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.
Musk's SpaceX Wants the Pentagon to Pay for Its Critical Satellite Services in Ukraine
Musk's SpaceX Wants the Pentagon to Pay for Its Critical Satellite Services in Ukraine

14 Oct 2022, 10:04 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service was seen mostly as a strange thing until the war in Ukraine proved its military value. After gaining global recognition, SpaceX is now backing out, saying it can no longer fund the service for the ...

 
Watch: Tesla Semi Breaks Down in the Middle of a Highway On-Ramp, Disaster Ensues
Watch: Tesla Semi Breaks Down in the Middle of a Highway On-Ramp, Disaster Ensues

14 Oct 2022, 08:44 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Tesla announced it would start Semi deliveries to Pepsi on December 1, ending a long-time drama regarding its new-product pipeline. Even so, the EV maker is not done with testing the Semi, as proven in a recent video. This time, the truck appears t...

 
Expedition-Ready, Off-Road Monster Toyota 4Runner Sells With No Reserve
Expedition-Ready, Off-Road Monster Toyota 4Runner Sells With No Reserve

13 Oct 2022, 15:00 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Those who love adventuring in unpopulated areas usually choose a thoroughbred off-roader or an overland camper. The seller of this modified Toyota 4Runner chose the former but spared no effort in making it a great camping companion. Toyota 4Runn...

 
GMC Hummer EV Battles Ford F-150 Lightning in the "World's Toughest Towing Test"
GMC Hummer EV Battles Ford F-150 Lightning in the "World's Toughest Towing Test"

13 Oct 2022, 14:01 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Many thought the first electric pickup trucks could finally spark the EV revolution that Americans were reluctant to embrace. Judging by the reactions to the first towing tests, this was not the case. Watch how the GMC Hummer EV and the Ford F-150 ...

 
Retrofitted Diesel Engine Runs on 90% Hydrogen, Increases Efficiency by 26%
Retrofitted Diesel Engine Runs on 90% Hydrogen, Increases Efficiency by 26%

13 Oct 2022, 11:16 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Engineers are struggling to make the combustion engine run purely on hydrogen, but scientists believe there is an easier way. Engineers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney have retrofitted a diesel engine to burn 90% hydrogen and ...

 
Ququq BusBox-4 Turns You Volkswagen ID. Buzz Into a Camper for Under $3,000
Ququq BusBox-4 Turns You Volkswagen ID. Buzz Into a Camper for Under $3,000

13 Oct 2022, 10:11 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Volkswagen has yet to offer a camper version of its electric van ID. Buzz, but the aftermarket companies are already on it. Ququq was the first company to introduce a camper kit for the ID. Buzz and is now ready to start selling it for $2,700. A...

 
Euro NCAP Found No Evidence That Tesla Software Cheated on Safety Tests, It's the Opposite
Euro NCAP Found No Evidence That Tesla Software Cheated on Safety Tests, It's the Opposite

13 Oct 2022, 08:18 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Soon after Tesla Model Y excelled in Euro NCAP tests, achieving the highest score of any vehicle ever tested, doubts were cast about the results. White hacker @greentheonly found evidence that the cars used for tests had modified software. Euro NCA...

 
Assuan Brown VW Vanagon Westfalia Has a Surprising Engine Swap, Sells With No Reserve
Assuan Brown VW Vanagon Westfalia Has a Surprising Engine Swap, Sells With No Reserve

12 Oct 2022, 17:28 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / A good Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia is something that one should never let go of. This 1983 example selling on Bring a Trailer comes with all the goodies, is in excellent shape, and features an interesting engine swap. Volkswagen Vanagon Westfal...

 
Study Reveals the States and Cities With the Worst Drivers in the U.S.
Study Reveals the States and Cities With the Worst Drivers in the U.S.

12 Oct 2022, 16:22 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Most of us think of ourselves as the better drivers on the road, but the truth is sometimes harder to stomach. A recent study shows the states and cities with the worst drivers in the U.S. and what car brands they drive. Almost everyone thinks t...

 
Fixing Rivian's Steering Knuckle Problem That Prompted a Massive Recall Is a 2-Minute Job
Fixing Rivian's Steering Knuckle Problem That Prompted a Massive Recall Is a 2-Minute Job

12 Oct 2022, 15:02 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Rivian spooked investors when it recalled every vehicle ever produced due to a steering knuckle problem. It turns out that the market has overreacted to the news, as the problem only takes two minutes to fix. When Rivian announced that it’...

