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Tesla offers to cover remainder of full tax credit if it can’t deliver by year-end

2018 Tesla Model 3 Long Range RWD
Buyers interested in a Tesla have just one week to take delivery before the full federal tax credit gets cut in half—unless Tesla can't get the car delivered until the new year, that is. Then, Tesla says it will make up the difference.

There are some caveats, of course.

CHECK OUT: Tesla (again) says buyers must order today for full tax credit

Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted on Saturday that if Tesla committed to make a delivery and a customer made “good faith efforts” to receive the car before the end of the year, Tesla will cover the difference between the new $3,750 half-credit and the full $7,500 credit for 2018.

Musk has twice set deadlines for customers to order new cars to receive the full tax credit, the latest one being the end of November. The latest tweet refers to cars ordered before that point, if Tesla can't deliver them by Dec. 31. He didn't specify what efforts might constitute “good faith” in Tesla's estimation.

Last week, Tesla released all the cars that customers couldn't receive by the end of the year for immediate delivery to new customers. Musk said he would return the deposits of those customers who ordered the cars and couldn't receive them. He also noted that display and test-drive Teslas are available for immediate delivery at discounts off the standard MSRP.

DON'T MISS: Tesla sells 200,000th car, starting phaseout of federal tax credits

The federal tax credits were structured so that after any automaker sells 200,000 plug-in cars, the credits start a wind-down period. At that point, buyers can continue to claim the full $7,500 credit for the remainder of that quarter and for the full quarter following. After that, the credits are cut in half for six months, in half again for another six months. After that, they are eliminated altogether.

Tesla's full-tax-credit marketing campaign covers deliveries until midnight New Year's Eve. The clock is ticking.

Tesla Model 3 Configurator Opens In Denmark — Most Expensive Starting Price Of Any Market Yet

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Published on December 23rd, 2018 |

by Jesper Berggreen

Tesla Model 3 Configurator Opens In Denmark — Most Expensive Starting Price Of Any Market Yet

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December 23rd, 2018 by Jesper Berggreen

Receiving an email from Tesla on the 21st of December 2018 was the most exhilarating experience since I put down 10,000 DKK ($1,500) for a place in the queue on the 1st of April 2016, but the kick I got turned out to be a kick in the face. The starting price for a Tesla Model 3 in Denmark is — as far as I can tell — the highest in any market yet, and thus a whole lot more than I had hoped for.

Before I show you the numbers, I must admit that I fully understand Tesla’s strategy, because the European market is going to be huge for Tesla with the Model 3 entering the scene. This car is going blow the market to pieces. Right now the Renault Zoe, Nissan Leaf, VW e-Golf, and BMW i3 are quietly struggling to be on top, but that all ends with the Model 3. So, Tesla has to start as slow as it can in order to keep up later.

I went to look at the Model 3 first hand at the Tesla dealer here in Aarhus. It was a beautiful red multi-coat Long Range AWD version (I fit perfectly in the driver’s seat I might add). I asked the sales attendant how things were going with the orders just a few hours after the initial batch of emails were out. He could not give me any specifics, but he said his personal opinion was positive.

Clever dude. No specific information, but I could tell from his radiant smiling face that lots of Danes where clicking the order button!

Anyway, there I was, having realized that my wait was not over, by any stretch of my imagination. Here’s why:

Denmark Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD price without enhanced autopilot

That’s $70,785 for the black Dual Motor Long Range Model 3, which is the cheapest possible Tesla Model 3 without Enhanced Autopilot and before savings in Denmark right now. That’s for delivery in February/March. The price includes 25% VAT and — just to rub salt in the wound — $500 in registration tax.

This is more than a black Model 3 Performance with Enhanced Autopilot in the USA, which comes in at $70,000:

USA Tesla Model 3 Performance price with enhanced autopilot

Now, I do not mean to be whining about this too much, because I honestly have trouble finding enough cash for any EV right now, and I do understand the reason for Tesla to only offer the two top models in Europe at first. The demand is so strong for this car on the Old Continent that if Tesla had started with the Mid Range RWD, it would probably not have been able to keep up. This way, the fortunate folks with cash on hand can say, “Heck, let’s go with the AWD version, even though we don’t really need it,” and thus Tesla evens out the logistics. If I could, I certainly would. If Tesla had made an exception for Denmark and reserved a batch of Mid Range RWD for us, everyone else would have been pissed off.

By comparison, the same black Dual Motor Long Range Model 3 goes for €55,400 ($63,064) in Germany, which has lower VAT (20%) and I believe a €4,000 ($4,553) incentive.

All this just proves two things: Denmark is not a frontrunner in adoption of EVs, but also that all good things come to those who wait, and wait, and wait…

I found a used 2014 Model S 85 online for DKK 350,000 ($54,000). Hmm, maybe…

No, I’ll just wait…

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About the Author

Jesper Berggreen Jesper had his perspective on the world expanded vastly after having attended primary school in rural Africa in the early 1980s. And while educated a computer programmer and laboratory technician, working with computers and lab-robots at the institute of forensic medicine in Aarhus, Denmark, he never forgets what life is like having nothing. Thus it became obvious for him that technological advancement is necessary for the prosperity of all humankind, sharing this one vessel we call planet earth. However, technology has to be smart, clean, sustainable, widely accessible, and democratic in order to change the world for the better. Writing about clean energy, electric transportation, energy poverty, and related issues, he gets the message through to anyone who wants to know better. Jesper is founder of Lifelike.dk.

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Tesla stock falls after cutting prices in China and paying customers for missed tax credit

Noah Berger | Reuters
Tesla Chief Executive Office Elon Musk speaks at his company's factory in Fremont, California.

