridge. Police soon responded to the crash and promptly arrested Mulvihill, who confirmed that he had been charged with DUI, 209 Times reports.

What Else Is Making The News

Australia Sends Novak Djokovic Packing

Tennis superstar and number one at the ATP rankings Novak Djokovic has caused a stir Down Under, with his visa being revoked on arrival in Melbourne ahead of the Australian Open. Djokovic has so far been opposed to vaccination and was given a medical exemption to play in the tournament. Australia has some of the strictest COVID-19 restrictions in the world, and the initial decision to allow the tennis player in the country was viewed as special treatment by some.

Melania Trump Now Shilling Bitcoin 

Melania Trump is supposedly shilling Bitcoin, thanks to a tweet from her personal account promoting the cryptocurrency. It comes after the former First Lady launched her own NFT venture, which offered a watercolor painting of her eyes and a complimentary voice message.