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This week, on April 22nd, we celebrate Earth Day. It’s not surprising that a precursor, a few days earlier, is the second annual ‘Elon Musk Day’ — a day to post a message on social media showcasing how Elon Musk may have inspired you. After all, the Ironman stepped up with a bold commitment to a clean, green future offering solar, battery storage, and electric cars at Tesla.  Above: Elon Musk (Flickr: Steve Jurvetson) And that’s just here on Planet Earth. Meanwhile, his grand vision for intergalactic adventures will (very likely) soon be realized via SpaceX. Putting an end to soul-crushing traffic is another goal at The Boring Company. In addition, he’s trying to advance a safe, symbiotic future with AI via Neuralink. So how did a celebration of ‘Elon Musk Day’ come together? Last year, the idea began to take root through a number of influential folks within the Tesla community including a pair of so-called Tesla Geeks. Anuarbek Imanbaev is a reformed oil and gas exec who’s now the Vice President of the Austin Tesla Owners’ Club. He also played an key role in bringing Tesla Superchargers to the Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan. Eli Burton has been known to be able to contact Starman, the superhero of sustainability, who shows up at Tesla events and wherever his help is needed. He’s also President and Founder of the My Tesla Adventure Tesla Owner Club. Together with Anuarbek, Eli produces a weekly podcast about all things Tesla called the Tesla Geeks Show. “Some of us in the Tesla community thought why wait to show our appreciation for Elon and his amazing companies? In these turbulent and uncertain times we thought it wouldn’t hurt to shed some positivity and appreciation in the world,” says Imanbaev. “Let’s show him how he’s inspired us and how much we appreciate his efforts.”  Above: Celebrating ‘Elon Musk Day’ (YouTube: EVANNEX) “Elon Musk Day is a celebration of the future. We admire Elon Musk for making all of these incredible products and leading the way in a tech revolution. He’s showing what can be done when you have the perseverance and will to make it happen,” explains Burton. And let’s not forget Musk’s efforts at SpaceX. “Elon putting a Tesla Roadster and Starman into space proves that anything is possible and that it’s worth taking the shot no matter how difficult the odds,” Burton says. So why celebrate today on 4/20? Since Musk announced that he wanted to take Tesla private at a price of $420 per share, the number 420 has become somewhat of “a thing” in the Tesla community, so it seemed the logical date to designate as Elon Musk Day. Granted, it’s a bit of a tongue-in-cheek, but many community members believe Musk would appreciate it. One such member is Kristen Netten. A Model 3 owner, she’s provided some lively Tesla commentary on the Third Row podcast and via her Twitter handle, K10. Netton told me, “Elon Musk Day is an amazing tribute to a very beautiful human.  I know we all get a kick out of the strange irony of the number ‘420’ following Elon around… but it puts a smile on our face and reminds us to encourage one of the greatest humans to walk the earth with us while he makes history. Only seems fitting.” So there you have it. If you happen to be inspired by Elon, simply share on social media with the hashtag (#ElonMuskDay) today and explain how Elon may have influenced you. For some, it might help to explain how Elon’s products (and companies) have helped improve their lives. For me, Elon’s been personally instrumental in something very close to my heart. He’s actually helped bring my whole family back together. So, that definitely deserves a shout-out! Thank you so much Mr. Musk.

Elon Musk’s Boring Company recently opened its first tunnel, the Convention Center Loop in Las Vegas, for a sneak preview to selected members of the media (the official opening will be at the fascinating World of Concrete convention in June).  Left: Inside the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop (Boring Company); Right: Elon Musk (Flickr: Steve Jurvetson) Construction was completed in 2 years, at a cost of $52.5 million. Steve Hill, President of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said that the fleet of vehicles serving the tunnel consists of 11 Tesla sedans, and will eventually be expanded to 60. Sometime in the future, higher-capacity vehicles may be introduced. “It seems that during a pandemic is not the time to be increasing capacity,” Hill said. He added that the Loop will eventually be extended to McCarran International Airport and Allegiant Stadium. And what was the reaction of the ladies and gentlemen of the Fourth Estate who were invited to take the first rides? Mostly negative. The Las Vegas Review-Journal delivered a neutral review, and local TV station KVVU and CNBC presented videos. However, a host of other media outlets trashed the tunnel, kvetching that Elon promised us driverless vehicles using Autopilot, travelling at high speeds, but for the moment the cars are driven by boring old humans, at a plodding 35 mph. Some of the spoilsports also rolled their virtual eyes at the site’s abundance of colored lights. Above: Elon Musk’s Boring Company is currently building Tesla-powered Loop tunnels in Las Vegas (YouTube: CNBC Television) The word “underwhelming” has been retired due to overuse, and so have plays on the “boring” name of the company. “Disneyesque” should be consigned to the same fate. Pretty much everyone piled on, including pro-EV media. Techie site Gizmodo said the site featured “lots of colorful lights, and not much else,” and didn’t not say that “Las Vegas wasted $50 million on a stupid tunnel.” Treehugger’s Lloyd Alter wrote, “It still looks like a taxi in a tube to me, but I could be missing something.” Even Electrek, the go-to source for EV and Tesla news, said, “the experience is quite boring.” Okay, the punchbowl-foulers do have a point—the new tunnel as it exists isn’t exactly a revolution in public transport. However, let’s put things in perspective here. It’s a pilot, okay? A beta release, if you will. How hard is it going to be for Tesla to implement Autopilot in this controlled environment, and increase the speed? Not very. Should it have done so without doing the kind of low-speed, cautious testing that it’s now doing? Of course not. Did Elon and company choose the scribblers of the media to take the first rides because they considered them expendable in case something went wrong? Could be… As for the colored lights, lighten up, ye curmudgeons. This isn’t Wall Street, it’s Vegas! Nobody who comes to the Convention Center is expecting to ride in some dull airport-style people mover. If it doesn’t have flashing lights, it probably doesn’t belong in Vegas. Love it or hate it, other Boring Co. tunnel projects are already in the pipeline for Las Vegas. Three other casino operators are reported to be negotiating for tunnels to link their properties with the Convention Center. Other projects are under consideration elsewhere in the country—the city of Miami is exploring the idea of constructing a tunnel beneath the Miami River to connect downtown with the Brickell Financial District. === Written by: Charles Morris

