WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Tesla Inc has asked the Trump administration to exempt the Chinese-made car computer “brain” of its new Model 3 sedan from 25 percent tariffs imposed in August, saying they threaten the electric carmaker’s bottom line. FILE PHOTO: A car carrier trailer carries Tesla Model 3 electric sedans, is seen outside the Tesla… Continue reading Tesla urges tariff exemption for Chinese-made car computer ‘brain’
Tag: Manufacturing
Spectrum-Scan LiDAR developer Baraja closes $32M Series A – Green Car Congress
Baraja, the developer of Spectrum-Scan LiDAR for autonomous vehicles, announced a $32-million Series A investment from Sequoia China, Blackbird Ventures, and the CSIRO Innovation Fund managed by Main Sequence Ventures. In July 2018, Baraja launched a novel LiDAR system that uses prism-like optics and shifting wavelengths of light. The company will use the funding to… Continue reading Spectrum-Scan LiDAR developer Baraja closes $32M Series A – Green Car Congress
The all-electric Polestar 2 will be the first car with Google’s native Android Auto
Volvo’s futuristic performance brand Polestar released the first teaser image of its second car this week (seen above). The aptly named Polestar 2 will be Volvo’s first all-electric car, and has specs (on paper, at least) that match up with some of the best EVs that are about to hit the road. It will also… Continue reading The all-electric Polestar 2 will be the first car with Google’s native Android Auto
Future Model 3 rival: Volvo Polestar 2 electric performance car teased
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Polestar 2 teased
Volvo’s Polestar sub-brand has released a teaser picture and revealed a little more about its first electric car, to be called the Polestar 2. And the fledgling tech-performance brand doesn’t miss a beat in mentioning the Tesla Model 3.
The Polestar 2, which will be the first fully electric vehicle from the entire Volvo Car Group, will be a four-door fastback that offers more than 300 miles of range and more than 400 horsepower. Polestar says that it will be sold in the same range as the Model 3—which currently, given the Model 3’s price cut this week, starts at $45,200.
DON’T MISS: Volvo confirms Polestar 2 electric “sedan”
With production volume too small to justify its own from-scratch platform, Volvo/Polestar is expected to borrow from Volvo and Geely’s shared CMA architecture, which underpins the Volvo 40-Series models, such as the XC40. The design of the Polestar 2 is expected to be a little more SUV-like than Polestar is making it sound here, though—more like the Volvo 40.2 concept, a small SUV more like the BMW X4.
Volvo 40.2 concept
Polestar says that the 2 will be the first vehicle in the world to get the new Google Android HMI (human-machine interface)—essentially the successor to Android Auto—as well as the in-car version of Google Assistant.
CHECK OUT: Volvo XC40 crossover SUV to be company's first all-electric car
It will be available for sale, but the company will emphasize a subscription based on the Care by Volvo package, which wraps the vehicle plus all associated motoring costs (like insurance) into one monthly payment—and, significantly, offers the ability to trade for other Volvo models for a few days a year outside the U.S.
The 2 will go into production in early 2020 (or possibly as soon as later this year). The first electric vehicle to bear the actual Volvo badge is expected to be a version of the XC40 crossover, reaching the market later in 2020. Volvo has already suggested that model will have a range in the vicinity of 250 miles and a starting price of $35,000 and $40,000.
Polestar will borrow some ideas from the Tesla playbook while tapping into the on-the-ground resources Volvo already has in place. Vehicle purchase—or subscription—will be via a web page, but shoppers can see the vehicle at its own urban showrooms. Traditional Volvo dealerships come into play as service and logistics hubs for concierge service.
Volvo says that a full reveal of the Polestar P2 is just a few weeks away.
Tesla plans to begin Model 3 deliveries to China in March
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2018 Tesla Model 3
Tesla has confirmed that it plans to start making deliveries of its Model 3 sedan to China in March.
That will complement an export strategy that’s ramping up in multiple ways. With the volume of U.S. deliveries potentially falling due to the reduced federal plug-in tax credit on Teslas in 2019, and the following a strong sales push through the end of 2018, Tesla will be focusing efforts in 2019 toward Europe as well as China. European deliveries, Tesla has said, will start in February.
