If you didn't catch the Faraday Future reveal of its ultra-secretive Zero1 Concept vehicle last night, you didn't miss much. I watched it online and immediately wanted that 45 minutes of my life back. The really sad part was I was excited to see what the company had in store, because I'm all for shaking things up and getting more electric cars out there.
When the sheet was pulled off the car, the first thing I thought was that the whole thing was a joke. Like so many others, I saw the leaked photos of the FFZero1 concept online a little before the reveal, and dismissed them as pure rubbish. But there it was, plain as day, a car so zany-looking and impractical that it was shocking.
It reminded me of something I couldn't quite zero in on. Later, I realized what it was: The Homer, that ill-fated car from the Simpsons that sunk a man's career.
Instead of giving us a vehicle that is made for the everyman, Faraday Future decided to make something only billionaires could possibly afford. It's a bad foot to start off on, despite the company claiming it will quickly debut more practical models for production. Maybe it will, but right now things don't look so good.
Tesla has been struggling to really pump up its sales numbers because most people can't afford the Model S or Model X. The Model 3 will be incredibly important simply for the fact it promises accessibility.
One other thing about the Faraday Future reveal: the company's executives love the sound of their own voices. There was more talk than substance in the presentation, with the phrase "the future of mobility" thrown out at least 30 times. Topping it all off, the car on the stage was a shell, with no electric powertrain, no batteries and no fun. I won't go so far as to call Faraday Future vaporware, but I'm not defending it against people who are.
Santa may have his sleigh, but one pub landlord has found a more modern means of transport to help his regulars home after closing time this Christmas – an all-electric van.
Rafael Krasnodebski is using a seven-seater Nissan e-NV200 Combi to make sure customers get back safely following last orders. The aim is to prevent drink-driving over the festive period as well as promoting a more
Just over the weekend, a car at a Ken Garff dealership in Orem, Utah mysterious caught fire. It was given a little mention on the news here, with people wondering if someone was trying to vandalize vehicles on the lot. According to the news, the local police don't think it was a case of arson, and that's where the whole issue gets interesting.
Most people have probably forgotten how a few years ago when the Tesla Model S first launched, people were freaking out because a few of them caught fire. The electric cars were called unsafe and there was a witch hunt to "take down" Tesla Motors over the whole issue.
In case you can't tell, I'm of the opinion the whole thing was ridiculous, because it was. While I don't think that Tesla's shit doesn't stink, (there are too many out there who do) I also don't have an irrational fear or hatred of the company or its technology.
Had this car that mysteriously combusted been an electric vehicle, the news would have been splashing it everywhere and the public would've been in an uproar. Here in Utah, and in a lot of places, (unfortunately) too many people are still highly suspicious of electric cars. Sure, they'll plug in their own electric clothes dryer without a second thought -- they'll even swap out the plug without calling an electrician. But suggest that driving a car that's propelled by electric motors and you're obviously a communist.
What most people have become far too comfortable with is driving around in a vehicle that carries 20 gallons of highly combustible fluid. We humans can be a highly irrational bunch, and many of us fear change for illogical reasons. But this is human nature and it's creating an obstacle to shifting the automotive industry away from internal combustion engines. That shift is and will continue to happen, it's just a question of how quickly it will take place.
Volkswagen's public image is a bloodied, disgusting mess as it should be. After all, it's not everyday that an automaker has systematically gamed governments around the globe, putting everyone's health at risk in the process. It will be living the whole Dieselgate scandal down for years to come, which is exactly why VW needs to work extra hard on creating a new image.
The company is already working on a plan, and it could look something like the commercial down below. Plenty of people have suggested that governments should require Volkswagen to make a certain number of electric vehicles to reverse at least some of the damage done by its TDI engines.
While that might sound like a funny punishment, there's a strong message behind this initiative. The fact is that VW can remake its public image in a hurry by transforming into a champion of electric car technology. Instead of trying to convince everyone that TDIs are great, the company can do some good and convince the public it's trying to do what's right by cranking out electric cars.
