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.
Electric Vehicles May Have Killed the Hydrogen Horse on Which Toyota Bet Its Future
Electric Vehicles May Have Killed the Hydrogen Horse on Which Toyota Bet Its Future

20 Mar 2023, 12:18 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / The Japanese carmakers are still reluctant to prioritize electric vehicles, with Toyota insisting that hydrogen might be a better solution. The industry may have made its choice, though, as electric cars gain speed and the charging infrastructure e...

 
Investigators Rule Out Tesla Autopilot Use During Fatal Model S Crash in Newport Beach
Investigators Rule Out Tesla Autopilot Use During Fatal Model S Crash in Newport Beach

20 Mar 2023, 10:27 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / After a Tesla Model S crashed in Newport Beach last year, killing three people in the car and injuring another three on the ground, many suspected Tesla Autopilot might have been involved. The authorities have now ruled out this possibility and bel...

 
Tesla Reinstates Distance Measurements for Cars Without Ultrasonic Sensors
Tesla Reinstates Distance Measurements for Cars Without Ultrasonic Sensors

19 Mar 2023, 17:18 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / One of the biggest mistakes Tesla made last year was removing ultrasonic sensors from the cars without offering an alternative. With the 2022.45.11 software update, cars without ultrasonic sensors will get the ability to "guestimate" dist...

 
What's Next in 2023: Electric Passenger Cars, Trucks, and SUVs
What's Next in 2023: Electric Passenger Cars, Trucks, and SUVs

19 Mar 2023, 17:04 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / With dozens of new models launched, traditional carmakers are expected to significantly step up their EV game in 2023. Tesla will have a tough year defending its dominant position, while new companies will try to prove they deserve a place at the b...

 
Tesla Rolls Out FSD Beta V11.3.2 to a Wider Group of Beta Testers
Tesla Rolls Out FSD Beta V11.3.2 to a Wider Group of Beta Testers

19 Mar 2023, 10:03 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Elon Musk promised that the FSD V11 would roll out to a wider group of beta testers this weekend. Indeed, V11.3.2 has already been installed on customers' cars, with more expected to receive the FSD Beta update in the coming days. Elon Musk...

 
While the US Delays Robotaxi Bill, Baidu Gets Permit To Operate Driverless Cars in Beijing
While the US Delays Robotaxi Bill, Baidu Gets Permit To Operate Driverless Cars in Beijing

18 Mar 2023, 18:46 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / The U.S. is concerned that China will take the lead in technology, especially when it comes to autonomous vehicles and artificial intelligence. Congress has delayed legislation to ease the regulation of self-driving cars while China hits new milest...

 
A Tesla Model 3 With an Unfortunate History Bursts Into Flames While Driving
A Tesla Model 3 With an Unfortunate History Bursts Into Flames While Driving

18 Mar 2023, 14:26 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / For a Tesla Model 3 owner, the fire that consumed his car is the culmination of a long line of unfortunate events. The Model 3 survived a bad crash in the first days of ownership, was damaged in flood, and finally ended its short life in flames. Te...

 
The First Tesla Supercharger V4 Chargers Don't Offer Speed Improvements Over V3
The First Tesla Supercharger V4 Chargers Don't Offer Speed Improvements Over V3

17 Mar 2023, 18:41 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Tesla has installed the first Supercharger V4 chargers in the Netherlands this month, putting Europe first in an unexpected move. All eyes were on the station in the small town of Harderwijk as people waited for the first Tesla owners to try the ne...

 
Cadillac Sales Team Trying to Lure Tesla Owners at Superchargers With Lyriq Test Drives
Cadillac Sales Team Trying to Lure Tesla Owners at Superchargers With Lyriq Test Drives

17 Mar 2023, 15:35 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / You know that Cadillac is desperate when you see its sales teams trying to convince Tesla owners to test the Lyriq. Doing it on Tesla’s turf at a Supercharger station in Shanghai paints an even more awkward picture. GM frequently bragged a...

 
Tesla App 4.19 Launches "Drive on Sunshine" To Charge EVs With Excess Solar Energy
Tesla App 4.19 Launches "Drive on Sunshine" To Charge EVs With Excess Solar Energy

17 Mar 2023, 12:48 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Tesla App version 4.19 will allow owners with solar panels to prioritize charging with surplus solar energy instead of passing it to the grid. The feature is called "Drive on Sunshine" and offers flexibility to how Tesla owners use electr...

