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    in Future Cars

    Great Scott! This Flying Car Could Roll Out Sooner Than You Think

    Flying cars have been part of the public imagination for so long, it’s almost hard to believe they could be anything other than flights of fancy. Yet, startup Aska’s A5 $789,000 flying car is preparing for takeoff. In fact, you can pay a $5,000 deposit to get on the preorder list. (CNET is looking forward to a future flight demo here at CES 2023, where the Aska A5 debuted.)How soon is soon? The Federal Aviation Administration’s OK could land “within a month,” Aska cofounder and CEO Guy Kaplinsky said after the car’s Thursday unveiling. Aska hopes to start its ride-hailing service in 2026.(For more, check out our must-see reveals of CES, most futuristic tech and quirkiest future tech and gizmos.)Powered by electric batteries backstopped by a small gas engine, the four-seat prototype on display in Las Vegas is about the same size as a large SUV, but topped with large wings sporting propellers like a helicopter. It fits in a conventional parking space and needs an area about the size of a helipad for a vertical takeoff or landing. It can be charged at home or conventional EV stations and its gas engine, which can provide an additional 50 miles of range, is powered by premium gasoline. Aska debuted its first flying car prototype in 2019 and started taking preorders in 2021 with an expected 2026 ship date for the first aircraft. Flying cars sound exciting, but the engineering and regulatory challenges are formidable. A flying car like the Aska A5 or the $300,000 Alef Model A from Alef Aeronautics face significant compromises compared with roads-only cars and sky-only aircraft.But who doesn’t want to hop over the traffic? The Aska A5 can fly at a maximum speed of 150 mph and travel 250 miles on a single charge. That could cut a 100-mile car trip down to just 30 minutes.A closer look at the back of the Aska A5 flying vehicle.
    Bree Fowler/CNET
    Aska’s Kaplinsky sees the A5 flying car tackling long commutes, allowing them to move to more affordable communities further away from big cities and reduce the number of regular cars they own, he said, adding that most people would probably use them when needed through a ride-sharing service.
    “This is going to impact society and generations to come,” Kaplinsky said. “Our generation, you know, it takes time to pick up, but for our kids this is going to be normal. “That’s what we want. We want to provide them a better quality of life.”While the Aska A5 flying vehicles will need pilots initially, Kaplinsky predicted that by 2030 they will be fully autonomous, communicating with each other to avoid in-air collisions. Until that happens, air-traffic controllers will keep tabs on the flying cars just like they do small planes, he said.Aska’s factory in Mountain View, California, can make about one or two of them a month, Kaplinsky said. But don’t run out and buy that house in the country just yet. Aska still needs approvals from the FAA and other agencies to make the flying car flight- and street-legal before the company can really take off. More

