Fisker Owner Ready to Spend Whatever it Takes to Beat Tesla New

Lu Guanqiu, the chairman and founder of China’s Wanxiang Group which owns Fisker, is planning to build electric cars in the U.S. and challenge Tesla Motors right in its home market.

Tesla Releases Video to Assure Owners of Model S’ Winter Worthiness

If you ever wondered whether the retracting door handles of the Tesla Model S would be able to break the ice that forms over them if you leave the car stationary overnight in icy condition, apparently they can.

Not only that, but the all-electric sedan is reportedly very capable on snowy roads, even without all-wheel drive, thanks to its advanced traction control system.

That makes quite a bit of sense, and is emphasized in the official video released by the manufacturer to quell winter related fears that new owners may be having.

You may remember the electric Mercedes SLS AMG video that explains the benefits of torque vectoring for battery-powered cars – it was instant and much more controllable, therefore allowing much finer adjustments than those that would be possible for a conventional internal combustion engine.

Moreover, some Norwegian reviewers put the Model S through its winter paces earlier this year, and it passed their tests with no problem, looking like it was a lot of fun in the snow too…

By Andrei Nedelea

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Tesla Model S Tops Consumer Reports’ Owner-Satisfaction Chart [+Video Review]

After racking up the most impressive test score ever recorded by Consumer Reports in one of their reviews, the Tesla Model S does it again, this time in the area of owner satisfaction. Here, the all-electric sedan mirrored its near-perfect score of 99/100, cementing its place as the highest-rated car they’ve ever tested, even though they admit, it’s not really for everybody.

It was most appreciated by the 600 owners that responded to the survey for “its innovative design, outstanding performance, surprising practicality, long 200-mile-plus driving range for an electric car, and low driving costs.”

This stands out as a ray of good news in these slightly dark and… awkward times for Tesla, with the three fires and the inherent investigation they sparked. Even Gorge Clooney badmouthed them in public, but he seems to have been deliberately deceptive as to saying which Tesla he had encountered problems with, or what their nature was; we do know it was a Roadster…

The Model S was followed in CR’s survey by the Porsche Boxster, Audi A6 sedan, Mazda6 sedan, Subaru Forester, Dodge Challenger V8 and VW Golf TDI. They were chosen out of a total of 350,000 responses that covered 285 different models and variants stretching between the 2011 through 2014 model-years.

By Andrei Nedelea

Note: Below you will find CR's new half-hour-long in-depth hands-on video on the Model S

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What if Musk’s Hyperloop Covered the Entire US?

The idea launched by Tesla and SpaceX boss Elon Musk is creating a Hyperloop system that would be able to carry lots of people very quickly from point to point across the US, much in the same way conventional trains do – the difference would be the speed with which this would be achieved.

The first route originally envisioned was the one from San Francisco to Los Angeles, estimated to cost some six billion dollars to complete.

However, PopularScience has come up with a hypothetical map of what a complete North American Hyperloop network would look like, which cities it would link, and how much shorter commute times would be – they have an interactive map up, featuring comparative information between driving from one destination to another, taking the train there, or using this new third way.

Cost-wise, it would apparently be considerably cheaper to build and get running than it would a regular high-speed rail system, and this would also have the advantage of being built above ground, following highways and roads, so as not to require expropriations.

Still, the most important and beneficial aspect would be the shortening commute times; San Antonio to Mexico City in 75 minutes, New York to Montreal and San Francisco to LA in 35 minutes.

By Andrei Nedelea

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George Clooney Says His Tesla Roadster Was Unreliable, Elon Musk Tweets Cheeky Reply

Tesla models and environmentally friendly vehicles in general (especially the Prius), are some of Hollywood stars’ favorite cars. While many of these celebrities choose green cars from conviction, others simply do it because it’s trendy, but we won’t get into that discussion right now.

One of the movie stars who owned a Tesla is George Clooney. As a matter of fact, the actor was one of the first Tesla customers, but it looks like the electric car brand didn’t leave a good impression on him. In an interview with Esquire magazine, Clooney said he had to sell his Tesla Roadster because it was not very reliable.

