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The Genesis X is a curvy, high-tech luxury EV concept
Genesis has unveiled the X Concept EV, its fifth concept car since Hyundai launched the Genesis brand in 2015.
BMW reveals its gorgeous convertible 8 Series
It's been nearly 20 years since the American market has had access to one of BMW's Grand Touring 8-series, but that wait is now nearly over. At the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show on Wednesday, BMW finally lifted the veil (quite literally) on the new convertible iteration of the 850i xDrive.
Volvo’s performance EV brand kicks off in Geneva
Volvo is flaunting its Polestar 1 to the public for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show. It will go 93 miles on a charge before the turbocharged gas engine kicks in, which will make it the longest range plug-in hybrid on the market. The two electric motors can also join forces with the 2.0 liter turbo engine to provide a much more powerful, much less eco-friendly 600 horsepower.
BMW's latest hybrid is the i8 Coupe
BMW's newest hybrid i8 Coupe is the 2+2 answer to your "What if I don't want a convertible?" question. Like its Roadster sibling that debuted at the LA Auto Show last November, the Coupe hits 369 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque thanks to the internal combustion power plant driving the rear wheels, and 34 amp-hour electric motor powering the fronts. This is how BMW does all-wheel drive. There are improvements abound, with energy capacity jumping from 7.1kWh to 11.6kWh and an overall 12 horsepower increase over last year's model. BMW says that this and the Roadster can go 18 miles on pure electric power, with the equivalent of 70 miles per-gallon fuel efficiency pending EPA testing.
BMW debuts its i8 Roadster for top-down green driving
The i series vehicles has been BMW's electrified brand on the road since 2014. The i3 is the pure-electric urban bubble vehicle while the supercar-styled i8 is the hybrid of the pair. But beyond sharing similar design cues and a TRON-inspired paint job, the two vehicles couldn't be further from each other. At the 2017 LA Auto Show, the automaker placed even more space between the cars with the new 2019 convertible and coupe i8s.
Tesla reveals a new Roadster, due in 2020
At Tesla's Semi event, the automaker dropped its new Roadster. It'll have a 620-mile range via a 200kWh battery pack."You'll be able to travel from LA to San Francisco and back without recharging," CEO Elon Musk said. The new Tesla Roadster will do zero to 60 in 1.9 seconds, and it'll blast through a quarter mile in 8.9 seconds, before reaching a top speed of over 250 MPH. Oh, and it's a four-seater.
Honda's Sports EV Concept puts an AI assistant in the passenger seat
If you thought Honda's Urban EV Concept was a clever mix of modern electric car technology with boxy retro style, you'd better brace yourself. The automaker has unveiled the Sports EV Concept, which adapts that new-and-old formula to a low-slung, nimble coupe -- we can see traces of the 1300 Coupe mixed in with other intriguing design cues (check out the B-pillar wrapping around the otherwise all-glass roof). Frankly, it's one of the better-looking EV concepts we've seen. Honda hasn't talked performance figures, but the real focus appears to be on the AI under the hood.
805HP GT Concept hints at the future of Mercedes hybrids
If you're Mercedes, how do you follow up the SLS AMG and AMG GT coupes? With this GT Concept, which, as exec Tobias Moers says, is Mercedes "giving a preview of our third completely independently developed sports car." Like so many other current high-performance vehicles, it combines a 4.0L twin-turbo V8 engine with an electric motor and battery to produce a max of 805HP. More importantly, it could signal a halo model pushing the company's hybrid aspirations in a manner similar to the BMW i8.
Maserati's first electric car won't be a Tesla rival
Italian supercar makers haven't exactly embraced electric vehicles with gusto (the LaFerrari hybrid is about as close as you get), but that should change in the next few years. Ferrari's sibling brand Maserati tells Car and Driver that it's working on an electric vehicle that would be shown before 2020. And unlike other luxury car brands, Maserati doesn't plan on eating Tesla's lunch. It has to produce something "very different" to stand out, the company's Roberto Fedeli says. Think of something more like the GranTurismo coupe (see above) than yet another upscale sedan.
Americans now have an electric supercar to call their own
It's not hard to find electric supercars, but finding one that's truly American is a challenge. Even Detroit Electric's SP:01 borrows a British car body. Relief is in sight for patriotic EV buyers, however -- Renovo has just unveiled the Coupe, billed as the first "all-electric American supercar." It combines a Shelby CSX9000 chassis with eco-friendly guts, making it an odd blend of '60s-era sports car looks with modern responsibility. That still makes it a pretty fearsome beast. Its twin electric motors put out the equivalents of 500HP and 1000lb/ft of torque, which is enough to catapult it to 60MPH in 3.4 seconds -- that's quicker than most exotic gas guzzlers, and substantially faster than American performance EVs like the SP:01 and Tesla Roadster (both of which take "just" 3.7 seconds). It's quick to recharge, too, and can use a fast charger to top up in half an hour instead of the usual five.