Tesla fell as much as 6.7 percent Monday after the company cut prices in China and said it would pay customers who missed a tax credit deadline due to the company's production delays. The Nasdaq Composite Index was down about 1 percent on Monday morning.

CEO Elon Musk tweeted Saturday that it would make sure customers weren't faulted for the tax credit they missed out on due to Tesla's production delays. The Republican-controlled U.S. Congress agreed to phase out tax credits for people who buy electric vehicles. Under the new policy, the tax credit would be reduced by 50 percent every six months until it was phased out completely.

Customers who had yet to received the cars they ordered from Tesla took to social media to complain about the lack of communication from the company, worried about getting their cars before the $7,500 tax credit was reduced by half on Jan. 1. In response to one tweet, Musk tweeted, “If Tesla committed delivery & customer made good faith efforts to receive before year end, Tesla will cover the tax credit difference.”

Tesla also recently cut prices for some of its Model 3 cars in China by up to 7.6 percent, according to the Chinese version of its website. Tesla has adjusted prices in China two other times in the past two months. The company said it was “absorbing a significant part of the tariff to help make cars more affordable for customers in China,” when it slashed prices of the Model X and Model S cars by 12 to 26 percent.

It again cut prices on its Model S and Model X cars earlier this month after China's finance ministry effectively lowered the cost of importing the cars from the U.S. by suspending additional tariffs on U.S.-made vehicles and auto parts for the first three months of 2019.

-Reuters contributed to this report.

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Watch: Watch what it's like to ride inside Elon Musk's first Boring Company Tunnel

Watch what it's like to ride inside Elon Musk's first Boring Company tunnel
11:55 AM ET Wed, 19 Dec 2018 | 01:36

Tesla rival looks like its German alter ego

Tesla rival looks like its German alter egoTesla Inc.’s latest German rival is a fast-moving startup with global ambitions, no combustion-car baggage and a lofty valuation. And its hard-charging founder aims to challenge Elon Musk’s company with a bargain electric car for the masses.
Set up by an engineering professor with a track record of successfully developing and selling electric vehicles, e.GO Mobile AG is ramping up production of a battery-powered compact that will cost about half as much as the Tesla Model 3. But unlike the California pioneer, the German manufacturer expects to generate cash out of the gate.
“I’ve needed Tesla as a role model,” Guenther Schuh, e.GO’s founder and the mastermind behind Europe’s best-selling electric van, said inside his factory built on the site a former television-tube plantin Aachen, near the French border. “For so long, no startup or individual entered this shark tank alone, so it was great to get a demonstration of how that might work.”
Initial funding for e.Go came from Schuh’s sale of StreetScooter, a no-frills electric van, to Deutsche Post AG in 2014. Germany’s mail carrier was looking for an affordable electric vehicle for urban deliveries, and Schuh the chair of production engineering at RWTH Aachen University, one of Germany’s top technical schools developed a bare-bones model with no air conditioning or radio and a top speed of less than 50 miles per hour. The model was a surprise hit, and Deutsche Post has doubled StreetScooter capacity to 20,000 a year and is considering listing the unit.
In addition to StreetScooter proceeds, German auto supplier ZF Friedrichshafen AG invested 135 million euros ($154million) in e.GO as part of a project to jointly develop a self-driving minibus. The startup has now enlisted HSBC Holdings Plc to raise as much as 300 million euros for its plans to expand to four models a deal that could lift its value above $1 billion, making it a rare German “unicorn.”
While Tesla is focusing on upscale buyers and offering sports car-like performance, e.GO is taking a utilitarian tack. Its first model, the Life, is a simple urban runabout that looks like a boxy version of the Fiat 500. The four-seater boasts a cheap price for an electric car, but not much else. So far, e.GO has 3,200 pre-orders and isn’t taking more. Deliveries will begin in April, and the plan is to produce100,000 vehicles annually by 2022 on par with Tesla’s output last year.
“It’s going to be tough’’for e.GO to compete with entry-level conventional cars unless pollution-related driving restrictions force thrifty buyers to switch to electrics,saidWolfgang Bernhart, a partner at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants in Munich. “In time, there’ll also be competition from used electric cars.”
Regulatory support may be on the way after the European Union mandated an additional 37.5 percent reduction in carbon-dioxide emissions from cars by 2030. The new limit comes on top of tighter 2021 restrictions, and the decision prompted Volkswagen AG to say it’ll need to overhaul a 30-billion-euro investment plan to prepare for battery vehicles accounting for more than 40 percent of European deliveries.
The transition to the electric-car era has increasingly strained traditional carmakers, prompting partnerships that would have been unthinkable a few years ago. BMW AG and Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler AG are in talks to join forces on batteries, vehicle platforms and autonomous-driving technology to stem rising expenses, according to people familiar with the matter.
The no-nonsense specifications of the Life stem from e.GO’s response to offsetting high battery costsand steeper procurement prices than larger rivals. The German manufacturer uses as many off-the-shelf parts as possible including the drive train, which comes from Robert Bosch GmbH, and rear lights that were initially developed for trucks. That saves time and money. Schuh expects the company to generate positive cash flow already next year and be profitable in 2021, in stark contrast to Tesla’s cash-burn issues.
The e.GO Werk 1 plant spans some 16,000 square meters more than the size of two soccer fields and cost 26 million euros to build, a fraction of the price tag of an ordinary auto factory.
During a visit last month, employees gathered around a vehicle chassis sitting on an autonomous platform, gradually moving down a production line spanning one length of the building. Testing booths were located on the other side, with plenty of space in between for more capacity.
The facility located on an industrial estate near Aachen’s city center was strewn with computer screens and bins of components in preparation for series production starting in March, five months later than planned. To head off Musk’s “production hell” on the Model 3, Schuh is using the unexpected delays caused by supplier tests to fine-tune assembly. For instance, he tweaked a hoisting platform to eliminate the risk of it crushing cars.
Expansion beyond Aachen is already in the works, with discussions underway to set up assembly joint ventures in China and Mexico and make battery cells in Germany. Schuh is also in talks with Chinese cities to collaborate on areas for autonomous vehicles, like its 15-person Mover minibus.
Despite the grand ambitions, e.GO’s success ultimately depends on making money on an electric car cheap enough to offset the drawbacks of limited driving ranges and long charging times (as much as 9.8 hours for the Life). Schuh is aware that he’s entering uncharted waters.
“I don’t know any carmaker that makes money in this vehicle category,” the lanky, bespectacled professor said. “Especially not if they’re electric.”
Read or Share this story: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/mobility/2018/12/20/tesla-rival-looks-like-german-alter-ego/38773623/

