Cars that have 48v systems use a motor/generator in place of a regular alternator for the stop start, which also gets rid of the starter motor. It’s MUCH smoother than the stop start tech on legacy vehicles. 

I’m absolutely biased, as I was on a FIRST Robotics team all 4 years of high school, and mentored while I was in college. The more technical challenges of FIRST was always more interesting to me than the robotic demolition derby of Battlebots and Robot Wars. Also, knowing how much time and money goes into the design…

From what I’ve been able to find, the casting for the Cybertruck is not heat treated.

this car still has a CD player

That Rolls is the best worst decision you could ever make.

The price is obviously absurd, but I absolutely LOVE the colors. I’m a sucker for a well-done colored interior. 

More impressive (though less flamboyant and exciting) than Battlebots is the FIRST Robotics Competition that Dean Kamen (inventor of the Segway and iBot) and Woodie Flowers (MIT engineering professor, RIP) founded back in the 90's. Highly technical engineering challenges for high school students that make Battlebots…

They could’ve gone with a simple “Oh, it was a typo. ‘N’ is right next to ‘B’ on a keyboard, we must have fat-fingered it.”, but they spin this stupid “NA” story.

Yeah, I used to work in a prison outside of Palm Springs. During August, the monsoon humidity from Arizona monsoon drifts over to the California side of the desert, but rarely brings rain. What you’re left with are those high wet bulb temperatures and they are absolutely miserable. Even with 30% humidity at 120°, that…

Towing companies are predatory AF. As someone who’s been living in apartments with terrible parking the last few years, towing companies have contracts with apartment complexes. They’ll lurk in the parking lots, looking to tow peoples cars to rack up the fees. I had my car towed without a warning a couple of years…

As someone who’s had to work in extreme heat, there’s a trick beyond staying hydrated and finding shade that’ll help IMMENSELY.

Is it bad that I don’t hate this?

Doubt it. The hype train is real, and the MSRP is only 5k more than a Kia EV6 for a real performance EV. The base Porsche Taycan starts at $100k, and isn’t nearly as track capable as the Hyundai when it comes to the ability to lap consistently. I don’t think you can get equivalent or better EV performance for less…

For free? I’d take one. Then sell it, buy a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, and pocket the change.

What I’m wondering is how the simulated noise, redline, gearing, and engine braking actually affect an individual’s lap times vs having everything in normal EV mode. Do the simulated features translate to better lap times because of the feedback it’s giving, allowing the driver to better gauge speed, shift points,…

Personally, I think the whole simulated ICE drivetrain thing that the Ioniq 5 N is doing is fucking awesome. It’s the first EV I’ve actually WANTED. If I could afford it, I’d buy one right this second. 

More choice and competition in the market is never a bad thing.

This is one of the reasons that hydrogen fuel cell EVs have always been so appealing to me. They have a fuel cell stack and a battery that aren’t integrated into the structure of the vehicle. For example, in the Toyota Mirai, the fuel cell stack lives where the engine would, and the battery is under the trunk like a…

We want the EV to be small and cheap and not a luxury thing.

The new GX is available as a hybrid, though not with the V6. You can get the Tundra with the same V6 as a hybrid, and I don’t see why Toyota wouldn’t make a version of the GX with that setup. It’s not a plugin, but there’s hope!