VW – Page 3351 – I wish I had more to offer

See Where Automaker’s Electric Car Investments Are Going

23 M BY WADE MALONE No one is shocked that China will see the largest slice of the pie. Over the next decade, automakers will be investing heavily in electric vehicle technologies. Reuters analyzed investment and procurement budgets announced by automakers over the past two years. According to Reuters, $300 billion is currently devoted to… Continue reading See Where Automaker’s Electric Car Investments Are Going

Who Shops At Tesla Stores? — #NewsQuickie

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Published on January 11th, 2019 |

by Zachary Shahan

Who Shops At Tesla Stores? — #NewsQuickie

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January 11th, 2019 by Zachary Shahan

The data firm Factual stalked shoppers at US Tesla stores for a period of time last year and discovered some interesting things about the people who walk into those Apple-like showrooms.

Like CleanTechnica readers, the people strolling around Tesla stores and galleries were fairly wealthy. (Who’s surprised?) Shoppers were 109% more likely to have incomes between $150,000 and $175,000.

They were also 70% more likely to be new home owners than the average American.

The Tesla shoppers were also quite young, which fits well with my anecdotal evidence. Those strolling around Tesla stores were 40% more likely to be 35–44 years old.

Perhaps the wackiest — or most interesting — finding is that the respondents were 135% more likely to be Disney enthusiasts.

To wrap things up, these are the 10 dealership brands most likely to be frequented by the humans Factual found snooping around in Tesla stores:

Jaguar
Land Rover
MINI
Volvo
Audi
Volkswagen
Porsche
BMW
Lexus
Honda

We haven’t done thorough in-store (or lingering-outside-the-store) research, but we have conducted surveys of over 2,000 electric car drivers and 1,000 potential drivers. We didn’t ask if they were Mickey Mouse enthusiasts for some reason, but we did ask them a bunch of questions about the electric cars they have, the features they want in their next cars, and who they are. One particularly interesting finding was that 45% of current electric car buyers intend to buy a Tesla next.

To get that full report, head to: Electric Car Drivers: Demands, Desires & Dreams (2018).

If you plan to buy a Tesla too and want the benefits that come from using a referral code, feel free to use mine — http://ts.la/tomasz7234 — or not.

About the Author

Zachary Shahan Zach is tryin' to help society help itself (and other species). He spends most of his time here on CleanTechnica as its director and chief editor. He's also the president of Important Media and the director/founder of EV Obsession and Solar Love. Zach is recognized globally as an electric vehicle, solar energy, and energy storage expert. He has presented about cleantech at conferences in India, the UAE, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, the USA, and Canada.

Zach has long-term investments in TSLA, FSLR, SPWR, SEDG, & ABB — after years of covering solar and EVs, he simply has a lot of faith in these particular companies and feels like they are good cleantech companies to invest in. But he offers no professional investment advice and would rather not be responsible for you losing money, so don't jump to conclusions.

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Audi e-tron electric SUV buyers can leave the charger installation to Amazon

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2019 Audi e-tron first drive – Abu Dhabi UAE, December 2018
Given how often automakers expect electric-car drivers to charge at home—80 to 90 percent of the time, by most estimates—it’s surprising that more attention isn’t paid to making sure that those drivers can get the most out of home charging.

With its e-tron electric SUV arriving in dealerships this spring, Audi is one of the first automakers to partner with a retailer consumers probably already trust to keep it all organized and on a tight timeline: Amazon.

At an Amazon and Audi Charging Solutions page, drivers and shoppers can see three levels of home charging for the e-tron: Standard, Better, and Best.

DON’T MISS: How to recharge an electric car in the middle of nowhere: Amazon drone?

Standard means using the mobile charger that comes with the e-tron to plug into a standard U.S. 120-volt outlet—with a full charge taking up to a whopping 90 hours. (In this case, there's nothing to buy.) The Better solution involves plugging the e-tron’s 240-volt mobile charger into a NEMA 14-50 outlet that’s been installed through Amazon. And the Best solution involves using a dedicated wi-fi equipped smart charger, while keeping the mobile charger in the vehicle so it’s there when needed.

Amazon Audi charger installation

Both the Better and Best solutions, utilizing a 240-volt outlet, allow a full charge in 9 to 12 hours.