Audi's electric e-tron mimics its conventional SUV stablemates

Audi's electric e-tron mimics its conventional SUV stablematesIf consumers expect the coming wave of electric cars to be quirky and different to drive, then Audi is going to surprise with the e-tron.
Driving this battery-powered Audi is almost exactly like experiencing a conventional vehicle, except that you won’t have to pull into a gas station, at least not for fuel.
What’s more, the e-tron looks normal. Its crossover design closely mimics that of its Audi SUV stablemates, sized just a little larger than the popular Q5. Inside, the five-passenger e-tron shares the same multi-screen dash layout as the latest versions of the Audi A8, A7 and A6 sedans, which means it’s state of the art, but recognizable.
The familiar design philosophy is no accident. Audi wants buyers to feel comfortable switching to an electric car. More adventurous Audi EV designs can and will come later: Witness the striking e-tron GT sedan recently unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show and due in showrooms in 2020.
My first drive of the e-tron happened in of all places, Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates. An ironic location for an EV program, you might think, given the wealthy region’s oil-based economy. But the UAE is busy prepping for the era of renewable energy with massive solar power projects and energy efficient urban building designs, so there is a rationale for launching an electric car there.
Heading for the desert roads outside Abu Dhabi in 90-degree temperatures, the e-tron didn’t break a sweat. With its big 95-kWh battery pack, the e-tron is heavy at 5,600 pounds, but the standard air suspension system makes it feel relatively light and agile.
Performance is fairly strong, with the 0-60 mph dash taking 5.5 seconds and top speed limited to 124 mph. Compared to the high acceleration rates available in some Teslas, the e-tron is on the tame side, but it is not intended to be a drag strip contender. (On the other hand, I predict the sporty e-tron GT will tick the box for ‘blistering’ performance when it arrives.) Meanwhile, this Audi’s performance is all about smooth and refined progress, with a level of quietness that you would normally associate with flagship luxury sedans.
Only now and again, when decelerating to a stop for instance, can your ears detect the telltale whine of the electric motors. There are two, one in front and a larger one at the rear. Combined, they deliver 400 horsepower.
Our drive route took us to a dramatic 4,000-foot mountain peak called Jebel Hafeet. Rising up out of the sand dunes, Jebel Hafeet is notable for its stark beauty and a fantastic seven-mile road that snakes it way to the summit and is regarded by enthusiasts as one of the best drives in the world.
We pushed the e-tron hard through the 60 or so corners on the way up the mountain and found it handled surprisingly well, with crisp steering and good suspension control. The car’s heft could be felt as understeer in the tightest turns, but with the battery’s weight concentrated so low in the structure, body roll is modest.
Such an aggressive pace on the mountain ascent did suck a fair amount of energy – about 10 kWs – out of the battery, but we made around four kWs back on the drive down as the regenerative brakes recouped electrical energy.
The braking system is an element that separates the e-tron from other EVs already on the market. “We are the only ones who do it right,” claims Carter Balkom, the e-tron sales and marketing chief. “The one-pedal regenerative braking effect was a crutch for early EVs.” Balkom explains that the e-tron can be configured to slow quickly by simply lifting off the accelerator – the so-called one pedal driving method used by most other EVs. But the Audi is designed to be most efficient at recovering energy when the brake pedal is used in normal fashion. As such, the e-tron also delivers a familiar coasting sensation that feels more natural when slowing for a traffic light or stop sign.
The battery itself is being warrantied by Audi for 100,000 miles or eight years, which the company feels should allay one of the biggest consumer concerns about EVs. As for range, an official US government figure has yet to be determined, but it’s expected the e-tron will cover around 220 miles between charges. The car comes with a 9.6-kW charger, which will replenish the battery in about eight hours. However the e-tron is designed to work with a nationwide network of 150-kW fast chargers being established by Electrify America that cut the charging time to 25 minutes. “If we can get the time down to about 15 minutes, then we are approaching a gasoline car refueling experience,” says Balkom.
Audi’s pricing for the e-tron starts at $74,800 for the premium-plus model. The loaded Prestige version costs $81,800. These prices put the e-tron is same ballpark as Jaguar’s I-Pace, but significantly undercut the Tesla Model X.
At this price level the e-tron is obviously not going to be a mainstream EV, but the car’s conventional driving character and refined demeanor should go a long way to smooth its path towards consumer acceptance.
John McCormick is a columnist for Autos Consumer and can be reached at jmccor@aol.com
Read or Share this story: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/foreign/2018/12/20/audis-electric-e-tron-mimics-conventional-suv-stablemates/2336541002/

Bosch to highlight innovative solutions and services for the mobility of the future and for the smart home at CES 2019

Bosch booth: Central Hall #14020 / Twitter #BoschCES

World first: Bosch debuts a driverless electric concept shuttle with integrated services
CES 2019 Innovation Awards®: six honorees for Bosch solutions
Mobility of the future: less stress, improved safety and efficiency
Smart help: assistants in the home and in the garden make life easier by learning for themselves

STUTTGART, 14-Dec-2018 — /EuropaWire/ — At CES 2019 in Las Vegas, Central Hall, booth #14020 from January 8 to 11, 2019, Bosch is presenting technological answers to today’s challenges, including urbanization, population growth, and climate change. The supplier of technology and services will be highlighting innovative solutions and services for the mobility of the future and for the smart home.