 
GM's Cruise Might Be Tesla's Unlikeliest Ally in Advancing Self-Driving Cars
GM's Cruise Might Be Tesla's Unlikeliest Ally in Advancing Self-Driving Cars

17 Mar 2023, 11:21 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / With several autonomous-driving and robotaxi startups biting the dust, GM's Cruise has started dreaming about being the last one standing. The robotaxi company is pushing legislation to speed the deployment of self-driving vehicles on U.S. roa...

 
Rivian Issues Second Airbag-Related Recall in Two Weeks, 30 R1S SUVs Affected
Rivian Issues Second Airbag-Related Recall in Two Weeks, 30 R1S SUVs Affected

17 Mar 2023, 09:44 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Rivian has notified owners of 2022-2023 R1S SUVs about an issue with the side curtain airbag being improperly secured. This comes two weeks after the startup recalled 13,000 vehicles to replace a faulty sensor connected to the passenger-side airbag...

 
New EV Owners Are Less Satisfied With Their Home Charging Experience, Tesla Leads the Way
New EV Owners Are Less Satisfied With Their Home Charging Experience, Tesla Leads the Way

16 Mar 2023, 18:17 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / EV owners are proud that they can charge their cars at home overnight, thus waking up every day to a full “tank.” But as more people buy electric vehicles, more complain of a sub-par home charging experience. According to a JD Power stu...

 
Tesla Will Build 1 Million Cars per Year at Giga Berlin With the Same Water Consumption
Tesla Will Build 1 Million Cars per Year at Giga Berlin With the Same Water Consumption

16 Mar 2023, 16:10 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Tesla has announced plans to expand Giga Berlin in 2022, but now it wants to double production capacity without extending the factory footprint. Tesla also said it would not need to increase water consumption thanks to the efficient treatment and r...

 
Watch a Pilot Land His Aircraft on the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah Helipad
Watch a Pilot Land His Aircraft on the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah Helipad

16 Mar 2023, 14:35 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Polish pilot Luke Czepiela has become the first pilot to land a plane on the helipad atop the iconic Burj Al Arab Jumeirah in Dubai. Czepiela needed 20.76 meters (68 feet) to land his plane on the helipad 212 meters (700 feet) above the ground. ...

 
Tesla Model S and Model X Owners Can Now Retrofit a Round Steering Wheel
Tesla Model S and Model X Owners Can Now Retrofit a Round Steering Wheel

16 Mar 2023, 11:26 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / In 2021, Elon Musk decided in his infinite wisdom that Tesla Model S and Model X no longer need a classic steering wheel. The yoke steering looks cool, but it's impractical, and that's why owners have asked in the past two years for a rep...

 
Rivian R1S Got Stuck in the Snow, and Towing It out Bricked the SUV
Rivian R1S Got Stuck in the Snow, and Towing It out Bricked the SUV

16 Mar 2023, 09:37 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Rivian designed the R1S and R1T as adventure vehicles, although many owners report that they might be more fragile than advertised. There are several reports about bricked trucks, and one R1S owner claims this happened while his SUV was towed from ...

 
Volkswagen Unveils ID. 2all Concept, Previewing a Truly Affordable Compact EV
Volkswagen Unveils ID. 2all Concept, Previewing a Truly Affordable Compact EV

15 Mar 2023, 18:51 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Volkswagen has steadily expanded its ID. range of electric vehicles, but it lacked a truly affordable car. The ID. 2all concept previews such a popular EV, and Volkswagen claims it would sell for under 25,000 euros ($26,400). Volkswagen literall...

 
Tesla Wins Another Lawsuit in China Against Popular Influencer Who Spread False Claims
Tesla Wins Another Lawsuit in China Against Popular Influencer Who Spread False Claims

15 Mar 2023, 17:14 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Tesla has stepped up its legal game and is now going after people who tainted its image. The EV maker secured another win in China in a lawsuit against a popular TikTok influencer. According to the sentence, Boss Cai will have to apologize and pay ...

 
Toyota's Hydrogen-Powered Race Car Goes Up in Flames During a Testing Session
Toyota's Hydrogen-Powered Race Car Goes Up in Flames During a Testing Session

15 Mar 2023, 16:15 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Toyota started experimenting with hydrogen-powered combustion engines in 2021 and said it would test the concept on the racetrack. Fast forward to today, and Toyota's hydrogen racer, burning liquid hydrogen, was engulfed in flames after a leak...

 

Stories by Cristian Agatie