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Lamborghini’s new all-electric concept car was inspired by spaceships
Lamborghini revealed a new EV concept vehicle at Monterey Car Week. The all-electric Lamborghini Lanzador boasts all kinds of high-tech bells and whistles, with a design actually inspired by spaceships. This grand tourer (GT) vehicle features plenty of infotainment features, with a large Y-shaped center console bridge and a slim dashboard for making adjustments. The driver also has instant access to climate controls and various digital functions via an integrated “pilot’s unit.”
Tesla's Roadster won't go into production until 2022
In a recent tweet, however, Elon Musk said that Roadster production isn’t set to start until next year (2022), confirming that it will be delayed by a good two years over the original date.
Porsche adds Plug & Charge to the 2021 Taycan
In its second model year, the Porsche Taycan is getting support for a new charging standard that makes it easier to plug in and pay, as well as a color HUD and more subscription features that can be unlocked remotely.
Watch the drifting power of Ford's 1,400 horsepower Mustang Mach-E
Confirming an earlier “leak,” Ford has unveiled a one-off Mustang racing prototype that shows what early unlimited power and torque can do. The Mach-E 1400 uses a 56.8-kilowatt battery and seven motors to make (yep) 1,400 horsepower and marries that with a racing body and huge wing that produces 2,300 pounds of downforce.
BMW will discontinue its iconic i8 hybrid sports car in April
The BMW i8 was the company's first plug-in hybrid. When it hit the event circuit as a concept vehicle, it was a stunner, and the consumer version was surprisingly similar to the prototype. The clean lines of the chassis hid an advanced combination of a lithium-ion battery and a three-cylinder engine that could accelerate from 0 to 100 kilometers in just 4.4 seconds. But after six years of success, the BMW factory in Leipzig, Germany will halt production of the company's best-selling sports car in April.
Porsche’s Taycan lives up to its EV hype
Driving a Porsche -- regardless of its body style -- is filled with expectations. The vehicle should go fast while whipping around corners. So it's no surprise that the automaker's electric Taycan (pronounced Tie Khan) offers those things. The revelation is that it does so, even with the heft of a 93.4kWh battery pack.
Ford's electric Mustang project car packs a manual transmission
Sports car enthusiasts will sometimes balk at electric cars due to their usual lack of manual transmissions (there's no need for a gearbox, after all), but Ford has hinted that stick shifting might not be completely dead. The automaker has partnered with Webasto on a Mustang Lithium project car (no, it's not the Mustang-like SUV) that mates a monstrous 900-plus horsepower electric motor with a six-speed, drag-race-ready Getrag transmission. You could have the thrill of dropping 'gears' without the guilt of spewing emissions, and you'd definitely feel it when there's over 1,000ft/lbs of always-available torque.
Porsche tries selling its cars online in the US
Porsche isn't just trying to fight Tesla by offering electric cars... it's hoping to replicate some of the business model, too. The automaker is piloting online car sales in the US, giving would-be owners a chance to buy from 25 of the country's 191 independently owned dealers. You'll have your pick of both new and used cars from the dealers' inventory, and can complete the brunt of the documentation and payment details online (including photos of your trade-in). You only have to visit the dealership for the last signatures and picking up your ride.
Hennessey Performance's first EV mods will go on the Porsche Taycan
We've been waiting years for tuner culture to catch up with electric vehicles, and now Hennessey Performance Engineering is promising to get in the game, starting with the Porsche Taycan. According to its founder and CEO John Hennessey, the company will start with "simple modifications such as wheels, tires and interior upgrades as well as exterior modifications such as more aggressive front and rear bumpers." Coming more than five years after Saleen showed off a hot-rod Model S P85 called the Four Sixteen -- with some tweaks that are similar to changes Tesla itself made later on -- all we can say is that it's about time. Other tweaked EVs have included the Nismo Leaf RC and this function-over-form battery status monitor.
Lotus’ EV supercar hints at the automaker’s future
Lotus is known for its light, nimble and fast cars. But it's been a few years since they introduced an updated vehicle. 2017, to be exact (with the Evora). But Lotus is back with a solid investment, the Evija electric supercar, and a plan to deliver cars that fit the Lotus brand regardless of powertrain.
BMW Vision M Next: An autonomous car for people who love driving
There's a fear from some that when cars drive themselves, that'll be the end of the joy of driving. Why even get behind the wheel if your vehicle can get you to your destination while you sit back and relax? BMW -- which boasts the tag line "the ultimate driving machine" -- has a concept that'll appease the future-looking owner that doesn't want to deal with the horrors of gridlock but needs to feel like they're in control while carving up mountain passes.
Chinese automaker shows off country's first EV sports car
It shouldn't be a surprise that China is looking to zero-emission vehicles to help tackle its air-quality issues. Beijing-based CH-Auto is looking to take advantage of that push with the country's first all-electric sports car dubbed the Event. The company used the recent Beijing Auto Show to show off its sleek two-seater EV. According to The Wall Street Journal, the Event packs a 48kWh battery and can sprint to 100KPH (62MPH) in less than five seconds. As for range, WSJ says we can expect about 155 miles on a charge, while recharging takes around six hours using a 220-volt source.
What's inside Molyneux's Curiosity cube? Not a dead cat or Half-Life 3
Peter Molyneux is narrowing the answer to the question posed by 22 Cans' first experimental game, Curiostiy: What's Inside the Cube? It's not a huge pile of money, a dead cat, a sports car or Half-Life 3, Molyneux says. However, whatever's inside there will "change your life forever."Maybe Molyneux is toying with us. Maybe the cube is harboring two huge piles of dead sports cars and a copy of Black Mesa Source. The answer was right in front of us the entire time, and the knowledge of purposeful human deception will change anyone's life, at least for a little bit.Curiosity is undergoing Apple certification now.