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    in Future Cars

    This $789,000 Flying Car Could Get Off the Ground Faster Than You Think

    Flying cars have been part of the public imagination for so long, it’s almost hard to believe they could be anything other than flights of fancy. Yet, startup Aska’s A5 $789,000 flying car is preparing for takeoff. In fact, you can pay a $5,000 deposit to get on the preorder list. (CNET is looking forward to a future flight demo here at CES 2023, where the Aska A5 debuted.)How soon is soon? The FAA’s OK could land “within a month,” Aska cofounder and CEO, Guy Kaplinsky, said after the car’s Thursday unveiling. Aska hopes to start its ride-sharing service in 2026.Read more: Check out our must-see reveals of CES, most futuristic tech and craziest future tech and gizmos.Powered by electric batteries backstopped by a small gas engine, the four-seat prototype on display in Las Vegas is about the same size as a large SUV, but topped with large wings sporting propellers like a helicopter. It fits in a conventional parking space and needs an area about the size of a helipad for a vertical takeoff or landing. It can be charged at home or conventional EV stations and its gas engine, which can provide an additional 50 miles of range, is powered by premium gasoline. The Aska A5 can fly at a maximum speed of 150mph and travel 250 miles on a single charge. That could cut a 100-mile car trip down to just 30 minutes.A closer look at the back of the Aska A5 flying vehicle.
    Bree Fowler/CNET
    Aska’s Kaplinsky sees the A5 flying car tackling long commutes, allowing them to move to more affordable communities further away from big cities and reduce the number of regular cars they own, he said, adding that most people would probably use them when needed through a ride-sharing service.”This is going to impact society and generations to come,” Kaplinsky said. “Our generation, you know, it takes time to pick up, but for our kids this is going to be normal. “That’s what we want. We want to provide them a better quality of life.”While the Aska A5 flying vehicles will need pilots initially, Kaplinsky predicted that by 2030 they will be fully autonomous, communicating with each other to avoid in-air collisions. Until that happens, air-traffic controllers will keep tabs on the flying cars just like they do small planes, he said.Asks’s factory in Mountain View, California can make about one or two of them a month, Kaplinsky said. But don’t run out and buy that house in the country just yet. Aska still needs approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration and other agencies to make the flying cars flight- and street-legal before the company can really take off. More

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    in Electric Cars

    Meet every electric vehicle on sale in the US for 2021 and its range – Roadshow

    There could be a vehicle plug in your not-too-distant future.
    Ford

    Welcome to what feels like the start of the electric vehicle revolution. EVs are quickly becoming more popular vehicle choices, and it isn’t just Tesla selling darn good models. There are actually well over a dozen EVs on sale in the US today.With that in mind, here’s a list of every electric vehicle on sale in the US and how far each will go on a single charge, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.Editors’ note: This list only includes vehicles that have been certified by the EPA. More EVs might be in the news, but they will not be added to this compilation until they’re officially about to go on sale in the US.

    Audi E-Tron

    222 miles

    Audi

    On the surface, Audi’s first purpose-built battery electric road car hasn’t changed much since its 2019 debut, with only minor tweaks and a few revisions to its options. Yet a combination of software and hardware updates have helped the electric SUV squeeze a few extra miles out of its 95 kilowatt-hour battery, climbing to an EPA estimated maximum range of 222 miles. Somewhat sweetening the pot, the E-Tron’s starting price (including destination) has also dropped to $66,995 for the base Premium model.

    Read more.

    Chris Paukert/Roadshow

    The E-Tron has been joined by a new Sportback variant. The underpinnings, powertrain and tech are all the same as the aforementioned electric SUV, but the E-Tron Sportback features a slightly lower roofline and a windswept and silhouette — coupe-like, if you squint. You’d think that the more aerodynamic profile would net more range, but the Sportback’s sportier tuning only returns about 218 miles per charge. It’s pricier, too, starting at $70,195.

    Read our 2021 Audi e-tron Sportback preview.

    BMW

    BMW’s i3 has always been a little weird looking and expensive at $45,445, but it does offer a few things nothing else in the class can match. The biggest of these is its carbon-fiber chassis, which increases stiffness, reduces weight and looks great on a spec sheet. The i3 is definitely meant to be a city car with a relatively short range — up to 153 miles. But it’s easy to park and a nice place to spend time, so we can’t fault it too much.

    Read more.

    Steven Ewing/Roadshow

    The Bolt EV was the mainstream car industry’s first real, practical answer to Tesla’s electric juggernauts. It’s an affordable little hatchback that doesn’t stick out like the i3 and today, it packs plenty of all-electric range at 259 miles — a nice increase over its initial 236-mile range. With a starting price of just $36,620, the Bolt has positioned itself as the perfect alternative to Tesla’s impossible-to-spec $35,000 Model 3.

    Read our 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV review.