At long last, Tesla’s longest-tenured vehicle has gotten a much-needed update. While the 2021 model year doesn’t drastically change the electric sedan, it does breathe some new life into one of Tesla’s premium offerings. With more and more automakers releasing plans for their own electric luxury sedans, it is now more important than ever for Tesla to keep their cars fresh. Above: A look at the new, 2021 Tesla Model S redesign (Source: Tesla)  Is this latest overhaul of the Model S a major transformation? It really depends on your point of view. In any event, regardless of your initial impressions, this refresh does deliver some serious changes. While you wouldn’t really be able to tell much of a difference from the outside, the changes made to the inside appear to be drastically different. The technology, acceleration, and range have also substantially improved. Exterior As noted, the refreshed exterior isn’t all that different. In fact, unless you are a seasoned Tesla veteran, you might not be able to tell the difference between a refreshed model and one from last year. The biggest visual difference is in the front fender which has gained some extra body creases.  The headlights and taillights also appear to have been updated to be brighter and sleeker. The refreshed Model S (and X) have joined the Model 3 and Y in ditching the chrome trim pieces. You will notice that both the trim around the windows and door handles are blacked out now.  Interior While the exterior only has a few (minor) updates, the interior features some rather radical changes. In fact, some of these changes could be hinting at Tesla’s over-arching vision of a self-driving future ahead. Let’s start with the steering wheel. Well, it’s missing a top-and-bottom. The new yoke steering wheel is reminiscent of one found in race cars, invoking a feeling of high-performance. There are also no stalks behind the steering wheel as all of the functions are mapped to buttons found on the steering wheel. Without stalks, changing gears in the electric car is quite a bit different from most other traditional vehicles on the road. The center console has also received a big upgrade, ditching the old vertical orientation screen. Rather than sticking out like in the Model 3 and Y, the new horizontal screen is embedded within the dash with a slight tilt mechanism. The new screen is obviously better for media consumption and Tesla has noted that the center screen has current-gen gaming console performance. Other features on the dashboard include the air vents from the Model 3 and Y. This gives the dash a cleaner feel as it lacks the traditional obtrusive vents found in every other vehicle. The rear of the cabin also received an update with a new rear console as well as an 8-inch screen. In addition, there are no more latches on the inside of the doors for both the Model S and X, buttons only, just like the 3 and Y. Gaming Tesla has been working their way up to making their cars quite competent gaming centers. Over the past few years, the brand has built up a Tesla Arcade through its continuous software updates. The games were simple at first, but have progressively become more robust and full-featured. Above: Understanding the changes to the new, refreshed 2021 Tesla Model S  (Source: Cleanerwatt)  With the new V11 update, the company looks to continue raising the bar in regards to in-car gaming. Some of the press images for the refresh show the Witcher 3 on the center console, and Elon Musk has stated that the car should be able to run Cyberpunk 2077. Both of those games are a considerable step up from anything Tesla has pushed out thus far through their ongoing software updates. Smart Shift The new yoke has been a topic of controversy for more reasons than one. Aside from it missing a top-and-bottom, Tesla has done away with the stalks. As such, the Model S will figure out which gear you need to be in via its camera system and switch to it. For those that want to be able to shift themselves, there will be an option to disable the feature and change gears yourself via the center console. Climate With the updated dashboard, Tesla did away with visible A/C vents. While this ventless design has been on the 3/Y for a while now, the sleek air conditioning was absent on the Model S and X. The new setup will make it appear like air is coming from the screens in the dashboard, amazing all of your friends who aren’t privy to your car’s secrets. The system now has three-zones of control and retains its preconditioning functions as well as heated seats. Active Noise Cancelation In an effort to make the cabin of the Model S more enjoyable, Tesla has updated the sound system. There are 22 speakers located throughout the car as well as new microphones to enable active noise cancellation, blocking out a lot of the road noise. Think of AirPod Pros, but for your car. Performance Along with the design changes, the performance upgrade really packs a punch here. According to Tesla, the battery modules, battery packs, and drive units were updated. Surprisingly, the Model S still appears to be using the old 18650 cell rather than the newest 4680 or even 2170 cells found in the Model 3/Y. Nonetheless, there appears to be some notable improvements in chemistry or thermals as the refresh does see a boost in its range. The Long Range Model S will have a range of 412 miles with a top speed of 155mph and a 0-60 time of 3.1 seconds. The real improvements are seen in the Plaid versions of the refresh. The previous Performance version has gained a third-motor and the ‘Plaid’ name. With this extra motor, the Model S Plaid is able to hit 200mph and boasts a 0-60 time of 1.99 seconds.  The Plaid+ is a whole other animal. The long-rumored Tesla is still a year’s away, but it promises insane performance. While it only slightly beats the regular Plaid in 0-60 time with “<1.99 seconds” and matches its top speed, the Plaid+ will offer over 520 miles of range. As of this writing, Plaid+ will secure the top spot as the world’s quickest production car. ==An earlier version of this article appeared on EVBite. EVBite is an electric vehicle specific news site dedicated to keeping consumers up-to-date on any developments in the ever-expanding EV landscape.

Is it time for police cruisers to ditch the internal combustion engine? Chief Paul Nikas thinks so — check out his eye-catching new cruiser for the Ipswich Police Department in Massachusetts. Yes, that’s an all-electric Tesla Model Y. It turns out the Ipswich PD was able to make this environmentally-friendly decision due to a couple of local grants dedicated to the adoption of electric vehicles.   Above: Tesla Model Y customized police cruiser vehicle (Source: Fleet Auto Supply / Instagram). For the purchase of this specific Tesla Model Y, Ipswich PD received a $10,000 grant from the Ipswich Electric Light Department (ELD) and a grant of $4,290 from the Green Community Program — these grants total a whopping $14,290. Ipswich local news reported that the town estimates an 87% decrease in CO2 emissions per vehicle once switched from an internal combustion engine to and EV (like this Tesla). The Town of Ipswich also expects to save $13,000 in fuel and maintenance costs over the period of 10 years. The Town of Ipswich, MA has also replaced other retired vehicles with electric solutions in order to reduce the town’s carbon footprint. In addition to cost savings, Ipswich, MA also expects the following benefits by transitioning to electric vehicles and finding green solutions moving forward: • The ELD has replaced five late-model vehicles with electric vehicles: an electric Hyster forklift for the department garage; Chevrolet Bolts for use by the department engineer, town conservation agent, and town building and health departments; and a Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid vehicle for the ELD manager. ELD estimates the electric vehicles have reduced operating and maintenance costs by several thousand dollars and cut gasoline usage by about 1,000 gallons. • The town has installed electric vehicle charging stations at the parking lots on Elm Street and Hammatt Street, the town hall, and the utilities department. More charging stations are planned as funding opportunities become available. • In February 2020, the state certified the town as a “Green Community” with the goal of reducing municipal energy use by 20 percent within five years. • The select board and the school committee recently adopted a resolution developed by the town’s climate resiliency committee, which commits to eliminating municipal use of fossil fuels by 2040. Police departments around the globe are adopting electric vehicles (often Teslas) to replace their gas-powered cruisers. In 2019, Bargersville, IN PD bought a Tesla Model 3 to replace a Dodge Charger. According to the department’s estimates, this decision will save them $20,628 over the period of six years. It’s encouraging to see Police Departments making the switch to EVs. It’s likely we’ll see more clean, green solutions implemented over the next decade or so. Is there another side benefit of having these new EVs be Teslas? For sure. Bad guys will need really fast get-away cars in order to outrun these cars. === Written by: Iqtidar Ali. An earlier version of this article was originally published on Tesla Oracle. Source: Ipswich Local News.

