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Compared: The New EV Hotness

Compared: The New EV Hotness We take a look at the two major debuts of electric crossovers at the LA Auto Show By Randy Lioz, Editor, Car-ED.com | November 2019 This week's Los Angeles Auto Show saw the debut of two vehicles that portent a big future for a new segment, the all-electric crossover. While one was a production vehicle and the other a concept, both help to illustrate the respective visions of each of their brands of what the electrified future of the auto industry will look like. One of the most hotly anticipated debuts of the week was the Ford Mustang Mach-E, a new vehicle that combines the sportiness of its namesake with the utility of a crossover, and the Mach-E's electric drivetrain actually supports both of these missions. While there's a flurry of current activity among luxury EV crossovers, especially from Europe, when the Mach-E hits the market in late 2020 it will likely be the first entry of decent size from a mainstream brand—the Hyundai Kona being too small for many buyers. That likelihood depends on the timing of Volkswagen's ID.4, another all-electric SUV from a brand that wants to own the EV space in the U.S. market. But the ID.4 will likely be positioned at the lower end of the market, a bit above the company's Tiguan compact crossover, which starts in the mid-$20,000 range. [...]

2019-11-28T13:46:24-05:00Nov 2019|Car Reviews|

2018 Tesla Model 3

2018 Tesla Model 3 The claimed "Car of the Future" is finally here By Randy Lioz, Editor, Car-ED.com | August 2018 The Tesla Model 3 has been one of the most eagerly anticipated cars in recent memory. After steadily building demand (and excitement) for its high-dollar electric vehicles, like the Model S and Model X, Tesla is attempting to put into place the next step of Elon Musk's grand plan to electrify the automotive world, an "affordable" EV that can be had for less than the average transaction price for a new car in the U.S. market. That day has finally arrived...sort of. What is this vehicle? The 2018 Tesla Model 3 is the car that, in theory, finally gets us to the holy grail of EVs: an attractive, feature-filled car with long battery range and at a price accessible to the proletariat. The Model 3 takes many of the aspects that Model S and X owners love about their cars and packages them in a smaller wrapper, with innovations aimed at making it cheaper to build, but that still please most customers. The size and price of the Model 3 puts it in class with such compact luxury sedan stalwarts as the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4, stiff competition that has perfected the formula over several decades. But it also goes up against an array of electrified vehicles already on the [...]

2018-08-10T23:00:02-04:00Aug 2018|Car Reviews|

2019 Jaguar I-Pace

2019 Jaguar I-Pace A Worthy Adversary? By Randy Lioz, Editor, Car-ED.com | May 2018 The new Jaguar I-Pace kicks off a flurry of all-electric crossovers from luxury brands. It’s an exciting preview of things to come. What is this vehicle? With the prestige of the Tesla brand building so swiftly, and on the back of a single model, the luxury sector has taken notice. While the Model X crossover has not lived up to the high expectations, due to issues like cost and compromised utility, the consensus in the industry is still largely that whoever manages to create a vehicle that would combine a high-end battery-electric vehicle execution with SUV styling and space could be the first traditional brand to really break through in the electrified mobility race. And there are few brands more “traditional” than Jaguar. That’s not stopping them from putting forth a vehicle they believe will challenge Tesla for the EV crown, offering bold, sporty styling, an impeccable interior, and the type of range and performance that gets people excited about the EV experience. And because it’s been designed from the ground up as an electric vehicle, the I-Pace offers interior packaging that takes advantage of their inherent efficiencies, providing a bit more interior space and cargo room than similarly sized gas vehicles. Who is this vehicle for? The I-Pace is definitely aimed at the Tesla crowd, and other types [...]

2018-05-04T06:38:42-04:00May 2018|Car Reviews, News|

Vehicle Preview: Lucid Air

Vehicle Preview: Lucid Air Setting the Definition of Luxury Mobility By Randy Lioz, Editor, Car-ED.com | February 2018 At the recent Los Angeles Auto Show, Car-ED had an exclusive chat with Lucid Motors VP of Design Derek Jenkins. He is what you would call "a designer's designer," with an impressive resume that shows he's helped put into place some of the most exciting and respected design languages in the industry, at brands like Audi and Mazda. Jenkins is tasked with bringing the company's first luxury EV sedan, the Lucid Air, to market by 2019, and he and Marketing Director Zak Edson gave us a thorough walk-around of their upcoming vehicle and some insight into the company’s plans for the rollout. Who is this company? Lucid has been around since 2007, at first focusing on battery technology under the name Atieva, but in the past few years has parlayed that research into developing their own car. Lucid is an electric vehicle luxury brand, and as such some see it as a challenger to Tesla. It has also lured away a decent number of Elon Musk’s employees, including Lucid Chief Technology Officer Peter Rawlinson, but the upstart is aiming to best the Silicon Valley star in a few key ways. First of all is their battery and powertrain technology. Lucid says it’s making big advances in energy density and charging speed. In fact, the company has said [...]

2018-02-08T23:01:14-05:00Feb 2018|Car Reviews, News|