For bonus points, Volkswagen could also partner up with different solar energy providers and push renewable electricity big time. I'm not joking the least, and I sincerely hope that management is already working on this kind of a plan.
While everyone's raving about the new Tesla Model X, few people took note of another important announcement in the quest to electrify SUVs: Jaguar Land Rover is working on several concept models that could one day lead to an electric off-road machine.
It's a smart and necessary move as more consumers begin to demand partially- or fully-electric vehicles, particularly in the luxury segments. German automakers are toying with similar ideas, which has spurred Jaguar Land Rover further even more as it quests to be taken more seriously in the grand scheme of things.
One concept has a mild hybrid powertrain. It uses brake energy to charge up a battery, which then supplies electricity for ancillary functions like the air conditioning, not moving the vehicle forward in any way. The hybrid module is located between the engine and transmission, making it a fairly compact design. Some are questioning why the automaker is even playing with a half measure, but they're forgetting it's a step in the right direction.
The second concept is a plug-in hybrid which actually uses electricity to turn the wheels. The electric motor is still placed between the engine and transmission, but the vehicle can drive using either a mixture of the gasoline engine and electric motor, or on only electricity for limited distances. This is a setup that's become increasingly common, such as the plug-in hybrid version of the new Volvo XC90.
Looking more toward the future is the third concept, which has a fully-electric powertrain. It's designed for the company's lightweight aluminum vehicle platform, which is being used successfully in several new models like the Jaguar XE. An electric motor is mated to each of the axles, meaning the vehicle is by default all-wheel drive.
Jaguar Land Rover is also playing with some other cool tech that would make better use of energy, including infrared panels strategically placed inside vehicles to help keep people warm and seats that can draw warm air through them to help everyone cool off during the summer.
Nissan jumped into the electric car arena with the Leaf, the compact hatchback providing average people a way to skip gas pumps altogether. Unlike the hybrid cars on the market which use a combination of an electric motor and a gasoline engine, the 2012 Nissan Leaf has only one motor and runs solely on electric power. The car provides a driving experience that closely mirrors that of driving a gas-powered car, including a brisk acceleration ability that comes in handy when merging on the freeway, tight handling dynamics as well as a top speed of 90 mph.
Powering the 2012 Nissan Leaf is an 80-kilowatt electric motor that is connected to a 24 kWh lithium-ion battery pack mounted to the underside of the car. The motor produces 107 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. Drivers should be able to drive about 73 miles between recharging the battery pack, according to EPA estimates. Nissan reinforces that the driving range is only an estimate, and that real-world results are affected by a person’s driving style and habits. The Leaf has earned an EPA energy efficiency equivalent rating of 106 mpg in city driving and 92 mpg in highway driving.
Charging the Nissan Leaf is a task that can be done at home or at a public charging station, in areas where such stations exist. Owners who choose to charge the Leaf using a standard electrical plug can expect the process to last at least overnight. Nissan offers a home charging station that cuts the charging time down to as little as four hours. Cars outfitted with the special quick-charging plug can use public stations to charge in as little as 30 minutes.
Since the Leaf’s introduction in 2011, Nissan has improved its offering by including more features on the interior and exterior of the 2012 Leaf. For the 2012 model year all models come with new standard features that benefit those who live in colder climates, such as a heated steering wheel, heated front and rear seats, heated side-view mirrors and a heater for the car’s battery. SL models come with a port for quick charging of the car’s battery at public stations as standard equipment.
Other standard features for all Leaf models include LED headlights that efficiently illuminate the car’s pathway, 16-inch wheels, cruise control and a cloth interior that is made from recycled materials. Nissan throws in technological creature comforts like Bluetooth phone connectivity for hands-free calling while driving, a navigation system and a jack on the car’s stereo system that connects to an MP3 player. SL models also come with automatic headlights, fog lights, a backup camera and a solar panel that mounts to the car’s spoiler.