Tesla CEO teases crossover and sports car EVs for 2016
Tesla founder Elon Musk would like to remind you that the Model X isn't the terminus of his company's electric car ambitions. Far from it: Musk tells Wired that Tesla's 2016 plans include both a crossover SUV akin to the BMW X3 as well as a pure sports car that goes beyond just a Roadster redux. The racier vehicle will have speed, but "not supercar pricing," the CEO says. He also elaborated on already-known plans for an 'entry' sedan in 2015, which should resemble a 20 to 25 percent smaller Model S and cost about $30,000 if all goes well. There's a wide gap between promises and reality in all those statements, but Musk has a reputation for largely delivering on target -- which gives us hope that there will finally be Tesla EVs within range of everyday budgets.
Around the world Tesla Roadster tour back on track after swift repair job
While we might not have enjoyed the full story arc just yet, we came within an electric whisker of seeing the electric Roadster's around the world trip derailed completely. The team at Tesla service in Munich, however, obviously love a fairytale ending -- which is why they pledged to fix-up the car in the fastest time possible. Just four days after that show-stopping accident, de Mestre is back in the game, and heading south to Barcelona. The journey won't end there though, as to make up some lost miles on the French Citroen team, he'll travel back up to Strasbourg, and in turn roll over the virtual 25,000 km finish line. Assuming no other problems along the way, we'll be mentally cheering the him along.
Scarlet Motors promises an open EV design process
It's not every day that you see a new EV manufacturer get started; it's even less common when the company promises a switch-up of the typical automaker's formula. Scarlet Motors has made its formal debut with an aim towards the same kind of openness in its electric sports cars that founder Julien Fourgeaud would be familiar with from his days at Nokia and the Symbian Foundation. In addition to giving a peek behind the curtain, Tesla-style, Finland-based Scarlet wants future (and eventually current) drivers to influence the design choices themselves, both through a dedicated community as well as Facebook and Twitter. We'll get more details in time, but those that just can't wait can sign up to the community beta and help shape what might become their next ride.
Artega fails to sell auto business, files for bankruptcy
As things seem to be incredibly promising at Tesla Motors' California headquarters, the situation for a competitor on the other side of the world is growing quite grim. Artega, which reached our hearts at the Geneva Motor Show just last year with its beautiful all-electric SE sports car, has filed for bankruptcy after failing to sell the company to "an Asian investor." Meanwhile, Artega will continue the search for business partners, and will keep running its German operation with 34 employees. The news is disappointing to say the least, especially with Tesla's Roadster dropping from production in 2011. Hit up the source link below for a (German-language) explanation, directly from Artega.
Production R8 e-tron sets lap record at Nürburgring, Audi gains more EV bragging rights
Suffice it to say, Audi's been garnering loads of press these past weeks for its e-tron vehicles. Hot on the heels of its recent, R18 e-tron-led victory at the 24-hour Le Mans, the automaker has set a world-record for production EVs at Germany's Nürburgring. Using an all-electric R8 production model, driver Markus Winkelhock zipped around the 12.92-mile course with a lap time of 8:09.099. For comparison's sake, the fastest lap by a gasoline-powered production car of about seven minutes and 57 12 seconds is currently held by the Gumpert Apollo Sport -- which just-so-happens to use an 700 hp (515 kW) Audi V8 motor. According to Audi, the R8 used is essentially identical to what will be released to the public later this year, featuring two electric motors that pump out 280kW of power and 820Nm of torque. That said, Autoblog notes that its limiter was set to 155 mph (250 kph) -- when you can buy one it'll be set to top out at 125 mph (200 kph). Hit up the press release after the break for all the details. Update: We incorrectly mixed up mph with kph on the max speeds. We've adjusted the numbers.
BMW and Toyota sign deal to collaborate on sports car and EV technology
There's not a lot of specifics to be had on this one just yet, but BMW and Toyota have inked a new deal that will see them collaborate on far more than the batteries they've already agreed to work on together. According to the automakers, the new arrangement will see them focus on four key areas: a fuel cell system, powertrain electrification, lightweight technologies and, last but not least, joint development of the "architecture and components for a future sports vehicle." Unfortunately, neither party is offering much indication about the types of vehicles we might see as a result. BMW's Norbert Reithofer said only that the goal of the partnership is to "further strengthen our competitive position in sustainable future technologies," while Toyota's Akio Toyoda notes that "BMW and Toyota both want to make ever-better cars," and that he's "excited to think of the cars that will result from this relationship."
Fisker Karma battery poses 'potential safety issue' for about 50 autos, fix already in tow
Fisker has seen its fair share of delays on its Karma EV in the past, and now ''fewer than 50" of the vehicles -- which if you'll recall, cost over $100K -- are at risk for battery malfunction. According to Bloomberg Businessweek, A123 (the company which supplies the car's power pack) has issued a memo to customers and stakeholders, noting that "in rare circumstances" the car's batts could short-circuit due to coolant leakage from "misaligned hose clamps." A123 further explained that's already begun repairing the Karma's in question, and doesn't expect to experience to strain its relationship with Fisker due to the problem. Notably, Bloomberg also reports that 25 of the automobiles get assembled daily, with about 225 currently en-route to showroom floors -- a far cry from the company's earlier estimates for the 2011 production year. You'll find A123's full PDF memo at the source link below.
