Videos
-
Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a smarmy used-car salesman in a new short for the electric vehicle advocacy group Veloz.
-
Is hydrogen internal combustion a better idea than fuel cells?
Although hydrogen—and hydrogen fuel cells—could still play an important role in future transportation, even many hydrogen advocates will admit that hydrogen internal combustion probably won't. It certainly wasn’t always this way. About 15 years ago there was great hope in the idea...
Bengt Halvorson -
Tesla Model 3 vs Model S: Tighter dragstrip times, sharper traction system
Tesla claims some astonishingly quick acceleration times, and for some of us, testing and verifying those times are part of the fun. To do that, the drag strip is the only safe and fully reliable source for accurate numbers. In February of 2015, I migrated to a Model S Performance, after owning a...
George Parrott -
2019 Honda Insight video review
You could be forgiven for not remembering the two Honda vehicles that have worn an Insight badge before. The first was a quirky hatchback two-seater that struggled for acceptance with mainstream buyers. The second was a Prius-like Prius fighter, egg shape and all. This 2019 Honda Insight is the...
Aaron Cole -
Engineers find new ways to improve efficiency of gas engines: Engineering Explained
Researchers claim their RCCI engine has hit 60 percent thermal efficiency on the test bench, which would represent about a 50 percent improvement over the best modern engines.
Eric C. Evarts -
Battery life of 2018 Nissan Leaf vs 2017 Chevy Bolt EV electric cars: what manuals suggest
It's one of the major questions for any electric-car buyer: How long will the battery pack last? And what would it cost to replace it if I do need a new one sometime down the road? Now a new video looks at that question, comparing the different thermal-management technologies in the batteries of...
John Voelcker -
The 2019 Jaguar I-Pace SUV that debuted Thursday beat all the German luxury makes to the punch in launching a viable competitor to the looks and capabilities of electric cars offered by Tesla. The 14-year-old Silicon Valley startup has attracted huge attention for the stunning acceleration of its cars, particularly the "P" performance versions. Now Jaguar has waded right into that fray. The company released a video showing the Jaguar I-Pace competing at a drag strip against two different versions of the Tesla Model X crossover utility vehicle. DON'T MISS: 2019 Jaguar I-Pace electric crossover...
-
Chevrolet Bolt EV electric car: what's inside the battery? Teardown video shows all
The battery packs of most modern electric cars are far different than those in your mobile phone or other portable devices. In most cases, they include hundreds or thousands of cells, arranged into modules, and usually surrounded by channels containing liquid coolant to keep the battery in its...
John Voelcker -
2019 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid video preview
As they say: If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. The first Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, launched for 2011, wasn't one of the better examples of the class for drivability. But Hyundai has updated its mid-size hybrid three times since then, with each generation getting markedly better. DON'T...
John Voelcker -
2019 Honda Insight video preview from Detroit auto show
Pickup trucks took the limelight this year, but a significant green car made a quiet debut. It's an interesting and handsome model that revives a familiar name for Honda. The 2019 Honda Insight is a compact premium sedan projected to get an EPA combined rating of 50 mpg or better. The new Insight...
John Voelcker -
One Tesla Model S plus one 97-year-old grandfather: video magic
"I hear you got an electric car," says a 97-year-old man, looking every bit like a 97-year-old man, suspenders and all. "Is it outside?" The man behind the camera is Zev Gitalis, and the man in front of the camera is his grandfather. DON'T MISS: South's good ol' boy drag racers whupped by Tesla...
Mark Stevenson -
Can Honda break through buyer confusion about plug-in hybrids?
With the launch of the 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid sedan, the Chevrolet Volt now has its first serious competition among long-range plug-in hybrids. About 25,000 second-generation Volts were sold last year, and this year's number will be about 20,000. Honda says it may sell about the same...
John Voelcker -
The 2018 Toyota Camry is the latest generation of the car that launched a category—the mid-size hybrid sedan—way back in 2007. While competitors in that segment now include the Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata, and Kia Optima, the Camry Hybrid remains one of the most popular and best-selling hybrid sedans. Now we've had a chance to drive the new 2018 model, and discuss among ourselves how it's changed and improved, and where it sits these days. DON'T MISS: 2018 Toyota Camry Hybrid first drive There are actually two versions of the 2018 Camry Hybrid. If you want the...