The 2012 Tesla Model S is the electric luxury car that has proven many a critic wrong as it converts even more people into electric car believers. The Model S comes with stunning good looks both on the outside and in, along with the feel of an internal combustion car and the same modern conveniences.
Power for the Models S comes from an array of batteries that are attached to an electric motor. Maximum output is an impressive 362 horsepower and 325 pound-foot of torque, while models with the optional Performance package produce a healthy 416 horsepower and 443 pound-foot of torque. Like other electric vehicles, the full torque output is available from a standstill, meaning the car can launch forward with an exhilarating amount of speed. In fact, the 2012 Model S can accelerate from 0 to 60 MPH in just 5.6 seconds. A single speed transmission sends power to the rear wheels.
Tesla gave the Model S a modern four wheel independent suspension setup, with double wishbone suspension in the front and multilink suspension in the rear. An air ride system helps soften the movements of the car even further, delivering an enjoyable riding experience, even when the driver is taking the Model S through a series of tight turns.
Charging the Tesla Model S can be done either with a regular household 120 volt electrical outlet, or with a 240 volt outlet. Tesla offers an at-home charging station that facilitates the 240 volt charging option. Charging the batteries all the way takes about five hours with the 240 volt electrical connection, or overnight if charging with a 120 volt outlet. A driver can go up to 300 miles on a single full charge, going 55 miles per hour the whole way. The car doesn’t use fuel, but it does achieve an EPA estimate 88 miles per gallon equivalent in city driving and 90 miles per gallon equivalent in highway driving.
Inside, the 2012 Model S provides seating for five, or with an optional two rearward-facing jump seats behind the second row to make it seven. Like with internal combustion vehicles, occupants enjoy amenities such as air conditioning, heated leather seats, a stereo system and Bluetooth connectivity. The driver interacts with many of the car’s features using a 17 inch touchscreen mounted in the car’s center stack. From this touchpad, the driver or front seat passenger can see how much charge the batteries have left as well as estimate how much further the car will drive under present conditions. Cargo is ample, with one trunk in the front and one in the rear, making it a pleasant car to take on the open road (as long as you stop for charging when necessary).
I like Tesla Motors, I really do. Every time I see a Model S on the roads around here (which lately seems to be just about every other day) I stop and stare longer than normal and point it out to my kids. What Elon Musk has accomplished the past several years has been amazing and is commendable on many levels.
Still, I'm getting tire of all the Tesla fanatics.
When I say "fanatics" I mean fanboys, because Tesla definitely has them. Sure, there are Camaro fanboys, Mustang fanboys, Ferrari fanboys, etc. but today I want to address the problem with the extremists who support Tesla in all it does, both good and bad.
Even though I like Tesla, I wouldn't dream of saying it's a "perfect" company by any means, and I have a feeling Musk wouldn't either. Like any other organzation, it can do things better and improve, so by definition it can't be perfect.
That hopefully seems like common sense to you, but I've bumped into people who seem to think that pointing out any flaws in their favorite electric car company is blasphemous and must be reconciled with a swift death. I've had such individuals accuse me of being part of a conspiracy, outright hating Tesla, being anti-technology, etc. simply for hinting that the company might be taking the wrong course of action on literally anything.
I do feel like since the company enjoys a darling position in the public eye and to an extent in the industry, most people don't talk about these annoying Tesla fans without going to the opposite extreme of saying that Tesla is a "sham" or "dead weight."
Don't even think about saying anything that's less-than-positive about Tesla's direct sales model, because it must've been established by God himself. While I don't think it's right, the fact that Tesla won't use dealer networks like virtually every other automaker is the thing that's kept it from selling cars in multiple states, including here. Elon Musk has said before that the company's current circumstances don't jive well with anything but direct sales, but he's also said that it likely won't stay that way forever. Apparently some Tesla extremists didn't get that memo, because when I once suggested that Tesla would one day use franchised dealers, I might as well have been tap dancing on a burning picture of Jesus in the middle of the Vatican for the way they reacted. If Tesla doesn't want to go that sales route right now, so be it. Tesla likely won't sell as many cars using a direct sales channel, so if the company's okay with that then it is what it is.