Partnership for installing the ‘Best’

While the service wants to win customers over with the Audi co-branding, it doesn’t want to lock itself to a particular brand of charger. “Customers will shop by price, by the features they need,” said Pat Bigatel, the general manager of Amazon Home Services, at the e-tron's reveal event last year. “That’s one of the reasons we don’t typically pick a brand in anything we do; we want to give customers choice.”

Through the Audi program there are two chargers: a 32-amp ChargePoint Home, or a JuiceBox Pro offered in 40-amp or 32-amp versions. Both offer voice control via Amazon Alexa and are UL-listed and Energy Star Certified.

CHECK OUT: Electric cars from Audi, Porsche: Explaining platform magic

Amazon, which has been selling Level 2 home chargers for many years—we first reported on it in 2011—bases pricing on a series of simple questions such as whether the charger will be installed in a basement or garage, whether the panel has been upgraded or not, and whether the building was built before or after 1990. It also asks for the estimated length of conduit needed between the electrical panel and the preferred location. A full service-panel upgrade is one of the top options if you find you’ll need to juggle between your central A/C, car charger, and dryer.

The Amazon service includes the installation of the charger and of a dual-pole 50-amp circuit breaker (40-amp if required/desired, for the 32-amp unit), as well as the installation of a junction box if required by local code. It doesn’t include projects that involve trenching, drywall work, or other rewiring, and permitting and inspection costs aren’t included.

READ MORE: 2019 Audi e-tron first drive: Redrawing the electric-vehicle boundaries

The charging program, installation and all, is being phased in now for some cities—with many more soon, before the vehicle's April launch. It's backed by what Amazon calls its Happiness Guarantee, meaning essentially that Amazon with be the go-between to help resolve anything between you and the professional—an aspect that could be quite useful in big-city markets (on the West Coast especially) that are short on electricians, among other skilled trades.

Another big bonus of the Amazon program: Under its terms, the service provider must call you within one business day of placing the order to schedule the installation. Amazon works primarily with third parties, which means a background check and approval process.

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Jeep and Ram diesels, Cadillac electrics, MyChevy updates, Audi chargers: Today’s Car News

Sketch for proposed Volkswagen electric off-road SUV
GM announced a major restructuring that will result in more electric cars, with Cadillac as its focus. Fiat Chrysler will fix its dirty Ram pickup and Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesels. And Audi has partnered with Amazon to get home chargers installed for its e-tron customers. All this and more on Green Car Reports.

In a settlement reminiscent of Volkswagen's, owners of EcoDiesel Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram pickups will be offered cash along with a free software update to bring their vehicles into compliance with emissions laws.

GM made a major announcement that it plans to expand its electric vehicle lineup and convert Cadillac to an electric brand.

In the meantime, the company is trying to make life easier for Chevy Bolt EV owners by bringing live information on charger availability from ChargePoint, EVgo, and Greenlots to the MyChevy app.

And Audi plans to have Amazon sell and coordinate installation of chargers for its line of e-tron electric vehicles.

Volkswagen poached an engineer from Apple's Titan self-driving-car effort to head its own commercial self-driving and mobility services programs.

Finally, VW may be planning to build an electric off-road SUV as part of its new ID lineup of electric vehicles.

_______________________________________

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Look Out, Germany — The Tesla Model 3 Is Coming (Video)

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Published on January 5th, 2019 |

by Matt Pressman

Look Out, Germany — The Tesla Model 3 Is Coming (Video)

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January 5th, 2019 by Matt Pressman

Originally published on EVANNEX.

It’s hard to argue that Germany isn’t the heartbeat of automotive excellence. That said, an invader is coming (soon) to its home turf. According to Automotive News Europe, “Tesla will start the European rollout of its Model 3 in February, putting pressure on German premium brands that have seen the Model S outsell flagship sedans such as the Mercedes-Benz S class.”

Gibbs reports, “The Model 3 will cost 63,000 euros ($72,000) in Germany for the long-range battery pack version, a German Tesla dealer said. The Performance version, which adds a second electric motor, will also be sold in Europe. The German dealer wouldn’t comment on the price of the Performance version but a UK dealer estimated it would cost around 72,000 pounds ($92,000). The prices don’t include local purchase incentives for electric cars.”

