Optimakia 2013 Dash Bezel 1029650 on 2040-parts.com

Gift Guide: Automotive apparel for all seasons

From the earliest days of motoring, the relationship between automobiles and apparel has been symbiotic. Clothing worn by Brass Era car and motorcycle buffs was adopted mostly to protect drivers from the elements, rather than from the hazards of speed. Floor-length dusters, motoring coats and driving caps shielded motorists from cold wind and choking dust.

Concept Car of the Week: Mercedes-Benz VRC (1995)

The question of automobile versatility has been a real challenge for decades. Nowadays, car manufacturers keep coming up with hundreds of new segments, sub-segments, crossovers, and crossovers of crossovers... Most of them end up Jack-of-all-trades, master of none.

SAE approves new fast-charging standard for EVs, plug-ins

SAE International said it has approved a new technical standard that will dramatically reduce charging times for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and electric vehicles. The global engineering group said the new charging standard, developed with the cooperation of more than 190 automakers, utilities and equipment builders, will allow charging times to be reduced from as long as eight hours to as short as 20 minutes. Automakers want DC direct charging to take less than 10 minutes, or roughly the time it takes to fill a tank with gasoline.The goal is to accommodate currents as high as 500 volts distributed from public charging stations.