Electric Vehicle News and Reviews (Page 175)

Electric Vehicle News and Reviews

Electric vehicles (EVs) have come a long way in a short time. Barely a decade has passed since the ambitious Silicon Valley startup Tesla Motors introduced the world to an electric car capable of traveling more than 300 miles on a single charge. Since then, Elon Musk and Tesla have convinced many dubious onlookers that electric vehicles are not only here to stay, but that they can become the future of transportation.

Other automakers have joined the EV movement at very different rates. The Nissan Leaf, for example, debuted in 2010 and went on to become the best-selling all-electric vehicle in the world for a time. Competition from the BMW i3 followed, as well as the plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt and its all-electric successor the Chevy Bolt EV, but only the Tesla Model 3 has been able to steal the Leaf's crown. Heading into a new decade, electric vehicles are set to go from strength-to-strength, with new models like the Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia Niro EV competing in the entry-level category and the Audi e-Tron, Porsche Taycan, or Jaguar I-PACE vying with Tesla at the top end of the market.

With entire classes of vehicle still lacking an electric version, such as pick-up trucks and affordable SUVs, there's huge potential for expansion and growth in the EV marketplace. For now, Tesla is still blazing the trail, but legacy manufacturers are lining up to electrify their fleets and promising startups like Rivian and Byton are waiting in the wings with exciting new electric vehicles.

The future is bright for EVs and you can keep up to date with all the latest stories right here on Torque News.

Ford Promises to be a leader in electric vehicle pioneering

Ford's Jim Farley Claims In Tweet Today That Focus Has Shifted To Vehicles Plus

By Frank DiMuccio on May 28, 2021 - 11:01PM

Getting its feet wet with the Mustang Mach E and F-150 Lightning, Ford has promised to become a leader in EV technology. Having electric vehicles is well and good, but as Tesla has shown us, it helps to diversify and not just focus on making cars. In a Tweet today, the plan for Ford’s diversification has been shared.

Tesla’s New Cabin Cameras Bring Some Benefits And Concerns

By Daniel Cappo on May 28, 2021 - 9:21PM

News has been swirling about how Tesla is installing cameras that watch the driver. These cameras could detect careless drivers but could have many unintended consequences.

Tesla Cybertruck graphic used in patent application

Tesla User Interface Patent Shows Early Cybertruck and Camper Design and More

By Timothy Boyer on May 28, 2021 - 11:39AM

A recent tweet alerts Cybertruck aficionados that a “user interface features” patent described using images of an early Cybertruck design is available for reading. Here is a summary of some of the highlights of the interface design and features that shows among other things an early camper addition now known as Cyberlandr.

Tesla Model S Entry Level Will Benefit From Tax Credits

The 2021 Tax Credits Will Take Tesla to the Moon

By Jeremy Johnson on May 28, 2021 - 10:51AM

An Electric Vehicle (EV) tax credit of up to $12,500 is advancing in the U.S. Senate Finance Committee. This 2021 EV Tax Credit is for electric vehicles assembled in the United States and any vehicle with a sticker price below $80,000. Could this be bad for certain Tesla vehicles? Why will Tesla go to the moon with this? What is going to the moon? Let’s find out how this 2021 Tax Credit will benefit Tesla.

Ford's Iconic Market-Leading F-150 Is A Natural For EV Sales

Ford Has Electrifying News: 2030 Sales Will Be 40 Percent EVs

By Marc Stern on May 27, 2021 - 11:58PM

Ford execs told financial analysts that by 2030 they expected their business model to be made up of 40 percent electric vehicle sales.

Bitcoin price chart, Elon Musk, January, 2021

What’s Really Going on With Tesla’s Bitcoin?

By Jeremy Johnson on May 27, 2021 - 3:25PM

On February 8th, 2021, Tesla announced that it bought 1.5 billion dollars worth of Bitcoin. How much did they buy it for per coin? Didn’t Bitcoin go down a lot recently? Will that affect Tesla as a company in its Q2 earnings? Let’s see if we can figure this out.

Watch Out Tesla, Ford Ranger Was Retrofitted With New FSD Platform For Off-Road Testing

By Timothy Boyer on May 27, 2021 - 11:30AM

A recent news report by Smart Cities World announces that a pilot program of the first off-road autonomy safety framework was performed using a Ford Ranger and Range Rover retrofitted with a new FSD platform for off-road testing. While the article is not about Ford in particular, it does hint at a potential problem for our Tesla future.

