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Electric Vehicle News, Reviews and Analysis

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.

Tesla Model S similar to the 12/31/14 caught fire courtesy Tesla media. A frunk Courtesy tesa forums. A lith ion combustion courtesy YouTube.
By Al Castro Dec 17 2018 - 9:15am

Firearms Onboard a Tesla Should be Holstered or in a Locked Case, Not Discharged through a Battery Pack

ANALYSIS AND OPINION: Attention military, law enforcement, security, and/or hunters who validly possess a firearm, or anyone else with the gall to carry a firearm illegally: the chances of your battery electric vehicle catching fire from a purposeful or accidental firearms discharge through the battery pack are much greater than if pierced through a gas tank. Read this story now coming to light about a 2014 Tesla S to find out why.
New White Nissan Leaf
By Armen Hareyan Dec 11 2018 - 8:48am

The Date of 60kWh Nissan Leaf's Debut Is Known, but Without Liquid-Cooling

Some German automotive reporters have gathered information about the date when the new 60kWh Nissan Leaf will debut and we already know why the 2019 Leaf didn't debut at the LA Auto Show. However, there seems to be a little disappointment that it will be without liquid-cooling. Many EV drivers were waiting for this feature that the Bolt has.
1970 Aston Martin DB6 MkII Volante Drophead Roadster Courtesy Aston Media
By Al Castro Dec 10 2018 - 7:31am

By Offering BEV Conversions to Older Aston and Other Classic Cars, Aston Martin Ensures its Legacy Forever

OPINION AND ANALYSIS: Inasmuch as we are fooling ourselves into believing that gasoline new car purchases will be a viable option even in some parts of the world past 2030, we are also fooling ourselves into believing that we’ll be able to drive our present and near future classic cars around twenty plus years from now. This is a tail pipe dream. Well, like Jaguar Land Rover, Aston Martin has also found a solution to anticipate this issue.
Bentley’s Heritage from Spped Six to Bentayga Courtesy Bentley Media
By Al Castro Dec 8 2018 - 10:25pm

Will There Ever Be a True Electric Bentley?

OPINION AND ANALYSIS: With VW Group’s accelerated plans to cease gas car production sooner, Bentley needs to ask itself what kind of car company does it want to be? If Aston Martin stuffed battery packs inside the seats and boot spare tire wells and fenders of a Rapide, why there isn’t something similar done inside a Spur or a Mulsanne? Bentley isn’t doing that; they’re running counterculture to their heritage, and risk losing what they worked hard to get after leaving Rolls Royce: not becoming another Cadillac.
The New 2021 Rivian R1S SUV by Rivian Media
By Al Castro Dec 3 2018 - 9:12am

Rivian R1S SUV: This is How the Americans Take on Range Rover SVAutobiography: Get Your Autograph Book Ready, Land Rover!

OPINION ANALYSIS: Rivian Automotive, the once Clandestine now Maverick Electric Pickup Truck Maker added another BEV to its portfolio, a full sized three rower SUV called R1S. I’m so glad they made it nice and boxy and conservative and all BEV. All they need to do now is stretch that battery tray and back seat room, bespoke it out, make it LWB, send it upmarket past Bentley and Rolls, and let it sit next to Rover SVAutobiography, to let their brand take off, and let the doe roll in.
The Now Extinct Chevy Volt by GM Media
By Al Castro Dec 3 2018 - 8:00am

Ode to Chevy Volt: the Car that Started as Green Electroshock Therapy Rightfully Ends with Barely a Spark

OPINION ANALYSIS: America’s first plug in hybrid, a segment opening PHEV was put to death recently, the Chevrolet Volt was a cutting edge trailblazing vehicle that bridged the gap between siphoning off gas and waiting for battery technology to improve before pushing on to an all electric car world. So cancelling it seems counterintuitive. It is not. Actually Volt was a great accidental/incidental transition vehicle who’s time came and was way gone.
T-Lazy Ranch CO Model X crash on Twitter and Model X Courtesy Tesla
By Al Castro Nov 28 2018 - 5:38pm

Horrific Colorado Tesla Crash Proves Not Only Tesla Built Means Safety, But Also a Happier Holiday Season

Traditional and conventional engineering wisdom dictated for years that the purpose of a Mercedes Benz was to enable you to withstand a crash, so that you can survive to buy another Mercedes. Perhaps that conventional thinking now also applies to a Tesla. Five kids driving and riding in a high speed Tesla crash their Model X into a tree and creek. The car was destroyed. Fatalities: 0. The hero: the Tesla.
EA's High Speed Charging System
By Marc Stern Nov 27 2018 - 5:42pm

Popular Science Names Electrify America’s Charging System 'Best Of What’s New'

Electrify America, the Volkswagen subsidiary charged with expanding or creating more zero emissions infrastructure, has been awarded Popular Science 'Best of What's New" for 2018. Specifically, PopSci called out EA's high-speed charging stations and the special tech. that they use.
The 2020 Rivian R1T All Electric Pickup Truck
By Al Castro Nov 27 2018 - 8:20am

The Rivian R1T Suddenly and Impressively Becomes the World’s First All-Electric Pickup Truck. Not Ford. Not Tesla.

Unveil Review: Rivian Automotive, the Michigan based startup that for ten years carefully, but secretly planned to find the right vehicle, at the right time, and at the right moment, to launch an all BEV the world hasn’t seen, seemed to find the right recipe to unveil that vehicle NOW, as they launched something that Tesla had expectations of doing first: to launch the first all electric pickup truck in the world. And Rivian did it. Not Ford. Not Tesla. This is a game changer . . .
Cadillac wagons over the years: Escalade, SRX, CTS, 1959 Hearse
By Al Castro Nov 27 2018 - 1:00am

Twenty Years of Cadillac Escalade: A Vision of the Future, with Lessons, a Nod Toward the Past

It was around this time twenty years ago that the now legendary Cadillac Escalade started hauling the ruling class and celebritydom on the streets of the big American cities as if they were elegant stage coaches of the Victorian or Edwardian Eras over 100 years ago. So after reading a story about the disastrous 2009 hybrid I decided to do a flashback ode to the iconic 20th century truck that lives on today.
Mass production of VW Neo and Hyundai Kona Courtesy VWG and HMG Media Hyundai Kona by Al Castro
By Al Castro Nov 22 2018 - 4:16am

The Mass Incursion of BEV’s Begins! Hyundai Imports “Production Hell” onto the Pacific, While VW Gets Ready for Theirs onto the Atlantic

D Day Reversed! As Tesla prepares for Cheap Model 3 “Production Hell,” the competition takes a Last Stand: Hyundai is ready to unleash a manufacturing fury of a “Production Hell,” with Kona to invade America via the Pacific. While VW and Ford sign a war pact treaty to enact their diabolical anti-Tesla master plan to unleash triple flanking fury coming soon from Dearborn, Chattanooga, and from the North Atlantic shores.
Charge Automotive Electric Mustang
By Al Castro Nov 21 2018 - 5:54am

The BEV Mustang Ford Should’ve Been Making by Now is Available in a Restomod Classic Version from Startup Charge Automotive

I find it pathetically sad that we are now in year 6 of the electric car revolution and Ford has yet to come out with not one of their own non-compliance full mass production BEV car. Not one. Thank God for startups, because the new British based company called Charge Automotive will make you pay just a little dearly, but you can even have a classic Mustang the way Ford would never have given it to you.

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