The U.S. lags behind China and Europe in the transition from internal combustion engine to battery-powered cars. There are some bright spots in the U.S. though. California was the first state announcing plans to ban new fossil-fuel-powered cars by 2035. Then, Massachusetts followed. A few other states also appear to be moving in the right direction. According to Adele Peters in Fast Company, “The transition to EVs can happen faster than you think.” Above: A group of electric cars getting charged up (Flickr: Andrew Bone) How? First and foremost, battery prices have dropped 74% since 2014. “All the experts have been wrong on how fast the battery prices are going to reduce,” explains Nikit Abhyankar, a researcher at the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley, and one of the authors of a fascinating new report. According to the report, it’s feasible for the U.S. to make the shift to 100% electric car and truck sales by 2035. And this new report says the transition to EVs can save money and lives. “If new car and truck sales rapidly shift to electric, the report calculates that consumers would save $2.7 trillion… [and] reduce air pollution, preventing 150,000 premature deaths and avoiding $1.3 trillion in health and environmental costs by 2050,” reports Peters. In addition, the findings from the report indicate that the transition to electric cars can help “avoid the worst impacts of climate change—and the switch would also save consumers around $1,000 per household each year.” To make it happen, the U.S. government needs to take swift action to help expedite the move to cleaner, greener transport. “The transition from fossil-fuel-powered cars and trucks to electric vehicles is already underway, but America needs increased policy ambition and political leadership to truly accelerate market transformation,” explains Sara Baldwin, director of electrification policy at the nonprofit Energy Innovation and one of the partners that produced the report.  Baldwin emphasizes, “Policy actions must be taken swiftly and should be aligned with the timeline needed to reduce transportation sector emissions, deliver huge benefits to consumers, and enhance America’s global competitiveness.” === Source: Fast Company

The 2021 model year changes have added quite a few new features to Tesla’s high-end luxury sedan. Some of these changes hint at a future with less reliance on traditional driver controls. One of the most noticeable changes is the addition of a yoke steering wheel. Tesla has rid itself of the stalks behind the wheel, mapping a lot of the function to the wheel itself, and automating others, like your gear selection. Above: A look inside Tesla’s new Model S interior (Source: Tesla) The steering wheel in the refreshed Model S is a bold change. While this type of steering wheel isn’t uncommon in race cars, it does seem to be an unusual choice for a luxury sedan. Most people will be driving their Model S for leisure, not for the track, but I digress. Then again, the Model S definitely has the performance to outpace almost any car on the street, so a performance steering wheel isn’t unwarranted.  Recently, we’ve seen some new Model S vehicles being transported and a lot of them are equipped with regular steering wheels. It’s conceivable that the first batch will come with traditional steering wheels with an option to retrofit the yoke steering wheel at a later time. If this is the case, then we might see an option to configure a Model S with either a regular steering wheel or yoke in the future. In addition, Tesla has also removed the stalks for the steering wheel area. Many of the functions have been moved to the sides of the wheel, similar to what you would see in a Ferrari. One function that was not transitioned however was the gear selector.  In Tesla’s futuristic vision to get rid of the steering wheel and develop a fully self-driving car, gear selection will now be handled by the car in a different manner. In the Tesla V11 leak, we can see the company has dubbed this system Smart Shift. “No more stalks. Car guesses drive direction based on what obstacles it sees, context & nav map. You can override on touchscreen,” noted CEO Elon Musk via Twitter. As Musk stated, the new system will decide the correct gear based on multiple factors such as what the cameras see and your location. For instance, if you pull up to your home driveway the Tesla should be able to tell it’s in a driveway and the GPS should know you are at home. With this information, the car should know to put itself in Reverse when you get in in the morning and in Park when you pull up later in the afternoon. In theory, Tesla could use your driving history alongside the rest of the fleet’s data to help determine the best gear to be in for your specific instance. With a neural net in place, any wrong decisions (with a required manual override) would correct themselves prior to the next attempt. Like Autopilot, the car will continuously learn and improve through Tesla Software Updates. For those who wish to maintain full control of which gear they want to be in, there is an override option. The digital gear selector is located on the driver’s side of the center console. Rather than buttons, changing gears will be done on a swipe up/down motion on the silhouette of your car. There will also be an option to completely disable the automatic shifting, requiring you to solely rely on this method. Some of these changes appear to hint at a driverless (or, at least, less driver- controlled) future ahead. Perhaps some of the design decisions Tesla is implementing are a window into a future completely handled by Autopilot and FSD. In turn, you would only take over the steering wheel for spirited drives that require two hands. Moving on to the Smart Shift. The personal energy required to flick a stalk to change gears is minimal. It’s such a non-action that I bet most of us don’t even register the moment of switching gears — it takes virtually no time and no energy.  So what’s going on here? I understand that if Tesla intends to deliver a fully autonomous car then it will have to deliver a car that can shift gears on its own as well. That said, some of these changes to the new Model S interior might just be our first look at what’s coming via a self-driving future. ==An earlier version of this article appeared on EVBite. EVBite is an electric vehicle specific news site dedicated to keeping consumers up-to-date on any developments in the ever-expanding EV landscape.

There’s a long and cherished connection between fast cars and rock and roll. Nick Hexum, who sings and plays guitar with the multi-platinum rock band 311, is part of a long lineage that includes Chuck Berry, the Beach Boys, Elvis, the Stones and dozens of other rockers who sang about, drove (and sometimes got into trouble in) classic cars. Above: 311’s Nick Hexum loves the Tesla Model 3 (Left: Photo by nsdesigns via Flickr / Right: Photo by Casey Murphy via EVANNEX) Hexum’s first exposure to rock and roll was his father’s collection of 45s, he told the Wall Street Journal’s A.J. Baime. “Cars were always part of the imagery. You know: ‘Fun, fun, fun, ‘til her daddy takes the T-Bird away.’ Later, when I had some success with my band, I saw this 1955 T-Bird parked across the street from my manager’s office, and it had a For Sale sign. I bought that car for my dad and surprised him on his 60th birthday. It was this tearful moment where I got to show my gratitude for my dad’s love and support, but also for instilling a love of cars and rock and roll in me.” Hexum has owned a number of hot German sports sedans, including a Mercedes E55 AMG, a BMW M5, and an Audi S6. “It wasn’t about looking cool in an expensive car. I wanted killer performance.” Aaron “P-Nut” Wills, the bass player in 311, was one of Tesla’s earliest converts—he went so far as to buy a Tesla Roadster with the serial number 311. Hexum was intrigued, but he waited for Model 3, “because it was the size I wanted and it was cheaper than some of the cars I had been driving.” “When I got my Model 3 Performance version two years ago, I thought it was the best-performing car I had driven, and to have a $60,000 car that smoked some of the more expensive cars I had owned was a win-win,” Hexum told the WSJ. “Because it is fully electric, there is this smooth acceleration—the car has no gears, it just goes—that feels like you’re launching into hyperspace. You’re going from zero to 60 mph in about 3.5 seconds. At the same time, it is completely quiet.” Hexum also loves some of Tesla’s signature features: “There are certain things in a car that, once you have them, you would rather not do without. I had come to love all-wheel drive cars after owning my Audi S6, because you could accelerate into a corner and the car would be really sure-footed. I had come to love adaptive cruise control because in L.A. freeway driving, there is so much starting and stopping. Adaptive cruise control does that for you. The Tesla had all of this technology. And the Autopilot is huge; it steers for you so all you have to do is keep your hands on the wheel.” Hexum and his family have gone all-in on electrification—his wife also drives a Model 3, and their house has a solar array and two Tesla Powerwalls. “When I was a kid and I first fell in love with cars, I never imagined that I would drive a car powered by the sun,” he says. “Ultimately, the thing that made me an Elon Musk fanboy is this: Most people are not going to go out of their way to save the environment,” Hexum told the WSJ. “He created a car with a better driving experience than what was out there, from my point of view, for a cheaper price. And you get to save the environment to boot.” === Written by: Charles Morris; Source: Wall Street Journal