Looking ahead, “First deliveries of the Model 3 in German-speaking markets will go to Switzerland, the German dealer said. Norway will also see cars in February, according to a tweet from a Norwegian on the reservation list.” Gibbs notes, “Customers without reservations will get a car quicker if they choose the more expensive Performance version, the German dealer said. Customers ordering the less expensive version would receive their car in the summer, the dealer said.”

Watch as Tesla decides to surprise Model 3 reservation holders in Germany (Youtube: Tesla)

Gibbs writes, “Among full-electric cars, the Model 3 will go up against the Jaguar I-Pace and the Audi e-tron, which are both being rolled out in Europe. It’s also likely to cannibalize sales from Tesla’s own range, especially the Model S, among customers who want the latest electric car and are less concerned about the category it sits in.” [Editor’s note: That has apparently note been the case in the US, where the Model 3 has already seen ~140,000 sales.]

How are Tesla’s sales in the region with its larger sedan, the Model S? According to Gibbs, “The Model S now outsells the range-topping sedans from Mercedes, BMW, and Audi in their European home markets. In the first 10 months, the Model S has sales of 13,209 in Europe, according to JATO Dynamics market researchers. The No. 2 seller was the [Mercedes] S class with a volume of 12,688, followed by the BMW 7 series with sales of 8,221 and the Audi A8, which sold 4,854 units.”

A Tesla Model S in Germany. (Image via Tesla Shuttle)

However, the company’s Model X SUV hasn’t been quite as successful as its Model S. Gibbs reports, “Tesla also sold 8,801 units of its Model X SUV in Europe through October, according to JATO data.” However, “A smaller SUV badged Model Y will be unveiled next year, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said.”

About the Author

Matt Pressman is all about Tesla. He’s a TSLA investor, pre-ordered the Model 3, and loves driving the family's Model S and Model X company cars. As co-founder of EVANNEX, a family business specializing in aftermarket Tesla accessories, he’s served as a contributor/editor of Electric Vehicle University (EVU) and the Owning Model S and Getting Ready for Model 3 books. He writes daily about Tesla and you can follow his work on the EVANNEX blog.

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Wrong manufacturer information: new cars swallow 39 percent more than stated

Despite all the debates on the exhaust gas scandal: cars consume significantly more fuel on the road than the manufacturers specify. A study shows that the calculated CO2 reduction is thus far missed. An average new car consumed an average of 39 percent more fuel in 2017 than officially stated. That goes out a study… Continue reading Wrong manufacturer information: new cars swallow 39 percent more than stated

Interview: Ola Källenius – Mercedes-Benz in 2020 – GTspirit

Ola Källenius, current member of the board of Daimler AG, is on track to become the next CEO of Daimler when Dr Zetsche signs off before the end of this decade. During our recent visit to the New York Auto Show we caught up with him to discuss the vision for Mercedes-Benz in 2020. But… Continue reading Interview: Ola Källenius – Mercedes-Benz in 2020 – GTspirit

No buybacks: FCA settlement for Ram pickup, Jeep Grand Cherokee Ecodiesel owners

2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel, Bear Mountain, May 2014
In a case involving diesel-powered Jeep Grand Cherokees and Ram pickups from 2014 to 2016, Fiat-Chrysler has entered into a settlement remarkably similar to the Volkswagen diesel settlement.

The big difference is that Fiat-Chrysler won't buy back any trucks or SUVs, because all the vehicles are capable of being brought into compliance with emissions requirements by updating their software, says class-action settlement administrator Elizabeth Cabraser.

In the class action settlement, owners, of 2014 to 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram EcoDiesels will receive up to $3,075 in compensation for buying the trucks that did not live up to their “EcoDiesel” labels. Lessees and former owners can receive payments of up to $990.

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel, New York City, Jan 2014

The settlement amounts are designed to compensate owners for the cost of the “diesel premium” they paid for their cars above what a comparably equipped gas-powered model would have cost.

Owners will also receive limited extended warranties of up to 10 years/120,000 miles from the original date of purchase of 4 years/48,000 miles from the date they get their car's emissions software updated.

To receive the settlement, owners will have to take their vehicles back to a Jeep or Ram dealer to have the software updated to clean up their emissions of nitrogen oxides, a major contributor to smog.

DON'T MISS: Fiat Chrysler to end diesel engines in cars by 2022 (but not trucks): report

Former owners and lessees will be eligible for lower settlement amounts.