World first: Bosch concept vehicle for a new kind of mobility
At CES, Bosch wants people to experience a new kind of mobility in the form of a driverless electric concept shuttle with integrated services. This kind of mobility will soon feature on streets in major cities around the world: whisper-silent, driverless shuttles that are seamlessly connected with their surroundings. Bosch will provide the necessary hardware, software, and new digital services that will enable users to book vehicles, pay for their ride, or share it with other passengers.

CES Innovation Awards: a total of six honorees for Bosch
In the run-up to CES 2019, Bosch received a total of six CES Innovation Awards. The CES Innovation Awards are an annual program run by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) covering 28 categories, and serve as an indicator of future trends. This year, awards went to the following Bosch products and solutions:

1. All-in-one principle for vehicle connectivity:
For the future of connected, automated driving, vehicles need the ability to communicate smoothly both among themselves and with their environment. To this end, Bosch has developed a universal connectivity unit for all Wi-Fi-based and wireless-based transmission technologies used in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication. This enables vehicles to communicate with each other and with traffic infrastructure, regardless of the country or manufacturer. Software produced by the Portuguese startup Veniam handles the complex task of managing the data connections. It constantly searches for the best transmission technology for each requirement and switches automatically between the available options.

2. Trucks with no exterior mirror:
The new Mercedes-Benz Actros is the first production truck to feature a camera system in place of conventional main and wide-angle mirrors. Known as Mirror Cam, this system offers better 360-degree vision. In addition to increasing safety, having compact digital cameras instead of mirrors improves the truck’s fuel consumption thanks to the cameras’ considerable aerodynamic advantages. Two cameras, fitted left and right on the roof of the driver’s cab, feed real-time images to two high-resolution 15-inch displays mounted on the A-pillars inside the cab. The system adjusts the monitor display to match the driving situation. Overall, Mirror Cam greatly improves the truck’s aerodynamics, safety, and vehicle handling. Daimler’s development partners for the Mirror Cam system are Bosch and Mekra Lang.

3. The smartphone as car key:
The Bosch Perfectly Keyless access system will soon let car drivers, car-sharing fleet operators, and logistics companies manage their vehicle keys digitally. They can use a smartphone app to decide at any given time who should have access to cars or trucks and when. The ingenious feature of this Bosch system is that it makes the connection between smartphone and vehicle more secure than ever. Perfectly Keyless can pinpoint the authorized smartphone like a digital fingerprint. For CES 2019, Bosch has installed the system in a demonstration vehicle based on a Ford Mustang.

4. Radar-based assistance systems prevent motorcycle accidents:
Blind-spot detection, collision warning, and adaptive cruise control: giving motorcycles radar as a sensory organ enables new motorcycle assistance and safety functions while providing an accurate picture of the vehicle’s surroundings. As a result, these assistance functions not only increase safety, they also enhance enjoyment and convenience by making life easier for riders. According to Bosch accident research estimates, radar-based assistance systems could prevent one in seven motorcycle accidents. These electronic assistants are always vigilant and, in emergencies, they respond more quickly than people can. They are based on a combination of radar sensor, brake system, engine management, and HMI.

5. App for connecting e-scooters:
A new app turns e-scooters into connectivity pros. As well as displaying key information such as the e-scooter’s current battery charge, it allows rider-vehicle communication and the option to connect with other users via social networks. This makes it easy for users to find out which of their friends are in the area. In addition, there is a connected helmet holder on the e-scooter’s handlebar which is controlled by app. Whenever the e-scooter is parked, this provides a storage solution for the helmet while also protecting the vehicle against theft and its display against vandalism.

6. Retrofit solution for more efficient machinery and households:
Bosch has developed the Phantom algorithm to help small and medium-sized enterprises assess and greatly increase the energy efficiency of their machinery. This retrofit solution, which takes just a few minutes to install, uses sensors to measure the load on each device in the customer’s energy consumption network to provide valuable insights into usage and potential faults. This enables users to improve the machinery’s operations and efficiency. In homes, too, Bosch Phantom can tell how much power each device is using. This energy transparency makes it possible to save electricity.

Mobility of the future: selection of solutions and services
Driving electric, yet stress-free – that is the goal of Convenience Charging, the Bosch service that the company is presenting at CES 2019 in a demonstration vehicle based on an Audi A3 e-tron. This integrated charging and navigation solution enhances the everyday benefits of electromobility. In the future, the service will tell electric cars precisely when their power will run out, but also where they can find the next charge spot. To this end, Convenience Charging combines information from the electric powertrain with both vehicle and environment data to produce a reliable range forecast. The service uses state-of-the-art route planning to determine charging opportunities based on the driver’s personal preferences. In the future, drivers of electric cars will be able to order food for delivery directly to their pre-booked charge spot, so they can make the best use of the charging time. Using the Convenience Charging app, drivers will also be able to plan the charging stops they need in the comfort of their own home, with the app then seamlessly transmitting the suggested routes between charge spots to the vehicle.

Safe use of cell phones when driving:
The mySPIN smartphone integration solution makes it safe for drivers to use smartphone apps while they are on the road. Now, mySPIN also supports the MirrorLink vehicle communication standard. In the future, it will take just a simple adapter for the vehicle’s infotainment system or instrument cluster to enlarge mySPIN-compatible apps and display a reduced set of their key functions. Drivers will then be able to operate the apps by touch or using the vehicle’s rotary push button. Bosch is also developing mySPIN smartphone integration for commercial vehicles, motorcycles, scooters, and powersports vehicles.

