Electric Vehicles & Cars News - Page 2

Adrenaline junkie Travis Pastrana decided to wind down 2022 by releasing "Gymkhana 2022" - a video of him driving a tricked out 1983 Subaru GL Wagon able to produce more than 850 horsepower.

Of course, a simple driving video wouldn't be any kind of fun for Pastrana and company. Instead, the video needs to feature cameos of a fighter jet, helicopter and 3000-hp Chevrolet El Camino - along with Pastrana managing to grind his car like it's some kind of insanely oversized skateboard.

The car has full active aero, AWD sequential transmission, rear-mounted radiators and a 2.3-liter billet Subaru Boxer 4-cylinder engine - with carbon fiber roof racks and carbon fiber found throughout the rest of the vehicle.

Kindred Motorworks recently showed off its latest creation, the Kindred Chevy 3100 pickup truck - a late 40s-50s era truck with an electric drivetrain. Interested buyers will need to wait a couple of years and can expect to pay at least $159,000.

Kindred used Chevy 3100 models built from 1947 to 1953 and packed in a 294hp direct drive electric AC motor electric powertrain. The 74 kWh battery provides a 200-mile range - with a 6.6 kW on-board charger with 120v and 240v support. Charge time with a level-2 charger will take nine hours.

The interior features a bench seat with custom leather upholstery with headrests and center seating. There is an EV-specific style gauge cluster, a touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support, and a wireless charging dock. Overall, the exterior also underwent a full restoration, so Kindred put in the effort to refurbish the old school truck.

The Ford Mustang Mach-E electric model has reached 150,000 models produced, with the US automaker expanding sales. The Mach-E already is available in 37 countries, with Ford adding new markets starting in 2023.

Ford first introduced the Mustang Mach-E on Nov. 17, 2019, and the 2021 model hit the market in December 2020. Ford wants to step up to 600,000 EVs produced by the end of next year - and 2 million made annually by 2026.

Here is what Deborah Manzano, director of manufacturing at Ford, said in a press statement: "The plant is buzzing. There's a new battery line, new chassis line, additional assembly line, we're literally maxing out the space to make more Mustang Mach-E vehicles. We most recently added a new paint shop, too. Nothing is standing still for long!"

Lamborghini typically focuses on luxury sports cars able to rip up the track or street, but the Italian automaker has a concept car designed away from the road. Even the design of the car forced engineers to convert the automaker's DNA to push different boundaries that they usually never had to worry about. Here is action of the first Huracan Sterrato driving on the open road:

The car was designed and equipped specifically to handle off-road driving - the tires are wider with increased sidewalls, drastically improving grip and shock absorption. Lamborghini first showed off the concept in 2019, though was confirmed as a production model starting over the summer.

Between the V10 5.2 I engine and a physical design tailored for adventures, there is a modified departure angle and increased ground clearance - with a front frame and underbody that have been reinforced. The integrated aluminum is covered with an aluminum bulkhead while drivers conquer dirt-road surfaces.

General Motors will help the Chevrolet Corvette evolve into a sub-brand that includes both electric vehicles and traditional internal combustion engine vehicles. An electric Corvette is expected sometime in 2023, and a track-specific C8 is also in the works for 2024.

The thought of an electric Corvette is rather intriguing, as the car will benefit from instant torque when the driver hits the accelerator. Long-time Corvette fans will probably need an adjustment period when the car goes electric - and GM will still hear from enthusiasts that don't like what they see. However, Car and Driver chatted with someone from the GM Tech Center to learn the following:

"Corvette is not just a brand. It's a constantly evolving system paired with a dramatically different user experience."

German manufacturer ZF has shown off a smaller, lighter new e-drives designed for passenger cars and commercial vehicles. The company believes the auto industry's immense backlog for electronic drive components is worth upwards of $26 billion - and more can be done to help car companies.

Instead of finding ways to engineer better mechanical components for an internal combustion engine, R&D is now focused on creating efficient electric powertrains.

To meet customer demands, ZF plans to hone in on efficiency, performance, and cost, among other major requirements drivers may have. The company's next-generation platform includes the electric motor, power electronics, transmission, and control software to help it all run properly.

The Hennessey Mammoth 1000 TRX Overland Edition features a 1,012 bhp beast of an engine designed to help owners experience the most out of overland trucking.

Hennessey will make the Overland Edition available for its Mammoth 900 or Mammoth 1000 versions, based on the Dodge Ram TRX.

The Overland Edition adds the bed rack with rock lights, grab handles, and full wiring harness - with a hard-shell nimbus rooftop tent, 55-inch hybrid awning with LED light, shovel and shovel guard, 2x gas tanks and mounts, and more. Hennessey focused on user-friendly equipment that can be used as part of truck-based living - and features a modular system, TRX bed rack, with grab handles and a retractable ladder to help offer easier accessibility.

German automaker Mercedes-Benz has a unique collaboration with 20th Century Studios and the Avatar movie brand - with a theme of technology, innovation, sustainability, and mobility of the future. The two companies want to show the futuristic side of vehicles from Mercedes, with a special interest on becoming more environmentally friendly.

Mercedes is going electric-only in the very near future, promising a fully electric future by 2030 - with models such as the beastly EQE SUV and others showing what the German company can do.

Vehicles are now packed full of technology, with electric drivetrains, feature-rich infotainment systems, and autonomous driving technology being some of the most popular trends. However, Mercedes and Avatar want to share the following message: "Earth is our Pandora," and there must be an increased focus on sustainability, respect, and the global community.

About 1 million Tesla owners are expected to get a significant upgrade to their sound system when the company rolls out a software update that enables Dolby Atmos.

According to an exclusive report from BGR, Tesla is currently working on an upcoming software update that will improve the sound quality of the vehicle's speakers. The publication spoke to an unnamed source that said the company has been working with major record labels for several months to fine-tune the software and make Dolby Atmos available in Tesla cars. Notably, the software update will be rolled out to 1 million Tesla vehicles that are on the road, and all newly manufactured Tesla cars will come with the software already installed.

For those that aren't familiar with Dolby Atmos, the software is a surround sound technology that is developed by Dolby Laboratories. The technology, originally designed for the cinema market, began to be implemented in 25 cinemas worldwide in 2012, and as of 2022, there are more than 10,000 Dolt Atmos-enabled cinemas. The software itself adds height channels that enable sounds to be interpreted as 3D objects, creating a more immersive surround sound experience with more accurate sound.

The 2023 Honda Civic Type R is something the Japanese automaker can be proud of. Although the engine is manufactured in the United States, the car itself is assembled in Japan. A recent Honda YouTube video shows the full assembly of the Civic Type R, so you can watch the process from start to finish.

Promoted as the most powerful production vehicle Honda has ever sold for the US market, the Civic Type R has a bit of extra boost. The turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine produces 315 hp with 310 lb-ft. of torque - with maximum of 4,000 rpm.

The car's body is pressed and welded to form the external panels, with the shell receiving a sprayed polyurethane top coat. The front fenders and rear door side panels and fenders doesn't need multiple pressings, thanks to quality design software simulations. When things such as the front and rear bumpers, doors, trunk, and hood are installed - Honda uses robotic automation to help ensure these pieces have been installed correctly. Before Honda ships anything overseas, a suspension alignment and other inspections are conducted.