Image used with permission by copyright holderIf you were to judge it by its cover, you’d certainly be impressed by Tesla and its sleek exteriors. But inside? Maybe it needs some work. So now, to help with this endeavor, Tesla has hired one of the biggest fish in the pond. Anders Bell, whose current title is Senior Director of Engineering and Head of Interior Engineering at Volvo. Bell will soon have a new title — well, the same title, but at Tesla instead.
Tesla managed to hire the top engineering talent from the Swedish automaker, Electrek has learned, and Bell confirmed the move himself by updating his LinkedIn profile in the last few days.
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It’s a big move for the veteran Volvo engineer, who has overseen all interior engineering at the firm,from start to finish over the last two years, Electrek reports. But now, he’s leaving Sweden for sunny California.
While Bell boasts quite an impressive resume, his new role at Tesla will be no walk in the park. While the car company has enjoyed shining praise for most of its mechanics and its exterior aesthetics, a common complaint has been its sub-par interiors — at least when compared to other luxury cars. Given that they’re shelling out $60,000, a number of customers have been less than impressed by the ubiquitous black plastic, misaligned cubbies, and issues with cup holders. So now, Bell will be in a position to take everything he learned (and established) at Volvo, and help Elon Musk’s company step up its game.
Bell joins Tesla at a critical time, just as the company promises to ramp up its production and deliver more vehicles in 2017 than ever before. So if you’re not on a Tesla waiting list yet, now that its interior has a chance at matching its exterior, it may be high time to jump on the bandwagon.
Mercedes-Benz EQG: range, price, release date, and more
The G-Class is going electric. We already knew that Mercedes-Benz was working on an electric, small-size G-Wagon, but it looks like the company is also working on a larger G-Class SUV, in the form of the EQG. In fact, Mercedes has gone as far as to show off a concept version of the off-roader.
While there's much we don't know about what will become the production model of the EQG, Mercedes has also shared a lot about it. Curious about whether the Mercedes-Benz EQG could be the EV for you? Here's everything we know so far.
Design
Fear not -- the EQG will retain many of the design aspects of the G-Class that you already know and love but with a modern face-lift. The EQG will keep the boxy design that gives the G-Class a classic look but with some additional modern styling, at least if the concept version is anything to go by.
Rivian R2 vs. Kia EV9: battle of affordable electric SUVs
The long-awaited Rivian R2 has finally been announced, and it's an excellent option for those who want an electric SUV that doesn't completely break the bank. Sure, the R2 isn't cheap -- but it's a whole lot cheaper than most other EVs out there, especially when it comes to SUVs. But Rivian isn't the only company trying to tackle the problem of the budget electric SUV. The Kia EV9 is finally available, and it too offers a modern design and a range of helpful features.
Given the fact that the Rivian R2 and Kia EV9 are two electric SUVs in a similar price range, you might be wondering which is better for your needs. That's why we put the Rivian R2 and the Kia EV9 head-to-head.
Design
Both the Rivian R2 and the Kia EV9 are actual SUVs -- not crossovers pretending to be SUVs, like plenty of other EVs out there. The two vehicles offer big, boxy designs and plenty of interior space, making them excellent options for families or those who need that extra storage.
Rivian R2 vs R1S: How will Rivian’s cheaper SUV compare?
Rivian has finally unveiled the R2, its long-awaited attempt at a more affordable electric SUV. The new vehicle may not be available just yet, but fans of Rivian's design aesthetics and feature set are already looking forward to being able to order the new car. The R2 is targeted at being a more affordable take on the electric SUV and will sit alongside the flagship-tier R1S.
Let's get this out of the way right now: The R1S is most likely going to be a better vehicle than the R2. Rivian isn't replacing the R1S with the R2 — it's releasing the R2 as a more affordable alternative, and there will be some compromises when buying the R2 over the R1S.
