Tesla – Page 2445 – I wish I had more to offer

EcoFlow’s giant Delta battery is powerful enough to charge a Tesla

EcoFlow, maker of big-ass batteries that can even be stacked in the relentless pursuit of portable power, has returned with an even bigger-ass battery. Delta is dubbed “the world’s strongest battery generator” by the company and tops out with a capacity of 1300Wh and continuous AC output of 1800W. It also supports 3300W surges to… Continue reading EcoFlow’s giant Delta battery is powerful enough to charge a Tesla

Mazda’s First Electric Car Does Not Believe In Large Batteries

It relies on the plug-in hybrid arrangement and on a rotary engine. Mazda will finally give in to electric mobility at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show. But not quite. The first electric effort from the company – embodied by the e-TPV concept – claims small battery packs are the best, with the lowest CO2 emissions… Continue reading Mazda’s First Electric Car Does Not Believe In Large Batteries

Volvo wants to chase away Tesla customers: “We had to make a radical break with the past”

manager-magazin.de: Mr Ingenlath, with Polestar Volvo is building up its own electric car brand. Unlike VW with its ID models or Mercedes with its EQ family, you do not create a completely new brand, but with Polestar, you are modifying a former tuning and performance company for the electric car brand. Why so complicated? Thomas… Continue reading Volvo wants to chase away Tesla customers: “We had to make a radical break with the past”

Aptera return, Polestar factory, Bollinger progress, Tesla insurance: The Week in Reverse

What ingredient for electric-car batteries is currently in a state of oversupply?

And which electric-vehicle brand from the past dusted off the mothballs and claimed a 1,000-mile range?

This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending August 30, 2019.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk (r.) and Shanghai Mayor Ying Yong in Shanghai July 10, 2018

On Friday we brought you some reassuring news about Tesla. It has gained a purchase tax exemption on all of its vehicles—although it could still be facing some tariff trouble over the Model S, Model X, and others that it might import from the U.S.

That was just some of the news we brought you this week from China, the world’s largest vehicle market (and EV market). Nio, which has planned to enter the U.S., is offering free battery swapping in its home market. And Polestar, the electrified performance brand related to Volvo, is asserting more independence by ramping up its own factory in China.

Polestar 1 production at plant in Chengdu, China

Meanwhile back in the U.S., Polestar will be considered a standalone automaker for federal EV tax credit eligibility. And we looked ahead about a month to October 1, when GM—with all of its brands counted together—will be faced with another drop in the amount buyers of eligible vehicles like the Chevy Bolt EV can claim.

In California, the biggest electric-car market in the U.S., Tesla launched a new insurance product—although it doesn’t appear to be quite as data-driven as Elon Musk suggested several months ago.

Design for new Aptera electric car, Aug 2019

Before Tesla was taken all that seriously, a completely different electric-vehicle idea was gaining traction. Ten years later, Aptera is returning with essentially that same idea, but with modern battery tech and a range of up to 1,000 miles.

Lincoln is seeking to bolster its demographics by making the most luxurious model in its Aviator SUV lineup a robust plug-in hybrid—albeit a sort of placeholder in the lineup. Meanwhile the closely related Ford Explorer Hybrid, which skips the plug-in range, has been rated at up to 28 mpg, according to the EPA

2020 Ford Explorer hybrid

Also later in the week we considered several future vehicles, through the spy shots of our partner site, Motor Authority. A Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid could take some of the brand’s experience with the Prius Prime and expand it to one of the most popular vehicle segments. And the Volkswagen ID 4X—the ID Crozz as we knew it as a concept—could also arrive in that same popular size class as the RAV4.

With the Frankfurt auto show just a couple weeks away, several more concept-car teasers gave us some glimpses of the future. An Audi AI:Trail concept could show how autonomous driving and off-roading could coexist, while Lexus might finally enter the electric vehicle fold with an urban EV.

Bollinger motors preparing B1 and B2 prototypes – August 2019

Bollinger Motors isn’t headed for mass production, hasn’t gone with outside investors, and isn’t aiming to make passenger vehicles. It is planning to show the production-intent prototypes of its B1 electric SUV and B2 electric pickup at an event in Michigan September 26.

Battery suppliers are facing an unexpected glut of lithium, although other problematic materials like nickel and cobalt will likely keep battery prices from falling any faster than already anticipated.

And on the subject of battery suppliers—and coming back full-circle to China—we started the week off with the news that Tesla has chosen LG Chem to be its primary supplier for vehicle production in China.

Tesla Model 3 Buyers In China Can Rejoice Thanks To Sales Tax Exemption

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Published on August 31st, 2019 |

by Steve Hanley

Tesla Model 3 Buyers In China Can Rejoice Thanks To Sales Tax Exemption

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August 31st, 2019 by Steve Hanley

No one knows what is going to happen with the “easy to win” tariff war initiated by America’s putative president over a year ago, least of all him. What we do know, however, is that China has agreed to grant all Tesla vehicles an exemption from the 10% purchase tax that all new car buyers normally pay.

