Tesla – Page 2688 – I wish I had more to offer

Tesla says investigating incident of parked car exploding in Shanghai

FILE PHOTO: A Tesla logo is seen on a wheel rim during the media day for the Shanghai auto show in Shanghai, China April 16, 2019. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo SHANGHAI (Reuters) – U.S. electric vehicle maker Tesla Inc on Monday said it had sent a team to investigate a video on Chinese social media which… Continue reading Tesla says investigating incident of parked car exploding in Shanghai

Breaking — Tesla Model S & X Refresh Production Test Run Is About To Start

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Published on April 21st, 2019 |

by Chanan Bos

Breaking — Tesla Model S & X Refresh Production Test Run Is About To Start

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April 21st, 2019 by Chanan Bos

As has been mentioned in previous articles, it has been rumored Tesla is about to refresh the Model S & X. While at this point we don’t know exactly what this refresh will include, we did just find out one very specific detail. Tesla has just shipped hundreds of new drive units from Gigafactory 1 as part of “Project Raven,” a source close to the project just informed CleanTechnica.

Does this mean that the Model S and X are about to get 2170 battery cells? Not at all, since that too would have to come from the Gigafactory and there is no evidence to suggest that. (In fact, word is: these batteries are a Model 3 bottleneck.) The new drive units are similar to those used in the Model 3 since they utilize permanent magnets. This translates into a gain in efficiency which will increase the range of the Model S and X. In addition to that, the new drivetrain is likely to be rated for a million miles just as the one for the Model 3 is, since this is an important goal for Tesla.

Many questions remain, like whether these new drive units will allow the new versions of the Model S/X to accelerate faster than the previous ones or whether Tesla will start giving people the option to choose between more range and higher acceleration. The Model S and X lines are highly manual compared to the Model 3 General Assembly 3 line. This could potentially mean offering more options, even if that goes contrary to Tesla’s long-standing effort to simplify production. Some might wonder whether reducing Model S and X options could have been a stepping stone to make the Model S and X refresh easier.

What else will this refresh potentially include? The refresh is likely to allow for higher Supercharger speeds that were recently made available via an update for the Model 3.

It is rumored that the Model S and X will get an interior very similar to the Model 3 and Y which would be a very logical step to help Tesla meet its autonomy goals for the “Tesla Autonomous Network.” A horizontal screen will help if people want to watch movies while the car drives people to where they need to get or even before full autonomy during Supercharger recharges. Who knows when exactly you will be able to browse the Netflix Supercharger subcategory of series with episodes around 20 minutes — but the sooner, the better! Unfortunately, there’s no way for us to know at this point whether the drivetrain refresh will also include the new interior or whether that refresh will happen at a later date (presuming it happens at all).

Is Tesla going to introduce an exterior refresh? Personally, I don’t think so since the current design is just absolutely amazing and it would require massive changes within the Fremont factory body and paint shop with little clear benefit.

For now, all we know is that the first few hundred drive units have been shipped from the Gigafactory, and our source indicated the S/X refresh was “imminent.” Because it’s a few hundred and not a few thousand units, though, it’s possible that this is just a test run and that it might still be months until Tesla announces the refresh. It’s hard to know how long any testing processes might take. In the meantime, we will keep our eyes peeled for any further updates or leaks.

About the Author

Chanan Bos Chanan grew up in a multicultural, multi-lingual environment that often gives him a unique perspective on a variety of topics. He is always in thought about big picture topics like AI, quantum physics, philosophy, Universal Basic Income, climate change, sci-fi concepts like the singularity, misinformation, and the list goes on. Currently, he is studying creative media & technology but already has diplomas in environmental sciences as well as business & management. His goal is to discourage linear thinking, bias, and confirmation bias whilst encouraging out-of-the-box thinking and helping people understand exponential progress. Chanan is very worried about his future and the future of humanity. That is why he has a tremendous admiration for Elon Musk and his companies, foremost because of their missions, philosophy, and intent to help humanity and its future. He sees Tesla as one of the few companies that can help us save ourselves from climate change.

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4 of 11 Tesla board members to step down by 2020

In November 2018, Musk was replaced by Robyn Denholm as the chairperson of the company’s board. San Francisco: In a move that is likely to weaken the powers of Electric Vehicle (EV) maker Tesla Founder Elon Musk and cut some of his strongest allies from the board of directors, the company has said that four… Continue reading 4 of 11 Tesla board members to step down by 2020

China’s EV Sales Grow 118% Year On Year & Fossil Sales Fall 13% — Q1 Charts!

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Published on April 10th, 2019 |

by Dr. Maximilian Holland

China’s EV Sales Grow 118% Year On Year & Fossil Sales Fall 13% — Q1 Charts!

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April 10th, 2019 by Dr. Maximilian Holland

The China passenger car association’s first quarter figures are in, and electric vehicle sales continue their rapid rise, up 118% year on year, to over 254,000. Meanwhile, fossil vehicle sales have fallen 13% year on year, to 4,823 thousand for the quarter.

Tesla Model 3 in Shanghai/Tesla.com

We know that China is full speed ahead on electric vehicles, and the first quarter 2019 figures don’t disappoint. Year-on-year growth of 118% is pretty impressive, even by Chinese standards. Here are the 2018–2019 Q1 sales of fossils and EVs compared in a chart:

click to zoom

Note that these figures are just for passenger vehicles (cars, SUVs, and MPVs). They exclude the electric buses that China is also famous for.

