Sebastian Vettel Behind the Wheel with a Tesla Model S Plaid + Ceramic Brake Kit With

Watch Formula 1 racer Sebastian Vettel crush the CIRCUIT de BRESSE in France with the newly optionally equipped Tesla Model S Plaid.

Ths new Tesla option I'm referring to is the CARBON CERAMIC BRAKE KIT. This kit includes:

  • Big front and rear carbon ceramic discs
  • Set of high temperature brake pads
  • Braided brake lines
  • High temperature fluid

What a dream setup!

The Porsche 911 Classic Club Coupe (996 Variant)

I'm really starting to appreciate my 2004 911 40 Jahre (996) more and more and am really thankful to my coworker / Porsche enthusiast for directing me towards that specific model as my first Porsche. This video below depicts the transformation of a 996.1 into an amazing one off Classic Club Coupe! Check it from PCA!

If You Want to Save Money, Go Electric...

New data published Thursday shows that despite the higher sticker price, electric cars may actually save drivers money in the long-run.

To reach this conclusion, a team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology calculated both the carbon dioxide emissions and full lifetime cost — including purchase price, maintenance and fuel — for nearly every new car model on the market.

They found electric cars were easily more climate friendly than gas-burning ones. Over a lifetime, they were often cheaper, too.

I’m been trying to tell you this especially with the cost comparisons clearly lined out in Cleantechnica. It’s about time we start to see the main stream media take these studies into account instead of discounting an being naysayers in the accepting that the EV Revolution is here.

Take the Tesla Model 3, the most popular electric car in the United States. The M.I.T. team estimated the lifetime cost of the most basic model as comparable to a Nissan Altima that sells for $11,000 less upfront. (That’s even though Tesla’s federal tax incentive for electric vehicles has ended.)

Autonomous vehicles help make roads safer

A new study says that while autonomous vehicle technology has great promise to reduce crashes, it may not be able to prevent all mishaps caused by human error.

Auto safety experts say humans cause about 94% of U.S. crashes, but the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study says computer-controlled robocars will only stop about one-third of them.

Take a look at the first two paragraphs. The headline itself states, “Autonomous vehicles won’t make roads completely safe,” but you could have also stated it as, “Autonomous vehicles will help make the roads a third safer.” This is what I call bullsh*t headlining. The first two paragraphs already show conflict. We know that autonomous vehicles won’t manage and mitigate 100% of all accidents but we do know that 94% of automobile accidents are caused by human error so… let’s reduce that by a third and that’s lives saved. What’s the freaking issue? Let’s continue to make improvements and not title this articles like it isn’t working.

Cheetah Mode

It really is amazing how much better Tesla can keep on rewriting and reprogramming their software for its current fleet of awesome vehicles. I’m continuously impressed but at the same time also feeling left out as my already, and aging quickly, 2017 Tesla Model X 75D (friends don’t let friend buy short range versions FYI), will not be having any of the cooler features that are lined up. That is, of course, if I don’t end up paying an additional $2,500 for the upgraded MCU1 to MCU2 upgrade. I have already paid for Full Self Driving which should show up in some manner or another before the end of the year, but how much do you pour into an older car?

And remember, if you use my referral link, you can earn 1,000 miles of free Supercharging!

DragTimes now finds that with the new launch mode, he is seeing a peak power increase from 580kW to 614kW, which is the equivalent of about 45 more horsepower.

As for the times, the results are going down from 2.47 to 2.41 seconds for the 0 to 60 mph acceleration, 6.77 seconds at 102.23 mph to 6.71 seconds at 103.55 mph for 1/8 of a mile, and 10.67 seconds at 124.70 mph to 10.54 seconds at 127.5 mph for the quarter-mile. --via electrek.co

Debunking More Anti-EV Fake News

In a recent conversation with Tagesspiegel Background, the battery researcher stated that the production of electric car batteries is not as extreme as what EV critics would suggest. To produce the lithium needed for a 64 kWh battery pack, for example, Fichtner stated that about 3840 liters of water are evaporated according to usual calculation methods. This is roughly comparable to the production of 250 grams of beef, 30 cups of coffee, or half a pair of jeans, according to the researcher.