    Chevrolet Bolt EUV

    247 miles

    Steven Ewing/Roadshow

    The Bolt EUV tucks the Bolt EV’s battery pack and electric car platform beneath a slightly taller and longer body. The increased weight and aerodynamic profile cost the electric utility vehicle a bit of range, dropping to a still-decent 247 miles, according to the EPA. Other reasons you may want to consider the larger EUV include its increased capacity for cargo and second-row passengers and to get your hands on — or rather, hands off — GM’s Super Cruise advanced driver assistance tech. The bigger Bolt strikes this summer starting at $38,495. 

    Read more.

    Nick Miotke/Roadshow

    Ford’s Mach-E may be a Mustang in name alone, but it’s an EV through and through. This electric SUV is offered in a variety of configurations, from the single-motor “Select” spec starting at $43,995 to the Premium AWD Extended range model at $54,400. At its best, the rear-driven California Route 1 Edition cruises for up to 305 miles with a full charge.Later this year, high-performance Mach-E GT and GT Performance models will join the lineup, boasting up to 634 pound-feet of torque and a 0-60 sprint in just 3.5 seconds. We’ll update when the EPA gets its hands on them. Until then, here’s what Ford is offering:Ford Mustang Mach-E AWD: 211 milesFord Mustang Mach-E AWD Extended: 270 milesFord Mustang Mach-E RWD: 230 milesFord Mustang Mach-E RWD Extended: 300 milesFord Mustang Mach-E RWD California Route 1: 305 miles

    Read our 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E preview.

    Hyundai

    Hyundai is getting way more into the EV game, but the car that started it out for them was the Ioniq Electric, and you can still get it. It’s basic in almost every sense of the word, but its range has gotten a nice increase since its debut to 170 miles. This bad boy lists for just a hair over $30,000, and that makes it a decent deal. 

    Read our 2020 Hyundai Ioniq Electric review.

    Hyundai

    The Kona Electric is one of the most exciting new EVs you can buy right now. It has excellent range, weird-but-fun styling, tons of standard equipment and all the other killer Hyundai stuff (including a great warranty). The Kona EV is a lot quicker and more fun to drive than you’d expect, while its range of 258 miles puts it among the upper-echelon of modern battery-electrics. With a price tag starting at $36,990, you’re getting a lot for your money. 

    Read our 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric review.

    Antuan Goodwin/Roadshow

    Jaguar was one of the last companies we’d have expected to release a purely electric SUV. But it did, and the decision ended up working in its favor. The I-Pace looks like nothing else, drives like a Jag and offers a real alternative to the Tesla Model X. The I-Pace is a practical beast: Having been designed from the ground up to be an EV, it has plenty of space for people and things and a substantial range of 234 miles.

    Read our 2020 Jaguar I-PACE review.

    Kandi K27

    59 miles

    Kandi

    No, we’re not joking. This newcomer has the distinction of being the least expensive new electric car you can buy today: The K27 costs a no-haggle, no-nonsense $19,999. And that’s before the $7,500 federal tax credit, which brings the cost down to $12,499. That’s cheap for any new car, but that price also only gets you a ridiculously short range of just 59 miles per charge and an… unorthodox aesthetic.

    Kia

    Kia’s Niro EV is Kia’s best effort yet at making a fully battery-electric SUV that offers good range for not a lot of money (239 miles, $38,500 to start), and it surprised us when we drove it for the first time. It’s more fun than its looks or specs would suggest, and it’s packed with a deep roster of standard features that make modern Kias so hard to beat for value.

    Read more.

    Mini Cooper SE

    110 miles

    Mini

    You may not remember this, but Mini was actually an early pioneer of modern EVs. Back in 2009, the automaker underwent a large-scale test of electric Mini E hatchbacks, building hundreds and leasing them to hand-picked consumers and utility companies. It gave up on the tech after a couple years, and it’s taken until now for the brand to offer a BEV for sale. The 2021 Mini Cooper SE Electric promises to be one of the most affordable EVs on the market. Priced from $29,900 plus delivery, when you factor in the full federal tax credit and potential state and local incentives, you could own one for well under $20,000. There’s a catch, of course: limited range. The Mini Electric is only estimated at 110 miles of range, about as short an e-leash as you’ll find today. It’s not a compliance car sold only in California-emissions markets — Mini says the SE is a 50-state model.