Even though the vast majority of dominant tech companies reside in the United States, in the auto sector most U.S. companies are still selling the old internal combustion engine technology. Fortunately, Tesla is changing things. Detroit’s automakers are starting to introduce electric cars.  Above: A look at a Tesla Model 3 in China (Twitter: Tesla Greater China) Tesla is leading the way and others are beginning to follow along. One recent example is Ford’s Mustang Mach-E. And GM has its Bolt EV along with plans for a new electric Hummer. That said, U.S. car buyers haven’t accelerated their adoption of electric cars anywhere near what’s currently happening in China. According to CNBC, “The global electric vehicle market is heating up, and China wants to dominate. It has invested at least $60 billion to support the EV industry and it’s pushing an ambitious plan to transition to all-electric… [meanwhile] Tesla entered the Chinese market in 2019 and has seen rapid growth.” Above: A look at China’s emphasis on electric cars (YouTube: CNBC) “China sold roughly 1 million more EVs than the U.S. in 2020, according to EV Volumes. But there are signs that U.S. is getting more serious about going electric. President Joe Biden announced a goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and [plans to make] investments in green infrastructure,” reports CNBC. Even industry leader, Tesla, seems to be placing its biggest bet on future electrification efforts underway in China. With its recent Model Y push at the company’s Shanghai Gigafactory, Tesla has already pulled ahead of local Chinese rivals NIO and Xpeng in the first few months of 2021. Granted, Biden has some big plans in place for vehicle electrification. But will these plans push the U.S. ahead of China when it comes to clean transport? Without a doubt, Tesla has high hopes for the U.S. too. But recently CEO Elon Musk explained in an interview (via CGTN), “China, I think in the long term, will be our biggest market. Both where we make the most number of vehicles and where we have the most number [of] customers.” === Source: CNBC, CGTN

Should you display your leadership prowess by being super-provocative and posting memes on Twitter like Elon Musk? Ummm, probably not. That said, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO does have a few intriguing pieces of advice that might be worth considering — especially if you’re trying to advance your business skills. Laura Wood writes about a few of these in financial news blog Go Banking Rates. Above: Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk (Flickr: Steve Jurvetson) Don’t be afraid of constructive criticism Musk once explained in 2013 during a Google Hangout hosted by Google for Entrepreneurs. “Take as much feedback from as many people as you can about whatever idea you have,” Musk said. “Seek critical feedback. Ask them what’s wrong. You often have to draw it out in a nuanced way to figure out what’s wrong.” Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty either. During the same Google Hangout, Musk said, “You’ve got to do all sorts of jobs and tasks that you might not wish to do, that are not intrinsically interesting to you. You’ve got to be prepared to do whatever it takes, work whatever hours. No task is too menial. I think that’s the right attitude for the CEO of a startup.” Don’t get bogged down in the process. “I don’t believe in process,” Musk said in a 2012 Wired interview. “In fact, when I interview a potential employee and he or she says that ‘it’s all about the process,’ I see that as a bad sign.” He adds, “The problem is that at a lot of big companies, process becomes a substitute for thinking.” Take risks — especially while you’re young. “As you get older, your obligations increase,” Musk once said in an interview with Forbes. “So I would encourage you to take risks now, to do something bold, you won’t regret it.” And be sure to distinguish yourself to stand out in an overcrowded industry. “If you’re entering anything where there’s an existing marketplace, against large, entrenched competitors, then your product or service needs to be much better than theirs,” Musk said, according to Inc. “It can’t be a little bit better, because then you put yourself in the shoes of the consumer … you’re always going to buy the trusted brand unless there’s a big difference.” === Source: Go Banking Rates

Doesn’t it feel like the news is always so negative nowadays? Well, there is a bright spot out there. And it happen to be in the auto industry. Once considered a tiny niche, the electric vehicle sector is surging. With a looming climate crisis on the horizon, the ongoing adoption of electric cars is something to celebrate.  Above: Tesla Model 3 and Model S (Source: EVANNEX; Photo by Casey Murphy) Ben Gorman relates the good news in Axios. Gorman spoke with iSeeCars.com analyst Karl Brauer who announced, “It’s clear EV sales, both in the U.S. and globally, are increasing on a percentage basis faster than traditional internal combustion vehicles.” And that’s not all. “Multiple automakers have introduced high-volume models in the past 12 months, with Tesla’s Model Y and Ford’s Mach-E being two prime examples,” Brauer explained. “The full EV sector’s Q1 tallies are still emerging, though Tesla is the leading player… beat[ing] analysts’ expectations with 184,800 deliveries,” reports Groman. Above: The landscape of the auto sector is changing rapidly and vehicle electrification is a major part of that transition (YouTube: Financial Times) And it’s not just Tesla. Although still small, Ford did announce sales of 6,614 of its Mach-E in the U.S. And GM reported that U.S. Q1 sales of its Bolt EV are up over 50% compared to last year. After viewing a recent Morgan Stanley research note, Gorman reports that EV sector sales are rising with “over 181,000 fully electric vehicles sold worldwide in February, which is up 138% compared to February 2020, per Morgan Stanley and data partner EV-Volumes. And January’s numbers were even higher.” That said, it’s still important to keep things in perspective. The EV sector may be gaining momentum on Wall Street but its still quite small in relative terms. And, the U.S. market continues to lag behind. It’s reported that “per Morgan Stanley, fully electric cars were [only] 2.3% of U.S. sales in February, compared to 6.3% in Europe and 7.9% in China.” === Source: Axios; Video: Financial Times