According to Reuters, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced the exemption on August 30. The change marks an important concession amidst trade tensions with the United States. On average, the exemption will lower the cost of buying a new Tesla by 99,000 yuan, or about $13,957, according to a post on Tesla’s social media WeChat account.

All 16 variants of the Tesla Model S, Model X, and Model 3 offered for sale to Chinese customers are listed in a document detailing the exemption on the MIIT website. No reason was given for the decision to exclude the cars from the tax, but it does come at a time when Tesla is expanding in China by building a new factory in the Free Trade Zone outside Shanghai.

Leading up to the start of production at that factory, Elon Musk has visited China several times. He has publicly praised China in the midst of tensions with the United States and thanked the Shanghai and national governments for their support.

Musk has met with senior leaders, including China’s Vice President Wang Qishan and the transportation minister. He has called national leaders “very thoughtful” and alluded to China’s “amazing” progress in sustainable energy, transport, and space exploration. “This year they did more orbital launches than the USA for the first time,” Musk tweeted last December.

Craig Irwin, an analyst for Roth Capital, tells Reuters, “It is pretty clear Tesla is committed to China, with the investment in the Shanghai Gigafactory. Those relationships probably helped Tesla lobby for a successful exemption from the tax. Now we need to closely watch the build out of the Shanghai Gigafactory and Model 3 volume ramp in China.”

While Tesla does not disclose sales by country, consulting firm LMC Automotive estimates the company sold 23,678 cars in China in the first seven months of this year, which is nearly double the number it sold in 2018.

Also on Friday, Tesla announced it is raising the price of the cars it sells in China by 2% to offset the weakening of the yuan in recent weeks. The long range dual motor Model 3 is now 439,900 yuan ($61,467), up from 429,900 yuan ($60,070) previously. But the net effect is that, after the purchase tax exemption, Tesla will cost a Chinese customer considerably less to buy this week than it did last week. Tesla stock was up 4% following the exemption announcement.

Tesla is clearly betting heavily on China, which only makes sense since its new car market is the largest in the world and its electric car market accounts for approximately half of global electric car sales. It’s true that sales are not quite as robust this year as they have been in previous years, but there will still be more than 22 million new cars sold in China this year, even in a down market, with perhaps 8% of those being plug-in car sales.

With its close ties to the national and local governments, Tesla should be well positioned to sell as many cars in China as it can manufacture. We’ll keep you informed via our regular China EV sales reports.

About the Author

Steve Hanley Steve writes about the interface between technology and sustainability from his home in Rhode Island and anywhere else the Singularity may lead him. His motto is, “Life is not measured by how many breaths we take but by the number of moments that take our breath away!” You can follow him on Google + and on Twitter.

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Ford Future Plans: CEO Jim Hackett Talks Electric Cars and Much More – Motor Trend

Jim Hackett is not a prototypical car guy. Nor is he a straight-line thinker or talker. But after more than two years as CEO of Ford, amid some head-scratching and skepticism, his unorthodox methods and esoteric train of thought are making some sense and showing signs they might pay off. The former Steelcase CEO has… Continue reading Ford Future Plans: CEO Jim Hackett Talks Electric Cars and Much More – Motor Trend

Exclusive Interview With Chris Anthony: Aptera’s CEO

He talks about the past and especially about the future of the company. Chris Anthony was one of the founders of the original Aptera. He is also one of the executives that want to finally deliver what promises to be the most energy-efficient car in the world. “We never stopped thinking Aptera since 2011 so… Continue reading Exclusive Interview With Chris Anthony: Aptera’s CEO

Tesla receives tax exemption on all its cars in China as it increases prices

In surprising news for Tesla in China today, Tesla received a sale tax exemption for all its electric cars in the country, but it also increased prices at the same time. The price increase was expected as the trade affects the exchange rate and requires adjustments, but the tax exemption certainly comes at a surprise.… Continue reading Tesla receives tax exemption on all its cars in China as it increases prices

Tesla gets official nod from China with tax exemption

The California-based electric car maker Tesla has received a boost from the nation with the world’s largest auto market—China.

As part of a declaration posted Friday by the country’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Tesla is receiving an exemption from a 10-percent purchase tax.

The news, which is part of a broad policy applying to domestic electric vehicles, comes after a visit from Elon Musk to the company’s Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai and, prior to that, a widely publicized AI debate with Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba, at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference.

According to China Daily, Tesla was also included in Shanghai’s Pilot Free Trade Zone on August 20—a move that will place the company at a further financial advantage.

Tesla has already achieved a level of favored status from the Chinese government. Production facilities from foreign automakers in China have traditionally been required to form 50/50 joint ventures with local automakers, but Tesla is the first to operate one itself—under a special cooperation agreement that will involve the government to some degree. The Gigafactory 3, as Tesla calls it, is ramping up to start production of the Model 3 sedan later this year.

The new sales tax exemption covers the entire current lineup: Tesla Model S, Model X, and Model 3. Tesla has announced that it plans to build the Model 3 and upcoming Model Y crossover locally in China, for the Chinese market—with higher margins expected for those vehicles than for those Tesla makes in the U.S.