Cabraser, says the software update is not expected to affect either the vehicle's performance or fuel economy.

2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel

Under the settlement decree, FCA is required to repair at least 85 percent of the vehicles or face fines of $6,000 per vehicle that isn't repaired.

The settlement, and the fix, apply to 2014 to 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokees and Ram 1500 pickups with the 3.0-liter V-6 EcoDiesels. It does not apply to a different emissions recall for larger Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups with a 6.7-liter Cummins diesel inline-6.

CHECK OUT: Cummins issues diesel emissions recall larger than VW's

In addition, the FCA will pay $400 million in criminal fines with the U.S. Justice Department and California's office of the Attorney General as well as civil penalties to the EPA and the California Air Resources Board and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (since the engines were imported.)

The settlement affects about 100,000 vehicles, far fewer than the 500,000-plus Volkswagen affected by in that company's diesel emissions scandal. FCA has set aside $800 million to settle the claims.

The company will also pay $19 million to California to support other emissions mitigation efforts in the state.

READ THIS: 300K bought-back VW diesels are decaying in 37 lots as it waits for … what?

Bosch, a German automotive supplier which provided the original emission software is also contributing to the settlement.

Even as it agrees to the settlement, Fiat Chrysler claims that it did not deliberately scheme to install defeat devices to cheat emissions tests and it makes no admission of guilt regarding the charges.

“We acknowledge that this has created uncertainty for our customers, and we believe this resolution will maintain their trust in us,” said Mark Chernoby, FCA’s head of North American safety and regulatory compliance.

READ MORE: VW TDI owners face deadline to finalize claims (Updated)

Authorities are targeting mid-May for the software update to be available, as the settlement still requires final approval by the court. Once it receives that approval, existing EcoDiesel owners will have 18 months to file claims and former owners will have 90 days.

Volkswagen wrapped up its settlement for 2.0-liter TDIs at the end of the year. Its vehicles (primarily Audis) equipped with 3.0-liter diesel V-6s has been released but those owners still have until Aug. 31 to submit their claims. A class action suit has also been filed against Mercedes-Benz over emissions from some of its Bluetec diesel-equipped cars, but it has not been accepted by a court.

Tesla Discontinues 75 kWh Battery For Model S & Model X Effective January 13

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Published on January 10th, 2019 |

by Steve Hanley

Tesla Discontinues 75 kWh Battery For Model S & Model X Effective January 13

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January 10th, 2019 by Steve Hanley

Things are constantly changing at Tesla as the company juggles prices and content in its quest for sales and profitability. As of January 1, the company’s cars are no longer eligible for the full $7,500 federal EV tax credit. For the next 6 months, they will qualify for only half that — $3,750. In response, Tesla lowered prices on all of its cars by $2,000.

So, it seems counter intuitive that Tesla has now decided to discontinue the 75 kWh battery for its Model S sedan and Model X SUV as of January 13. The announcement came in a tweet from Elon Musk on Wednesday and gives customers only 5 more days to order a car with that battery. Raising the price of its large cars hardly seems like a strategic way to boost sales, so the company must have something else in mind to encourage demand.

The Verge reports that a Tesla spokesperson declined comment on the announcement, which means there is plenty of speculation about what the elimination of the 75 kWh battery means for the company going forward. In the short term, it means the base price of the Model S will jump from $76,000 to $94,000 come Monday. Similarly, the price of a Model X goes up from $82,000 to $97,000. This at a time when competing electric SUVs from Jaguar and Audi selling for $75,000 or less are already on the market or due to arrive shortly.

Has Tesla taken leave of its senses? Probably not, but in the absence of hard information, there is a lot of speculation. The staff here at CleanTechnica has been tossing around some of those questions while lazing beside our rooftop salt water pool at CT Central. Bear in mind, our thoughts, although informed by years of reporting on all things Tesla, may or may not be accurate. By Monday, Tesla may have made other announcements that add considerably to our understanding of the situation.

Are New Batteries Coming?
The Model S and Model X use 18650 battery cells produced by Panasonic. The Model 3 uses the newer 2170 battery cell made by Tesla at its Gigafactory 1 in Nevada. The Model 3 is currently offered with two battery sizes — a 75 kWh Long Range unit and a 62 kWh Mid Range option. Eventually a 50 kWh Standard Range model will be offered, but that option is not yet in production. When it is, the Mid Range choice will probably be eliminated.

