autoevolution
 

Cristian Agatie

Contributor
editor photo
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 Offers LFP Pack Retrofit for 2170-Equipped Model 3 That Need a Battery Replacement
Tesla Offers LFP Pack Retrofit for 2170-Equipped Model 3 That Need a Battery Replacement

11 Mar 2024, 17:54 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / In 2020, Tesla started using lithium-iron-phosphate battery cells in the base variants of the Made-in-China Model 3. One year later, the Model 3 RWD with an LFP battery pack appeared in the US, with the LFP-powered Model Y RWD following in 2023. No...

 
Rivian Patents a Hidden Winch, and It Looks Like a Ghost From the Past
Rivian Patents a Hidden Winch, and It Looks Like a Ghost From the Past

11 Mar 2024, 13:08 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Three years ago, Rivian hinted at offering an integrated winch for the R1T, and the option appeared a year later in the Rivian app but never on a Rivian truck. A recently published patent filing shows that the EV startup has not abandoned the idea....

 
Rivian Treehouse Rooftop Tent Hides a Neat Trick up Its Sleeves
Rivian Treehouse Rooftop Tent Hides a Neat Trick up Its Sleeves

11 Mar 2024, 10:24 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Rivian was full of surprises at the R2 unveiling event in Laguna Beach last week. Besides the "one more thing" R3 and R3X electric crossovers, Rivian also showcased a new range of accessories, including a Treehouse rooftop tent. The Treeh...

 
10 Cool Things That Make the Rivian R2 One of the Hottest SUVs on the Market
10 Cool Things That Make the Rivian R2 One of the Hottest SUVs on the Market

9 Mar 2024, 23:28 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Rivian continues its EV adventure with a new lineup of compact crossovers set to arrive in 2026. The Rivian R2 is arguably one of the most practical SUVs, with many features that are unique in its segment. Here are ten of the coolest Rivian R2 feat...

 
Rivian 'One More Thing' R3 and R3X Are a Cry for Help, Not a Winning Bid
Rivian 'One More Thing' R3 and R3X Are a Cry for Help, Not a Winning Bid

9 Mar 2024, 22:18 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Rivian unveiled the R2 compact crossover, and CEO RJ Scaringe pulled a typical Steve Jobs "one more thing" by also showing the R3 and R3X, two smaller crossovers sharing the same platform. While this produced a nice surprise, the announce...

 
Rivian R2 Versus Tesla Model Y: Which One Is the Best Electric SUV?
Rivian R2 Versus Tesla Model Y: Which One Is the Best Electric SUV?

8 Mar 2024, 22:18 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Rivian fans cheered as their favorite EV maker announced the upcoming R2 compact SUV. Unlike the R1S and R1T, the R2 will face fierce competition when it will arrive. The Tesla Model Y is currently the best-selling electric SUV and, thus, Rivian R2...

 
Rivian R2, R3, and R3X Come With NACS Ports but They Are Installed in the Wrong Place
Rivian R2, R3, and R3X Come With NACS Ports but They Are Installed in the Wrong Place

8 Mar 2024, 18:09 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Under the NACS deal, carmakers promised to adopt the NACS port in their vehicles starting from 2025. Rivian was the first to showcase NACS-enabled EVs. However, simply because the R2, R3, and R3X crossovers come with the NACS port doesn't mean...

 
Porsche Dealer Re-Flipping the Manheim Auction Cybertruck May Have Made a Colossal Mistake
Porsche Dealer Re-Flipping the Manheim Auction Cybertruck May Have Made a Colossal Mistake

7 Mar 2024, 18:00 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Despite Tesla's no-resale clause, many Cybertruck owners risked and flipped their electric pickup. Recently, one Cybertruck was flipped twice, once by its original owners and then by the company that bought it. However, the Porsche dealership ...

 
Tesla Tests Cybertruck's Locking Differentials at Hell's Revenge, OTA Update Coming Soon
Tesla Tests Cybertruck's Locking Differentials at Hell's Revenge, OTA Update Coming Soon

7 Mar 2024, 12:21 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Tesla's Cybertruck off-road performance has been often mocked despite Tesla promoting it as an off-road-capable pickup truck. Although, in many cases, the blame was on the driver rather than the truck, the Cybertruck did have one major issue: ...

 
Covered Rivian R2 Arrives at the Laguna Beach Venue Before the Launch Event
Covered Rivian R2 Arrives at the Laguna Beach Venue Before the Launch Event

7 Mar 2024, 10:18 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Rivian is taking the wraps off the R2 electric SUV today, and we expect to find out the juicy details in a few hours. Rivian fans have spotted a covered prototype arriving at the South Coast Theater in Laguna Beach, where the unveiling will take pl...

