Race Car Builder Dennis Palatov Wants to Revolutionize EV Batteries

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Electric vehicle batteries are evolving faster than ever before. Electric vehicles are seen as inferior because of their limited battery range. Today some EVs can travel well above 250 miles on a single battery charge. Electric vehicle batteries are improving thanks to discoveries and innovations. Race car builder Dennis Palatov believes he can change EV batteries forever.

Palatov’s grand design

Volkswagen’s Transparent Factory | Sebastian Kahnert/picture alliance via Getty Images

Dennis Palatov is an electrical engineer that builds amazing race cars. Palatov’s designs are innovative and have earned him the respect and admiration of many. His track cars are the stuff of legend because of their incredible handling and accuracy. He has designed sports cars and track cars. Now, Dennis is turning his attention toward electric powertrains.

Palatov believes that he can revolutionize electric vehicle battery packs by changing the way they are made and used. According to Autoweek, he plans to launch Modular Battery Technologies, a company that will focus on creating electric vehicle batteries. The company will manufacture full-voltage modules as opposed to the low-voltage modules that currently power most electric vehicles.

Full-voltage modules can be aligned parallel to each other instead of stacked the way current low-voltage modules are. Palatov thinks that current batteries are not sized appropriately for the range they are actually being used for. The introduction of full-voltage modules that are placed parallel to each other and do not stack can reduce battery size and efficiency.

What Palatov’s battery idea could do for the future of EVs

A Volkswagen employee wires the battery on a line for the VW ID.3 | Sebastian Kahnert/picture alliance via Getty Images

Today electric vehicle driving range is limited to its battery capacity. Dennis Palatov aims to change that by powering electric vehicles through slimmer, lighter individual battery modules rather than a heavy battery pack that has limits. If this works, it will allow electric vehicle drivers to travel as far as they want by adding or swapping battery modules in their vehicles when needed.

What’s even wilder about Palatov’s genius battery module idea is that he welcomes automakers to take it. He thinks that this technology and strategy is necessary for the advancement of EV batteries and that companies should implement it. So what does a future using Palatov’s battery modules look like?

The potential future of electric vehicle batteries

A battery from a Nissan Leaf electric vehicle is on show in the foyer of the Envision battery manufacturing plant at Nissan's plant in Sunderland, north east England on July 1, 2021.
Electric car battery | OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images

Battery capacity would almost be a non-factor to EVs if drivers could swap out battery modules and provide more power to their overall battery life whenever needed. Say your battery life is 30%, and you are facing horrible range anxiety while traveling somewhere. Palatov suggests a system in which you can pull over and pay a price to borrow a charged module to power your vehicle.

Then you can continue on your journey and return the module later. It would be just as easy as stopping for gas and so much quicker than charging an EV back to full power. Dennis Palatov is a genius when it comes to building race cars and sports cars. If his hunch about electric vehicle battery modules is correct, he could go down in history as the person who revolutionized EV battery technology.
RELATED: EV Batteries Are About to Get a Much-Needed Upgrade

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The Totem Giulia GT Electric: An All-Electric Rethink to the classic Alfa Romeo

by Gabrielle DeSantis

There’s no doubt that the classic Alfa Romeo Giulia is one of the most beautiful cars ever made. Its fine Italian luxury blended with sporting pedigree makes it a legend (when it’s not broken down). But Totem, an Italian automaker founded by former Alfa Romeo designer Riccardo Quaggio, pays tribute to the nameplate with their own, electric car version of that timeless design.

Totem Giulia GT Electric | Totem

The Totem Giulia GT Electric: a totem of respect to Alfa Romeo

This Giulia GT Electric isn’t just an automaker cashing in on an old nameplate. It’s a luxurious love letter from a small start-up company to the automaker it’s inspired by. And while it isn’t all original, this resto-mod puts a new spin on the original Giulia.

The Totem Giulia starts life as a Giulia GT Junior, a small roadster version of the Giulia built between 1970 and 1975. But by the end of the transformation, the only aspect of the donor car that’ll remain is the chassis. Everything else is handcrafted from the ground up, including the carbon fiber body. According to Totem, the body took 8,000 hours to design, molded by 32 Italian craftsmen. But the intricate details don’t stop there

The Giulia GT Electric is all electric and all excentric

Totem Giulia GT Electric Alfa Romeo Interior
Totem Giulia GT Electric Interior | Totem

The interior, also handcrafted, appears entirely vintage. Only a few buttons and dials are spread across the cabin, yet it’s packed with the modern amenities one would expect in today’s cars. High-powered heating and air conditioning, an anti-theft system, electric windows, and even keyless ignition. And the round speedometers and tachometers behind the steering wheel are both digital, blending the past with the present.