    Read our 2020 Mini Cooper SE Electric review.

    Jon Wong/Roadshow

    Ah yes, the granddaddy of all affordable electric cars. There is a reason that the Leaf is the world’s bestselling EV by a factor of a zillion. And if you’ve spent time in one recently, you’ll know it’s easy to see why. The Leaf is a simple, well-built and affordable electric car that offers reasonable range — 149 miles — but still feels like the future.The Leaf Plus is Nissan’s answer to cars like the Tesla Model 3, the Kona Electric and the Bolt. It has the Leaf line’s best range yet at 226 miles, and while it’s not as cheap as the standard Leaf, it offers more for your money. More what? Power and torque mostly. Some of its tech is a little old, but that means it’s well-proved at this point.

    Read more.

    Polestar

    The second plug-in model from the fledgling Polestar brand is also its first to run completely on battery power. The Polestar 2 fastback — a sort of tall, liftback sedan chimera — hits the ground running with impressive interior appointments and gorgeous Scandinavian style. The Polestar 2 boasts a range of 233 miles per charge. We think that’s more than enough range for daily driving and then some, but the 2’s starting price of $61,200 puts it in the unenviable position of being cross-shopped with the much longer-ranging variants of the Tesla Model S and Y.

    Read our 2021 Polestar Polestar 2 review.

    Chris Paukert/Roadshow

    Porsche’s first battery-electric car arrives to take on the Tesla Model S. It initially went on sale in Turbo and Turbo S forms, packing 670 and 750 horsepower, respectively. The Turbo starts at $150,900 while the more powerful S comes in at $185,000. This year sees the addition of a new rear-drive Taycan base model, starting at $81,250. The EPA-estimated ranges have also been revised, improving across the board for 4S and Turbo models. That lines up somewhat with our independent testing, where we found the Turbo’s previous EPA numbers to be a bit conservative.Porsche Taycan Performance: 200 milesPorsche Taycan Performance Battery Plus: 225 milesPorsche Taycan 4S Performance: 199 milesPorsche Taycan 4S Performance Battery Plus: 227 milesPorsche Taycan Turbo: 212 milesPorsche Taycan Turbo S: 201 miles

    Read more.

    Tesla Model 3

    353 miles

    Tesla

    This is the EV to which all other midpriced electric vehicles have to answer. The Model 3 is just that good. It’s comfortable, fun to drive, has tons of cargo space and one of the best ranges in its class. For 2021, Tesla simplified the Model 3 lineup, dropping from six configurations to three optimized specs:Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus: 263 milesTesla Model 3 Long Range AWD: 353 milesTesla Model 3 Performance AWD: 315 miles

    Read more.

    Tesla Model S

    412 miles

    Tesla

    The Model S has been around in more or less the same form since 2012. It’s gotten several updates to its hardware, styling and performance — and is still the reigning champ of all-electric range. It’s also $79,990 before adding things like different wheels, paint or Tesla’s dubiously named Full Self-Driving feature, which feels like a lot for one of the oldest vehicles here.Like the smaller Model 3, its lineup has been revised for 2021. However in this case, it ditched its Standard Range model to make room for the new top-spec Plaid and Plaid Plus, which Tesla promises will be “the quickest production cars ever.” Tesla also estimates that these super sedans will boast 390 miles and “over 520 miles” of range, respectively. Unfortunately, the EPA hasn’t yet confirmed those claims, and the Plaid pair don’t go on sale until the fall. We’ll update when they do. For now, here’s the new breakdown:

    Read more.

