New battery-electric vehicles that will released for the model years of 2018 and 2019 could possibly shift the attention of consumers away from Tesla. Audi, Hyundai and at least a couple new manufacturers finally matured enough to make their own all-electric cars in the crossover SUV bodies. This video can serve as a quick overview of current market situation. Some cars are already on sale in the USA, Canada, Europe, Asia and China, so we were able to add prices and final technical information about them, while some are waiting for their first public debuts (companies already confirmed their production, though). Short list of things this video presentation will teach you (information about the sourced used in making this video are in the end of the presentation; image by autoblog.com/2018/02/27/hyundai-kona-electric-suv-revealed): – Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo can finally set the company to the path of electrifying their whole lineup. The 600hp E Cross Turismo SUV will be good for urban and offroad driving thanks to rugged tires and 310 miles of range; – Jaguar I-Pace is slightly bigger than most of cars on the list. Despite this, it will still show great range and be slightly cheaper than Tesla’s SUV. – Hyundai Kona is the competitor for the domination among more affordable EV options. Hyundai are known for making cars with competitive pricing and good specifications, so Kona Electric is the first long-range option to Bolt EV. – Chevrolet Bolt EV is usually described as the uncool all-electric car. Customers, who are not chasing the hype could have the time of their lives driving this car: it has the range of over 200 miles and low price compared to most of the competition. – Nio ES8 is the cheaper alternative to Model X that was created for the Chinese market. The main selling point of this big SUV is its pricing. For the smaller amount of money, you get cars that are not less advanced than ones created by Elon Musk’s company. – Audi Etron is scheduled to start rolling out of the production lines in the second half of 2018. Consumers in Europe can already place their reservations for Audi’s first long-range SUV. – Tesla Model X: no list is complete without this product. Although everyone is chasing Elon Musk, in 99% of cases Tesla remains on top. Let’s see if anything changes for them this year.
Tag Archives: electric car
Rock Your Electric Road Trip with these Essential Items
There are those who say that when you drive an electric car, it is a less joyous experience than driving a traditional vehicle. Of course, those of us who know and love electric cars know that is anything but true.
In fact, driving an electric car, which is powerful, but silent, and fast, yet very clean has to be one of the best experiences there is. Oh, there’s the little matter that they’re much more economical to run, which means you can have more fun in them too! That’s why electric cars are almost perfect for road tripping.
Why do I say almost? Because as great as electric cars are, there are a number of gadgets and products that will make any road trip rock more…
The CarStations App
Probably the most important thing you’ll need if you plan to road trip in an electric car is the CarStations app, or one similar to it. Why? Because although gas stations are aplenty, places where you can easily charge your electric car are still not as abundant as they should be. Having this app, which will let you see where all of the available charging points are will make it much easier for you to have a successful electric road trip experience.
A Decent Amplifier
Most cars, electric or otherwise, do not come with really rocking sound systems as standard, which is a real shame because everyone knows that the second best thing about being on a road trip – the first being the journey itself -is the road trip playlist. So, if you want to ensure that your road trip truly rocks, check out these car amplifier reviews and ratings and act accordingly. Then, take out your smartphone or mp3 player and start adding some of these classic road trip tracks to your playlist. Bliss!
The Minipresso
The Minipresso is truly a godsend to the coffee lover who’s on the road. Why? Because it enables you to make a cup of high-quality coffee wherever you are. It’s operated by hand, so you don’t even have to worry about finding somewhere to plug it in – you can just crank it up and get your daily fix, even if you are out exploring in the middle of nowhere.
An Emergency Kit
Unfortunately, road trips don’t always go as smoothly as we would like them to, but as long as you have a decent auto-emergency kit, like the ones sold by AAA, you should be able to deal with most minor problems quickly and effectively. Safety first and all that.
Windshield Coating
Coating the windshield of your vehicle is a good way of ensuring that you have maximum visibility when you’re out on the road on those less than perfect days when the weather isn’t playing ball. You can purchase it in a portable form, which you can add to your windshield yourself, and which will last for six months if you want to keep costs down and it will really help you to have an easier time when you’re off on the road.
Effective Air Fresheners
If you and your road trip buddies are going to be spending a lot of time in your car (which you undoubtedly will be on a road trip), and especially if you’re going to be sleeping in there on occasion, then you’re going to want to invest in a few effective car air fresheners. That will help to keep the interior smelling sweet, as will opening the windows and feeling the wind in your hair as often as possible.
The Pelican Elite Cooler
The Pelican Elite Cooler is the perfect road trip companion because it will keep your snacks and beverages cool and refreshing for as long as ten days, It’s also leak-proof, so you won’t have to worry about it making a mess of your car’s interior.
Vacuum Packed Storage Bags
If your electric car’s trunk space isn’t as big as you would like, then invest in some vacuum packed storage bags, and you will be able to fit more clothing and provisions into the vehicle than you even though possible. This is good news because you won’t have to wear the same dirty clothes for long, nor will you have to limit yourself to just a handful of practical outfits.