But to truly appreciate the soul this car has, just look at the engine noise. Rather than the electric whir of your typical EV, Totem fitted the Giulia GT Electric with a modified version of the original sound. The car sounds like it idles and revs like an internal combustion engine, but is fully electric underneath.

For context, the original Alfa Romeo Giulia Junior had around 192 hp which isn’t all that bad. But Totem will swap that old engine for an all-electric powertrain capable of 590 hp and 811 lb/ft of torque. In other words, it’s slightly more powerful than its predecessor. That get’s the car from 0-60 in just 2.9 seconds and has a top speed of 158 mph. It’s no slouch, but it’s also not inefficient. The Giulia GT Electric is capable of 242 miles per charge thanks to its 63.9 kWh battery pack. And it has a 0-80% charge time of just 15 minutes when plugged into a DC fast charger.

The elegant craftsmanship surrounds the impressive performance and speed. And each customer will get to completely customize their own interior. But the number of people lucky enough to call themselves a customer will be low, and the price will be high.

The Giulia GT Electric will be exceedingly rare

Totem Giulia GT Electric Alfa Romeo Front End
Totem Giulia GT Electric | Totem

We’ll rip the bandaid off quick: According to Autoweek, Totem only plans to build 20 examples. An unfortunately low number for such a high-caliber car. And while no prices are listed on Totem’s website, the Giulia GT Electric is sure to cost a pretty penny. Autoweek’s rough estimate is $500,000 to $600,000 per car, depending on which features you wish to have.

But for the rich and famous, or Alfa enthusiasts, this could be an excellent investment. After all, there isn’t an electric Alfa Romeo for sale yet, they only just attempted a hybrid. But until then, the Totem Giulia GT Electric honors the automaker with this tribute to the styling of yesteryear and the electric car technology of tomorrow.

RELATED: The Alfa Romeo GTV6 Is an Almost-Practical Stylish Italian Classic

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Hyundai Palisade SEL Trim Is a Smart Choice for Budget-Minded Luxury Buyers

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Despite its rookie status in the mid-size three-row SUV game, the Hyundai Palisade has quickly risen to the top ranks of this competitive market segment. Starting at around $32,000, even the entry-level SE is highly rated and well-equipped with safety features. For most buyers, however, the mid-level SEL trim is worth serious consideration, with a base price around $35,000 and standard conveniences like the wireless proximity key for hands-free starting, heated seats, and power seat adjustment in various forms, depending on options.

From there, it’s a massive jump to $46,000 for the Limited version or nearly $50,000 to snag the range-topping Calligraphy trim. However, you can spend thousands less by carefully choosing options on the SEL trim, and still end up with a luxurious thoroughly enjoyable Hyundai Palisade.

2020 Hyundai Palisade | Hyundai

What makes the Hyundai Palisade SEL a smart choice?

In short, the SEL is the most customizable trim in the Palisade lineup, with multiple upholstery and second-row seat configurations. In general, the age-old question of cloth versus leather is a deeply personal lifestyle choice, with valid reasons to justify either side. That said, given the price point and market segment of this SUV, many buyers will prefer, or even expect, leather seating surfaces.

Thankfully, there are solutions within the SEL trim to provide this classic upscale touch, some more expensive than others. One is the Premium Package option from Hyundai for an extra $3,100, which adds leather upholstery along with heating for the second-row seats, a heated steering wheel, and GPS navigation. If it were a standalone option, that would be an amazing deal for the extra luxury items included. Unfortunately, Hyundai requires that you also purchase a $2,400 Convenience Package in order to select the Premium option.

While Convenience Package does bring stylish 20” alloy wheels, self-leveling rear suspension, and a hands-free liftgate to the table, it also spikes the total cost to over $41,000. If you want factory leather with a three-passenger bench seat in the second row for maximum occupant capacity, this is the only way to achieve it. The bench seat is a $0 option, but surprisingly it’s not available on the Limited or Calligraphy trim levels.

Can you get leather seats in a new Palisade for under $40,000?

2020 Hyundai Palisade Second Row Captain's Chairs
Hyundai Palisade second-row captain’s chairs with leather | Hyundai

Yes, it is possible to have a new leather-equipped Hyundai Palisade SEL without crossing the $40,000 mark, with a bit of research and creative thinking. Many car dealers offer seat upgrades from aftermarket vendors like Roadwire. Sometimes the leather upholstery upgrade has been pre-installed, so the vehicle can be purchased off the lot and driven home the same day.