 
Volkswagen Tests the PHEV Version of the Passat Variant, Still Pretends It's the Old Model
Volkswagen Tests the PHEV Version of the Passat Variant, Still Pretends It's the Old Model

12 Oct 2022, 11:03 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / The next-generation Volkswagen Passat will only be offered as a Variant station wagon in Europe alongside its sister Skoda Octavia. The new model, which should be known as the B9, will launch next year with a longer wheelbase and a large engine ass...

 
Mercedes EQE Earns a Five-Star Safety Rating From Euro NCAP in the Latest Test Round
Mercedes EQE Earns a Five-Star Safety Rating From Euro NCAP in the Latest Test Round

12 Oct 2022, 09:44 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / The latest Euro NCAP test round shows how car safety has improved, with no less than eight models achieving the maximum five-star safety grades. The Mercedes EQE leads the pack, continuing the streak of other EQ models tested before. Car safety ...

 
You Can Still Buy a Brand-New Rivian R1S Launch Edition, but It Won't Be Cheap
You Can Still Buy a Brand-New Rivian R1S Launch Edition, but It Won't Be Cheap

12 Oct 2022, 08:26 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / For all exotic models that sell out in hours, you can bet there’ll be almost as many available on the used-car market and auction websites. This 50-mile Rivian R1S Launch Edition selling on Cars & Bids is one good example. The past two...

 
Chevy V8-Powered 1971 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 Is the Perfect Halloween Project
Chevy V8-Powered 1971 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 Is the Perfect Halloween Project

11 Oct 2022, 16:16 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / The Toyota Land Cruiser J40 was a blatant copy of the Jeep CJ, but it was so good that it made history. This 1971 FJ40, which is the designation for the U.S.-bound model, has a nice surprise under the hood, cementing its American ties. Toyota la...

 
IDRA Showed a Video of the 9,000-Ton Die-Casting Machine Installed at Giga Texas
IDRA Showed a Video of the 9,000-Ton Die-Casting Machine Installed at Giga Texas

11 Oct 2022, 14:21 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Tesla is expected to start the Cybertruck production next year, and IDRA’s 9,000-ton die-casting machines are crucial for building the truck’s body. According to a video posted on IDRA’s YouTube channel, the biggest Giga Press has...

 
IIHS Study Shows That People Treat Partially-Automated Vehicles as Fully Self-Driving
IIHS Study Shows That People Treat Partially-Automated Vehicles as Fully Self-Driving

11 Oct 2022, 12:49 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / No current automated driving system on the market can drive a car without the driver’s supervision. Yet, many drivers leave their partially-automated vehicles in charge of driving most of the time. A recent IIHS study shows that Tesla drivers...

 
Tesla Model Y Outsells Volkswagen Golf in Germany, Becomes the Best-Selling Model
Tesla Model Y Outsells Volkswagen Golf in Germany, Becomes the Best-Selling Model

11 Oct 2022, 11:33 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Tesla is the number one EV maker in the world, but its sales in Europe have not been that good. Things are about to change, though, as we see Tesla wiping the floor with Volkswagen in its home country in September, and not just for the electric veh...

 
Rivian Started Charging People for Tows to Service Centers, Even for Warranty Repairs
Rivian Started Charging People for Tows to Service Centers, Even for Warranty Repairs

11 Oct 2022, 09:29 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Rivian owners have been surprised by a change in servicing policy, which would make them pay a towing fee when getting their vehicles to a service center. In certain conditions, this also applies to cars requiring repairs under warranty. Last we...

 
iPhone 14's Crash Detection Is a Nuisance for Emergency Services, Calls 911 for No Reason
iPhone 14's Crash Detection Is a Nuisance for Emergency Services, Calls 911 for No Reason

11 Oct 2022, 07:38 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / Technology can save lives, and the safety assist systems on modern vehicles prove this. But when the technology is rushed to market, things can go wrong, becoming a nuisance at best and public danger at worst. When the iPhone 14 launched in Sept...

 
1991 Toyota HiAce Super Custom Is the Real-Deal 4x4 Van Fit for an Overland Camper
1991 Toyota HiAce Super Custom Is the Real-Deal 4x4 Van Fit for an Overland Camper

10 Oct 2022, 16:55 UTC · By: Cristian Agatie / The Americans only recently started to see Toyota HiAce examples entering the market as JDM imports, and they’re already in love with these vans. This 1991 example is in perfect mechanical shape and comes with its own coffee machine. The f...

 

Stories by Cristian Agatie