Chevy Bolt vs. Volt
Despite having similar names and a similar reliance on electricity, the Chevy Bolt and Volt are not at all the same car. To highlight the differences between these two vehicles, we compared them across several categories, allowing us to get a feel for the technology and features driving each model.
Tesla Model 3 tuned in Germany is an electric car you’ll either love or hate
German tuner Novitec has released a catalog of aftermarket parts for the Tesla Model 3. Its body kit includes several components made with carbon fiber, and it also makes 21-inch alloy wheels available. There are suspension parts, too, but Novitec leaves the Tesla Model 3's electric powertrain fully stock.
Audi Sport will unleash 6 new, redesigned performance cars in the next 4 months
Audi Sport announced plans to introduce six cars by the end of 2019. Looking at the dark teaser image it released, we think we see two variants of the RS Q3, an RS4, an RS6, an RS7, and an RS Q8. We'll see them in the next four months, but don't expect all of them to be sold in the United States.
Flyboard Air inventor plans to unveil 250-mph flying sports car by 2020
After designing a hoverboard and crossing the English Channel with it, Franky Zapata plans to develop a flying car capable of cruising at up to 250 mph. The 40-year-old Frenchman has already started testing prototypes, and he wants to unveil the final model (with no fewer than 10 gas turbines) by the end of 2019.
The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette’s performance influenced its sound system
Bose has worked with Chevrolet to develop sound systems for the Corvette since 1984, but the 2020 model presented a new challenge due to its unprecedented midengined layout. It nonetheless packs up to 14 speakers, and its performance specifications had a significant impact on how the system was designed.
Tesla-driving tourists set a coast-to-coast record, but lose it a few days later
Swiss tourists on a family vacation in the United States set a coast-to-coast record by driving their Tesla Model 3 from New York City to Los Angeles (a trip known as a Cannonball Run) in 48 hours and 10 minutes. The EV record was broken just a few days later by another Model 3 owner who logged 45 hours and 16 minutes.
For car thieves, there is no replacement for engine displacement
Muscle cars are more likely to be stolen than SUVs or luxury sedans, according to a recent study. The Hemi-powered Dodge Charger and the Dodge Challenger Hellcat top the list of America's most stolen cars. The BMW 3 Series is the least-stolen car in America, followed by Tesla's electric Model S and Model X.
The electric Curtiss Psyche blurs the line between motorcycles and art
Curtiss Motorcycles released images of an experimental, design-led electric bike named Psyche. It's positioned as an alternative to the Harley-Davidson Livewire, but riders will either love or hate its intricate design. It can tentatively cover 160 miles on a single charge, and it offers up to 96 horsepower.
Japanese researchers are teaching tires how to generate electricity
Japanese tire company Sumitomo teamed up with researchers at Kansai University to develop an experimental tire that generates electricity. It uses an Energy Harvester to convert the friction generated as the car moves into a small amount of electricity used to power accessories like the tire pressure monitoring system.
Here’s why this Texas racetrack won’t let electric cars onto its drag strip
Texas Motor Speedway has banned competitors from racing in an electric car. It's not worried about a Tesla beating a Mercedes-AMG, but it is concerned about not being sufficiently equipped to put out an electric car fire. Lithium-ion fires are notoriously difficult -- and equally dangerous -- to put out.
Tesla will show its cyberpunk, Blade Runner-inspired pickup by the end of 2019
Tesla has started designing its long-promised pickup truck. The yet-unnamed model will come with dual-motor all-wheel drive and lots of torque, plus it will be able to park itself. It will be about as big as Ford's F-150, though a sketch suggests Tesla will later build a much bigger pickup based on its semi.
2020 Porsche Carrera will be the cornerstone of the new 911 family
Porsche revealed the standard variant of the 911 that the rest of the range will be built on. Offered as a coupe and as a convertible, the 911 Carrera receives tech features from the Panamera, and a flat-six engine turbocharged to 379 horsepower. It's on sale now, and the first deliveries are scheduled for early 2020.
You can buy an electric pickup truck today if you’re willing to downsize
The electric pickup truck segment is heating up, but an unknown Chinese automaker has beaten the big guys to the punch. Kind of, anyways. The Pickman is a golf cart-like pickup with a 25-mph top speed and a 2,200-pound payload. It's available now in the United States, and pricing starts at about $8,000.
That awesome video of Rivian’s electric R1T turning like a tank was fake
The video showing a Rivian R1T prototype pulling an impressive tank turn on a mountain trail was completely fake, the company told Digital Trends. It was a CGI animation created without the company's input. However, rumors of a Tank Turn feature aren't completely unfounded, and Rivian's electric truck could get it.
2020 Lexus RX first drive review
The Lexus RX crossover enters the 2020 model year with significant tech upgrades that make it more user-friendly to live with on a daily basis. It gains a touchscreen-based infotainment system, and smartphone connectivity. It remains as comfortable as ever, and it continues to illustrate what Lexus stands for.
America’s bestselling vehicle could have a billion-dollar fuel economy problem
The hot-selling Ford F-150 pickup is the target of a $1.2 billion class-action lawsuit filed by owners who argue they're paying too much for gas. The lawsuit claims Ford falsified fuel economy figures by using incorrect data that boosts mileage by up to 15%. Ford told us it's important not to confuse claims with merit.
Bosch, Mercedes-Benz preview the smartphone-based future of valet parking
Mercedes-Benz and Bosch have teamed up to develop automated valet parking technology and bring it to the general public for the first time. Motorists who drive a late-model Mercedes to the company's museum will be able to use the technology, which uses sensors scattered across the garage to guide the car to a spot.
2020 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe prototype first drive review
BMW is expanding its lineup with a model called 2 Series Gran Coupe. It's a fastback positioned below the 3 Series as the automaker's entry-level model, and it's aimed at young motorists who want a blend of style, practicality, and tech. Digital Trends drove a pre-production prototype ahead of the Gran Coupe's debut.
BMW will reinvent the (steering) wheel with tech flagship it’s prepping for 2021
BMW has released preliminary information about a model called iNext internally. Presented as its technology flagship, the iNext -- which might be called i5 -- will be entirely electric, partially autonomous, and fully connected. It's scheduled to make its debut in the coming months, and production will begin in 2021.
Amazon helps Honda turn some of its cars into mobile mailboxes
Honda is making Key by Amazon available on a handful of its cars starting in July 2019. Owners of compatible cars who are also Amazon Prime members and have a valid HondaLink subscription can get packages delivered to their car's trunk. Key by Amazon is available in 50 American cities and their surrounding areas.
The five key things we learned during the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette’s unveiling
Chevrolet has re-invented the Corvette as a mid-engined, V8-powered supercar with Ferrari-like performance and a Porsche 718-esque price tag. Digital Trends attended the model's unveiling in Los Angeles, and these five points stood out to us after seeing the car in person, and chatting with the people who designed it.
Toyota’s futuristic golf cart will transport people around at the 2020 Olympics
Toyota is reinventing the golf cart for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. The company designed a vehicle named the Accessible People Mover (APM) that will transport visitors, athletes, and staff members from venue to venue. Fully electric, the APM has a top speed of 11 mph and a 60-mile range.
How Lexus, one of the industry’s hybrid champions, is preparing for the 2020s
Lexus predicts significant shifts will reshape the automotive industry during the 2020s, and it's ready to take them on. The hybrid champion is preparing to branch out into electric cars, it's investing in autonomous technology, and it wants to keep focusing on SUVs. But it's not forgetting about performance.
The last two affordable station wagons in America are about to retire
Volkswagen confirmed it will stop making the Golf Sportwagen and the Golf Alltrack by the end of 2019. Both station wagons are at the end of their life cycle but won't be replaced because they compete in a shrinking segment of the market. Instead, Volkswagen will add three SUVs to its lineup in coming years.
Playing Forza inspired this gamer to 3D-print a Lamborghini for his son
Lamborghini charges about $400,000 for an Aventador S, so Colorado physicist Sterling Backus decided to make one in his garage for $20,000. Working with his son, he is painstakingly 3D-printing the supercar's body panels and fixing them on a chassis he designed himself. The engine comes from a 2003 Corvette.
2020 Alpina B7 first drive review
Alpina began making hot-rodded BMWs years before anyone heard of an M5. Digital Trends traveled to scenic Bavaria to put the B7, its flagship model, through its paces on a variety of roads. The B7 is based on the 7 Series, and it was updated for the 2020 model year, but it's not merely a big Bimmer with a body it.
The best Amazon Prime Day deals on dashboard cameras for your car
The dash cam market grows annually, so these devices are rarely on sale. Prime Day 2019 is a stellar opportunity to modernize your car, keep yourself safe behind the wheel, and possibly capture something hilarious on film. Digital Trends has selected the best Prime Day 2019 dash cam deals for every motorist.
Fiat wants to transform the cheeky 500 city car into an urban Tesla
Fiat is finally preparing a new 500. Scheduled to make its debut in early 2020, the retro-chic city car will go electric in part to comply with looming emissions regulations. Fiat described the model as an urban Tesla that it will position higher up on the market than the current, 12-year old model.
ABS brakes helped airlines make more money before they helped you stop
ABS -- a technology that prevents cars from skidding out of control under heavy braking -- has been around since the 1950s, when it was first applied to airplanes. England's Jensen released the first car with ABS in 1966, but Chrysler and Bendix jointly get credit for developing four-wheel electronic ABS in 1971.
Lexus will reinvent its design language as it electrifies its full line
Lexus plans to release an electrified version of every nameplate in its lineup by the year 2025. The term electrified is broad; it includes hybrid, plug-in hybrid, electric, and hydrogen cars. The company will need to reinvent its design language and develop new tech as it electrifies, Digital Trends can reveal.
Mini’s first EV lands at the intersection of electrification and driving fun
Mini introduced the 2020 Cooper SE, its first series-produced electric model. The battery-powered hatchback shares many powertrain parts with the BMW i3, though its range hasn't been announced yet. Nimble in spite of its 1,400-pound weight, the Cooper SE comes with a powertrain-specific infotainment system.
BMW is helping EV drivers explore some of the nation’s most scenic parks
BMW teamed up with the National Park Service and the United States Department of Energy to install electric car charging stations in America's national parks. The 100 chargers will help eliminate range anxiety for EV drivers visiting the parks. They'll all be live by the end of summer 2019.
Bosch is connecting batteries to the internet to help EVs go the extra mile
Bosch is connecting electric car batteries to the internet to help them last longer. The company's battery-in-the-cloud technology monitors individual battery cells, checks for wear, and modifies the charging process if it detects a problem. This technology can make buying an electric car more painless.