If not, you can typically add a custom leather option to the deal and it will be installed before you pick up the vehicle. Because this route doesn’t necessarily require the extra $2,400 Convenience Package, it’s a smart way to obtain a leather-equipped Hyundai Palisade SEL for under $40k. That is, assuming you manage to decline some of the profit-enhancing extras offered by the dealer’s finance manager while signing the paperwork.

In any form, the Hyundai Palisade is a compelling mid-size SUV and consistently appears on lists of the best available family cars. By choosing the SEL trim, buyers can choose from an array of traditional luxury features, without being forced to pay for extravagances they don’t necessarily want or need in the vehicle.

RELATED: Riding in Comfort and Tranquility Is Standard on the 2021 Hyundai Palisade

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Formula E Farewells: Why Audi and BMW Are Leaving the Electric Racing Series

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Formula E, the all-electric version of Formula 1, has been going strong since 2014. In an effort to clean up the earth, revolutionize electric car technology, and promote sustainable motorsports, Formula E hosts all sorts of automakers. But two of the biggest names in the series, Audi and BMW, just announced their departure. And while this news sounds grim, it’s actually not all bad. Neither team is suddenly dropping their hopes of a zero-emissions future, they’re just shifting strategies.

BMW i4 Electric Car | BMW

BMW withdraws from Formula E to focus on production electric vehicles

The BMW team was there when Formula E first began, and have provided safety cars for the events. Though they haven’t had much luck getting on the podium, with 5th place being the highest position they’ve finished a season in. And in the 2017/18 season, BMW finished last overall with just 24 points. But they’re not dropping out because they’re sore losers.

According to BMW, they’ve “exhausted the opportunities for this form of technology transfer in the competitive environment of Formula E.” They put in their all, and many millions of dollars, and did the best they could. Dropping out of the races now means they can spend their money to forward their global electric car efforts. Recently debuting the BMW i4 (not actually named after my least favorite interstate), their focuses are shifting towards the consumer and away from competitive motorsport.

However, the racing team BMW partnered with, Andretti Motors, will still take part in Formula E. They just won’t be backed by the German automaker. But speaking of German automakers, Audi is also stepping away from Formula E. However, unlike BMW, they’re not done with competitive motorsports just yet.

Audi withdraws from Formula E to participate in the Dakar Rally

Audi RS Q e-Tron Electric Dakar Rally Car
Audi RS Q e-Tron | Audi

Audi’s motorsport history is nothing short of gleaming. They revolutionized rallycross and dominated Group B, they moved on to the 24 hours of LeMans and won 13 of the 15 years they participated. And now they’re all lined up to electrify one of the most intense motorsport challenges: the Dakar Rally.

It’s a grueling, cross-country rally across the harshest areas of Saudi Arabia. Spanning over 9,000 miles, it’s desert and dunes for as far as the eye can see. Only the toughest cars survive. As of now, no electric car has attempted the course, but Audi is changing that with the 2022 RS Q e-Tron.

Well, we call it an electric car, but it’s not quite all-electric. In order to get the range needed, the RS Q is fitted with a “generator.” In quotations because it’s actually an engine from Audi’s latest entry in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (German Touring Car Masters) series. Its sole purpose is to recharge the battery, it doesn’t drive the car or enhance performance, just extends the range. So technically it’s a hybrid, but its electric power is nothing to sneeze at.

Using not one, but two Formula E electric motors, the RS Q gets a combines 671 horsepower. And as the 50 kWh battery pack is recharged by the 2.0-liter inline-four, the Dakar Rally’s 500 mile-per-day stilts will prove the worthiness of Audi’s electric powertrain.

So yes, the two German rivals are going their own ways, committing to an electric future in vastly different ways. But Formula E is by no means over.

Formula E going forward

Formula E Electric Car Racing Series
Formula E Racing Series | Formula E

As Audi and BMW announced their departure, Jaguar announced their return. And ever since committing to Formula E, Jaguar plans to go all-electric as soon as 2025. Porsche, Mahindra, DS Automobiles, and Nissan are also returning for the next season, which will reveal the third generation of these electric racers. Poised to be faster and cleaner than ever before.

But it’s McLaren that may fill the hole BMW and Audi left behind. They already provide battery packs for the teams and would slide right into the series with no trouble at all. Whether that comes to fruition or not is still to be determined, but the electrification efforts of big-name automakers are still holding strong.

RELATED: We Are Anxiously Awaiting the Debut of the Audi e-tron GT

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