The one thing that will definitely make a Tesla fanboy go ape is to just mention the term "range anxiety." Recently, when Elon Musk said he was about to end range anxiety, and I pointed out that it's a big hurdle for many who might otherwise consider electric cars, a Tesla fanatic tore into me for playing up a "non-issue." Apparently, because that person doesn't personally know anyone out of his five friends and little brother who suffers from range anxiety, the condition simply doesn't exist. As I pointed out in the article, with internal combustion cars you can carry a can of fuel back to a car that has exceeded its range, but you can't really carry electricity back to an electric vehicle.
According to the hardcore Tesla fans, nobody (and I mean nobody) needs to drive more than 200 or maybe 300 miles without waiting 15 minutes or more to drive that same distance, or almost as far again. Sorry, but that's simply narrow-minded. While many people on a daily basis don't drive that far, there are people who drive around as part of their living, such as real estate agents, Some of us live where there aren't public chargers all over, making recharging a vehicle a bit of a fiasco. Sure, you adjust, but a fair amount of consumers look at those adjustments at best as a significant inconvenience. After all, how would you like to hang out by a charging car with cranky kids who just want to go home? Slitting your wrists and swimming through a pool of iodine would be less painful. Being able to refuel a vehicle in under five minutes is a real godsend, trust me.
I do believe that Tesla and other automakers will overcome the challenges they face right now. Battery tech will move forward, allowing for greater range and shorter charging times, electric cars will become even more common and droves of consumers will buy them. Denying the challenges that face the technology right now doesn't help push for real solutions to problems. Instead of engaging in a big group-think session about why electric powertrains are perfect, let's come together and figure out how we can design vehicles that work well for everyone.
Just a quick update: you still can't buy a Tesla car here in Utah. I've lived in Utah for well over a decade and used to be under the impression that people here were all about free markets. That perception has changed in recent years as I've realized that such talk isn't as prevalent as I had previously thought.
There was a bill in front of the legislature here in Utah that would've allowed Tesla to start running its new location already built here in Salt Lake City. It's dead now. The whole Tesla thing is just another example of the fact that there are powers that be who will stop at nothing to keep an edge in the market, even if it means eroding freedom.
Part of me wonders if Tesla will finally give in and use franchised dealerships like everyone else. Elon Musk has made some statements hinting that eventually the company will do just that. Another part of me is annoyed that my local government wants to tell me how I can buy a car, when the method being proposed isn't unethical or immoral.
I suspect that part of the Tesla battle has to do with class division. The Model S is an expensive luxury car. Seeing Internet comments about the effort to sell it in Utah has once again shown how many people have serious disdain for it because it's marketed to the rich. That resentment is keeping at least some people from feeling even a little sympathetic to Tesla's cause. The thing is that the car will continue to be purchased by people here, only they'll go to neighboring states and contribute tax dollars there. I see a Tesla Model S just about every day now, and I suspect in the near future they will become even more popular.
With the Super Bowl approaching everyone is of course getting all excited about the most important part of the game: the commercials. I"m not just saying that because my team isn't in the showdown, but because there are many individuals who don't even like football yet they watch just for the ads.
Well, nowadays the magic of the Internet allows us to see some of those television ads before the Super Bowl. Oh, and you can watch at least most of them afterward. BMW has returned to the lineup of advertisers after taking a four-year hiatus. The German automaker has a compelling reason to be back: to spread the good word of the all-electric i3.
I think the ad is genius (you can see it below). Katie Couric and Bryant Gumbel are shown in a past clip of when they were completely clueless about what the Internet was. Then it flashes to the present as they are driving through New York in a BMW i3 as they are baffled about what the thing is. Is it a car? Why isn't there anything under the hood? How does it go?
BMW in a single minute makes all the people who say that electric cars won't catch on look like the backwards fools who said the Internet would never go anywhere. Give it time, the technology will catch on. Like it or not, electric powertrains are here to stay and will only get better and become more dominant.