Travel Pillows
It makes sense to pack travel pillows when you’re heading out on a road trip because, even if you plan to stop at a motel or whatever every night, there could be times when you need to nap between driving or when you simply don’t make it to your planned destination and you need to crash, having travel pillows,and blankets or sleeping bags too, for that matter, in the car will help you to get a more comfortable night’s sleep.
A Cell Phone Mount
If you don’t want to invest in an expensive GPS system, then simply invest in a cell phone mount that will enable you to safely look at the maps on your cell phone as you drive. Depending on where you’re traveling too, you might want to pay for a specific GPS app to ensure that you can find your way around with ease, but it will likely be much cheaper than having to buy the whole shebang.
A Mobile Hotspot
If you have a cell plan that allows you to tether your cell to other devices, then you can do without this, but if you do not have that capability, then it may well be worth investing in a mobile hotspot that will enable you and your road trip buddies to connect your phones, tablets, computers and any other devices you may need to use during the course of your trip to the world wide web when you’re out in more remote places where you can’t easily find free Wi-Fi or as you’re traveling and therefore unable to connect to one particular source of free Wi-Fi for an extended period of time.
Time to hit the road. Have a great time!
Can You Reduce The Costs Of An E-Car?
Even though the British government has made it clear that the future is not in fossil fuel powered vehicles, a lot of households are still debating the advantages of an electric car. Indeed, at a time where most people need to commute on average an hour to go every day, it’s easy to see how an electric car could make it difficult to maintain a healthy work/life balance. After all, who’s got time to put their car on charge for 12 to 18 hours to be able to get to the office on the next day? You can’t just top it up at the pump in a matter of minutes like you would with a diesel or an unleaded petrol engine. Additionally, there is no denying that electric vehicles have not yet addressed all the issues that environmental and legal institutions have complained about regardless fuel-powered engines. So the question remains open for now: If there a way to reduce the many costs of an e-car?
What are the hidden costs of electric cars?
Electric cars are expensive
For the time being, buying an electric car is an expensive purchase. For a start, even the best selling electric vehicle in the UK, the Nissan LEAF, costs on average £8,000 more than the best selling family favourite car, the Ford Fiesta. For a family budget, £8,000 is not the kind of expense that can be easily ignored. Besides, you need to add the running costs of maintaining an electric engine. A 1.2L petrol engine will need a refuel after roughly 300 miles, and you can expect to pay between £35 and £40. But the Nissan LEAF will need charging after 100 miles, which means that you also need to check for charging stations along your route.
But things will change
Additionally, if you’re looking for a cheap auto insurance, you’d better stick to the Ford Fiesta for now. Electric cars are indeed around £330 more expensive to insure at the moment. Admittedly, it doesn’t mean that you should ignore the option of buying an e-vehicle as you can expect that technology will improve rapidly. Along with the legal incentives, it’s likely that within the next 10 years, electric cars will become cheaper to insure compared to fossil fuel engine, as we’ll get closer to the 2040 deadline set in the UK.
There are already eco-friendly actions
There has been a lot of discussion in the recent years about the green benefits of electric vehicles. Indeed, it’s impossible to ignore the cost of production on the environment. Indeed, the lithium contained the car batteries come from environmentally destructive mines, which are linked to the creation of highly toxic chemicals that are regularly dumped back into the environment. In other words, until this process can be improved, it’s hard to think of electric vehicles are green cars. However, there are green actions that can help to improve their running costs for your wallet and the environment. Indeed, Smart Green Batteries SARL has patented charging stations using recycled oils to charge your car.
In other words, e-cars still come at a high cost in terms of environmental protection, financing, and practicality. However, there are indications that this cost can be decreased through technological progress over time.
Making Your Car Safer For The Road With Technology
Driving can be a dangerous game. There are so many thousands of drivers on the roads just in your area every day, and each of them will have their own view on what safe driving is.
To ensure that you are always safe on the road, companies like American Traffic Solutions will install cameras, traffic lights, warning signs and diversions to ensure we stay safe. However, the safety of ourselves and the people around us is not only down to the authorities. We have a responsibility to make sure that we drive safely and that our car is safe to drive.
There are some great pieces of tech we can install into our cars which make driving much safer, and therefore being on the roads a less hazardous affair.
Rear-view camera
One of the things which can make a massive difference to the way we drive our vehicles is the ability to see where we are reversing. Rather than you having to guess where the cars are in each side of when reversing into a bay, the camera will show you and make it easier for you to drive. It also means that if anything appears at the back of the car such as a cat, you can avoid hitting it.
Phone technology
One of the most common causes of road accidents is texting or talking on the phone while driving. Having your phone either lifted up to your ear or under your steering wheel is a huge danger to you and everyone around you. The great thing is that you can get a car which has the ability to stop you from using your phone on the road. Most newer models will now have Bluetooth in the onboard system which will allow you to connect your phone and talk hands free. Another great feature which Ford has introduced is the ability for your car to read message out to you. This saves you being tempted to take your eyes off the road when you receive a message. You are then able to auto reply with ‘Call me back later’ and carry on your drive.