“I had a Tesla. I was one of the first cats with a Tesla. I think I was, like, No. 5 on the list. But I’m telling you, I’ve been on the side of the road a while in that thing, and I said to them, 'Look, guys, why am I always stuck on the side of the f*#@ing road? Make it work, one way or another,'” Clooney said in the interview, without offering details about the car’s specific faults.

The actor sold his Tesla Roadster at an auction last year for $99,000 and donated the money for charity. Of course, since he owned one of the early models, it is only natural the car had some “childhood” problems.

As always when someone says something bad about Tesla Motors, CEO Elon Musk was quick to reply. The executive ironically tweeted “In other news, George Clooney reports that his iPhone 1 had a bug back in '07,” an allusion to inherent problems when a new product is launched on the market.

By Dan Mihalascu

Story References: Esquire via Leftlanenews

In other news, George Clooney reports that his iPhone 1 had a bug back in '07

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 12, 2013

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Tesla May Launch F150-Rivaling Pickup in Five Years’ Time

In a recent brief chat with CNN Money at a Business Insider conference, Tesla CEO Elon Musk was asked about the company's future plans, and more specifically, about what new models it has in the pipeline.

Currently, the Tesla range is one-sedan-strong, but a second vehicle, the Model X crossover, will be joining it next year, followed at least another year later by their BMW 3-Series rival – the latter is probably the most eagerly awaited, as it’s been pegged to be their most affordable offering.

Now, we learn that in around five years’ time, the South African-born entrepreneur wants Tesla to also start selling a Ford F150-rivaling pickup, but one that like the rest of the cars they sell, would run purely on electricity.

Musk was quoted as saying, "If you're trying to replace the most gasoline miles driven, you have to look at what people are buying. That's the best selling car in America. If people are voting that's their car, then that's the car we have to deliver."

However, five years is a long time to wait for something that could be easily achieved with today’s level of tech, especially since the market does by no means stand still, and some other company, like Bob Lutz’s VIA,  that converts GM trucks into range-extenders could have already filled the niche by then and made a name for itself.

By Andrei Nedelea

Note: Don't take the pictured rendering seriously

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New Tesla Model S will Reportedly Cost from £49,900 in the UK

With the promised right-hand drive version of the Tesla Model S nowhere near in sight, Business Insider tells us that when it does finally arrive in the UK, it will cost upward of £49,900 with the £5,000 government grant factored in.

That’s close to $80,000 and it makes the electric sedan 26 percent more expensive than in the US, where the same 60 kWh battery pack model costs from $63,570 federal tax credit included.

As was the case with the Model S’ German, Belgian and Dutch pricing schemes, the higher numbers are associated with the money thrown towards bringing the cars to their respective markets, making them legal and also paying the Value Added Tax (VAT).

In China, where the company is supposedly being officially represented, all you can do now is try the grey market and pay a preposterous amount.

Back in the UK, Tesla already have one of their trademark self-owned stores up and running in London, but it now only features left-hand drive demo cars. Their Supercharger network is not up yet, but it should become (at least in part) operational by the end of 2014, according to some earlier reports.

By Andrei Nedelea

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Magazine Picks Elon Musk as 2013’s Most Influential Man

If you’re a regular reader of our site, you’ll probably have already seen the plethora of stories we’ve posted that in some way involved the Tesla Motors and Space X CEO and co-founder Elon Musk. The case was such not because of a particular affinity for him or his work, but rather because he always seemed to do or say something that needed to be reported on.

There have been so many of these stories that it has caught the eye of publications from non-automotive fields too (naturally), and this has culminated with Ask Men choosing him as their Most Influential Man of 2013, after having made Time’s list of 100 most influential people earlier in the year!

An impressive ascent for Musk, clearly a very able businessman that seems to be working against the industry trends, but doing it in a mainstream-understandable way, if that makes sense…

Naturally, the magazine made references to Musk being akin to a modern-day real-world superhero and went into detail about his contribution to the world-wide electric car scene through the success of the Model S.

Below, you'll find one of Musk's Latest video interviews, this time on the sidelines of the UK Model S launch.