Lifesavers from the data cloud:
In Germany alone, some 2,000 warnings about wrong-way drivers are broadcast each year. In most cases, however, the warning comes too late, since such incidents generally end after an average of 500 meters – in the worst case with fatal consequences. Bosch has developed a cloud-based solution that sends a warning to wrong-way drivers and all road users at risk within ten seconds. Some 15 radio and navigation apps already use Bosch wrong-way driver warning technology to reach people in 13 European countries. The service relies on a software module for integration into existing infotainment systems and apps.

Making the electronic horizon even more accurate:
Today, the electronic horizon provides data on road inclines and the sharpness of bends to complement navigation data. Because the system enables vehicles to think ahead, it enhances both safety and convenience. Bosch is now working on the next-generation electronic horizon, which will be even more accurate and up to date. In addition to information on road classifications, bends, and vertical profiles, it will provide vehicle systems and navigation systems with geometries for each and every traffic lane as well as infrastructure data with 3D objects. This will help automated vehicles determine their precise location within the lane.

A seat-of-the-pants feel for automated vehicles:
Bosch predictive road-condition services will allow self-driving vehicles to determine how road conditions will develop over the course of a journey, based on weather data provided by the company’s partner Foreca. As a sufficient number of connected vehicles take to the roads, Bosch will supplement its predictive road-condition services with vehicle data. This will increase the safety, availability, and convenience of automated driving functions.

Automated driving in cities:
San José in California’s Silicon Valley is set to become the pilot city for an automated ridesharing service provided by Bosch and Daimler. The three parties have already signed a letter of intent ..

Continental at CES 2019: Mobility at your service. Freedom to Live

Continental at CES 2019: Mobility at your service. Freedom to Live ©Continental AG

Demonstrates real-world Intelligent Intersection in Walnut Creek, California
Unveils broad portfolio for smart cities including City Fleet Management, Autonomous Shuttle (CUbE), Intelligent Street Lamp and Intelligent Wearables
Displays how City Data as a Service enables Continental to provide interoperable, integrated and end2end service

Las Vegas, NV, USA, 18-Dec-2018 — /EuropaWire/ — Las Vegas, December 17, 2018. Today half the world’s population lives in cities; in three decades this number will grow by another 2.5 billion , adding more vehicles to the already overcrowded roads. As more cities approach the population tipping point, digitalization will lead the shift to a new mobility ecosystem. At CES 2019, Continental will demonstrate its solutions and key technologies for future cities around the theme “Mobility at your service. Freedom to Live.”

“Intelligent mobility is an essential pillar of the smart city. The number of connected devices exceeds the world’s population today, facilitating real-time exchange of information between vehicles, infrastructure and people. At CES 2019, Continental will demonstrate solutions that foster mobility intelligence, ease traffic congestion and reduce accidents and pollution, addressing the most critical challenges of urban mobility,” said Helmut Matschi, member of the Continental Executive Board and head of the Interior Division.

Intelligent Intersection live in Walnut Creek, California
Continental will present its first comprehensive Intelligent Intersection pilot that is operating in the heart of Walnut Creek, California. A three-dimensional view of the intersection, displayed using augmented reality, will let visitors experience data feeds from traffic at the junction and talk first hand with experts about the value intelligent intersections can bring to smart cities. First introduced as a concept at CES 2018, Continental’s Intelligent Intersection is a real-world, end-to-end solution comprising a sensor set, powerful sensor fusion algorithms to generate a comprehensive environmental model and Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC) to transfer valuable information between the intersection and connected vehicles.

The solution makes it possible to warn an oncoming driver about a crossing pedestrian outside the driver’s line of sight. Its data can also be used to control signal changes, streamlining traffic and reducing emissions and idling time at intersections. The concept is integral to protecting vulnerable road users (VRUs) such as pedestrians and cyclists and supports drivers in complex intersection traffic scenarios, like preventing left-turning cars from running head-on into traffic that approaches from behind an occlusion. It can also inform drivers turning right about traffic approaching from the left.

Additionally, Continental’s Intelligent Intersection enables the collection of information and statistics from intersections – often congested, high-incidence zones – which can then be used for traffic flow, safety and environmental improvements.

“Like Continental, Walnut Creek prioritizes safety, efficiency, and accessibility for its road users. The city has high vehicle and pedestrian traffic, and a longstanding focus on transportation innovation, creating a perfect environment for piloting our Intelligent Intersection technology,” said Jeremy McClain, Director of Systems & Technology, Continental North America.

City Fleet Management for shared mobility
Car sharing is expected to experience sustained growth for the foreseeable future. In smart cities, electric vehicle sharing is an especially attractive option to reduce noise and environmental pollution. Moreover, it provides an alternative to individual car ownership, reducing the number of cars, congestion and need for parking spaces in cities. The City Fleet Management solution provides users easy access to shared electric vehicles, optimizing management for the fleet operator and offering excellent usability for end customers. For fleet operators, it reduces the burden of paperwork, physical handover of keys and even the task of vehicle maintenance.

The entire process can be completed end-to-end using a mobile app, from booking and granting access to returning the vehicle, from billing and payment to incident reporting. The system optimizes fleet usage for the operator. For example, if a customer needs to travel only a short distance, he / she does not need to waste time waiting for a fully charged vehicle or alternately feeling uncertain about the vehicle having insufficient range to reach the destination, as is sometimes the case today. To optimize fleet usage, the operator can assign the same fleet of vehicles to two different customers with different usage time periods. For example, the same fleet of vehicles can be used by office workers during the day and a security company by night. City Fleet Management ensures proper recording of the fleet usage and if required, invoicing and payment.