It’s about time that more scientists and researchers start putting out more publications and papers to quell the anti-ev adopters / pro-oil guzzlers. Also of note, Elon has already suggested that Tesla is on track to use 0% Cobalt in their battery packs with researchers predicting 2025 as the target date. So, besides being on solar and using 100% renewable energy, what say you?

BMW Backtracks on Charging for Apple CarPlay

According to the British specialized AutoCar website, BMW has reversed its decision to charge for the use of CarPlay. Until now, customers could try the service free for 12 months when buying a new BMW car. After that, they would pay $80 a year in the US or £85 in the UK. A BMW spokesman said that the fee will no longer be charged for all cars that run the latest version of the ConnectedDrive infotainment system.

It was completely foolish in my mind for BMW to even charge for Apple CarPlay when other vehicle manufacturers that are much lower in cost don’t even think about charging their customers. As I have stated in the past, this is one of the reasons why my family will no longer own a BMW; aside from the multitude of mechanical failures.

It’s important to note that Apple claims not to charge manufacturers any fees for using CarPlay, as the system only depends on a paired iPhone to work. The decision to charge customers for this feature is taken by the car companies itself, and BMW was the first to do so.

Shameful…

Tesla Model X Auto Open Frunk Hack

What you need for this badassery is:

Qty (2) StrongArm 4882 Lift Supports Struts Shocks https://amzn.to/31GAcx3 (<-- this link helps out i1Tesla's Youtube Channel and not my site) He gets all the credit.

Soft close springs at Lowes 3/8 x 2 inch X .35 inch are the ones I bought.

After two weeks or so, I finally got my shocks and I'll probably install them sometime over the weekend after I grab those springs. Hopefully Home Depot has them as I've never actually been into a Lowes that I can remember.

In 2019 the Honda Civic Still Reigns

We still wish Apple CarPlay were offered on the base Civic and better headlights were available on more trims. Take a big-picture look at this classic matchup, though, and it's a knockout. The Civic provides a more rewarding driving experience, important even if you don't care about driving. It's also more spacious, has a bigger trunk, looks better, feels more upscale inside, and is a car we'd consider buying for ourselves. Although it's not without faults, the Honda Civic remains the compact car to beat.

I mean seriously Toyota, you’ve had over 3-4 years to fully digest and breakdown the Civic Sedan and Hatchback, and still no answer. I still can’t believe that these two beast spec’d out are just right around $30,000! As Cleantechnica has clearly put it, you can own a Tesla Model 3, which is a far superior automotive, vehicle for less! Don’t forget to use my referral code “elijah2489” for 1000 free supercharging miles!

The Kona is the Answer to Going 100% Electric

Let me see how I can wrap up the Hyundai Kona EV in one sentence: Why would anyone buy a gasoline daily driver when you can get a fun and roomy electric vehicle with 258 miles of range at a fairly affordable price?

The Hyundai Kona EV is fun to drive, has 201 hp (150 kW) of power, and has a copious 291 lbf⋅ft of torque. This EV should replace just about any daily gasoline commuter. Hyundai does a great job packaging the Kona EV very well. It includes standard wireless phone charging and great driving features. Starting at $36,450 before incentives, there are the base SEL, Limited, and Ultimate trim — all have a 64 kWh pack. This EV can come down to about $30,000 after the $7,500 US federal tax credit for EVs, depending on your taxable income.

I’ll admit, the only hold back I have with any vehicle outside of Tesla is the charging infrastructure. But if you’re going to charge at home every night, this is it!

Tofu Shop Model 3

Carelessly chuck the Model 3 Performance into a corner, pick out a fixed point in the distance, and let Tesla's computers figure out how best to get you to that point. In Track mode, you've got an additional option, a SpaceX-age take on using lift-throttle oversteer to initiate a drift. Give it a try and you'll find yourself yelling "I am Tsuchiya!" as you bomb Portola Valley Road on your way home from work at Google. We suspect that more than a few of these cars will be rolling around Silicon Valley wearing Fujiwara Tofu Shop decals on their doors before the year is out.

Track Mode for me! I want me a Performance Model 3 or bust!