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Around the tracks: A tractor on the Nürburgring and electric car charging gone wrong

Plus, a Jeep-themed classroom and a Lamborghini go-kart.


When we’re not creating it ourselves, the CarAdvice team spends a lot of time finding and consuming motoring content from all over the world.

Here’s a handful of the photos, articles, videos or social media posts that most caught our eye last week. Some of them are brand new, others have been online for a while.

Enjoy them – just not too much, okay?


1. This school classroom full of colourful Jeeps

This year has been a pretty weird time to be a kid. Your classroom is the kitchen table, your parents are stressed out and you have to wear a mask everywhere you go.

But as students in the United States prepare to return to school for the first time in months, teachers at a primary school in Florida came up with a clever way to make social distancing fun.

Two second-grade teachers at St. Barnabas Episcopal School transformed their students' desks into colourful mini Jeep cars, complete with plastic dividers to protect against coughing and sneezing.

As far as first cars go, these aren't too bad.

Image: CNN.com


2. This tractor setting a lap record on the Nürburgring

A lot is made of hypercar and sports car speeds, but we forget heavy vehicles have to undergo performance testing too.

As such, please enjoy this video of a tractor, weighing 17 tonnes, setting a lap record on the Nordschleife (the northern section of the famous track).

And by lap record, we mean 24 minutes and 51 seconds, which is a record for tractors everywhere.


3. This example of electric car charging gone wrong in Los Angeles

While the era of automotive electrification is well and truly upon us, it would be fair to say we're still working through some kinks.

One such imperfect element is the public charging process  – and a recent sighting on the streets of Downtown Los Angeles is evidence there's still a way to go.

This photo, captured by Reddit user TezzDonut, shows an Arcimoto SRK – an ultra-lightweight EV – parked on the side of the road, with a charging cable hanging taut over a section of the road used by cyclists and pedestrians.

Thankfully, Reddit users discovered the charger was installed prior to the area becoming a designated bike lane, so it wasn't a complete oversight.

Still, the clothesline set-up is easily missed and far from safe for cyclists. Here's hoping someone gets it sorted soon.

Image: Reddit


4. An electric car charging gone REALLY wrong in China

Misplaced cables are one thing, but electric car charging can get even worse, like this recent footage out of Sanming in southern China.

As reported by Carscoopsthe car – possibly a plug-in hybrid model from Chinese manufacturer BAIC – exploded after its owner noticed smoke emerging from the vehicle and contacted the local fire department.

Shortly after firefighters sprayed the car with a jet of water, the entire vehicle exploded.

Thankfully, it appears the area was clear and no one was hurt.


5. This $2000 Lamborghini go-kart

Father's Day is this week (September 6, for those who need reminding) and if you're stuck for gift ideas, there's always this insane electric go-kart designed in the image of a Lamborghini sports car.

The vehicle, from Chinese electronics company Xiaomi, is a kitted-out version of its electric Ninebot Go-Kart Pro, co-designed with Lamborghini's help.

Priced from 9999 Chinese Yuan, or AUD$2010, it offers a top speed of 40km/h, a Superleggera rear wing, an F1-style steering wheel and even a sound system with the ability to simulate the sound of a V12 engine.

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Susannah Guthrie

Susannah Guthrie has been a journalist for over a decade, covering everything from world news to fashion, entertainment, health and now cars. Having previously worked across titles like The New Daily, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, People Magazine and Cosmopolitan, Susannah now relishes testing family cars with the help of her husband and two-year-old son.

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