DON'T MISS: Tesla ekes 4 more miles out of Model 3 Mid Range
Tesla has initially priced Model 3 for China at 499,000 yuan for the Dual Motor Long Range version and 560,000 yuan for the Performance version. That equates to about $72,600 and $81,500, respectively. Both are currently available for reservation in the automaker’s configurator for the Chinese market, and both will arrive in March.
In November Tesla cut its prices in China for the Model S and Model X by 12 to 26 percent in order to make the model more “affordable”—in reaction to the additional tariffs that were levied on U.S imports that made the cars much harder to sell. These official prices for Model 3 likely too reflect such an adjustment, as they're lower than the unconfirmed/projected prices leaked last fall.
CHECK OUT: Green Car Reports Best Car To Buy 2019: Tesla Model 3
Tesla then said that it was absorbing a significant part of the tariff, and said that the matter would force it to speed up investment in its China Gigafactory, to be located near Shanghai.
That facility, which will build the Model 3, upcoming Model Y crossover, and potentially other models, is expected to make up to 500,000 vehicles per year, with a potential production ramp-up starting late in 2020.
Tesla allows people in Europe and China to start configuring Model 3s
Tesla started taking reservations for the Model 3 in Europe and China at the end of 2018, which meant that interested buyers were able play around with the company’s online configurator after plunking down a $1,000 deposit. But now anyone in those markets can tinker with the company’s “design studio,” as Tesla announced on Friday… Continue reading Tesla allows people in Europe and China to start configuring Model 3s
Tesla opens up Model 3 configuration to left-hand drive European countries
Here's what Tesla analysts are missing, bear warns
20 Hours Ago | 01:47
The electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla has announced that some customers in left-hand drive European countries can now configure and buy its Model 3 car.
The U.S. firm announced the change via its Twitter handle:
The cheapest Model 3 option in Germany is priced at 60,000 euros ($68,000.)
Deliveries in right-hand drive markets, such as the United Kingdom, are set to start in the second half of 2019. U.K. customers can already reserve a Model 3 but cannot yet configure the specifications.
Earlier on Friday, Tesla also opened its Model 3 configurator for the Chinese market, offering customers to choose between the long range all-wheel drive and the Performance version.
“We're excited to bring Model 3 to Europe and China early next year, given that the market for midsize premium sedans in those regions is even larger than in North America,” Musk said during an earnings call in October 2018.
The cost of a Tesla Model 3 Performance car will now set back a Chinese customer around 560,000 RMB ($81,000). This reflects a discount of about $25,000 after Beijing suspended the extra 25 percent tariff on cars and parts imported from the U.S.
The cheaper mid-range Model remains unavailable to configure for either Europe or China.
Tesla is currently building a factory 3 in Shanghai which is expected to produce battery packs and electric vehicles at some point this year.
Volkswagen advises against hardware retrofits for diesel cars
Not all Euro 5 vehicles can be retrofitted and not all of them will achieve emissions of less than 270 mg/km The stark differences in the condition of the vehicles to be retrofitted leads to risks regarding functionality and emissions The increased component load may lead to long-term secondary damage and therefore limited reliability Volkswagen… Continue reading Volkswagen advises against hardware retrofits for diesel cars
BMW unveils Individual M850i Night Sky with 3D printed meteoric parts
German multinational automotive company BMW Group, has introduced the BMW Individual M850i Night Sky car, including parts made by additive manufacturing. Through the company’s customization facility BMW Individual Manufaktur, in Garching, Germany, the one-off M850i Night Sky was designed in anticipation of an intense meteor shower which took place earlier this week. Using aluminum and meteoritic rock materials,… Continue reading BMW unveils Individual M850i Night Sky with 3D printed meteoric parts
VW increases sales in the US by more than four percent
The car market in the US is causing problems for many manufacturers – but not VW: despite the exhaust gas scandal, the Wolfsburg-based group is significantly increasing its US sales. By contrast, things were worse for Audi and Daimler in 2018. VW boss Herbert Diess at the Detroit Auto Show (January 2018) Friday, 04.01.2019 09:10… Continue reading VW increases sales in the US by more than four percent