If recharging the vehicle is necessary during the trip, the customer, can earn an incentive for taking on the task, which is a significant value-add for the fleet operator. During the journey, the vehicle can be tracked and if a critical situation arises, the driver can immediately contact the operator. Continental is already running successful pilots incorporating different elements of City Fleet Management in Asia, U.S. and Europe.

Intelligent Street Lamps to connect beyond the vehicle
Intelligent street lamps are a key element in the development of a safe, clean and smart city. At CES 2019, Continental will present its Intelligent Street Lamp concept. Transferring its automotive competency into the infrastructure of tomorrow’s cities, Continental’s Intelligent Street Lamp simplifies the management of lighting, while monitoring and analyzing environment, traffic and parking information in smart cities.

Using secure connectivity and sensorics, Continental’s Intelligent Street Lamp solution enables remote light control as well as adaptive street lighting depending on surrounding traffic participants. Furthermore, the new portfolio provides remote maintenance such as over-the-air updates and performance monitoring. These features allow smart cities and operators to save energy and reduce cost by working more efficiently.

The Intelligent Street Lamp is also a valuable source of data for future smart cities. Combining the synergies between the Intelligent Intersection and Intelligent Street Lamp, Continental can increase safety beyond intersections to mid-block areas by detecting critical situations and transferring this information through V2X communication to connected vehicles. Additionally, by identifying free parking space, the solution can reduce congestion and improve overall traffic flow. Finally, by measuring pollution levels like noise and air quality, Continental’s new Intelligent Street Lamp portfolio can improve the quality of life in tomorrow’s cities.

Intelligent Wearables to improve user safety and comfort
Going beyond infrastructure and mobility in the smart city, Continental is developing solutions to address the needs of city workers with Intelligent Wearables – smart electronics integrated into textiles.

Intelligent Wearables can contribute to lower energy consumption in vehicles and increase safety and comfort for drivers. Embedded within battery-powered working jackets, heating pads provide the perfect solution for warmth and efficient energy consumption. To keep the battery small and unobtrusive and to avoid the inconvenience of plugging in for recharging, the jacket is equipped with an inductive charging system that can be charged by the vehicle itself, ensuring the jacket is always ready for use.

This technology is especially suitable for rescue or construction workers. One of the main occupational hazards these individuals face is being overlooked in traffic. To increase their safety, their jackets can be equipped with active light sources, like LED strips, which ensure visibility even in the most visibly limiting conditions, such as in smoke, bad weather or at night.

Intelligent Wearables can open a range of new possibilities in smart cities, and contribute to a safer, more economical and sustainable future.

City Data as a Service at the center of mobility intelligence
The City Data as a Service (CDaaS) platform enables Continental to provide interoperable, integrated and end2end services in the context of its smart city portfolio, including Intelligent Intersection, Intelligent Street Lamp, Intelligent Crossing, Automated Shuttle, Smart Parking and City Fleet Management. The platform provides access to a pool of common customer services like reservation, payment or routing to different solutions. All information generated as well as used by the solutions are shared through a data hub which meets the highest standards of privacy and security. Further, easy integration of services of third parties can be achieved by appropriate SDKs and open APIs.

The platform collects, processes and fuses data from different solutions, thereby creating mobility intelligence, which can be used to develop new and relevant solutions to improve the quality of life in smart cities. For example, the Intelligent Street Lamp can identify an available parking spot, CDaaS then leverages artificial intelligence to predict its availability for Smart Parking. Smart Parking then guides the driver to the right parking spot.

Continental at CES
Visit Continental at CES Tuesday, January 8 through Friday, January 11 at North Hall Booth #7519. The Continental press conference will be held at Mandalay Bay, Level 2, Surf Ballrooms D-F at 11 a.m. on Monday, January 7. Continental will also showcase its latest automotive innovations and technologies in a private exhibit at the Renaissance Hotel. An invitation-only media even..

Mahindra Racing’s Futuristic All-New M5Electro Race Car Makes Its India Debut

10 DEC 2018 – MUMBAI, INDIA Mahindra Racing's M5Electro race car made its India debut today, in full race livery, days ahead of the start of the 2018/19 ABB FIA Formula E Championship– Season 5. The first race is scheduled on December 15 in Ad Diriyah, Saudi Arabia with a total of 13 races across various cities in the world (it will be broadcasted live on Sony ESPN SD/HD– qualifying at 1:00pm and race at 5:00pm IST). Shell, with a heritage of more than 100 years inmotorsports, has also come onboard as the latest sponsor for Mahindra Racing. The Shell logo is part of the new race car livery of the M5Electro which was displayed in India in its race-ready avatar.In addition, Mahindra Racing and Shell will work on the joint development of lubricants and fluids for electric vehicles.

The M5Electro is based on generation two of the Formula E race car, featuring cutting edge EV powertrain technology that has been aggressively developed through the rigour of four seasons of top level Formula E racing. It will be able to touch 100km/h in just 2.8 seconds and go on to a top speed of 280km/h.The design sees an evolution of the team’s iconic and unique red, white and blue colour scheme, updated and created to reflect the exhilarating new design of the Gen2 car. The new team kit draws inspiration from iconic Indian symbols, the Bengal tiger and the Lotus flower.

DR. PAWAN GOENKA | Managing Director, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. and Chairman, Mahindra Racing

“Formula E represents the cutting edge of EV technology and plays a strategic role in realizing Mahindra's vision of the Future of Mobility through our 'Race to Road strategy. Racing is at the pinnacle of global EV motorsport, it puts Mahindra on the fast track toward the development of an entirely new generation of EVs that offer clean, exciting yet affordable mobility to our customers.We are geared up to begin racing in Season 5 of Formula E in the next few days and will push hard toward victory. We look forward to growing interest and support from our Indian fans for a championship that is helping to develop sustainable mobility solutions for the future.”