Lane Keeping
Don’t you just hate it when people swerve in and out of lanes for no reason? This can happen especially when a driver isn’t paying attention to the road. Luckily, many cars can now detect a subtle change in lane positioning and will correct this automatically. It means that if a driver is too busy texting to pay attention to the road. The car will move itself back into the lane and stay there.
Collision Prevention
You may remember your driving lessons when one day your instructor told you to break in the middle of the road. Learning how to emergency stop is a skill you are taught in case of an accident, however sometimes you simply cannot predict what will happen. The great thing is, some cars will do it for you. The Honda Accord for example will sense an accident happening and slam the brakes on before you even notice what it happening, it can save your life, and it will certainly make your car much safer on the road.
Your Car Is More Than Just Transportation. Here’s Why!
For most people, their car is just a way to get from A to B. It’s a handy tool that can help them get around in their day to day life, but it doesn’t bring them any extra benefits apart from being a convenient mode of transport. However, it is a very expensive mode of transport. Sure something this expensive should bring more benefits to your life than just a form of transport? Well, thankfully, it can! Your car doesn’t just have to used to getting you from A and B. Here are some other great ways you might want to benefit from your little auto.
Money Maker
Your car doesn’t just have to drain your finances – it can actually be a nice little money maker and can bring you a small extra income if you are smart with it. Have you already heard of the likes of Uber and Lyft? These platforms give you the chance of becoming a taxi driver and making some cash from transporting people around using your car. The great thing about these kinds of platforms is that they give you the chance to be as flexible as you want to be with your work. You can take to the road and pick people up at times to suit you, so you can be your own boss!
Marketing Opportunity
Do you have your own small business? If so, then your car could be turned into an extra marketing tool. Wraps for cars and trucks are a great way to get your company name out there so that more of the public will encounter it. All that you need to do is pay to have a wrap designed with your company’s logo and branding. This will then be applied to the exterior of your car. You will then have a nifty little advert on the side of your car that everyone will see next time you go out for a drive!
Status Symbol
There are lots of people out there who use their car as a status symbol to show off their wealth and assets. Even if you aren’t the wealthiest person in the world, there will still be a really cool car out there that reflects your personality and street credit. One of the most obvious go-tos for a status symbol has to be a sports car. If you can’t afford a brand new Lamborghini, you could simply buy a chic second-hand sports car – it may have a previous owner, but it will still ooze coolness!
Stress Reliever
Some people see their car as a stress reliever. Whenever they are feeling stressed, they will simply jump in their car and go for a long drive. It doesn’t really matter where they go as the action of driving can help some people really calm down and unwind. If you need some extra calm, you could always take a drive to a peaceful rural location.
So, why use your car as just a mode of transportation when you could use it one of the ways above?
Maintenance Musts: Essential Steps Every Electric Car Owner Should Take
Every car owner should take steps to keep their vehicle in tip-top condition. If you’re prepared to look after your car, you’re likely to save money on repairs, and your wagon will be worth more if you ever come to sell. Electric cars are a different proposition to traditional motors, but this doesn’t mean that maintenance is any less important. Here are some essentials for every electric car owner.
Picture credit https://www.pexels.com/search/electric%20car/
Servicing
All cars, regardless of the type of technology or fuel they use, need to be serviced on a regular basis. Servicing involves a series of basic and routine checks, which are designed to ensure that the car is running well and reduce the risk of problems developing. You have to pay for a service, but keeping up to date with services could save you a huge amount of money in the long-term. Servicing an electric vehicle is often more straightforward and therefore cheaper than traditional cars, as there are fewer parts and the mechanisms are simpler. If your car is due a service, look for local garages that offer maintenance checks for electric cars.
Cleaning and polishing
If you’re a driver who takes pride in the appearance of their car, microfiber car wash towels are an excellent investment. Cleaning won’t prolong your car’s life expectancy, but it’ll make the car look more attractive, it will enhance the driving experience, and it’ll make the vehicle more marketable if you come to sell. If you use a car for business purposes, cleaning and polishing the vehicle will help to give off the right impression and enhance the appeal of your brand.
Taking care of your battery
There may be different guidelines for optimum charging for different makes and models, but it’s important to take care of your battery regardless of the type of car you drive. Nissan recommends charging the battery to 80 percent, rather than 100 percent to prolong the life of the battery. Check with the manufacturer so that you get the best out of your battery. While it may not always be the best option to drive with a full battery, it’s certainly not advisable to run your car on empty. Avoid getting to the stage where the battery is on 1 percent.
Tire tips
All drivers should check their tire pressure and tread depth on a regular basis. If your tires are worn, or they’re under-inflated, this can affect the driving experience, as well as putting you and other drivers at risk. Check the air pressure before long journeys and take a minute to inspect the surfaces of the tires. If the pressure is running low and you’ve only just pumped the tires up, you may have a slow puncture, and it’s worth trying to repair the tire or replacing it with a spare.
If you own an electric car, it makes sense to try and keep it in pristine condition for as long as possible. Taking good care of your car will enhance safety, save on repair costs and boost the value if you choose to sell.