EV Crossovers are a step forward in EV evolution

How Does The Mustang Mach E Stack Up Against Other EVs, Like The Hot Hatch Polestar 2?

By Frank DiMuccio on May 27, 2021 - 10:56AM

The Ford Mustang Mach E is no slouch on the track. Even its non GT version puts most SUVs to shame with a blistering 5.1-second 0-60 and its GT Performance Edition tears down the track with an even more impressive 3.5 second sprint from stop to 60 miles per hour. With such speeds, how does it compare to its competition like the Polestar 2, XC40 Recharge, muscle cars, like my Challenger, or even the Jeep Wrangler 4xe?

How The Volvo XC40 Recharge Compares To Other SUVs, Like The Jeep Wrangler 4xe

By Frank DiMuccio on May 26, 2021 - 11:31PM

When I think of SUVs, I think of vehicles like the Jeep Wrangler, Ford Bronco, or Mercedes G-wagon. I typically don’t give much thought to Volvo, but I really should. Volvo’s XC40 Recharge is not just a handsome SUV, it’s got plenty of features that make it one of the safest SUVs on the market, and it’s faster than the Volkswagen ID.4.

Tesla Giga Berlin Graffiti Concept by 153Design

Tesla Calls To Cover Giga Berlin In Awesome Graffiti As The Factory Finishes Construction

By Tinsae Aregay on May 26, 2021 - 9:17PM

Tesla calls on artists to cover the Giga Berlin walls with awesome graffiti. This comes after the company in charge of the Giga Berlin building construction officially announces it has completed the project.

Elon Musk’s Secret Hints That Giga Berlin Is Ahead of Schedule

By Jeremy Johnson on May 26, 2021 - 9:14PM

Elon Musk tweeted on May 18, 2021, at 5:46 A.M. the following: “Giga Berlin suppliers please accelerate!” What does this mean? What is he referring to? Are there problems in Giga Berlin?

Tesla Makes Either a Visionary or Foolish Choice To Drop Radar

By Armen Hareyan on May 26, 2021 - 8:12PM

Tesla ditching its radar system supporting Autopilot and maybe FSD and replacing it with the video camera only Pure Vision has people nervous in the automotive industry. Is Tesla's Choice to drop radar visionary or foolish? Torque News EV commentator Dean McManis thinks that Tesla may be looking to lower cost and complexity on its electric vehicles, but the rumor of radar sensor shortage may be at the heart of the decision to change now. Here is Dean McManis in his own words.

Comparing The Mustang Mach-E To The Volkswagen ID.4. Which Is Better?

By Jimmy Dinsmore on May 26, 2021 - 3:01PM

2021 Mustang Mach-E and Volkswagen ID.4 are actually quite different in many ways. Both compact electric SUVs have their own merits. But with no frunk, less power and less range ID.4 poses less of a challenge.

Eyesight camera image courtesy of Subaru

Tesla’s New Optical Sensors - The End Of The Weird Crashes?

By John Goreham on May 26, 2021 - 10:44AM

Tesla has shifted its path on self-driving technology from radar to camera-operated optical sensors. Will this change stop the company’s cars from smashing into firetrucks, roadway barriers, semi-trailers, and other static objects?

Image of Tesla Model S courtesy of Tesla media kit

Tesla Model Tops List of Vehicles With Lowest Retained Value Over Past 12 Months

By John Goreham on May 26, 2021 - 9:23AM

Used car prices are booming, but this Tesla Model bucks that trend. Here is the old model from Tesla that nobody seems to want to pay more for.

On the Left, the Bronco, on the Right, the Jeep Wrangler

How Does The New Ford Bronco Compare To The Wrangler 4xe, Its Hybrid Nemesis?

By Frank DiMuccio on May 25, 2021 - 9:29PM

The first Ford Bronco was released in 1966 to be discontinued some 30 years later in 1996. 25 long years have passed and finally, the Blue Oval has released the New Bronco, a legitimate SUV with an emphasis on Utility. In ’66, the Bronco had to contend with the CJ5 Jeep. Today, how does a New Bronco compare to a Jeep Wrangler 4xe, with its torque heavy hybrid drivetrain?

Tesla Vision Rollout Report Card

By Daniel Cappo on May 25, 2021 - 5:22PM

Tesla has begun to rollout Tesla vision which is a new setup for its self-driving fleet that uses only cameras and no radar. This rollout has mostly been good so far, but there are a few things Tesla could have maybe done differently.