DILBAGH GILL | CEO and Team Principal, Mahindra Racing

“We have set a razor-sharp focus to build on our base from the last few seasons and continue to be one of the top teams in season 5 of Formula E. The ultimate objective, is to claim the championship title. Our team coupled with our strong pool of partners, will enable us to achieve this aspiration. We are thrilled to have Shell onboard as it will help us explore powerful opportunities in the area of lubricant technology and engineering, the results of which will be visible on and off the race track.”

PATRICK CARRE | Vice President, Shell Global Lubricants

“We see great opportunities from the association between Mahindra Racing, a founding Formula E team with a powerful brand and credibility in India, and Shell Lubricants with our deep global automotive expertise and technology capabilities. We are pleased to join forces to develop lubricants and fluids that will make electric vehicles more efficient and unlock great opportunities for continued growth in the Indian market.”

Mahindra Racing team is also supported by Renesas, Lear Corporation, AVIS, Umicore, Pininfarina, Voxdale, Errea, Bahco, Nippon, Alpinestars and Greenhills as sponsors for the upcoming championship.

EVOLUTION OF E-PRIX RULES IN SEASON 5

The race will now last for 45-minutes and an extra lap without any pit stops. Drivers can use the 'Attack Mode', which lets them pick up an extra hit of power and to arm this they will need to drive their cars off the racing line, through the Activation Zone. As a reward for taking a slower line through the corner, they will be able to collect an extra 25 kW of power. In another groundbreaking Formula E initiative, the five drivers who receive the highly-acclaimed FANBOOST from fan voting ahead of the race, are awarded a significant burst of power, which they can deploy in a five-second window during the second half of the race. (You can vote for your favourite driver now, click here to cast your vote.)

MAHINDRA RACING

Mahindra Racing is one of ten founding teams – and the only Indian team – to compete in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, the world’s first all-electric racing series. Mahindra Racing has impressive credentials; after scoring it's breakthrough win at the Berlin E-Prix in 2017, the squad now has three race victories to it's name in addition to 15 podiums, six pole positions and 516 points from 45 starts. After four seasons with the first generation race car, all eyes now turn to season five. Mahindra Racing has high ambitions with the Gen2 M5Electro, a technical innovation that will see the car last the duration of a race as Formula E continues to push the limits of technology and electrification.

MAHINDRA GROUP

The Mahindra Group is a USD 20.7 billion federation of companies that enables people to rise through innovative mobility solutions, driving rural prosperity,enhancing urban living, nurturing new businesses and fostering communities.It has a leadership position in utility vehicles, information technology, financial services and vacation ownership in India and is the world’s largest tractor company, by volume. It also enjoys a strong presence in agribusiness,components, commercial vehicles, speedboats, consulting services, energy,industrial equipment, logistics, real estate, steel, aerospace, defence and two wheelers. Headquartered in India, Mahindra employs over 240,000 people across 100 countries. Learn more about Mahindra at www.mahindra.com

Supporting Mahindra Racing is Tech Mahindra which was recently ranked in 15th on the Forbes' Digital 100 list-the highest-ranked non-US company to feature. After receiving previous accolades for its sustainability vision, Tech Mahindra was honoured for the fourth consecutive year as a leader in the 2018 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI).

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Tesla loses former Gigafactory boss to start-up that makes designer molecules for food and drugs

via LinkedIn

Tesla is losing a battery manufacturing leader, Jens Peter Clausen, to Zymergen, a synthetic biology company funded by Softbank.

Clausen's move is the latest in a string of executive departures from Tesla. As CNBC previously reported, more than 40 executives have left this year as the company contended with a difficult production ramp-up for its Model 3, punctuated by high-profile antics from its eccentric CEO, Elon Musk. Among those who left are engineering leader Doug Field, now with Apple's self-driving car project, Titan, and Tesla's general counsel Todd Maron.

At Zymergen, Clausen will help the company scale its manufacturing teams, processes and facilities.

Zymergen is experiencing growth “at a pace that I'm not sure has been seen in life sciences,” CEO Joshua Hoffman said in a phone interview with CNBC.

Hoffman said his company hired Clausen after an extensive search, in part because of his experience “designing and improving largely automated manufacturing environments.”

As vice president of Gigafactory 1, Clausen oversaw a rapid expansion of battery manufacturing at Tesla's humongous plant outside of Reno, Nevada. Tesla manufactures its vehicle batteries and energy storage products there using a mix of automated and manual processes alongside Panasonic, its supplier and partner in the facility. Before joining Tesla in July 2015, Clausen spent more than a decade in manufacturing at Lego, the toy company whose products are often used for prototyping in robotics.

Tesla Gigafactory workers told CNBC this summer that they thought Clausen was on leave, and they weren't sure if he was returning to the company. On Sept. 7, Tesla announced a spate of promotions as part of a broader restructuring. In that announcement, it named Chris Lister as Gigafactory vice president. At that time, Tesla said Clausen had no plans to leave the electric vehicle maker.

Just raised $400 million

Earlier this month, Zymergen raised more than $400 million from the Softbank Vision Fund, Goldman Sachs and others.

The company said it takes a biological, rather than purely chemical-based approach, to make diverse things like insect repellent and new smartphone screens that fold. Ultimately, it is hoping to develop products that are not tied to the traditional petroleum-based manufacturing processes. Its closest competitor in doing that is Ginkgo Bioworks, which describes itself as learning from nature to develop “new organisms that replace technology with biology.”

Like Ginkgo, Zymergen relies heavily on robotics and automation, and describes itself as fundamentally different to life sciences labs. Its processes are designed to surpass the traditional method, which involves humans in lab coats who move sensitive biological materials around with pipettes.