Tesla has made a tidy little side business out of selling EV credits to automakers that can’t or won’t sell enough EV to satisfy regulators, both in California and in Europe. Some critics see this as a less respectable source of income than selling cars, but it’s part of the way the regulatory system was designed to work, and Tesla has always understood that it won’t last forever.  Source: Volkswagen / Tesla Now Tesla has extended its reg-cred side hustle to a third continent, and ironically it’s Volkswagen, the legacy automaker that seems to be the most serious about electrification, that has emerged as the latest buyer. Reuters reports (via Electrek) that the FAW-Volkswagen Chinese joint venture has agreed to buy credits from Tesla. The unnamed sources didn’t reveal the amount of money involved, but reported that the price agreed upon is around 3,000 yuan per credit (approximately $450). YouTube: Reuters China’s zero-emission mandate requires automakers to sell EVs amounting to 12% of their total sales in the country. As in California and Europe, automakers who exceed the mandated levels of EV sales can sell excess credits to those that don’t. Tesla receives five credits per EV sold, and it delivered some 140,000 vehicles in China last year. If the California carmaker managed to sell most or all of its credits at the price VW is said to have paid, it would earn a tidy sum. Last year, Tesla reported over $1.5 billion in revenue from the sale of regulatory credits in the US and Europe. Volkswagen eventually means to comply with the Chinese mandate by selling its own EVs, and it has invested heavily in EV production in China. However, FAW-Volkswagen sells over 2 million cars per year in China, so it may be a while before it can move enough EVs to meet the 12% mandate. === This article originally appeared in Charged. Author: Charles Morris. Source: Electrek

Call it an utter lack of awareness. Or maybe a case of over-confidence. Whatever the case, owners of internal combustion engine (ICE) sports cars are still brazen in their efforts to challenge random Teslas to a street race. Several drivers in the latest episode of Teslacam Stories seem to have demonstrated such a folly.  Above: A very, very quick Tesla Model 3 (Source: EVANNEX; Photo by Casey Murphy) When a Tesla driver floors the accelerator (we can’t say “gas pedal” since there’s no gas), the massive torque from motor-to-wheel is so rapid, it’s nearly incalculable by the human senses. That said, most ICE drivers still haven’t come to grips with this obvious fact. The result, when it comes to street races with Teslas, aren’t exactly tipping in favor to these gas-mobiles. True, there are a few ICE supercars today that can stand toe-to-toe against a performance Tesla on the dragstrip. But that’s about to change forever as the Model S Plaid will soon be on the scene (with its jaw-dropping 0-60 mph in just 1.99 seconds, mind you). Still want video proof? Well, the first street race on Teslacam Stories is between a Tesla Model 3 Performance (0-60 in 3.2 secs) versus a McLaren 570S (2.7 secs, what?). The McLaren was driven by none other than the American football wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Although the Model 3 Performance owner was winning, he slowed down his car out of respect for Larry. It’s believed that Larry also owns a Tesla but had opted to ride in his McLaren on this particular day. Above: Tesla Model 3 Performance side repeater cam showing the McLaren 570S street race challenger (Source: Wham Baam Teslacam / YouTube) The same Model 3 Performance nailed another race with a big jump off the start against a Maserati. When a severe reality check dawned on the Maserati driver, he accepted his defeat with a big laugh. Showing a Lamborghini who’s the boss is always a personal favorite — be it during a 1/4-mile drag race or a spur-of-the-moment street race. This time, a Lamborghini Urus was defeated in Ontario, Canada by a Model 3 Performance (oh, you little beast). Later, in one of the races, a Tesla Model Y was running on FSD Beta when it came across a Mercedes Benz E-Class AMG. It turns out the Model Y took a left turn before the human driver took note and what ultimately transpired was another street race. The high-end Merc faced embarrassment (besides being given a head-start). There are several other thrilling street races in this video compilation along with some spicy commentary by the Wham Baam Teslacam hosts Ben and Melissa Anderson. But a quick side note folks — no matter how tempting it looks to race in the streets, it’s not a good idea. Be smart. Drive safe. Now… let’s enjoy as spectators. Video === Written by: Iqtidar Ali. An earlier version of this article was originally published on Tesla Oracle. Video: Tesla vs. Supercars Street Racing (YouTube: Wham Baam Teslacam).

Can Tesla compete with fast-growing EV companies locally in the all-important Chinese market? According to the South China Morning Post, “Chinese rivals NIO and Xpeng both recorded a five-fold surge in sales in the first quarter of 20,060 and 13,340 units respectively, as smart electric vehicles increasingly hit the mark with mainland motorists.” Above: Tesla’s Model Y (Twitter: Tesla Greater China) Impressive indeed. But SCMP notes, “Tesla’s volume stands apart from most other carmakers.” The Silicon Valley automaker delivered a whopping 184,800 cars worldwide in the first quarter. It’s reported that “Tesla’s market-smashing deliveries of electric vehicles (EVs) in the first quarter suggest Chief Executive Elon Musk’s bet on growth in China” is really starting to pay off. The latest quarter was “a massive home run,” Dan Ives at Wedbush wrote in a research note. “We believe China and Europe were particularly robust this quarter as the trajectory now puts Musk & Co to exceed 850k for the year, which is well ahead of whisper expectations.” Above: Elon Musk in an exclusive interview with China Media Group (CMG) discussing Tesla and the future in China (YouTube: CGTN) SCMP reports, “Musk is pushing into China, the world’s largest automotive market including for EVs, to gain a foothold amid competition from local EV start-ups… [and] auto sales are forecast to rise in the Asian nation this year for the first time since 2017. The government in March said it will help boost the number of EV charging stations and battery-swapping facilities.” Much of the traction in China for Tesla revolves around the introduction of its Model Y. “In China, Tesla started accepting booking for Model Y, its Made-in-Shanghai SUV, at the start of the year with a 30 per cent price markdown,” according to SCMP. “We are encouraged by the strong reception of the Model Y in China and are quickly progressing to full production capacity,” Tesla said in a statement.  === Source: South China Morning Post

Tesla’s delivery report for the first quarter of 2021 made April fools of the skeptics (yes, they’re still out there). The numbers—180,338 vehicles produced and 184,800 delivered—represent a new all-time quarterly record, a 110% year-over-year increase, and a beat of most of the analysts’ forecasts, which were running around 177,000. Above: A look at Tesla’s Model Y (Source: EVANNEX; Photo by Casey Murphy) The fat figures are the more impressive considering that automakers usually expect a seasonal decline in a first quarter (Tesla showed a tiny increase compared to Q4 2020) and that Tesla, along with other automakers, had to deal with a shortage of semiconductors (the Fremont line was idled for a few days due to “part supply issues”). “In the first quarter, we produced just over 180,000 vehicles and delivered nearly 185,000 vehicles,” Tesla tells us. “We are encouraged by the strong reception of the Model Y in China and are quickly progressing to full production capacity. The new Model S and Model X have also been exceptionally well received, with the new equipment installed and tested in Q1 and we are in the early stages of ramping production.” Above: A review of Tesla’s first quarter results and discussion surrounding EV momentum in China (YouTube: CNBC Television) During Q1, Tesla retooled its Model S and Model X production line to gear up for the refreshed versions announced in January. The company didn’t produce any units of Models S and X during the quarter, and delivered just a couple thousand—the last of the previous versions. The big story is the still-growing demand for Models 3 and Y. Production soared by 10%, and deliveries by 14%, compared to the previous quarter. === This article originally appeared in Charged. Author: Charles Morris. Sources: Tesla, Reuters, Electrek, CNBC Television