By Andrei Nedelea

VIDEO

Owner of Third Model S that Caught Fire Defends His Car, Says it Saved Him

Regardless of how thick Elon Musk thinks the armor plating on the bottom of the Tesla Model S is, there’s no denying there’s still a problem somewhere, and the all-electric sedan seems just a bit too prone to catching fire under certain circumstances. Now that two more cars have caught fire under (what we're lead to believe are) pretty much similar conditions as the first two, one must be suspicious.

The latest incident was recorded in Smyrna, Tennessee, and its driver, a local doctor named Juris Shibayama, is now defending his car saying that it was actually it that saved him. He explains that he wasn’t able to swerve around the exposed trailer hitch that the all-electric sedan climbed on top of, the one that punctured the aforementioned armor plating and battery pack…

In other words, he’s putting blame on himself and driving skills, stating that he feels the car is not in any way unsafe, and that he would buy another one “in a heartbeat.”

However, even these flattering statements will have little significance in the final outcome of the official National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigation, the one that was originally deemed unnecessary after the first fire, but is now in full swing.

You can read the Tennessee doctor's testimonial on Tesla's official site right below.

From Tesla Owner Juris Shibayama:

"I was driving home from work on the interstate in the right lane at approximately 70 miles per hour, following a truck. In the middle of the lane, there was a rusty three-pronged trailer hitch that was sticking up with the ball up in the air. The truck in front of me cleared the object. I did not have enough time to swerve to avoid the hitch, and it went below my car. I felt a firm "thud" as the hitch struck the bottom of the car, and it felt as though it even lifted the car up in the air. My assistant later found a gouge in the tarmac where the item scraped into the road. Somewhat shaken, I continued to drive.

About 30-45 seconds later, there was a warning on the dashboard display saying, "Car needs service. Car may not restart." I continued to drive, hoping to get home. About one minute later, the message on the dashboard display read, "Please pull over safely. Car is shutting down." I was able to fully control the car the entire time and safely pulled off the left shoulder on the side of the road. I got out of the car, and started to get all my belongings out. About 5-10 seconds after getting out of the car, smoke started to come from the front underbody of the car. I walked away from the vehicle to a distance of about 100 yards. More smoke started to come out of the bottom of the car, and about two minutes after I walked away, the front of the car caught on fire.

I am thankful to God that I was totally uninjured in any way from this impact. Had I not been in a Tesla, that object could have punched through the floor and caused me serious harm. From the time of impact of the object until the time the car caught fire was about five minutes. During this time, the car warned me that it was damaged and instructed me to pull over. I never felt as though I was in any imminent danger. While driving after I hit the object until I pulled over, the car performed perfectly, and it was a totally controlled situation. There was never a point at which I was anywhere even close to any flames.

The firemen arrived promptly and applied water to the flames. They were about to pry open the doors, so I pressed my key button and the handles presented and everything worked even though the front of the car was on fire. No flames ever reached the cabin, and nothing inside was damaged. I was even able to get my papers and pens out of the glove compartment.

This experience does not in any way make me think that the Tesla Model S is an unsafe car. I would buy another one in a heartbeat."

Juris Shibayama, MD

By Andrei Nedelea

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Posh California Town Wants Tesla Model S Police Cars Patroling Its Streets

Have you ever thought about what a Tesla Model S police car would be like, all dressed in police livery, with part of the 17-inch touchscreen obscured by a rack holding two shotguns? It would definitely be a cool sight, as well as theoretically being a very effective chase vehicle with the kind of performance we know it’s capable of.

MotorAuthority reports that the manager of the tiny yet posh Silicon Valley town of Atherton, Mr. George Rodericks, recently stated that he’d seriously “love to see” these fast EVs used for the local police duty, in an interview for the San Jose Mercury News. If this strikes you as a bit odd, then we need only mention the fact that the average house value there is $6.7 million, and it’s a place where the Model S is a common sight.

Apparently, there’s data to show that the all-electric sedan has a 15 percent market share of new cars sold in the town… This is partly down to the inhabitants being wealthy, but also the local pride associated with the cars being developed and built in California.

Regardless of the mushy substrate, it would be cool if this idea went through and turned real, and there are many qualities that the Model S has that would make it suitable for police duty

By Andrei Nedelea

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Tesla May Build "Giga Factory" to Ensure its Battery Supply after Model Expansion

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk said the EV maker may build a battery “giga factory” since there are not enough battery plants in the world to supply his planned Generation III electric car, scheduled to launch in 2016 or 2017.

