German automakers acknowledge Tesla EV lead, express envy, plot revenge

2021 Mercedes-Benz EQS prototype and Vision EQS conceptMercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, and Volkswagen have over decades collectively held on to a reputation that they were on the leading edge, as other automakers around the world seemingly scrambled to follow their tech, design, and engineering. Over the past several years, some might say that reputation has been usurped by a company from California: Tesla...

Here’s why electric vehicles need different tires

Continental EcoContact 6 tireIn electric cars, it's not just the powertrain that is different. It's the tires. Electric cars require special tires for a variety of reasons, tire manufacturer Continental said in a press release Friday. Their tires must handle more weight compared to internal-combustion vehicles, and deliver more torque to the road when moving away from a stop...

VW says that the pandemic has made EVs “more inevitable”

Volkswagen ID 3The full impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic remains to be seen, Volkswagen is already predicting that it will be good for electric cars. The pandemic has made electric cars "more inevitable," declared the headline for an in-house interview with Volkswagen Group of America senior VP of strategy Reinhard Fischer posted Friday. "I expect the...

Electric cars are better for drive-in movies

Guerrilla drive-in movieOne of the greatest comebacks in this trend-breaking year has been the resurgence of the drive-in movie. And the best kind of modern vehicle to take in a drive-in movie is an electric car. Hemmings recently outlined several style-setting ways to go to the drive-in movies—including a 1955 Pontiac Starchief, a 1969 Chevrolet El Camino SS, a...

Rivian electric trucks: R1T and R1S delayed to summer 2021

Rivian R1TElectric truckmaker Rivian announced Friday that its pilot production line has started up at the company’s factory in Normal, Illinois. With a precise perspective on what needs to be done between that and the trucks’ arrival, Rivian reported that deliveries of its R1T electric pickup and R1S electric SUV will start in June 2021 for the...