Zymergen said the company already works with agriculture businesses, off-patent drugmakers, food manufacturers and others. Hoffman declined to name any of Zymergen's customers. But the company did disclose that it is working on a product of its own that it expects to release by 2021: an insect repellent and sun-screen combo.

Clausen's official start date at Zymergen is Jan. 3.

WATCH:
An inside look at Tesla's Gigafactory

An inside look at Tesla's Gigafactory
10:27 AM ET Thu, 15 Nov 2018 | 03:31

General Motors hints it could negotiate a way to keep one or more plants open

Jeff Swensen | Getty Images
An exterior view of the GM Lordstown Plant on November 26, 2018 in Lordstown, Ohio. GM said it would end production at five North American plants including Lordstown, and cut 15 percent of its salaried workforce. The GM Lordstown Plant assembles the Chevy Cruz.

At least one of three assembly plants that General Motors says it expects to close could find a reprieve based on the results of scheduled contract talks between the United Auto Workers and GM next year.

Detroit's biggest automaker announced plans in November to close five factories, including three assembly plants, and to cut 15 percent of its North American workforce. More than 14,000 employees are expected to lose their jobs, though GM has offered some factory workers the opportunity to transfer to other plants that may have openings.

The planned cuts have generated a political firestorm, President Donald Trump going so far as to threaten to take action against the automaker, possibly by eliminating federal tax incentives GM can offer buyers of its battery cars. It has also generated some positive press for GM's emerging rival Tesla, whose CEO Elon Musk has indicated he would consider buying the plant in Lordstown, Ohio.

The company is now giving a glimmer of hope that its plans to shutter all five plants may not be set in stone. In addition to Lordstown, the plants are Detroit-Hamtramck, Warren, Michigan, Baltimore and Ontario.

During several days of meetings on Capitol Hill earlier this month, CEO Mary Barra said she was willing to keep an “open mind” about the plant closings, though several senior insiders cautioned that it was unlikely GM would back down on the shutdowns.The automaker has also emphasized that it is required to negotiate plant closings with the UAW, which represents most of its U.S. hourly employees.”The future of the (Lordstown plant and others) is a matter of negotiations,” said GM spokesman Pat Morrissey.

Company officials previously told CNBC that GM isn't trying to create a bargaining ploy in a bid to win union concessions next year. They stress that the company simply has more capacity than it needs, especially for its passenger cars. If anything, several more assembly lines are at risk, including one in the Detroit suburb of Orion Township, where the Chevrolet Sonic subcompact and Bolt EV are assembled.

Trump disappointed

With an ongoing shift from sedans and coupes to SUVs and crossover vehicles, Barra emphasized that the automaker is simply trying to respond to market forces. But she and GM have come under heavy fire.

“I am very disappointed with General Motors and their CEO, Mary Barra,” Trump tweeted after the cuts were announced on Nov. 26. “The U.S. saved General Motors and this is the thanks we get! We are now looking at cutting all @GM subsidies.”

With the automaker targeted by an unusually bipartisan broadside, few would be surprised if it tries to at least soften the blow by holding out the prospect of saving one or more of the plants. And, as a likely battleground for both Democrats and Republicans — and particularly for the re-election bid by Trump — Ohio is seen as one of the factories that could be front and center in the GM/UAW contract talks set to begin this summer.

'Unallocated'

By then, however, the factory will already be idled. The current Chevrolet Cruise sedan being built there will be pulled from production in March, leaving nothing left to build there and the plant “unallocated,” using GM's contractual language. That means there are no plans to put anything else in Lordstown.

In past years, UAW negotiators were able to keep troubled plants open, or expand existing operations, by offering concessions meant to reduce production costs. The problem the union faces is that the three assembly plants targeted by GM aren't on the chopping block because costs are too high but, rather, because demand is too low. So, reducing labor costs or improving productivity would be less of an incentive for GM than in the past, according to observers.

There are, however, “a lot of different scenarios” that could play out, said Morrissey. That could include finding new models to go into Lordstown, perhaps something competing in the booming SUV or CUV market.

Mexico to Ohio?

One possibility would be to move production of the new Chevrolet Blazer from Mexico to Ohio, though Barra appeared to dismiss that idea during her appearance in Congress.

Another possibility is to consolidate several products from other underutilized plants into Lordstown. But such a move could force the shutdown of those other factories.

For now, GM is offering many of the workers at Lordstown the option of transferring to factories whose products are in high demand, such as a truck facility in Flint, Michigan, and other facilities in Ohio and Tennessee. The Flint plant alone needs another 1,000 workers, said Morrissey, adding that there have been at least 1,100 “hand-raisers” at the plants scheduled to close who have expressed interest in moving to other factories.

Cutting shifts

The three assembly plants targeted by GM have been on the decline for some time. Since the beginning of 2017 GM has cut operations at Lordstown back to just one shift, already idling 3,000 hourly employees, with just 1,500 continuing to collect paychecks.

Even if Lordstown can't find a reprieve with GM, it just might find a new lease on life. During an interview on CBS “60 Minutes” that aired earlier this month, Musk indicated he'd be open to buying the facility. How serious he might be, Musk hasn't said, though he previously indicated Tesla will eventually need more plants in the U.S., as well as one under construction in China.

“Hey @ElonMusk. Call me,” Ohio Gov. John Kasich tweeted to Musk this week. “There are no better workers than Ohio workers. And Lordstown is ready for you.”

There would be a certain irony to it if Tesla were to buy the Lordstown factory. The automaker's plant in Fremont, California, was purchased from Toyota in 2010. It had previously been the site of a joint venture between the Japanese automaker and GM and was originally built and run by the Detroit automaker.