A video is spreading around the Internet like wildfire right now. It features a Tesla Model S P85D drag racing a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. The big deal is that the Tesla, which is an electric car, absolutely destroys the Challenger. Quite a few people without any real knowledge of both cars are throwing around ignorant, poorly-formed opinions about the race. Considering that and my expertise as an automotive writer, I cannot help but jump in and give my two cents, so here we go.
To start off, I should let everyone know that I like Tesla. I live in an area where every winter the air becomes so polluted that on some days it's hard to see two miles away, making it blatantly obvious that we need to do something to clear the air. Much of our pollution here is related to driving vehicles that burn fossil fuels, particularly since there are multiple refineries to the north that kick out an amazing amount of pollution. Tesla is helping push for change in the industry, and it's starting to really work. On top of that, the Model S is a genuinely beautiful car and an amazing piece of tech.
I don't have a dislike of Dodge, but I have to admit I'm not a huge fan, either. There is something primal inside of me that loves to see a muscle car, hear the growling V-8 engine, and know that the thing is raw and untamed in so many ways. They're fun to watch, particularly on the drag strip where you don't have to worry about losing control and hitting an innocent vehicle carrying a family, etc.
The Challenger SRT Hellcat is an incredibly powerful car, but so is the Model S P85D. There are some big differences between the two, namely that the Dodge is rear-wheel drive and the Tesla has all-wheel drive and a setup that makes spinning the wheels impossible, or so I've been told.
To the uninitiated, the act of performing a burnout before a drag race just looks like chest-thumping, which is what some Tesla fans have insinuated about the Dodge. The reality is that doing a burnout comes with some distinct benefits, as long as it's not done at the line. It cleans off debris from the tires, which is a big deal if you or subsequent racers use slicks. Doing a burnout also heats up the tires, making them grip better and helping with launches and the overall quarter-mile time. The problem is that the guy who is driving the Challenger SRT Hellcat does a burnout at the line, causing him to lose valuable seconds for his run. It also gives the Tesla driver a huge advantage is it rockets forward with a perfect launch, turning out a great time of 11.68 seconds on the quarter mile. It's an impressive performance.
The Dodge, on the other hand, finishes the race at 17.46 seconds. I can honestly tell you I've seen naturally-aspirated (that means without a turbo or supercharger) Honda Civics put up that kind of a time at a drag strip. Anyone who thinks the race is representative of how fast the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is knows woefully little about the car. It puts out 707 horsepower and, according to Car and Driver, turns out a quarter mile in 10.85 seconds. Of course, that's with an experienced driver behind the wheel, not some fool who can get off the line in even relatively decent fashion. That kind of time would also best what the Tesla turned out at this race.
I 've heard all the accusations, including a "green" car blog I follow on Facebook saying that all the "dino juicers" are just going to make excuses about the results of the race. When I've written honest articles for different publications that don't shower Tesla with praise for every last thing it's ever done, these homers come out in droves and accuse me of being part of the "conspiracy" to keep electric cars down. What these people fail to realize is that I am a fan of electric cars and want them to succeed, but I also have to report the facts instead of just spreading around propaganda.
We've seen the Tesla Model S P85D destroy Ferraris and other cars in road races, which are a seriously stupid idea. We know the car is fast, but the above video is not the way to prove that it is faster than the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. It's an unfair representation, plain and simple. Is it funny to watch? Sure, because the Dodge driver is beat hands-down, but it does not indicate which car is quicker.
Perhaps with all the controversy swirling around the video, someone like Car and Driver will stage a drag race between the two cars, but with skilled drivers behind both wheels. Then we can all see which is truly quicker at the quarter mile and settle this thing once and for all.
As an automotive journalist I get all kinds of press releases and other things sent to me. Since I deal with companies spread around the world, that means the stuff is constantly pouring in at all hours, every day of the year. I have to ignore a fair amount of it, because it is an information dump. Every once in a while there's something just completely weird tucked in with new vehicle announcements, technological breakthroughs, and smiling PR photos. I received just such a thing recently from Daimler.