Many Wall Street investors have trouble understanding why Tesla’s market value continues to rise above the stalwarts of Big Auto. Isn’t Elon Musk’s automaker just another car company that happens to make electric cars? Well, no. There’s a lot more to it. Kristina Zucchi at Investopedia reveals some of the “secret sauce” that makes the Silicon Valley automaker so unique. Above: Tesla’s Model 3 (Source: EVANNEX; Image by Casey Murphy) With its ongoing software updates and ever-evolving autonomous driving features, Tesla is often viewed as a tech company. Zucchi notes, “Much like other tech companies, Tesla is intent on changing existing business models within the stodgy automotive industry… Its product pipeline and founder evoke a loyal following similar to those for iconic tech companies such as Apple.” It all starts with a different sales model. Zucchi explains, “Unlike other car manufacturers who sell through franchised dealerships, Tesla sells directly to consumers. It has created an international network of company-owned showrooms and galleries.” And by selling direct, Tesla “creates a better customer buying experience. Unlike car dealerships, Tesla showrooms have no potential conflicts of interest. Customers deal only with Tesla-employed sales and service staff.” In addition, Tesla’s been a pioneer in online auto sales too. Without franchise dealers, Tesla also set out to create its own service centers. Furthermore, according to Zucchi, “Tesla employs what it calls Tesla Rangers – mobile technicians who make house calls. In some cases, the service is delivered remotely. [Teslas] can wirelessly upload data, so technicians can view and fix some problems without ever physically touching the car.” Above: ARK’s Cathie Wood discusses her position on Tesla (YouTube: Paul G. Potts via CNBC) While traditional automakers have begun (often reluctantly) to introduce electric cars, their road trip charging options can be limited — sometimes confined to disparate third party networks. In contrast, Tesla has its own proprietary Supercharger network which has grown to be the “gold standard” in the industry. According to Zucchi, Tesla remains at a distinct advantage as a result of building its own “network of charging stations to solve one of the greatest obstacles facing the adoption of electric vehicles – refueling on long trips.” And it’s not just about cars and trucks for Tesla. According to Zucchi, the automaker has “a line of home batteries, called the Powerwall, that serve as energy storage systems in homes… meant to connect with a solar energy system and can be used as backup power when power is interrupted or peak demand is high.” Tesla also sells solar panels and solar roofs as well. In addition, the company has backup battery storage solutions for grid-scale, utility, and commercial purposes too.  In short, Tesla is a disruptive tech company with a clearcut 360-degree strategy to employ clean energy solutions worldwide. And, as fossil fuels fall further and further out of favor with today’s investors, let’s face it — Tesla remains the high-profile company (and stock) that attracts a passionate, future-focused, loyal following around the globe. === Source: Investopedia

Elon Musk wants to throw some significant support behind his new state. After making the move to Texas from California, “Elon Musk and his companies are swiftly becoming major players and newsmakers in the Lone Star State,” reports Kara Carlson at the Austin American-Statesman. Above: Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk (Flickr: Thomas Hawk) Last week, Elon announced via Twitter, “Am donating $20M to Cameron County schools & $10M to City of Brownsville for downtown revitalization.” Without a doubt, Elon is making his presence known in the region. “Fair to say that Musk — who recently moved to Texas himself and is also CEO of electric automaker Tesla, which is building a $1.1 billion manufacturing facility near Austin — has Texas on his mind,” reports Carlson. “In July, Musk announced Tesla’s decision to build a $1.1 billion manufacturing facility in Travis County. The facility will produce Tesla’s Cybertruck, Semi, Model 3 company sedan, and other vehicles and include a battery manufacturing element, and could start rolling out vehicles as early as this year,” notes Carlson. Musk is looking for help too. He recently tweeted, “Over 10,000 people are needed for Giga Texas just through 2022!” And it’s not just Tesla that has put down roots in Texas. SpaceX also has a presence there. Elon is encouraging others to make the move as well. Above: Elon Musk is showing his new home state of Texas some love, bringing both jobs and charitable donations to the Lone Star State (YouTube: KHOU 11) “Please consider moving to Starbase [in Boca Chica Village] or greater Brownsville/South Padre area in Texas & encourage friends to do so! SpaceX’s hiring needs for engineers, technicians, builders & essential support personnel of all kinds are growing rapidly,” Elon tweeted. California-based SpaceX has had a facility in Boca Chica since 2015. Elon has predicted that the area would rapidly add to its population. Currently, the company’s Brownsville location has more than 100 open positions. “Starbase will grow by several thousand people over the next year or two,” he said in a tweet.   It’s reported that, “[SpaceX also] appears to be considering an expansion to Austin. No formal plans have been announced, but the SpaceX job site recently listed job openings for engineering positions in Austin.” In addition, two of Elon’s other companies, Neuralink and the Boring Company, also appear to be expanding operations with job listings for positions in the Austin area as well. Elon also relocated his private foundation, the Musk Foundation, from California to Austin over the summer.  === Source: Austin American-Statesman; Twitter: Elon Musk

Will the long-awaited Tesla Semi be going into service soon? PepsiCo has announced that it expects to take delivery of 15 Semis by the end of this year. The soda and snack seller placed an order for 100 units shortly after the electric truck’s 2017 launch. Since then, Tesla moved the Semi program to the background as it concentrated on Model Y and Cybertruck. But could Tesla start Semi production and deliveries this year? Above: A look at the Tesla Semi (Source: Tesla) A few months ago, Elon Musk told employees, “it’s time to bring Tesla Semi to volume production.” More recently, Tesla has indicated that some deliveries to customers could take place this year. On the other hand, Mr. Musk has also implied that Semi deliveries are being held up by a lack of sufficient battery cells—most recently in a tweet in which he said Tesla was “cell-constrained right now.” At the launch, Tesla said the Semi, a Class 8 truck with an 80,000-pound capacity, would have 300-mile and 500-mile range options, priced at $150,000 and $180,000, respectively. Few details have been offered since, but Tesla-watchers are expecting to see an updated spec sheet for the production version soon. The company recently released a video of the latest prototype on a test track. The Tesla Semis are part of PepsiCo’s plans to turn its Frito-Lay Modesto, California, site into a zero-emission facility. “To date, the equipment and infrastructure in place at the site includes nearly 60 tractors, box trucks, yard trucks or forklifts powered by electric, lithium-ion technologies or natural gas with renewable attributes, with the remaining 15 electric tractors expected to deploy later this year,” says Pepsico. “Infrastructure to support the project incorporates an adjacent natural gas station with renewable attributes, as well as solar carports, battery storage, truck charging systems and employee electric vehicle charging stations.” === This article originally appeared in Charged. Author: Charles Morris. Source: Electrek

