JLR – Page 750 – I wish I had more to offer

Cadillac reveals images of the brand’s first EV, built on GM’s “BEV3” platform to challenge Tesla

As we reported last week, GM recently announced plans to position Cadillac as its lead electric vehicle brand. Today, GM shared the first images of Cadillac’s planned first all-electric vehicle. So far, we have no details other than two images, showing it to be a crossover-style vehicle. We are still waiting on a name, timeline,… Continue reading Cadillac reveals images of the brand’s first EV, built on GM’s “BEV3” platform to challenge Tesla

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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Jaguar Land Rover car factories resume production – Coventry Telegraph

Production has resumed this week at Jaguar Land Rover’s two Midland car factories following a temporary shutdown. The Coventry car maker’s factories in Solihull and Castle Bromwich both saw shutdowns – Solihull for two weeks and Castle Bromwich for one week. Jaguar Land Rover said the Castle Bromwich shutdown was to coincide with half-term and… Continue reading Jaguar Land Rover car factories resume production – Coventry Telegraph

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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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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Don’t blame job losses at Jaguar Land Rover and Ford on Brexit | Larry Elliott

Viewpoint column Automotive industry Don’t blame job losses at Jaguar Land Rover and Ford on Brexit Larry Elliott There are four big issues troubling the automotive industry and leaving the EU isn’t one of them Workers on the production line at the Jaguar Land Rover factory in Solihull. Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty Images Ford and Jaguar… Continue reading Don’t blame job losses at Jaguar Land Rover and Ford on Brexit | Larry Elliott

Jaguar Land Rover confirms 4500 job losses as part of ‘transformation plan’

Jaguar Land Rover confirms 4500 job losses as part of 'transformation plan'

Musk axes affordable Tesla Model S, X 75D

2018 Tesla Model S and 2018 Tesla Model X
In a tweet Wednesday afternoon, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that the company will quit selling low-end, short-range versions of its Model S sedan and Model X SUV.

The move will dramatically raise effective prices on those models and may push potential buyers into higher-spec Model 3s instead.

READ MORE: Tesla cuts prices $2,000, almost hit 250,000 vehicles in 2018

Currently, the base price for a Model S 75D is $77,200, a little pricier than the most expensive Model 3. Without the 75D, the lowest-spec Model S will be the 100D with 335 miles of range, which starts at $95,200—an $18,000 price bump.

The story is similar with the Model X SUV, which currently starts at $83,200 for the 75D version, which has a 237-mile range. The Model X 100D, with a 295-mile range, starts at $98,200—$15,000 more than the 75D.

DON'T MISS: Tesla Model 3 Mid Range misses $35,000 target by $9,000 even after price cut

Dropping the entry-level Model X may also push buyers who want a more affordable electric luxury SUV to Tesla's new competition. The Jaguar I-Pace is rated at 237 miles and starts at $70,525.

In Musk's tweet, he said the company will cease taking orders for the 75-kwh Model S and Model X on Sunday night, Jan. 13, though the company could have inventory after that point.

After the most recent price cut, the Model 3 starts at $46,200, while the most expensive version is $71,200.

Jaguar Land Rover to cut 4,500 jobs

UK’s largest carmaker to revamp business amid falling diesel demand and decline in China Go to Source

Ford to cut thousands of jobs in shake-up

Carmaker Ford has announced plans for a major shake-up of its operations in the UK and mainland Europe. It is expected to lead to thousands of job losses across Europe, including the UK, although cuts at its UK factories are not thought to be imminent. But Ford Europe boss Steven Armstrong said should the UK… Continue reading Ford to cut thousands of jobs in shake-up