    Tesla Model X

    371 miles

    Tesla

    The Tesla Model X is like the Model S in that it’s fast and expensive, but it’s also bigger, roomier and has the craziest doors to be found on a production car this side of the Lamborghini Aventador. Thanks to a similar update to the Model S, the X Standard Range is no more, but improvements to the Long Range Plus mode increase max range to 371 miles on a single charge. That’s not bad for something so big. There will also be a Model X Plaid — but not Plaid Plus — in the fall 2021. Until then, here’s how the Model X line shakes out:

    Read more.

    Tesla Model Y

    326 miles

    Tesla

    Think of the Tesla Model Y as the larger, frumpier version of the Model 3: Smaller than the Model X, the Y still offers seating for seven (somehow) and the same powerful electric powertrain. According to the EPA, it’ll do an impressive 326 miles on a full charge in Long Range Spec. The Performance model offers better performance (of course), but at the cost of a few miles range versus last year. And, like the rest of Tesla’s lineup, the Standard Range model is no more.

    Read more.

    Tim Stevens/Roadshow

    The XC40 Recharge’s $20,000 premium over the combustion-powered XC40 is a hard pill to swallow, but if you look past the sticker, the price is somewhat justified. For starters, the $54,985 EV’s 486 pound-feet of performance are a class beyond the standard T5 powertrain’s 258 torques, as are its all-new Android Automotive cabin tech and luxurious interior appointments. We just wish its range was equally impressive: The 208 miles it offers is a touch low for this class and price range.

    Read our 2021 Volvo XC40 preview.

    Antuan Goodwin/Roadshow

    Taking the place of the humble E-Golf is Volkswagen’s first dedicated electric vehicle in the US, the 2021 VW ID 4. The first deliveries of its electric SUV should begin later this year. The performance is fine and the styling is unobtrusive, but its promise of utility, capacity and up to 250 miles of range make the ID 4 a fairly practical choice for families looking to go electric. The Tesla Model Y offers more range and better driving dynamics, but starting at $41,190 before incentives, the VW is more budget-friendly.

    Read our 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 review.

    Every EV available for 2021

    Make/Model/Trim

    Best Range

    MSRP

    Audi e-tron

    222

    $66,995

    Audi e-tron Sportback

    218

    $70,195

    BMW i3

    153

    $45,445

    Chevrolet Bolt EV

    259

    $36,620

    Chevrolet Bolt EUV

    247

    $38,495

    Ford Mustang Mach-E California Route 1

    305

    $51,500

    Hyundai Ioniq Electric

    170

    $34,250

    Hyundai Kona Electric

    258

    $38,565

    Jaguar I-Pace

    234

    $71,000

    Kandi K27

    59

    $19,999

    Kia Niro Electric

    239

    $40,265

    Mini Cooper SE Hardtop 2 door

    110

    $30,750

    Nissan Leaf S Plus

    226

    $39,220

    Polestar 2

    233

    $61,200

    Porsche Taycan 4S Performance Battery Plus

    227

    $110,720

    Tesla Model 3 Long Range

    353

    $48,490

    Tesla Model S Long Range

    412

    $79,990

    Tesla Model X Long Range

    371

    $89,990

    Tesla Model Y Long Range

    326

    $51,490

    Volvo XC40 AWD BEV

    208

    $55,085

    Volkswagen ID 4

    250

    $41,190

    A few truly charming electric cars have disappeared from the list this year and will be missed, but overall the list is longer than ever. That means more choices running a wider gamut of ranges, prices and body styles. That’s good news for electric car enthusiasts, early adopters and regular drivers looking for flexible and reliable transportation. And there will be more to come even by the end of 2021 — from the newly announced Ford F-150 Lightning to budget-friendly offerings like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and more. We’ll be updating the list as more models are certified by the EPA, so check back often.For a list of just our favorite electric vehicles, check out our best electric cars for 2021 roundup. There’s also our list of the best kids electric cars for 2021, because it’s never too early to cultivate a love of cars — electric or otherwise.

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