I love Germans. They have their quirks, and I can always tell when a press release was written by a German, but they are also fun-loving in their own way. Sure, they don't have the clever snark the Brits do, but they really know how to cut loose and have a good time, which can include some amazing kraut, bratwurst, and steins. But sometimes, they cut loose in ways that just leave me speechless. Case in point, this:
And this:
And let's not forget about this:
This was from a photo shoot for Smart. What you see is Father Christmas shopping at the Galeries Lafayette in Berlin using a Smart Brabus Electric Drive. I guess the sleigh was just too big and is contributing to increased carbon emissions, because reindeer fart and all. As you can clearly see, this is a modern example of Father Christmas and he's joined by a young lady dressed like an angel, of the Victoria's Secret variety. As my wife said "that's a cute dress, but the whole thing is weird."
I'm more impressed that they managed to cram that many packages in the car, because I know what the "cargo" area is like.
Obviously this was not geared at a United States market. Here, Daimler (the parent company of Smart and Mercedes-Benz) gives us a traditional Santa Claus signing off on cars being naughty and nice. Because that's normal:
It might seem odd, but there is some unscientific (read: anecdotal) evidence that suggests driving an electric car is beneficial to one's health. It doesn't have to do with EV owners eating more kale or other so-called "superfoods." Instead, it's a horrible habit that's cut out from their usual routine.
If you own a car with an internal combustion engine, you must stop periodically at a gas station. While I just gas up my car and go, plenty of people amble into the little shop and buy different things. The last time I actually went inside a gas station the array of "food" and other consumables was... interesting.
There are electric car owners who have reported that since they no longer stop at gas stations they have actually quit smoking. With cigarettes sold in few other places, and gas stations pushing them like crazy, that's pretty believable. I'm sure their consumption of MSG and processed sugars has also gone down.
So there you go, yet another reason to go with an electric car.
Chevy's been pretty tight-lipped about the 2016 Volt, which launches a new generation of the controversial range-extended electric car. A few details have come out officially, and among what we know now is that there will be some interesting features that will making charging the car easier.
One complaint that I've heard about plug-ins is it's kind of a pain to see if they are successfully charging. How you can tell depends on the model, but with the new Volt there will be a light at the top of the instrument panel that will blink when the car first starts charging. If that's not enough, the car will also make a distinct sound to indicate that charging has commenced.
People will be able to option for a glowing ring around the charging port that will flash to show the charge level of the car. That ring also will help people plug in when there is little to no light, just in case.
One of the coolest features that Chevy has revealed involves the car using GPS to automatically follow certain charging specifications when it is plugged in at home. Owners can set a time of day (or night) that the car should begin charging, or just specify a time that the car needs to be fully charged and ready to go. They can even load their utility provider's rate schedule and have the car start charging when electricity is cheapest.
These types of changes are necessary. The Volt has never risen to even near the sales levels the GM brass originally predicted. Everyone can point fingers about why, but in the end the car isn't satisfying the needs of the public well enough. Innovations like these, I believe, are a step in the right direction. Charging a car should be easy and free of hassle, because not everyone wants to fiddle with their vehicle on a daily basis. Most people want to get in it when they need to be somewhere and just get there.
There has been considerable push-back against fuel cell vehicles recently, leading some automakers that are pushing the technology to step up their efforts to educate the public about its benefits. One of the funniest things about the efforts being made against fuel cell vehicles is that they are coming from electric vehicle proponents.
You might think that people who are into electric cars are all for any kind of alternative fuel that gets us off the fossil fuel addiction, but that's most certainly not the case. There have been many arguments made for why fuel cell technology is ridiculous and unnecessary, introducing an additional step that isn't necessary with electric cars.