Detroit Electric reveals the SP:01 sports EV with stick shifting, traces of Tesla
Anyone who wanted a Tesla Roadster but showed up too late to the party (or too early) is about to get a second chance as soon as this year, if not quite in the way they expected. The Detroit Electric badge has been restored once more for the SP:01, a high-speed EV that shares Tesla's early use of a Lotus design -- albeit an Exige coupe this time, not an Elise. Its 201HP equivalent motor can also approximate the Roadster Sport's brisk 0-60MPH time of 3.7 seconds. That's roughly where the major similarities stop, however. The SP:01 should have a shorter range (around 180 miles on a European cycle) and will take a longer 4.3 hours to charge up from a 240V source, but it will cater to enthusiasts with a lighter carbon fiber body, a higher 155MPH top speed and even the choice of a manual transmission. Detroit Electric goes so far as to include a clutch, although stick shifters won't have to use it when starting or stopping. Just be ready to pony up in short order if you like the SP:01's notion of electric revivalism: only 999 examples of the $135,000 car will roll off the line after production starts in August.
Rolls-Royce Wraith picks gears using GPS, keeps your Spirit of Ecstasy soaring (video)
Many Rolls-Royce drivers are used to effortless speed between the big engines and smooth suspensions. The automaker's new Wraith coupe could iron out what few of those wrinkles are left through a clever use of GPS for the transmission. Its eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox relies on positioning to pick gears in advance, gauging the situation down to the exact stretch of road: it can see the need for a shorter gear at the upcoming corner, for example. Other tech upgrades aren't quite as fresh, although we're sure that less traditionalist Rolls drivers won't mind a heads-up display, voice command support and the infotainment system's multi-touch trackpad. The Wraith's €245,000 ($318,745) price and late 2013 availability will likely be too much to endure if all you're looking for is seamless shifting -- they may, however, provide some consolation for missing out on that LaFerrari.
Fisker Karma recall is official, 239 cars will need their battery packs swapped
The folks at Fisker are probably more excited to see the calendar roll over than anyone, as a tumultuous 2011 comes to an end with another setback for the Karma. A battery issue previously thought to affect around 50 cars will actually result in the recall of 239. GigaOM points out an NHTSA notice confirming a problem with the positioning of hose clamps on the high-voltage Li-Ion batteries. It could result in said hoses leaking coolant into the battery creating the risk of an electrical short-circuit (still not seeing how this is a bad thing) and fire (oh), which the company will resolve by replacing the batteries. The recall probably covers everyone out there rolling like Walden Schmidt, since the CEO announced December 21st that 225 cars had been shipped and its factory was producing 25 cars per day. Still, assuming the ~$96k price tag isn't an issue, would you really let a little thing like potentially bursting into flames keep you away from such a sleek, smooth handling luxury sedan that puts 657hp of hybrid power at your disposal? Neither would we.
Delta E4 electric coupe goes out for a spin, carrying lucky humanoid (video)
When was the last time you rode in an electric vehicle almost entirely constructed of carbon fiber and good for 250 miles on a charge? We're laying odds on "never," which is why we turned a shade of violent green when we saw Fully Charged host (and part-time Series 4000 Mechanoid) Robert Llewellyn set foot in just such a car. Delta Motorsport's E4 Coupe, originally designed to win an Automotive X-Prize, is the vehicle we're referring to here, and despite the fact that only one-third of its full projected power was available to coax Mr. Llewellyn firmly into his racing seat (four-wheel drive and regenerative braking are also TBD) and set his teeth on edge, we have to give the man some major props for documenting the experience for us on film. Watch it after the break.
Verizon launches simple "Wireless Coupe" flip
When's the last time you heard of a carrier trumpeting that one of its handsets scored the coveted Good Housekeeping Seal? Yeah, we can't remember either -- but it speaks volumes about the kinds of character's Verizon's "Wireless Coupe" clamshell is geared toward, we reckon. Three big, red buttons directly below the display together spell "ICE" -- In Case of Emergency -- giving easy one-touch access to 911 plus a couple folks that might like to know if you're in trouble, while extra-large menu fonts should make navigation dead simple. No Bluetooth or camera here, but you do get an external display, phone book for 500 contacts, and a speakerphone. To quote Verizon, "smooth and simple" is the name of the game here, though we have no idea where "Wireless Coupe" is coming from. Straight outta left field, we tell ya. Anyway, grab 'er now for $20 on contract.
