Electric Cars
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The all-electric Nissan BladeGlider sports car, which gets its official introduction later this week at the Tokyo Motor Show, is more than just a far-out concept. Nissan plans to build it. It’s not just the BladeGlider’s electric powertrain that makes it radically different than other roadsters and superlight sports cars; the deltoid shape of the car—modeled after the swept wings of a glider—as well as the unique ‘1+3’ seating layout and dramatically different front and rear track should make it a standout. And in person it does indeed look like no other...
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BMW Launching 360 Electric-Driving Assistance At LA Auto Show
BMW 360 Electric is a suite of technologies and services that BMW hopes will make electric cars more convenient.
Stephen Edelstein -
Is There A Pickup Truck In Tesla's Electric Future?
There can be few vehicles further removed from the Tesla Model S than a full-size pickup truck. From pretty much any angle you approach it, they're cut from a different cloth. Despite this, Tesla CEO Elon Musk says a pickup might be in the company's future--deeming the clear popularity of such...
Antony Ingram -
Quanta Reveals 770-Horsepower Corvette Z06 High-Performance Hybrid
Automakers have recently discovered a very good way of helping gearheads over their natural mistrust of hybrid vehicles: Making them incredibly powerful. Next year will see the debuts of McLaren's P1, Ferrari's LaFerrari and Porsche's 918 Spyder--hybrids one and all. While not an official factory...
Antony Ingram -
2014 Cadillac ELR Gets Saks Fifth Avenue Special Edition
While some are wondering what, exactly, the Cadillac ELR's competitive set might be, others are just wondering what colors they can get. For those wishing there were a "white diamond" ELR, you're in luck: Cadillac and Saks Fifth Avenue have teamed to offer a special-edition model in exactly that...
Nelson Ireson -
Nissan reveals electric sports car concept, plans to build it
Nissan has given an early overview of its exhibits at the Tokyo Motor Show, to be held later this month, and aside from a new GT-R NISMO performance flagship, the standout from the start appears to be the BladeGlider, a three-seat electric sports car that looks to gliders for inspiration. DON'T...
Bengt Halvorson -
Yet another former Formula One name has been linked with the Formula E Championship, the world’s first sanctioned motorsport event for electric cars. That name is Super Aguri, which returns to the world of international motorsport as a Formula E team set to compete in the sport’s inaugural season next year. For those unfamiliar with Super Aguri, it is a former F1 team founded by ex-F1 driver Aguri Suzuki. It competed in motorsport’s top echelon from 2006 to 2008, and featured notable drivers Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson. Its run was eventually ended because of financial...
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Third Tesla Model S Fire: Still Not A Big Deal
A third Tesla Model S has caught fire, and while many pundits speculate as to the impact the news will have on Tesla Motors' [NSDQ:TSLA] stock, the future of electric cars, and the length of the current Solar Maximum cycle, we still don't think it's a big deal. Cars crash. Sometimes they catch...
Nelson Ireson -
Chris Harris Drives The Drayson Racing Electric Le Mans Prototype: Video
Chris Harris drives a record-breaking electric car in his latest video.
Stephen Edelstein -
Is The Tesla Model S Electric Car The Perfect Police Cruiser?
The city manager of tony Atherton, California, thinks he'd like some new police cruisers. In fact, George Rodericks suggested to the San Jose Mercury News, "I'd love to see the [Tesla] Model S be used for Atherton's police cars." There are hundreds, if not thousands, of millionaires living in the...
John Voelcker -
Toyota Previews FCV And FV2 Tokyo Motor Show Concepts
Toyota will unveil two futuristic concepts at the Tokyo Motor Show
Stephen Edelstein -
Tesla Model S Tops 130 MPH On The Autobahn: Video
There are very few places you can safely test the top speed of modern vehicles, and even fewer where it's legal to do so--but some sections of Germany's autobahn network tick both boxes. Following the news that Tesla would be offering a special autobahn tuning package to improve its Model S'...