Fossil fuel sales continue to plummet. We saw recently that, in 2018, fossil fuel vehicle sales fell, not only in China, but also in Europe and the US. Current estimates for total global vehicle sales in 2019 are hovering around ~89 million units, down from ~95 million in 2018, according to LMC automotive.

Rapidly growing electric vehicle sales in all regions are of course a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy market, and are great news for reducing rates of pollution and climate emissions.

Let’s see how China’s EVs passenger vehicle sales so far this year compare to the sales figures of recent years:

click to zoom

Local automakers BYD and Geely are having a good year in EV sales, with shares of both companies currently buoyed by recent reports and outlook.

Tesla gained the most Q1 China EV sales of any non-local manufacturer, selling — by some back-of-the-napkin calculations (thanks Jose Pontes of EV Volumes and CleanTechnica) — likely around 10,500 Model 3s in February and March. Meanwhile, Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory, which will enable local production, is being built out very rapidly, with roofs already going up. Gigafactory 3, as it’s called, is expected reach the end of its major exterior construction phase in May.

Shanghai Gigafactory aerial photo by Wuwa Vision/YouTube

Ratings agency Fitch projects that China’s EV sales will have another good year in 2019 despite potential disruptions from the changes in the subsidy regime. Whilst it’s good that Fitch sees a strong outlook, rather than rely on rating agencies, take a look at our own extensive coverage of trends in the China EV market and make up your own mind. I’m still projecting 2 million EV sales in China in 2019. 😉

About the Author

Dr. Maximilian Holland Max is an anthropologist, social theorist and international political economist, trying to ask questions and encourage critical thinking about social and environmental justice, sustainability and the human condition. He has lived and worked in Europe and Asia, and is currently based in Barcelona.

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Tesla to shrink board to seven directors from 11

(Reuters) – Tesla Inc said on Friday that four members of its eleven-member board would be leaving over the next two years, as the electric car company looks to streamline its board. FILE PHOTO: A Tesla logo is seen in Los Angeles, California U.S. January 12, 2018. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo Brad Buss, Antonio Gracias, Stephen… Continue reading Tesla to shrink board to seven directors from 11

Tesla’s Elon Musk, SEC seek more time from court to work out deal on Twitter use

NEW YORK, April 18 (Reuters) – Tesla Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission are seeking more time from a federal court to settle a dispute over Musk’s use of Twitter, according to a court filing Thursday. A federal judge in Manhattan on April 4 ordered Musk and the agency,… Continue reading Tesla’s Elon Musk, SEC seek more time from court to work out deal on Twitter use

China EV maker Byton says business as usual despite management upheaval

Byton is building its first plant in Nanjing in eastern China with a planned annual capacity of 150,000 units in its initial phase. By Yilei Sun and Brenda Goh SHANGHAI: Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Byton, which is facing a management shake-up and questions about funding an expansion, said it has received over 50,000 orders… Continue reading China EV maker Byton says business as usual despite management upheaval

Faster than a fighter jet: The $2.5 million Pininfarina Battista electric hypercar debuts in US

H/O: Automobili Pininfarina
The Pininfarina Battista hypercar

While other automakers packed the Javits Center for the New York International Auto Show, Automobili Pininfarina launched one of the week's most exciting car debuts at an off-site event.

The company's new all-electric Battista hypercar produces a whopping 1,900 horsepower and reaches 60 miles per hour in under two seconds. That makes it the fastest street-legal car ever built by an automaker, even outrunning a Formula One race car to 60 mph.

Pininfarina has previously said that a Battista will hit 180 mph in less time than an F-16 fighter jet. All of that thrust comes from electric motors that are fed by a 120 kWh battery and should be good for around 300 miles of range on a single charge.

The company — which has roots in the storied Italian design house that styled iconic cars like the Fiat 124, Maserati GranTurismo, Ferrari Testarossa and Alfa Romeo Spider — is targeting a 2020 release date for the Battista.

H/O: Automobili Pininfarina
The Pininfarina Battista hypercar

The company enters the all-electric hypercar fray at a competitive time with companies like Rimac and NIO rushing to market ultimate-performance EVs. More established brands are also pushing for performance electrics, as Tesla gears up to build the next Roadster and Porsche puts its Taycan on sale.

Automobili Pininfarina has secured U.S. retail partnerships with distributors in Los Angeles, Miami, New York and San Francisco. With just 50 of the 150 Battistas destined for the North American market and a $2.5 million price tag, the Battista is sure to be a rare sight. According to the company, over half of the cars slated for North America have been reserved.

The Battista was first shown during Monterey Car Week in a private showing. The company plans to return to Monterey this year to launch the “PF1,” which is supposedly Automobili Pininfarina's upcoming electric luxury car.

H/O: Automobili Pininfarina
The Pininfarina Battista hypercar

Chinese electric sports car Qiantu K50 by Mullen coming to US roads next year

Haze Fan | CNBC

An estimated 40 battery-electric vehicles are on display at this week's New York International Auto Show, and contrary to their popular image as slow and stodgy, many of them put an emphasis on performance, including the new Qiantu K50 by Mullen.

With its twin electric motors drawing power from a lithium-ion battery pack, the K50 can punch out 430 horsepower and 560 pound-feet of torque, enough to launch it from 0 to 60 in just 4.3 seconds, with an electronically limited top speed of 112 mph.

Already on sale in China, there is a two-month backlog of orders, said David Michery, founder and CEO of California-based Mullen Technologies, a start-up partnering with Chinese automaker Qiantu Motor to bring the K50 to the U.S. market next year.