autoevolution
 

Cristian Agatie

Contributor
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As a child, he grew up among tractors and heavy machinery and was covered in grease from tip to toe most of the time. It was a tractor that he drove for the first time and when asked what he’d become, he candidly replied: “tractor operator”. Later on, he drove all kinds of vehicles, from heavy trucks to off-roaders, all outside of public roads until he got his driving license.

He did not become a tractor operator, as you can tell already. Instead, he got interested in journalism and pursued a career finding stories for local newspapers and radio stations. But the first love is never forgotten, so when presented with the chance, he seized it and became a motor journalist in 1995.

Having found the perfect job to mix his passion for cars and journalism, he couldn’t help exploring other areas, like science, computers, and mobile devices. He took stints working for a computer magazine for a couple of years, and it was then that he had his first contact with new media. But cars always remained his passion, so he returned to motor journalism when Auto Bild started its local branch. Later, he became an internet junkie, and moving online felt only natural.

In the meantime, he also became obsessed with technology, electric vehicles, batteries, and whatnot, so he writes a lot about those. He found autoevolution a fertile ground for exploration and so he discovered his passion for RVs and campers, but also solar panels and new energy solutions.
Tesla Fights Scorching Temperatures With Adjustable Cabin Overheat Protection
Tesla Fights Scorching Temperatures With Adjustable Cabin Overheat Protection

12 Jul 2022, 09:53 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Elon Musk announced that Tesla’s next software update will improve the Cabin Overheat Protection feature by allowing owners to adjust the activation temperature. This should help better fight the scorching temperatures expected this summer. ...

 
Gas Prices Have Calmed Down for Now, but Expect Some Nasty Surprises in the Coming Months
Gas Prices Have Calmed Down for Now, but Expect Some Nasty Surprises in the Coming Months

12 Jul 2022, 08:44 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Gas prices trend lower, propped by declining oil prices and fears of a looming recession. Even so, it is not the time to pop the champagne, as analysts predict oil will get 40% more expensive by year’s end. This will surely drive the gas pric...

 
Well Maintained Chevrolet G20 Conversion Van Is Like a Time Capsule, Sells With No Reserve
Well Maintained Chevrolet G20 Conversion Van Is Like a Time Capsule, Sells With No Reserve

11 Jul 2022, 14:54 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / The third-generation Chevrolet G-Series vans were incredibly popular with customers, thanks to their robustness owed to the Chevrolet C/K underpinnings. This 1995 example is a conversion van, which means the original customer ordered the panel van ...

 
Virtually Unbreakable Nickel-Hydrogen Battery Enters High-Volume Production
Virtually Unbreakable Nickel-Hydrogen Battery Enters High-Volume Production

11 Jul 2022, 14:05 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Nickel-hydrogen batteries are used in aerospace applications for their long lifecycle and the ability to operate in a wide range of temperatures. They have some drawbacks that make them less suitable for electric vehicles. Still, startup EverVenue ...

 
Musk Promises to Significantly Increase Childcare Benefits at His Companies
Musk Promises to Significantly Increase Childcare Benefits at His Companies

11 Jul 2022, 12:15 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / In a series of tweets, Elon Musk expressed his concern about the declining world population. Besides doing his best to alleviate that by conceiving as many children as possible, Musk also vowed to significantly increase childcare benefits at his co...

 
Electric Ford F-150 Lightning Gets Trail-Happy With Suspension Lift, Rooftop Tent Install
Electric Ford F-150 Lightning Gets Trail-Happy With Suspension Lift, Rooftop Tent Install

11 Jul 2022, 10:11 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / With the Ford F-150 Lightning deliveries in full swing, owners have already begun customizing their vehicles to suit their needs. Ford’s electric pick-up truck might have an edge here, considering similarities with the ICE version of the F-15...

 
Self-Driving Systems Still Have a Long Way To Go Before Replacing Human Drivers
Self-Driving Systems Still Have a Long Way To Go Before Replacing Human Drivers

11 Jul 2022, 08:21 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / A driverless car needs to be able to handle all driving situations, no matter how unthinkable they might be. The video of a plane landing on a live highway shows the kind of encounter a self-driving car should deal with. Automated driving system...

 
SpaceX Launches Starlink Maritime for Boats, It Costs an Arm and a Leg
SpaceX Launches Starlink Maritime for Boats, It Costs an Arm and a Leg

9 Jul 2022, 21:24 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / SpaceX launched Starlink Maritime just days after it acquired the FCC permit to operate the Starlink internet service on moving vehicles. The service, optimized for use on boats and ships, can deliver up to 350 Mbps download speed while at sea, but...

 
Elon Musk Officially Backs Out of the Twitter Deal, Litigation Follows
Elon Musk Officially Backs Out of the Twitter Deal, Litigation Follows

9 Jul 2022, 10:15 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / After three months of uncertainty and controversies, Elon Musk announced on Friday he is terminating the $44 billion deal to acquire Twitter. Musk cited a material breach of multiple provisions in the agreement. However, legal experts argue that he...