-
Tesla Model 3 video review compares lower-priced electric car to Model S
There have been no full reviews of the 2017 Tesla Model 3 to date by automotive media outlets, meaning professional test drivers spend a few days with the car putting it through a standard battery of tests. A few early video reviews, apparently by owners, have also vanished from the Internet...
John Voelcker -
Cargo space in popular electric cars: this video explains it all
Ensuring electric cars fit the needs of their owners is a requirement for boosting electric-vehicle sales. Adequate cargo space for an owner is necessary no matter what kind of car is being considered. Now, in one handy video, YouTuber Bjorn Nyquist has shown just how much cargo space is provided...
Sean Szymkowski -
Tesla Model 3 owners' club video offers new details on electric car
First-hand details about the Tesla Model 3 remain almost as rare as the cars themselves; Tesla has built only a few hundred Model 3 electric cars since its launch in July Now a new video provides an incredibly in-depth look at Tesla's mass-production car, though we suspect it may have been approved...
Sean Szymkowski -
Saving gas by lifting the pedal: engine braking vs coasting (video)
The way a driver operates a car can produce very different fuel-economy numbers, and when driving downhill, two notable techniques come into play. The first is leaving the car in gear and using so-called engine braking to provide at least some deceleration. But many believe putting a car in neutral...
Sean Szymkowski -
People have no idea what electricity is or how it works (video)
Everyone knows what a gallon of gasoline is, or what they paid the last time they put fuel in their car. But trying asking your friends, relatives, and neighbors how much they paid per kilowatt-hour in their last electric bill. Or even what a kilowatt-hour is. We guarantee you that 19 out of 20 of...
John Voelcker -
The 2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid is a one-of-a-kind vehicle, the sole plug-in hybrid minivan offered for sale in North America. Its early months were plagued by a powertrain recall for a potentially faulty diode within the power inverter module. Now, the Pacifica Hybrid is back on sale in its second model year, and the minivan with 33 miles of electric range has some new support from familiar faces. DON'T MISS: 2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid sales have resumed after recall Fiat Chrysler Automobiles announced a new ad partnership with both Sesame Street and actor Dax Shepard to support the...
-
Why one guy bought a 2017 Nissan Leaf electric car: it was a great deal
The deals, incentives, and rebates currently available on the 2017 Nissan Leaf are generous and well documented. A handful of utility companies across the United States have offered generous discounts, likely backed by Nissan itself, to move the current-generation Leaf from dealerships to...
Sean Szymkowski -
Tesla Model S beats Lamborghini Aventador in 1/4-mile drag race; so does Model X SUV
Tesla has not only put some of the world's longest-range electric cars into production, but its cars also happen to house some serious performance specifications. Everyone knows the P100D versions of the Tesla Model S sedan and Model X SUV are capable of accelerating at lightning speed, thanks to...
Sean Szymkowski -
New propaganda video on electric-car tax credits: time to debunk!
The U.S. federal income-tax credit for purchase of an electric car has seen its share of attacks over the years. Now a new video seeks to twist the facts to paint those subsidies in a bad light. While facts don't lie, it's easy to create a new narrative by taking carefully chosen facts out of...
Sean Szymkowski -
Tesla Model 3 Easter eggs, discovered by board member Steve Jurvetson
The few dozen 2017 Tesla Model 3 owners who've already taken delivery of their electric cars will find a few surprises inside if they look closely enough. The Silicon Valley automaker handed over the first examples of its new Model 3 to customers, one of whom happens to be Steve Jurvetson...
Sean Szymkowski -
Propaganda video claiming 'dirty electric cars' debunked
For years, electric-car skeptics raised concerns about what was cleverly dubbed "The Coal Tailpipe": the idea that plug-in vehicles produced just as many harmful emissions as gasoline cars, but in a different place. That's not remotely true for carbon dioxide, as multiple studies over the years...
John Voelcker