Videos
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What's the 2014 MINI Cooper going to look like? The old one, probably--a perception that isn't tarnished by MINI's latest teaser video, which gives us a hint as to the new car's form. The new car is set to be unveiled in full on November 18, the 107th anniversary of the birth of Sir Alec Issigonis, the engineer who penned the original Mini. It shows that BMW still cares about the MINI's heritage--or at least, sees value in trading off it--even though the car is now far removed from its 1959 ancestor. There's another nod to the original Mini's history in the video, in the form of the...
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New MINI Cooper Teased, Win A Trip To The Unveiling: Video
The classic Mini was one of the first true economy cars, both in terms of frugality and in offering purchase price that regular people could afford. Since BMW's resurrection of the badge its priorities have shifted a little to capitalize on the car's fashion status, but that doesn't mean the new...
Antony Ingram -
Tesla CEO Elon Musk Calls Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Cars "Waste Of Time"
Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk is not a man to mince his words. We already know he's not a fan of other electric vehicles like the Nissan Leaf or Chevrolet Volt, he doesn't really like plug-in hybrids, and he's quick to step in and defend his company whenever there's a hint of negative publicity. So...
Antony Ingram -
Nissan's Electric ZEOD Race Car Revealed In Full: Video
German automaker Audi might command the most real estate at the Le Mans 24 Hour race in France each year, but in 2013 Nissan's off-track presence certainly wasn't far behind. Promoting its NISMO motorsport brand, Nissan also reserved a space for its 2015 Le Mans challenger--the electric ZEOD race...
Antony Ingram -
BMW i8 Plug-In Sports Car Edges Closer With New Teaser Video
One of the most exciting launches at this month's Frankfurt Auto Show will be BMW's new plug-in hybrid sports car, the i8. The German automaker has released a teaser video of the new car ahead of its official debut on September 10, where it'll join the existing i3 electric city car on BMW's...
Antony Ingram -
Nissan ZEOD RC Electric Race Car Dresses For The Track (Video)
Last week, Nissan announced it had chosen a development driver for its ZEOD RC electric race car project, Spanish gamer-turned-racer, Lucas Ordóñez. This week, the automaker and its motorsport arm Nismo has allowed us a little insight into the car itself, starting with the strong...
Antony Ingram -
The 2013 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive is the latest electric vehicle to have undergone the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's crash test procedures. Following frontal crash, side impact, and side pole impact tests, the Electric Drive was awarded four from a possible five stars overall. Individually, the electric smart was rated best for side impact protection, scoring a full five stars. It received four stars for front impact and rollover tests, and three stars in the pole side impact test. Driver and passenger front, side and knee airbags are standard in the Fortwo, contributing...
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Tesla Model S Quality Testing: 5 Hours Of Indoor Inspection (Video)
Thorough pre-delivery testing is commonplace in the modern automotive industry, and means the shiny new cars we pick up from dealerships are of higher quality than ever before. It's always nice to know just how much care is taken to ensure a car is perfect before you're handed the key though--and...
Antony Ingram -
Facing Fuel-Economy Fracas, Ford Focuses On Gas Mileage Myths (Video)
Many buyers of new Ford cars--both its 2013 C-Max and Fusion hybrids, and those fitted with its EcoBoost line of downsized, turbocharged engines--report real-world gas mileage much lower than the cars' EPA ratings. Ford is trying to counter almost a year's worth of media attention to these concerns...
John Voelcker -
Entrant In World Solar Car Challenge Is 'Family Sedan,' Sort Of
We're always interested in following the progress of competitors in the World Solar Challenge--a solar-powered race across Australia--but as our readers regularly point out, not immediately useful for the average electric car buyer on the street. Solar Team Eindhoven, from the Eindhoven University...
Antony Ingram -
Driverless Electric Shuttle Bus Carries Racetrack Visitors (Video)
A race track isn't necessarily the place you'd expect to find the latest in zero-emissions transit, but that's exactly what you'll find at Circuit of the Americas in Texas. Called Navia and built by French firm Induct, the small electric shuttle bus carries visitors around the circuit, with no need...
Antony Ingram -
Cyclist Vs Self-Important, Entitled, Angry Supercar Driver (Video)
Owners of supercars often seem to feel a sense of entitlement. So we had to chuckle at the outrage expressed by the videographer who posted a clip of a Lamborghini Aventador momentarily forced to slow down on a narrow London street as a cyclist pulls out. You'll note that the driver of the...