Electric vehicles are coming. After years of having the EV market almost to itself, Tesla will see a wave of viable competitors from VW, GM and others over the next couple of years. Meanwhile, commercial vehicles such as buses and light-duty trucks are expected to start electrifying en masse. Of course, Tesla is not watching these trends from the parking lot—on the contrary, it’s also moving ahead at highway speed, preparing for upcoming launches of Cybertruck and the Tesla Semi.   Above: A look at the Tesla Model 3 (Source: EVANNEX; Photo by Casey Murphy) All these new EVs are going to need batteries—massive amounts of them, and it’s clear that the existing battery supply chain won’t be adequate. A recent article in Transport Dive discusses the challenges involved in building a global supply chain that can keep up with the anticipated growth in EV production. Elon Musk said in October that a shortage of battery cells is preventing Tesla from ramping production of its Semi. He reiterated that during January’s earnings call, saying that cell supply was “the fundamental limit on electric vehicles right now.” More recently, Musk commented on Twitter regarding the Tesla Semi production timeline, “We are too cell-constrained right now, but probably ok next year.” He clarified later tweeting, “Demand is no problem, but near-term cell supply makes it hard to scale Semi. This limitation will be less onerous next year.” Celina Mikolajczak, VP of Battery Technology at Panasonic Energy of North America, told Transport Dive, “We are scaling a supply chain that was capable of supplying the consumer electronics industry to supply the transportation industry.” She noted that a phone has one battery cell, and a laptop has a dozen, whereas an EV may require thousands. “How do you quickly scale an industry by 100 times? You need more raw materials, the skilled talent and machines to extract the raw materials, the factories to process the raw materials into cell components, and then the factories to turn those components into cells.” Batteries represent the key component of an EV—about 40% of the value of the vehicle, James Nicholson, a partner with consulting firm EY-Parthenon, told Transport Dive. That’s why vehicle OEMs, including Tesla, GM and Toyota, are increasingly producing cells and packs in-house. “You don’t want that value going elsewhere,” Nicholson said. Furthermore, the EV battery market is currently dominated by Asian firms. Nicholson says 97% of current EV demand is supplied by battery firms from China, Japan and South Korea. The European Commission recently approved a multi-billion-dollar investment to develop battery production on the Continent, and US policymakers are also taking tentative steps in this direction. Further upstream, the raw materials for cells, especially lithium, nickel and cobalt, present another set of problems. “There’s plenty of lithium around in the ground. There’s not a physical shortage of it,” Nicholson said. “But there’s an economic shortage of it, which is [that] lithium prices don’t support the mining investment that’s required to get it out of the ground profitably.” “There are sources of nickel in North America and Finland and Russia and in the Far East and in China, but you also have to refine the nickel, and there’s a limited number of places you can do that,” said Nicholson, adding that most of the refining capacity is in China. As for cobalt, its unsavory reputation is such that automakers are trying to eliminate it from the equation altogether. “Panasonic has already established the technology to produce cobalt-free batteries, and it is expected to be commercialized within the next two to three years,” Mikolajczak said. Recycling battery cells is also imperative, not only to avoid the environmental damage of junking them, but also as a source of raw materials. Redwood Materials, the battery recycling venture founded by former Tesla CTO JB Straubel, is a pioneer in this field, and is working to establish a circular supply chain for cells. “The largest lithium mine is in the junk drawers of America,” Straubel recently quipped.  === This article originally appeared in Charged. Author: Charles Morris. Source: Transport Dive

Edmunds recently bought a Tesla Model Y Performance and it seems like they’re excited to race it against some fierce internal combustion engine (ICE) cars out there. This time around, a Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500 gets a chance to test its muscle car street cred against the all-electric silent but intense Model Y.  Above: Tesla Model Y Performance and Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 getting ready for a drag race (Source: Edmunds / YouTube) This classic American muscle car from Ford has evolved into a modern-day street and drag racer. Yet even against the slowest Tesla performance variant, the Mustang lags behind. Model Y Performance has the slowest 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds among all the Tesla performance variants, but it still shames the ICE racing icon. Let’s compare both cars via their performance specs to understand their potential and varied capabilities on the dragstrip. Above: Tesla Model Y Performance vs. Ford Mustang Shelby GT specs comparison (Data Source: Manufacturer specs, Car and Driver) The Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 looks promising on the spec sheet compared to the Tesla Model Y Performance. That said, it still has trouble proving itself in a real world drag race. Perhaps factors like Tesla’s instant torque and ultra-quick acceleration made it a clear winner in these races. An ICE car like the Shelby GT500 has become more of a showpiece than drag race nemesis in the age of Teslas. But ICE drivers still brazenly challenge Tesla owners in street and drag races. One such cocky Mustang owner challenged Model 3 Performance owner Kim Paquette only to face down (embarrassingly on Twitter) the blistering-fast 0-60 time of 3.2 seconds from the Tesla. Above: There’s still widespread ignorance from some who must assume all EVs are just golf carts — ummm, guess again (Source: Kim Paquette / Twitter) When I shared a street race video back in 2019, showing a Tesla Model 3 leaving a Mustang far behind in the rear-view mirror, many Mustang enthusiasts said that it was not a fair race, the Mustang owner didn’t use launch control, blah, blah, blah. Now a fair-and-square race is right in front of us — the instant torque and acceleration of the all-electric Tesla is simply superior to the fossil-fuel powered ICE-mobile. Video: Tesla Model Y Performance vs. Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 drag race (YouTube: Edmunds) Besides gas emissions, the Mustang Shelby GT500 costs a whopping $13,000 more. And the Model Y doesn’t need some elaborate launch control system to take off — just floor the accelerator and (pretty quickly) you’ll be the winner. In the 21st century, the old icons are now dinosaurs (sipping dinosaur juice). In their place, some new icons have arrived — luckily Ford is catching up with the times and are going electric now with the impressive Mustang Mach-E. We can’t wait to see how the Mach-E fares on the track racing against competitors ranging from Tesla to ICE-age speed demons alike. === Written by: Iqtidar Ali. An earlier version of this article was originally published on Tesla Oracle.