Refreshed Tesla Model S/X To Launch With 350KW V4 Supercharging, V11 Software

By Tinsae Aregay on May 25, 2021 - 4:07PM

According to rumors going around the Tesla community, with the upcoming June 3 delivery event of the refreshed Model S, Tesla is also expected to announce 350KW V4 supercharging, V11 UI, and many more exciting things.

Ford's Mustang Mach-E Named A Pop Mechanics' Excellence Winner

By Marc Stern on May 25, 2021 - 12:49PM

Ford's Mustang Mach-E continues to garner awards. The latest is Popular Mechanics' "Excellence Award." For many reasons, the editors and testers lauded the Ford entry.

Pay Less for a New Tesla With These Tips

By Timothy Boyer on May 25, 2021 - 10:57AM

Follow this break-down by a new Tesla owner who reveals some very helpful tips and info that you can use to help you understand just how much a new stock Tesla can cost, and what you can do to insure that you are making a smart purchase.

Lausitzring is to become a test site for new Tesla models produced at Giga Berlin

Tesla's New Racetrack for Giga Berlin Cars Will Test Self-Driving Cars

By Armen Hareyan on May 25, 2021 - 9:44AM

Lausitzring is to become a test site for new Tesla models produced at Giga Berlin factory as talks are currently ongoing with the racetrack operator Dekra. What's especially interesting, is that Lausitzring racetrack will be capable to host self-driving cars for testing.

The Volkswagen ID.4 proved itself in the Mexican 1000 and has a smart interior.

Volkswagen ID.4 Lacks The Oomph Of Jeep Wrangler 4xe, But I Love It!

By Frank DiMuccio on May 24, 2021 - 11:11PM

The Volkswagen ID.4 is a very cool electric SUV. It’s shown itself to be off-road capable, competing in the Mexican 1000 against legends like the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco. The Volkswagen ID.4 may not have off-roading as its main intent, but it makes a great family vehicle.

5 Important Things To Know About the Hyundai Ioniq 5

By Keith Griffin on May 24, 2021 - 9:20PM

Hyundai Motor North America took the wraps off the all-new IONIQ 5, an electric crossover utility vehicle with a targeted driving range of 300 miles.

Baidu To Operate 3,000 Driverless Apollo Go Robotaxis in 30 Cities in 3 Years

By Armen Hareyan on May 24, 2021 - 7:30PM

When it comes to robotaxis you have probably heard about Tesla robotaxis because Elon Musk has envisaged a robotaxi network with vehicles that can park and plug in themselves using Tesla's self-driving technology. Or you may have heard of Waymo One. But Baidu Apollo Go robotaxis have already registered over 6.2 million miles of Level 4 driving and plan to operate 3,000 driverless Apollo Go robotaxis in 30 cities within the next three years.

Tesla May Have To Stop Making Its Own Chargers

By Daniel Cappo on May 24, 2021 - 6:58PM

Tesla makes good chargers, but it’s being debated whether a shared charging system would be better going forward. And thus, Tesla may have to stop making its own chargers.

Tesla Ushers In “Pure Vision” FSD Era With An Update To Its Configurator

By Tinsae Aregay on May 24, 2021 - 1:10PM

Tesla has removed radar from the company's Autopilot suite and replaced it with a "pure vision" system. This is expected to be the final major update before FSD wide release.

Side repeater camera use on Tesla Roaster

Excellent View of Tesla Side Repeater Camera Spotted on Roadster

By Timothy Boyer on May 24, 2021 - 11:06AM

A recent Reddit post offers a nice view of exactly where the Tesla side repeater cameras are positioned on a Roadster.

RAV4 Prime image courtesy of Kate Silbaugh

Comparison Nails Why Toyota PHEVs Feel Different Than Competitors' Efforts

By John Goreham on May 24, 2021 - 10:18AM

All plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles are not created equal. Just like the feel, performance, and driving satisfaction from battery-electric vehicles varies, so too do PHEVs. This review highlights the biggest difference to look for.

Tesla Giga Shanghai's Parking Lot with Vehicles Ready to Be Delivered

Tesla Has Reportedly Localized 90% of Giga Shanghai's Supplies

By Armen Hareyan on May 24, 2021 - 9:35AM

According to Shanghai media reports, the latest disclosure from Tesla is that more than 90 percent of the cars produced at the Shanghai plant have been localized in terms of parts, which can significantly reduce costs while steadily increasing productivity.

Could This Be a Future Electrified Jeep?

By Mary Conway on May 22, 2021 - 10:11PM

Jeep just announced the winners of its Drive for Design contest. Why one winner is showing particular determination!

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