John Voelcker -
The BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports car has to be one of the most anticipated new vehicles of the next few years, for both green buyers and gearheads alike. It's quick, but for the moment at least, you need a Tesla Model S if you want a speedy electric vehicle. So what if you put both together on the same piece of road? That's exactly what this video from German Facebook page ElectroDriver does, albeit seemingly unplanned. The giveaway is that the BMW i8 is still in the familiar blue and white camouflage BMW uses for testing new models. As such, you can't see all the i8's striking details, but...
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2014 BMW i3 Electric Car Unveiling On July 29: Video
The 2014 BMW i3 electric car is coming... but you knew that already. Still, it gives BMW a chance to release another video, albeit one that tells us absolutely nothing save for the car's official date of unveiling: July 29th. Luckily, previous videos, plenty of spy shots and numerous auto show...
Antony Ingram -
2014 Cadillac ELR Electric Luxury Coupe Featured On Jay Leno's Garage
Don't you wish more auto enthusiasts were like Jay Leno? Sure, plenty of the stuff he likes isn't overly green, but at least he can't drive his massive collection of cars all at once. And he does like plenty of electric and hybrid vehicles too--among them, the Chevrolet Volt. Leno has his own Volt...
Antony Ingram -
Toyota's Kid-Friendly Electric Concept Stars At Tokyo Toy Show
If you've ever seen a child zipping along on a bicycle at breakneck speed the concept of putting them behind the wheel of a car is truly terrifying. Toyota still wants to give it a go though, and following on from last year's Camatte concepts, Toyota has once again displayed a brace of electric...
Antony Ingram -
New Nürburgring Lap Record For Electric Car Set By SLS AMG
The timing was nothing if not amusing. No sooner had Audi let us drive its R8 e-tron electric supercar and proudly boasted of its lap record at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, then arch-rival Mercedes-Benz stole it from under Audi's nose with its SLS AMG Electric Drive. The striking yellow...
Antony Ingram -
Tesla Model S Top Speed: More Than 130 MPH, Emission-Free
Top speeds are more relevant than many people think. That even applies to cars like the Tesla Model S, though perhaps more for bragging rights than any practical purpose. And as bragging rights go, 133 mph isn't too bad for an electric car. While there aren't many places you can legally explore a...
Antony Ingram -
If you ever feel cars are getting too expensive, consider yourself lucky you don't live in Singapore. The country, an island located on the tip of mainland Malaysia, is smaller than most cities, and one of the most prosperous nations in the world. Due to its (lack of) size, traffic is a big problem--so the government levies huge taxes on cars to discourage their use. Which is why a Toyota Prius costs $154,000 over there--over six times its cost in the U.S. Interviewed by Singaporean TV program RazorTV (via Car Throttle), Fast & Furious series star Vin Diesel is less than impressed with...
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Porsche 918 Spyder Plug-In Hybrid: Even Faster (And Video Too)
Hybrids are hot property right now, but none more so than at the very top end of the market. Ferrari's unimaginatively-named LaFerrari, the McLaren P1 and the Porsche 918 will all utilize hybrid drivetrains, but it's the Porsche set to hit the market first. So imminent is the German firm's offering...
Antony Ingram -
Elon Musk Answers Qs About Tesla In 2010: Rate His Responses
Elon Musk isn't a man who minces his words--few people in his position get to where they are by being shy and retiring. That means the Paypal, Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] and SpaceX executive is always good for a soundbite, and there are quite a few in this Time interview from 2010. Such a great deal...
Antony Ingram -
Electric-Car Battery Swapping, Slovakian Style (Well, Vans, Anyway)
Battery swapping was once hailed as the miracle cure for short-range electric cars, but the trials and tribulations of Better Place have shown that isn't necessarily the case. It's not a bad idea though--it just needs the correct application. That could be in the commercial vehicle world, as...
Antony Ingram -
Watch A 2013 Nissan Leaf Being Built In Tennessee (Video)
We always love seeing how electric cars are made. There's something fascinating about watching a car go right from the metal presses to rolling out of the factory. In recent years we've brought you videos of such a process for several electric cars, and now it's the turn of the 2013 Nissan Leaf at...
Antony Ingram -
The Mercedes-Benz SLS Electric Drive Is "Mega" (Video)
Most people probably think of electric cars as an environmental solution, if the concept is to be pigeonholed. While that's certainly the case, what many people don't know is that electric vehicles can also be a lot of fun. Nowhere is this demonstrated better than the video you see above, as a...
Antony Ingram