 
Tesla Delivers Cars Without a Key Fob As of July 1st, Signaling the End of an Era
Tesla Delivers Cars Without a Key Fob As of July 1st, Signaling the End of an Era

8 Jul 2022, 17:43 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / For many years, people took car key fobs for granted, just as they did in the old times with the classic car keys. But just like the keys, the key fobs belong to the past, and Tesla has taken decisive steps to get rid of these relics. In the latest...

 
Americans Grew More Open to Owning an Electric Vehicle, 14% Would Buy One Today
Americans Grew More Open to Owning an Electric Vehicle, 14% Would Buy One Today

8 Jul 2022, 16:21 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Consumer Reports found that interest in electric vehicles and low-carbon fuels remains strong. A survey from the organization shows that almost three-quarters of Americans expressed interest in buying or leasing an electric car. Electric vehicle...

 
Tesla Employees Fired by Musk Were Scooped Up by Rival Companies Rivian, Amazon, and Apple
Tesla Employees Fired by Musk Were Scooped Up by Rival Companies Rivian, Amazon, and Apple

8 Jul 2022, 14:46 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / If you've read the news lately, you probably think this it's not a good time for employees working in automated driving, especially at Tesla. Nevertheless, Tesla laying off talent might prove a wrong decision in the long term, especially ...

 
1953 Spartan Spartanette Travel Trailer Is the Actual House on Wheels Everyone Talks About
1953 Spartan Spartanette Travel Trailer Is the Actual House on Wheels Everyone Talks About

8 Jul 2022, 13:19 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / When we read about RVs and travel trailers, we keep hearing big words like “glamping” or “house on wheels.” Well, it’s enough to take a quick look at the pictures in the gallery to understand that we were living in dar...

 
Rivian R1T Owner Gets to Drive the Ford F-150 Lightning, Has a Lot to Say
Rivian R1T Owner Gets to Drive the Ford F-150 Lightning, Has a Lot to Say

8 Jul 2022, 10:27 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Rivian R1T and Ford F-150 Lightning are two different takes on the old pickup truck. The former came first into the market with a fresh approach and bright ideas. However, Ford still has experience building America’s most beloved truck. It&rs...

 
The Idea of a "Highly Configurable Robovan" Came After Musk Did His Best to Populate Earth
The Idea of a "Highly Configurable Robovan" Came After Musk Did His Best to Populate Earth

8 Jul 2022, 08:45 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / In a recent tweet, Elon Musk mentioned the idea of a “highly configurable Robovan for people & cargo,” which some found unexpected. Not because this was never discussed before (it was), but because Musk was in the middle of explaini...

 
XPeng P7 Erupts in Flame in Shanghai After Running Over an Object on the Highway
XPeng P7 Erupts in Flame in Shanghai After Running Over an Object on the Highway

7 Jul 2022, 17:45 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / A battery fire is the most dreadful event for an EV owner, but luckily, these are a lot fewer than people believe. This doesn’t mean they don’t happen, as the Chevrolet Bolt owners know very well. An XPeng P7 owner from China also found...

 
1986 Volkswagen Caravelle Syncro Is a Vanagon Westfalia Beast With Off-Road Capabilities
1986 Volkswagen Caravelle Syncro Is a Vanagon Westfalia Beast With Off-Road Capabilities

7 Jul 2022, 16:26 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / The Vanagon Westfalia was the darling of the camper community in the ’80s, and to some degree, it still is today. This Caravelle imported from Europe and sold on Bring a Trailer is pretty much the same thing and comes with an extended roof an...

 
Cruise Robotaxi Was Involved in a Crash in San Francisco That Resulted in Injuries
Cruise Robotaxi Was Involved in a Crash in San Francisco That Resulted in Injuries

7 Jul 2022, 15:14 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / One day after the California regulators allowed Cruise to operate a commercial robotaxi service, one of the company’s self-driving vehicles was involved in a crash that resulted in multiple injuries. The accident happened on the night of June...

 
Ford Issued a Software Patch to Keep the Recalled Mustang Mach-E Drivable, Still No Fix
Ford Issued a Software Patch to Keep the Recalled Mustang Mach-E Drivable, Still No Fix

7 Jul 2022, 12:29 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Last month, Ford notified its dealers to stop deliveries of the Mustang Mach-E due to a fault with the high-voltage battery main connectors. The solution was promised to arrive in the third quarter. However, Ford offered a stop-gap earlier to allow...

 
Microchip Shortage Peaked in June, With Delivery Times Showing a Modest Relief
Microchip Shortage Peaked in June, With Delivery Times Showing a Modest Relief

7 Jul 2022, 09:59 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / For more than a year, the auto industry has been held hostage by the microchip shortage. Because of this, cars are built without critical components or lie rotting on parking lots, waiting for pesky pieces of silicon. Analysts see the situation imp...

 

Stories by Cristian Agatie