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.
The Tiny Dacia Spring Is the Most Affordable EV in Germany, Selling for Less Than $14,000
The Tiny Dacia Spring Is the Most Affordable EV in Germany, Selling for Less Than $14,000

10 Jan 2024, 18:21 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Dacia is offering a surprise 10,000-euro bonus to buyers of its Spring electric supermini in Germany. With a price starting at only 12,750 euros (less than $14,000), the Dacia Spring is easily the most affordable electric car in Germany. The offer ...

 
Battery Tech Enters Warp-Speed Era Thanks to AI-Driven Research
Battery Tech Enters Warp-Speed Era Thanks to AI-Driven Research

10 Jan 2024, 16:04 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Battery technologies don't seem to advance as fast as most people would like them to. However, things are about to drastically change as artificial intelligence enters the field. A partnership between Microsoft and the Pacific Northwest Nation...

 
Panasonic's Third US Battery Factory Is Critical to Tesla's Plans To Grow US Production
Panasonic's Third US Battery Factory Is Critical to Tesla's Plans To Grow US Production

10 Jan 2024, 13:18 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Panasonic is reconsidering an earlier decision to scrap plans for a third battery factory in the US. The new factory might be critical for Tesla's ability to access IRA credits for its most popular models in the US. Tesla lost the tax credits ...

 
Tesla Launches Model 3 Highland in North America With an Interesting Price Strategy
Tesla Launches Model 3 Highland in North America With an Interesting Price Strategy

10 Jan 2024, 10:37 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Four months after the refreshed Model 3 was launched in Europe and Asia, Tesla is finally debuting the sales of the upgraded model in the US and Canada. The good news is that prices remained unchanged, even though the new model has many improvement...

 
CES 2024: Kia Demonstrates Its Connected Home Solution Using EV9 Vehicle-to-Home Tech
CES 2024: Kia Demonstrates Its Connected Home Solution Using EV9 Vehicle-to-Home Tech

9 Jan 2024, 17:40 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has increasingly become the cool place for carmakers to show off their cutting-edge tech. Kia is no exception, as the Korean carmaker is now offering the US public the possibility to test its Connected Home platform ...

 
2024 Toyota bZ4X Gets Updated Tech, Improved Fast Charging
2024 Toyota bZ4X Gets Updated Tech, Improved Fast Charging

9 Jan 2024, 16:11 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Toyota updated the bZ4X electric crossover for the 2024 model year, bringing new assistance systems, more convenience features and complimentary charging in the US. Just like the European customers, the Americans will also get much-needed DC fast-c...

 
Tesla Downgraded the Model Y RWD Audio System in the US, Europe Still Enjoys Premium Audio
Tesla Downgraded the Model Y RWD Audio System in the US, Europe Still Enjoys Premium Audio

9 Jan 2024, 13:30 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Tesla downgraded the sound system in the base version Model Y RWD to one amp and seven speakers, mirroring a similar approach in the Model 3 lineup. Those who want a more upscale sound will have to upgrade to the Long Range variant, which still com...

 
Tesla Briefly Shows the Model 3 Highland on Its Website, Revealing Surprising Detail
Tesla Briefly Shows the Model 3 Highland on Its Website, Revealing Surprising Detail

9 Jan 2024, 11:10 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / In what appeared to be a mistake, Tesla showed the picture of a Model 3 Highland on its US website, although it switched back quickly to the OG model. Intriguingly, the Ultra Red Model 3 Highland shown on the Demo Drive page appears to show a front...

 
Tesla Model 3 Highland To Start US Sales Soon, Official Announcement Imminent
Tesla Model 3 Highland To Start US Sales Soon, Official Announcement Imminent

8 Jan 2024, 17:39 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Although many consider the Cybertruck to be Tesla's most significant achievement in 2023, there's another model that has garnered even more interest. The refreshed Model 3 was launched in Europe and Asia in September and is now eagerly aw...

 
The Real Reason Why Tesla EVs Lost Their EPA Range Estimates
The Real Reason Why Tesla EVs Lost Their EPA Range Estimates

8 Jan 2024, 15:14 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / As Tesla announced changes to its lineup for the 2024 model year, many were surprised to see that most of its models were listed with lower EPA range estimates than before. The reason is more benign than what the sensationalist media claimed and ha...

 
Million-Dollar Question: Is Tesla Cybertruck a Real Truck or Just a Model Y With a Bed?
Million-Dollar Question: Is Tesla Cybertruck a Real Truck or Just a Model Y With a Bed?