This isn't a one-sided fight, as these things tend to go. Like I wrote about a few months ago, Toyota declared that fuel cell technology will win out over electrification. Even more recently, backers like Hyundai have released documents that essentially state that fuel cell vehicles are like electric cars, only without the problematic batteries. That's hit a sore spot for fans of vehicles like the Nissan Leaf and Tesla Model S, because deep down inside they know that battery technology is the single biggest thing holding sales back.
Most electric cars provide a range of under 100 miles and take at least half an hour to charge up (that's using one of the quicker methods, so it's even longer if you're charging at home). While I've been lectured that the slow charging times are "irrelevant" because quickly refueling a vehicle isn't really necessary, that is a big problem with electric cars. Maybe battery tech will advance to the point that charging up a car only takes five minutes and range is more like 400 miles. Oh, and about the whole range thing, cold weather affects the driving range of an electric car quite a bit.
In other words, those of us who live where it gets cold in the winter or who drive a car for more than 100 miles in a single trip view electric cars as impractical. Fuel cell vehicles promise to eliminate those problems.
My personal opinion is that the two technologies should be allowed to duke it out on the open market so that consumers can decide what works best. In fact, both could exist side-by-side since they don't technically conflict with each other. Of course, that would only work in an ideal world. The reality is that there will be a fight to the death, because both methods require the backing of governments and other organizations to really work. That's what the fighting is really about, when you boil it all down.
In my own personal opinion, it's too early to tell which technology will be the future. In the end, I'm just excited to see the negative effects of internal combustion engines become a part of history, because we are more than ready to revolutionize how we get around.
Everyone's getting excited that gas prices are dropping, because everyone knows that's just a good thing, right? Well, sometimes the truth is counter-intuitive and it sounds like that's the case with gas prices right now.
Both Forbes and The Wall Street Journal ran pieces recently that explored the bad economic consequences of gas that's too cheap. You can read those two articles to get the full rationale, because I won't do justice to them in a short space here.
Aside form the macroeconomic ramifications of cheap gasoline, there are some other concerns that are more focused on the areas of the automotive industry. One of the big concerns right now is that with cheap gas, consumers will stop wanting to buy electric cars and other alternative-fuel vehicles. This will cause stagnation in the technological advancements with these platforms, which will be a big deal when gas prices rocket back up, because they will. That's when people will be clamoring for something that doesn't burn gas, and the stagnant technology will still have quite a few kinks in it.
There's also the concern that with cheap gas prices, people are going to rush out and purchase a big, box-on-frame SUV to carry their purchases from Nordstrom's to home. Not thinking that the vehicle will last longer than the low prices, people do stupid things like that, and then panic once gas is $5.50 a gallon in no time flat.
Abandoning the alternative fuel options also certainly won't help as much with pollution. Sure, internal combustion engines are getting cleaner and more efficient, but they still produce pollution that everyone must deal with. An electric car that is charged using renewable energy from solar panels or wind turbines (or other methods) is truly contributing nothing to pollution just by being driven.
So think about these points as you go about buying a car in the coming months and years. The low gas prices will not continue, because if history has taught us one thing, gas prices are extremely volatile.
2015 Tesla Model X. Photos courtesy of Tesla Motors.
At this point, it's pretty much a given that the Tesla Model X will be delayed. The Model S was as well, leading critics a few years ago to call the luxury electric sedan "vaporware." So anyone who has plunked a deposit down on a Model X is going to have to wait even longer, again.
It's not easy getting an automaker off the ground these days, what with stiff competition, stiff regulations and considerable money and resources to even have a chance at making it. To say that the rise of Tesla is anything short of amazing would be a lie. But it's also disappointing that the Model X won't be available to consumers until the third quarter of next year. So the earliest the electric crossover will be out is July of 2015.
Just how much will the Model X affect Tesla's position in the market? Right now, it's pretty much a one-trick pony, and the current climate of the industry is pork up or die. Automakers are actually populating their lineups with quite a few new models. This is partially due to exploding interest in crossovers like the Model X, and partially because of the recent advent of modular platforms that make it easier to spawn multiple vehicles from the same basic design.