As an analyst noted to Reuters, this move doesn’t mean that punitive tariffs are off the table—and that could be a future financial burden of its own. Last week the Chinese government said that auto tariffs that were paused in April may be resumed in December. That would include a 25-percent tariff on cars from the U.S., like the Model S and Model X, which are still expected to be produced in California, for China.

Walmart Sues Tesla Over Rooftop Solar Fires

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Published on August 22nd, 2019 |

by Steve Hanley

Walmart Sues Tesla Over Rooftop Solar Fires

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August 22nd, 2019 by Steve Hanley

Update: This story may not be as straightforward as initially presented:

We’ve reached out to Tesla to ask for further commentary.

Another update (full linked document also available here):

As a 3rd update, read our new piece on this story, which is basically Part 1 of this subject: What’s The Real Reason Walmart Is Suing Tesla?

Back in 2010, Walmart was one of the first major companies to get involved with the solar power revolution. It teamed up with SolarCity, the rooftop solar company started by Elon Musk’s cousins Lyndon Rive and Peter Rive, to install rooftop solar arrays on 224 of its stores.

To date, seven of those rooftop installations have caught fire, causing millions of dollars in structural damage and lost sales. Unable to resolve their differences, Walmart has now sued Tesla, claiming the company, which purchased SolarCity in 2016, has been guilty of a long list of failings ranging from negligence to incompetence to mopery on the high seas.

Image courtesy SEIA/Solar Means Business report

The SolarCity Mess
We are accustomed to thinking of Tesla as a well managed company with a clear road map to the future in place. Yet it has floundered repeatedly with the solar end of things since acquiring SolarCity, a decision many analysts said at the time was little more than a bailout for a pair of cousins whose company was about to sail over the brink of viability into the ignominy of bankruptcy.

According to a reporter at Business Insider who has a long history of negative Tesla stories, the complaint by Walmart says Tesla has no explanation why the rooftop systems caught fire, adding that Tesla had no accurate drawings of the solar panels, no procedures in place to deal with the issue, and no employees trained in how to inspect or fix them. In fact, its own employees had to show Tesla employees where there were cracks and temperature issues involving the solar panels.

Tesla says its inspections found 157 areas that need repair or replacement at all 224 stores. Walmart claims the total number of defects is far higher. “On information and belief, the actual conditions are worse than as documented by Tesla, based on Tesla’s history of deficient and incompetent inspections, including Tesla’s reliance on untrained, unqualified, and unsupervised personnel to install and maintain the systems,” Walmart said in its court filing.

According to CNBC, Walmart alleges in its claim that Tesla bought SolarCity to “bail out the flailing company” and mentions SolarCity 46 times throughout the lawsuit. The complaint further alleges that SolarCity created a culture that tolerated defects because of its desperate need to keep cash coming in the door and that Tesla has failed to address that issue.

Lastly, it also accuses Tesla of filing reports that said it had made repairs to Walmart’s roofs when it had not. As part of the relief sought, Walmart is seeking to terminate its solar roof contract with Tesla and force Tesla to remove all the rooftop systems it has installed on the roof of Walmart stores.

Were Investors Told?
The suit raises a lot of “he said, they said” issues that will get thoroughly hashed out in court. But the most important threat to the company comes from what Tesla may or may not have told its investors — both stockholders and bondholders — about its financial exposure as a result of the Walmart situation. Business Insider asks a number of cogent questions:

Did Tesla ever disclose the loss of Walmart’s business to shareholders?
Did Tesla ever disclose the loss of Walmart’s business to SolarCity bondholders?
Is Tesla concerned about possible class actions related to SolarCity roofs now?
Does Tesla have insurance that would cover a lawsuit like that?
Have other customers (homeowners or businesses) experienced fires like this?

CleanTechnica is often accused of being a Tesla fanboy site. It’s true that we do write a lot of articles that are laudatory of the company and its chief executive. Yet, it’s possible our hero has the proverbial feet of clay. He does have a penchant for over-promising and under-delivering, for moving fast even when yellow caution lights are flashing.

Confusion Abounds
Plenty of outside observers have suggested Elon Musk bullied the board of directors for both Tesla and SolarCity to approve a merger without completing the due diligence such a decision required. Since the merger, Tesla has altered its solar business model multiple times, first dismantling the door-to-door sales model SolarCity followed, then announcing a major link-up with Home Depot that was quickly cancelled, and also rolling out a splashy reveal of the Tesla Solar Roof nearly two years ago.

In the meantime, Gigafactory 2, the Tesla solar factory in Buffalo, New York, seems to be drifting along and doesn’t get the attention, fanfare, or revolutionary output figures many expected. Even deliveries of the company’s Powerwall residential home battery are way behind schedule. But for the company’s success in utility-scale battery storage, the SolarCity piece of the Tesla puzzle seems to be running poorly and is a huge hit to Musk’s aura of invincibility.

It’s not hard to argue that Tesla could have pursued its energy storage ambitions without taking on the debts of SolarCity. The latest debacle with Walmart could be a serious black eye for the company, one that could cause a loss of confidence in Tesla and its leadership at a critical time for the company.

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