Musk said the high-volume Generation III Tesla could bring the company's annual sales to 500,000 a year, about 25 times its current sales volume. However, the biggest hurdle to hitting that ambitious sales target is the lack of batteries, the CEO said.

“If we are to produce 500,000 vehicles a year... we need cell capacity commensurate, which is bigger than all lithium-ion production today,” Musk was quoted as saying by The Wall Street Journal.

To solve that problem, he said Tesla is exploring a lot of different options, including a “giga factory” that would take raw materials and turn them into battery packs. Tesla could build such a plant with partners, and its location would most likely be in North America.

“We’re talking about something comparable to all lithium ion production in the world, in one factory,” Musk said, adding that raw materials like nickel, cobalt, aluminum and lithium would not be an issue.

He declined to offer a time frame for the plant, but if the project gets the green light, work would have to start pretty soon, given that the launch date for the new Tesla Generation III model is as early as 2016.

By Dan Mihalascu

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Third Tesla Model S Fire Further Affects Confidence in the EV, Stock Down 9 Percent

One fire could be an isolated case, a second fire may be a coincidence, but how should one explain a third Tesla Model S fire over the course of six weeks? We’re not sure, but the third Model S fire is real and happened on November 6 in Smyrna, Tennessee, U.S. – ironically the place where Nissan builds its Leaf electric car.

The incident was first reported on the Tesla Motors Club forum, where a user posted a picture of the burnt car. The story was picked up by the media and quickly led to a drop of 9 percent of Tesla’s share price by midday trading on Thursday. Tesla officials confirmed the fire to ValueWalk, with a company spokesperson saying the fire was triggered by a traffic accident and was not a spontaneous event.

“We have been in contact with the driver, who was not injured and believes the car saved his life. Our team is on its way to Tennessee to learn more about what happened. We will provide more information when we’re able to do so,” Tesla’s representative said.

According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the incident occurred on Interstate 24 in Smyrna when the electric car “ran over a tow hitch” that “hit the undercarriage of the vehicle causing an electrical fire.” The Model S’ lithium-ion battery pack is protected by an armor plating.

The first Tesla Model S fire happened early in October when the car collided with a large metal object on the road, resulting in a 7 percent drop of the company’s stock price. The second fire occurred at the end of October when a drunk driver in Mexico crashed through a roundabout, a wall and a tree. None of the drivers or passengers involved in the three fires were injured.

By Dan Mihalascu

Story References: Reuters , Marketwatch via Jalopnik

Thanks to EH Deadwood for the tip!

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Daimler Wants to Deepen Cooperation with Tesla Motors

Daimler AG, the maker of Mercedes-Benz luxury vehicles, would like to expand its cooperation with electric car manufacturer Tesla Motors, a high-ranking Daimler executive told Reuters.

“I told my guys, go back to Tesla and look for other opportunities to work together", said Bodo Uebber, Daimler's chief financial officer. “We want to look for more cooperation,” he added.

Tesla is currently supplying electric motors and batteries to Daimler for its Smart ForTwo EV and the new Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive that will go on sale in 2014 in the U.S. and Europe. Uebber said Daimler could use more from Tesla, but didn’t provide details. Daimler AG holds a 4.3 percent stake in Tesla, which also supplies EV components to Toyota.

Maybe Mercedes-Benz is feeling the pressure from BMW’s new i sub-brand, which has rolled out two new electrified models, the i3 city car and the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car.

The B-Class Electric Drive is powered by an electric motor generating more than 100 kW (134 HP) and 310 Nm (228.6 lb-ft) of peak torque. It covers the 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) sprint in “considerably less than 10 seconds,” according to Mercedes-Benz, and has a limited top speed of 100 mph (160 km/h). Driving range is estimated at 200 km (115 miles).

The electric B-Class can be recharged at any standard household power socket, with charging time for a range of about 60 miles (96 km) standing at less than 2 hours at 240V/40A in the USA (1.5 hours at 400V in Europe).

By Dan Mihalascu

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