Tesla has almost always offered a choice of batteries in its cars. How likely is it that its large vehicles will now go forward with only one battery available? That seems unlikely, but we’ll see.

When Tesla introduced the Model 3, there was no mention of battery size, no kWh to decipher. Elon Musk eventually responded that, indeed, most humans don’t think in kWh and it made more sense to just talk miles when communicating with the masses. Is Tesla going to do the same with the S & X now? The answer may be contained in a somewhat cryptic Twitter response by Elon Musk to Alistair Gray, who asked, “Are you moving away from battery sizing in a similar sense to how Model 3s are sold ie Long Range, Performance etc?” Musk’s answer was “Yes.”

More Questions Than Answers
There are a couple of moving pieces to the Tesla puzzle at the moment. The 2170 battery cells are believed to be more energy efficient and less costly to manufacture than the older 18650 cells. People have speculated for some time that eventually the newer cell design would find its way into the battery packs for the larger cars.

The Model S has been on sale since 2012, with no dramatic styling changes except for a new front end treatment (even though thousands of changes have been made through the years in a quiet manner). Rumors of a redesigned Model S have been swirling for years. Presumably, a new version of the Model S would be able to take advantage of the manufacturing lessons learned by Tesla since 2012, making it less costly to produce and therefore more profitable.

Battery prices have continued to fall every year and it is believed Tesla is already at or slightly below the $100 per kWh level with its latest 2170 cells. Could Tesla reduce the price of its large cars with the 100 kWh battery packs and add a 120 kWh or 125 kWh battery pack that uses 2170 cells as the new premium price offering? Such a large battery in a redesigned, more efficient chassis could push the range of the car closer to 400 miles. That would also better differentiate the Model S from the Model 3 (and the Model X from the coming Model Y).

Finally, Tesla is scheduled to begin rolling out its Version 3 Superchargers soon. Could the company have new battery packs and upgraded battery management systems that would allow its cars to obtain an 80% state of charge in 15 minutes or less?

We don’t know the answers, but will continue to share the latest Tesla news with our readers as soon as it is available. If you are interested in owning a Tesla but find the Model 3 a bit snug for your tastes, this may be the ideal time to order a Model S 75 at an affordable price. Is Tesla planning changes to that car? Almost certainly so. It is constantly making improvements to all its cars. As Elon says, the cars coming off the line today are the best Teslas ever made and the best time to buy a Tesla is now, as always.

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 take him. His motto is “Democracy is socialism.” You got a problem with that?

You can follow him on Google + and on Twitter.

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Clients can get involved in the assembly of their own e-Golf at Volkswagen Transparent Factory in Dresden

One of the three places where customers could get involved: joining the drive train to the body (“marriage”).

Follow your own vehicle during production
Four stations at which the driver can assemble the car (with instructions)
Arnd Meyer-Clasen, Head of Sales: “With us, not only are customers able to be there during the production of their car, but can now also get involved themselves.”

DRESDEN, 11-Jan-2019 — /EuropaWire/ — The opportunity to follow production can be booked when ordering the e-Golf from the dealer. Appointments can be made during the production time, i.e. Monday to Friday, 6:00 am to 10:00 pm. The special experience package costs EUR 390. In addition to following production, this includes inner-city transfers, a tour of the production and exhibition area, souvenir photos and a voucher of EUR 50 for a restaurant visit to the e-VITRUM.

Customers can now get a much closer look at their e-Golf during production. In the Transport Factory, you can accompany your future vehicle a part of the way along the production line. Under the expert guidance of the factory’s employees, the customer is able to actively get involved at four stations, e.g. when installing the dash panel. Other places where the customer can experience the assembly of their vehicle include joining the drive train to the body (“marriage”) and installing the front radiator grille. With the new possibility of accompanying production, the Volkswagen Transparent Factory in Dresden is expanding its range of services in respect of the electric mobility experience.

Arnd Meyer-Clasen, Head of Sales: “The Transparent Factory is the showcase of e-mobility of Volkswagen. In addition to test drives, configuration and delivery of the e-Golf, another highlight we now offer is the ability to follow production. With us, not only are customers able to be there during the production of their car, but can also get involved themselves. Electric mobility that you can touch: this experience is unique in the automotive world.”

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SOURCE: Volkswagen AG