8 Jan 2024, 11:37 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / As more Cybertrucks are released into the wild, more independent reviews are shared online, offering a comprehensive image of its capabilities. Recently, the Cybertruck paid a visit to the dunes in Utah, trying to prove its worth. Although the expe...

 
Tesla 2023 Recap: 6 Areas Where Tesla Finally Delivered on Its Promises
Tesla 2023 Recap: 6 Areas Where Tesla Finally Delivered on Its Promises

6 Jan 2024, 22:20 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Even Tesla's die-hard fans know that Elon Musk has proven overly optimistic when it comes to setting deadlines and delivering new products. His famous "in two weeks" line is a direct consequence of this approach. However, 2023 was th...

 
Seasoned Tesla Owner Who Switched to a Rivian R1S Shares His Honest Opinion About the SUV
Seasoned Tesla Owner Who Switched to a Rivian R1S Shares His Honest Opinion About the SUV

5 Jan 2024, 22:20 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Tesla owners are very loyal customers who rarely switch to other carmakers. In my experience, people who tried other EVs were disappointed, and some even changed back to a Tesla afterward. However, a recent story shows that sometimes, switching to ...

 
Tesla Cybertruck Can Charge Other EVs at 9 kW, but Its Outlets Don't Work While Charging
Tesla Cybertruck Can Charge Other EVs at 9 kW, but Its Outlets Don't Work While Charging

5 Jan 2024, 16:39 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / The Cybertruck is Tesla's first vehicle with bi-directional charging capabilities. Thanks to the outlets in the cabin and the bed, the Cybertruck can dispense up to 9.6 kW to power electrical appliances or charge other EVs. However, the Cybert...

 
Tesla MY2024 Updates: Less Range, New Colors, Different Steering Wheels, and No Creep Mode
Tesla MY2024 Updates: Less Range, New Colors, Different Steering Wheels, and No Creep Mode

5 Jan 2024, 13:10 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie /  A change in how the EPA calculates EV range made almost all Tesla models appear less efficient. The EV maker also operated changes to its lineup for the 2024 model year, including new colors for the Model Y and new steering wheels and yokes f...

 
Tesla Cybertruck Takes the Highway Range Test, Throws In the Towel After 254 Miles
Tesla Cybertruck Takes the Highway Range Test, Throws In the Towel After 254 Miles

5 Jan 2024, 10:32 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / When the Cybertruck kicked off deliveries on November 30, 2023, the range was one of its disappointing qualities. With the first Cybertrucks in the wild, the first real-world range test showed that the Cybertruck's range might be more of an is...

 
This Is the Reason Why Renting a Tesla Cybertruck Is So Expensive These Days
This Is the Reason Why Renting a Tesla Cybertruck Is So Expensive These Days

4 Jan 2024, 18:19 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Some of the early Cybertruck owners rented their trucks on Turo and other platforms at insane rates. Although this looks like a lucrative business, the risk is also high, as many who rent the Cybertruck are not treating it gently. This is obvious i...

 
New Chemistry Set To Give Tesla's 4680 Battery Cells a Significant Energy Density Boost
New Chemistry Set To Give Tesla's 4680 Battery Cells a Significant Energy Density Boost

4 Jan 2024, 15:55 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Tesla Cybertruck's range failed to impress, mostly because the 4680 cells did not live up to expectations. However, Tesla continues to improve the chemistry and the manufacturing process. Chemistry improvements promise a 10-20 percent boost in...

 
When Will Tesla Cybertruck Owners Get a Taste of Full Self-Driving?
When Will Tesla Cybertruck Owners Get a Taste of Full Self-Driving?

4 Jan 2024, 10:55 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / With every change in the FSD computer and sensor suite, Tesla needs to recalibrate everything, which takes time and leaves new owners in the dark. The latest to suffer are Cybertruck owners, who still don't know when their trucks will get self...

 
Tesla FSD Beta Tester Shares His Honest Opinion About V12.1 After Using It for 500 Miles
Tesla FSD Beta Tester Shares His Honest Opinion About V12.1 After Using It for 500 Miles

3 Jan 2024, 19:11 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Tesla rolled out FSD Beta V12.1 to Wave1 testers on December 28, and soon after that, we saw the first video showing Tesla's end-to-end AI self-driving software in action. We now have a more accurate opinion on the new FSD Beta software from a...

 

Stories by Cristian Agatie