There's been considerable anticipation about the Model X. Now that everyone's waiting even longer for it, the vehicle better be nothing less than amazing. The big holdup has to do with internal validation and quality testing. Considering how impressive the Model S has been, a high bar has been set for the crossover, so hopefully the company is making sure it blows everyone away.
We'll all see if that's the case or not within a year from now.
Most people admittedly know very little about the BMW i3. I'm not going to bore you with all kinds of information about the car's specs and technical data -- you can get that and more on BMW's website. Instead, I want to explain what the car is really all about, because I seriously doubt most people get it.
Anytime someone comes up with a product that pushes the boundaries of what already exists, it takes a moment or two for consumers to even process what the thing is. When I first saw an iPod, I focused on how much more expensive it was than my Rio MP3 player, which could only hold a little over a CD's worth of tracks and cost a third of the Apple device's price.
To start off, the i3 is BMW's first and only commercial electric car. The i8 is a hybrid, but the i3 is propelled only by electricity. While there is a range-extending gasoline engine option, that only acts as a generator that helps replenish the battery when it runs out of juice.
Some people think that the BMW i3 is some little, impractical car, because that's the stereotypes for EVs (electric vehicles). The truth is the car is more utilitarian than it looks. The exterior has a funky coupe appearance, but there are rear suicide-style doors that make for a huge opening, thanks to no B-pillar (the one that usually sits between a vehicle's first and second rows of seating). The rear seats actually have a fair amount of legroom and headroom, making them comfortable for everyone except for the extremely tall. While the cargo isn't the biggest, there are no weird battery packs making the floor uneven, plus the rear seatbacks fold flat for a much bigger cargo area if one is needed.
The interior isn't completely weird-looking. Sure, it has a design that looks to be at least partly fueled by Tron (that's not a bad thing in my book), but the layout of the interior is nothing like some of the weird urban cube vehicles from Japan. The overall design is actually pretty simple and clean, showing a level of restraint that makes the car that much more beautiful. Speaking of beauty, many of the components are made of carbon fiber. There is also eucalyptus on the dash that has been forested responsibly, which will age over time and change in appearance for a truly custom look.
The i3 isn't ridiculously expensive. Long ago when I was working in the tech industry I learned that many people thought the least expensive BMW was about $90,000 brand new. Pretty funny, I know, but the truth is that most people look at a car like an i3 and assume there's no way they could afford it. I know the old adage that you can purchase a BMW long before you can afford one, but the i3 doesn't need anywhere near the same kind of upkeep as the other vehicles from the brand. By nature, EVs require little fuss since there are fewer moving parts and peripheral components. You can pick up an i3 for somewhere around $40,000, which is about the average price of cars these days.
Teaser image of the 2016 Volt. Image courtesy of GM.
One of the unique features of the Chevy Volt is that it uses a hybrid powertrain setup, although it's not like what you might be thinking. Instead of being able to drive using just the electric motor, the gasoline engine, or a combination of the two, the Volt is only propelled forward by the electric motor. The gasoline engine is really just a generator that replenishes the battery when it is depleted.
The setup is technically an extended-range electric powertrain, but the term "hybrid" confuses many people who think that the Volt is like the Prius. The unique configuration allows people to drive further than they could with a purely electric car, which arguably makes the Volt quite practical to own (especially if you venture outside of major metropolitan areas often.
GM has been keeping a tight lid on the development of the 2016 Volt, "leaking" an image along with a press release a few weeks ago that brags about the lengths it's gone to make sure the new generation's improvements stay secret. One little detail was released by GM today, revealing that the car's gasoline engine will in fact not be downsized as most industry experts were thinking, but instead will be made larger!
Instead of the 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine that is used right now, the next generation of the car will use a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine to keep things going. Some were expecting the company to use the Opel 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine, but for reasons yet to be explained GM engineers decided to upgrade the gasoline powerplant. There must be a benefit of some sort to justify the extra weight of te larger engine, but for now we all just get to sit around and speculate.