Antony Ingram -
In late 2011, BMW and Toyota signed a memorandum of understanding for collaboration on a number of projects ranging from the development of a new sports car platform to research into next-generation battery technology and even hydrogen fuel cell powertrains. Of most interest to performance fans is the sports car platform, which last we heard would be for a mid-size sports car that leveraged the best technology and knowledge of each automaker. This led to speculation that the new sports car platform would be used to develop a Supra-like model for Toyota and a next-generation Z4 for BMW...
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Bob Lutz-backed Via Motors starts electric pickup production
Electricity may not be the fuel of choice for the average pickup buyer, but that isn't putting VIA Motors off. The Bob Lutz-backed company has just started production at its assembly plant in Mexico, building range-extended electric trucks that major on performance as well as saving gas. When it's...
Antony Ingram -
Mitsubishi Previews New Design Language And Tech With Three Tokyo Concepts
Mitsubishi at long last looks to be emerging from an era of acceptable yet somewhat dull product design with an exciting trio of concept cars that hint at the automaker’s future design language and technology. The three new concepts will be unveiled at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show on November 20...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Drayson Racing Sets Three Records With Electric Le Mans Prototype
Back in June, Drayson Racing, led by former British science minister and avid racer Lord Paul Drayson, set a new record using an electric version of a race car originally developed for the American Le Mans Series. The record was for the highest speed achieved in one mile by an electric race car in...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
F1 Legend Alain Prost Backs Formula E Team
Four-time Formula One world champion Alain Prost has joined forces with Jean-Paul Driot, founder of leading GP2 and Formula Renault 3.5 team Dams (Driot Associés Motor Sport), to form a new team that will compete in the inaugural season of Formula E next year. The new team, to be called...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Watch Nissan’s ZEOD RC Le Mans Car At Its Track Debut: Video
Late last week, Nissan took the covers off its ZEOD RC electric Le Mans prototype, which it plans to field as a ‘Garage 56’ experimental entry in next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. Nissan revealed the car on the eve of the sixth round of the 2013 World Endurance Championship at Fuji...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Here in the U.S., Tesla Model S owners are likely to rarely reach the car’s 130 mph top speed, but in Germany, where the electric sedan has just been launched, this isn’t the case, thanks to the country’s unrestricted stretches of autobahn. The CEO of Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA], Elon Musk, recently got to experience driving a Model S on the autobahn and determined he could make the experience even better. At a recent presentation at Tesla’s new service center in the German city of Munich, Musk revealed he will offer a free upgrade for the Model S aimed at improving the...
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2014 BMW i3 first drive review
BMW enthusiasts have had several years to get used to the tradition-breaking SUVs and crossovers which infiltrated the once sedan-only range, but electric cars are a different proposition altogether. Particularly short, upright electric cars like the 2014 BMW i3, the firm's first true production...
Antony Ingram -
Elon Musk Is Buyer Of James Bond Lotus Submarine, Plans To Make It Electric
Not long ago, it was revealed that the Lotus Esprit submarine from the 1977 James Bond flick The Spy Who Loved Me was sold at auction for close to a million dollars. In case you’re unfamiliar with the movie, the car was converted into a mock submarine that is made to look like it's...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
BMW Racks Up 8,000 Orders For i3, Considers Expanding Production
BMW's i3 electric car hasn't caused nearly as much foaming at the mouth from BMW traditionalists as many expected it would. Even if it had, BMW probably wouldn't care: It's already taken 8,000 orders for the car in Europe alone, says Bloomberg, and as a result is mulling production increases to...
Antony Ingram -
Nissan Reveals Completed ZEOD RC 2014 Le Mans Racer: Video
It’s hard to believe that it was only in February that Nissan confirmed its intention to field its own race car in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2014, initially with a unique ‘Garage 56’ experimental entry and eventually with a contender in the top LMP1 category. Since...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Volvo Shows Body Panels That Could Replace Batteries In Electric Cars
Volvo is working together with independent research groups to develop a means of energy storage for future electric cars that does away completely with traditional battery and super capacitor systems, which typically carry considerable weight and take up a lot of space. The solution is a new type...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran