Is Fisker preparing to throw its hat in the electric pickup ring?
Electric car startup Fisker released an enigmatic, computer-generated teaser image that seems to show a pickup. The electrified truck will ride on the same platform as Fisker's upcoming SUV, and it will reach showrooms in about 2022. It will face competition from Rivian, Tesla, and Ford, among others.
The Ripper ATV is a motorized skateboard that thinks it’s a Jeep Wrangler
Rogue Power developed the Jeep Wrangler of the scooter world. Called Ripper ATV, it's a four-wheeled machine with a surprisingly advanced suspension, and an engine borrowed from a Honda lawnmower. It's designed for light off-roading, and it's small enough to fit in the back of a pickup truck. Pricing starts at $3,500.
For 2020, Volkswagen shuffles trim levels and adds tech across the board
Volkswagen is focusing on technology as it updates its full range of models for the 2020 model year. From the Jetta to the Arteon, all of the firm's cars benefit from a new infotainment system, and most receive standard electronic driving aids. The 2020 models will arrive in American showrooms in the coming months.
Audi places its smallest model where escooters and skateboards intersect
Audi developed a vehicle that blurs the line between escooters and skateboards. Its E-Tron Scooter is an electric skateboard that's shaped like a longboard and fitted with a scooter-like handlebar. It has 12.5 miles of range and a 12.5-mph top speed. Production and sales are both scheduled to kick off in 2020.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
The best head-up displays (HUDs)
Head-up display units are becoming increasingly common in all types of new cars, but you don’t have to trade in your older model just to get one. Several aftermarket solutions let you modernize your current ride, whether you prefer an affordable device or a high-end product with a price tag to match.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Your dreams (or nightmares) of a BMW-badged pickup truck just came true
BMW vowed never to release a pickup, but it made an exception to build a one-off concept truck based on the X7. The design study was developed and manufactured by BMW trainees, and it was designed to carry an F 850 GS motorcycle. Carbon fiber makes it lighter than the X7, but it's not headed for production.
Lexus jumps back into the convertible segment with a topless LC
The LC Convertible concept Lexus introduced during the 2019 Detroit auto Show is about to spawn a production model. Previewed as a close-to-production prototype, but LC Convertible keeps the coupe's futuristic design while gaining a power-retractable top. It will make its debut before the end of 2019.
This electric mini McLaren will ensure your kid has a cooler ride than you
McLaren is returning to the kiddy car segment with an electric, scaled-down version of the 720S. Developed for toddlers, the Ride-On toy is powered by an electric motor, but it growls like the real thing thanks to a sound synthesizer. It even comes with dihedral doors and a functional infotainment system.
BMW’s relaxing autonomous 7 Series gave me a glimpse of the new normal
BMW invests between six and seven percent of its annual revenues into research and development, and its engineers are developing autonomous technology with ride-sharing programs in mind. Digital Trends took a ride in an autonomous 7 Series-based prototype, and experienced other tech features the firm is working on.
Chevrolet’s in-car pizza-ordering app is the start of an ecommerce revolution
Chevrolet has added Domino's in-car pizza delivery app to Marketplace, an ecommerce platform that equips millions of cars built since 2017. Users can order a pizza on-the-go by tapping the screen a few times, and have it delivered where they want. This marks the beginning of an ecommerce revolution.
Think hybrids can’t be sporty? BMW’s Vision M Next is here to prove you wrong
BMW unveiled a concept car named Vision M Next that shows what sports cars could look like in the not-too-distant future. The Vision M Next is a plug-in hybrid model with a 600-horsepower powertrain, and a driver-focused interior packed with futuristic tech features. It could transition into a production model.
Don’t ditch gasoline just yet: BMW argues electric cars are overhyped
BMW is spending millions of dollars on developing EVs that no one will buy. The company's chief engineer explained EVs are far too expensive to merge into the mainstream anytime soon, and demand comes from lawmakers rather than drivers. Plug-in hybrid powertrains with a generous electric range are a better compromise.
This supercar-beating EV test mule wants you to think it’s a normal BMW 5 Series
BMW turned a 5 Series sedan into one of the most powerful cars it has ever made, and it's using this prototype to test electric car components. Its drivetrain is made up of regular-production parts, like the motors that will power the iX3 due out in 2020, but the supercar-beating sedan won't reach production.
BMW is planning high-performance hybrids, as well as hot-rodded EVs
BMW development chief Klaus Fröhlich told Digital Trends he thinks the company's M division will release a high-performance hybrid after 2025. In the meantime, it will focus on leveraging the benefits of plug-in hybrid technology to boost performance while keeping fuel economy and emissions in check.