 
2024 Dodge Charger Daytona 'Electric Muscle Car' Is As Useful as a Toothless Guard Dog
2024 Dodge Charger Daytona 'Electric Muscle Car' Is As Useful as a Toothless Guard Dog

6 Mar 2024, 19:17 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Dodge has unveiled its next-generation Charger, with an electric variant for the first time. While electrifying the muscle car is a commendable initiative, this might be as futile as the muscle car category itself. Even without considering the flag...

 
Tesla Stalkless Cockpit Rattles Safety Agency, Threatening Near-Perfect Safety Ratings
Tesla Stalkless Cockpit Rattles Safety Agency, Threatening Near-Perfect Safety Ratings

6 Mar 2024, 16:09 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Tesla has simplified the car cockpit by eliminating almost all physical controls and operating everything from the touchscreen. The latest push removed the stalks in favor of touch controls, which rattled Euro NCAP. The agency announced that it wou...

 
Tesla Cybertruck Doesn't Seem To Benefit From Charging at an 800-Volt DC Fast Charger
Tesla Cybertruck Doesn't Seem To Benefit From Charging at an 800-Volt DC Fast Charger

6 Mar 2024, 12:47 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Early reports confirmed that the Tesla Cybertruck has a less-than-stellar charging performance. Many hoped this would improve when 800-volt charging became available. Still, the first tests show that charging the electric pickup at an 800-volt DC f...

 
Tesla Model 3 Performance Set for May Debut With 627-HP Dual-Motor Setup, Staggered Wheels
Tesla Model 3 Performance Set for May Debut With 627-HP Dual-Motor Setup, Staggered Wheels

6 Mar 2024, 10:59 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / The leaked pictures of Euro-spec Tesla Model 3 Performance offer the best look at the upcoming performance sedan. The leak confirms staggered wheels, with meaty 275/30 R20 tires on the rear axle and a dual-motor configuration featuring new performa...

 
All-New 2025 Dodge Charger Arrives With Two Body Styles, Daytona EV Spec, 420–550 HP ICEs
All-New 2025 Dodge Charger Arrives With Two Body Styles, Daytona EV Spec, 420–550 HP ICEs

5 Mar 2024, 17:27 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Stellantis is revolutionizing the muscle car segment with the electric Dodge Charger, previewed earlier by the Charger Daytona SRT concept. Although the design brings back familiar memories, the next-generation Charger is all-new inside, underpinne...

 
Tesla Delays FSD V12 Deployment Until Further Notice After a Car Crashed During Testing
Tesla Delays FSD V12 Deployment Until Further Notice After a Car Crashed During Testing

5 Mar 2024, 15:09 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Tesla's FSD Beta program suffered an important setback after one of the vehicles testing the latest build was involved in a crash. Following the accident, Tesla halted FSD Beta V12.2.1 deployment until the collision conditions were fully inves...

 
Tesla Cybertruck May Be Bulletproof, but It's Sure Not Idiot Proof
Tesla Cybertruck May Be Bulletproof, but It's Sure Not Idiot Proof

5 Mar 2024, 10:56 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / After Elon Musk promoted the Tesla Cybertruck as a tough, bulletproof pickup truck, it was only a matter of time before people tried to prove it themselves. In the past few months, the Cybertruck has become the most abused car model in the world. I...

 
Rivian R2 Will Hit 60 MPH in 3 Seconds, Starts at $47.000 With up to 330 Miles of Range
Rivian R2 Will Hit 60 MPH in 3 Seconds, Starts at $47.000 With up to 330 Miles of Range

5 Mar 2024, 07:52 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / We're hours away from the official R2 unveiling, and Rivian keeps teasing us with videos and cameo appearances of the upcoming electric SUV. Another easter egg was discovered in the Rivian website's source code, which contained the main s...

 
More Cybertruck Failures Leave Owners Stranded, but People Still Love the Truck
More Cybertruck Failures Leave Owners Stranded, but People Still Love the Truck

4 Mar 2024, 19:29 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / The Tesla Cybertruck might be the most abused car model on the market, but it seems like the failure rate is higher than anyone expected. Many owners report catastrophic failures or being locked out of their vehicles. What do they have in common? T...

 
Here's How To Force-Enable UWB Phone Key on Your Tesla if It Doesn't Seem To Work
Here's How To Force-Enable UWB Phone Key on Your Tesla if It Doesn't Seem To Work

4 Mar 2024, 10:53 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Many Tesla owners complained about the Phone Key not working as it should. With the support for the iPhone's UWB chip introduced with the 2024.2.3 software update, things improved tremendously. Still, not everyone managed to make it work. If y...

 

Stories by Cristian Agatie