The rise of Tesla is the most fascinating business story of the 21st century, and for me the most interesting part has always been the early days, when a motley crew of multitalented engineer/entrepreneurs hatched a bold strategy to challenge the most powerful of industries. I devoted a lot of space to Tesla’s early days in my history of the company, but now Mark Vaughn has gone even further back, and shared some previously unheard stories from Tesla’s prehistory in an article for Autoweek.   Flickr: davidgsteadman  In 2003, Vaughn was testing cars at the California Speedway, and one day he got a call from Tom Gage, CEO of the pioneering EV firm AC Propulsion, asking if he could track-test a new car that he and his crew was working on. This turned out to be the tzero, which was named for t0, the mathematical symbol for a starting point in time. Little did anyone at the track that day realize that this bright yellow two-seat roadster would be the starting point of a far-reaching technological transition. Or was it? Vaughn takes us even further back in time, to a little kit car made in Brighton, Michigan by an engineer named Dave Piontek. The Sportech, which was powered by a motorcycle engine, had a curb weight of 1,100 pounds and up to 250 hp, giving it “an absurd power-to-weight ratio of 4.4 pounds per hp.” “It was a hell of a lot of fun,” Piontek, now retired and driving a motor home around Florida, told Vaughn. “I completed the original car in 1989. I painted it in my garage, I literally did probably 90% of the work myself. That car hauled ass!” Piontek eventually built seven cars, one of which made its way to Dr. John Fagan, a professor of electrical engineering and computer science at the University of Oklahoma, around 1997. Paul Carosa, who was AC Propulsion’s VP of Engineering, told me that Fagan was the one who originated the idea to build the tzero. “They did their own version of this little electric sports car that was based on a vehicle called the Piontek. [AC Propulsion founder] Alan Cocconi and I were intrigued by the idea, and we bought one of these vehicles from Piontek.” Fagan put one of AC Propulsion’s electric drivetrains into his Piontek Sportech, and the result was no golf cart. “It was a badass drive,” Fagan told Mark Vaughn. “That thing had about three quarters the torque of a Tesla today.” Fagan tried to get a manufacturer to build the car, but was unsuccessful. However, his efforts inspired the mad scientists at AC Propulsion to build their own electric-powered Sportech at their shop in San Dimas, California. This was the first tzero, and the rest is history. YouTube: Evans Electric However, history, at least in the automotive and tech worlds, progresses through a series of many iterations. The original tzero had 28 lead-acid batteries, which weighed 1,000 pounds and were mounted in the vehicle’s sides. It was a cramped, heavy car with a range of only 60 miles. AC Propulsion’s second tzero prototype was powered by 6,800 laptop-style lithium-ion cells (cylindrical cells in the 18650 format). It was 700 pounds lighter than the original version, and had a range of about 300 miles. This was the car that Gage, Cocconi and company brought out to the California Speedway in 2003. “It was lacking interior amenities, fit and finish, and a lot of other things that a mass-produced, modern day car would have,” Mark Vaughn recalls. “It likely wouldn’t have passed any crash-test standards anywhere in the world, either, but it launched quicker than almost anything made and was nimble and tossable and basically felt like a race car, or at least a very lightweight sports car. It needed sorting in the suspension department; it was too easy to get to oversteer, and even after we played around with camber and tire pressures, it still needed some sorting. But that’s what engineers do, and they eventually figured it out.” Around this time, Martin Eberhard, a successful Silicon Valley entrepreneur who loved fast cars but was also concerned about the environment, had just gone through a divorce, and was looking to buy a sports car. He was already acquainted with Tom Gage, and he soon became intrigued by what was going on at AC Propulsion. Eberhard wanted to buy a tzero, but the AC Propulsion team had shifted their focus. “We realized that we couldn’t continue to make money, let alone meet crash test standards and the like [with the tzero] so we sort of changed gears and started developing the eBox, an EV conversion based on the Toyota Scion xB” Tom Gage told me. They ended up building 25 units of the eBox, which was “a very practical utilitarian vehicle,” but Eberhard had his eye on bigger things, and he knew that practicality wasn’t the attribute that would get people to change their perception of EVs. Now history really shifted into overdrive. Eberhard, joined by Marc Tarpenning, JB Straubel, Ian Wright and Elon Musk, used the tzero as the basis for the revolutionary Tesla Roadster. For the rest of the story, read Mark Vaughn’s Autoweek article (which includes some cool, never-before-seen photos), then read my book. It’s a fascinating tale, complete with conflicts, larger-than-life characters (not all of whom remember events the same way), near-death experiences, tragedy and triumph, and it’s far from over. At the heart of the story, of course, is a series of ever-evolving automobiles, and Tesla’s Plaid Model S is the latest link in a lineage that goes all the way back to Dave Piontek’s garage in Brighton, Michigan. === Written by: Charles Morris; Source: Autoweek

Anti-Tesla headlines are a staple of the popular press, and many of these aim to give the impression that Tesla’s Autopilot system is unsafe. A humorous (or exasperating) recent example: a Florida Fox News affiliate ran a story with the following headline: “Sheriff: Tesla on autopilot backs into Florida deputy’s patrol car.” The facts of the story emerged a day later: Two teenage girls took a borrowed Tesla on an illicit trip. When they got pulled over, the underage driver slipped into the back seat and claimed that she hadn’t been driving—the car was on Autopilot. (The police officer was not fooled, his car was undamaged, and the unlicensed young adventuress was given a citation and held until her parents arrived. The TV station has not retracted its deceitful headline.) Above: Vehicles from Tesla are engineered for maximum safety (Source: Tesla) Of course, this is just one entertaining example of the tall tales purveyed by the press on a daily basis. For editors, Tesla equals clicks, so seemingly every minor fender-bender involving a Tesla is trumpeted under headlines that mention Autopilot, and the articles seldom mention context such as the automaker’s stellar safety ratings or its comparatively low rate of accidents and injuries.  In order to articulate its side of the story, Tesla has added a new section to its web site, called Built for Safety. The new page highlights the steps Tesla takes to make its vehicles as safe as possible, and also describes some of the inherent features of electric vehicles that make them safer in some ways than legacy vehicles (among other things, the lower center of gravity reduces the risk of rollovers, and the lack of an engine in the front provides a larger crumple zone in frontal collisions). CleanTechnica’s Jennifer Sensiba described Tesla’s new Built for Safety page in a recent article, which includes links to several other recent pieces in which she debunked some of the FUD extolled by what she calls the Church of Automotive Safety (so named because they expect online souls to take their anti-Tesla assertions on faith, without providing any facts to back them up). The new section includes detailed descriptions of Tesla’s various safety features. A hardware and software suite, including an array of cameras and ultrasonic sensors, gives the vehicle’s central computer a picture of its surroundings, which enables active safety features such as automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, blind spot warning and lane departure avoidance. Over-the-air software updates allow Tesla to improve its safety features over time, and to introduce new ones. Above: A look at Tesla’s in-house crash lab (Source: Tesla) The Built for Safety page helpfully points out that every one of Tesla’s current vehicles has earned a 5-Star Safety Rating (both overall and in every individual category) from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Also available on the site is a detailed Vehicle Safety Report, which includes quarterly statistics about accidents and fires. For example, Tesla’s summary of safety-related incidents for the fourth quarter of 2020 reads: In the 4th quarter, we registered one accident for every 3.45 million miles driven in which drivers had Autopilot engaged. For those driving without Autopilot but with our active safety features, we registered one accident for every 2.05 million miles driven. For those driving without Autopilot and without our active safety features, we registered one accident for every 1.27 million miles driven. By comparison, NHTSA’s most recent data shows that in the United States there is an automobile crash every 484,000 miles. Of course, all vehicles can crash, and reasonable minds may disagree about whether self-driving automobiles will be safer—Tesla’s figures certainly support the assertion that its existing autonomy features increase safety, but the debate won’t truly be resolved until there are a lot more self-driving vehicles on the road. === Written by: Charles Morris; Source: CleanTechnica

The UK government has implemented a number of policies to encourage drivers to go electric. However, what the inscrutable powers that be give with one hand, they often take away with the other. Auto industry groups and media observers were unpleasantly surprised by the government’s recent decision to cut back its existing grants for EV purchases. Above: Tesla’s Model 3 (Source: EVANNEX; Photo by Casey Murphy) The Department for Transport plans to reduce the grant from £3,000 to £2,500, and to lower the price limit for eligibility from £50,000 to £35,000. The change in eligibility is bad news for Tesla, whose Model 3, currently priced around £40,500, has consistently been the country’s best-selling EV. Several upcoming models, including Ford’s Mustang Mach-E, will not be covered either. The government made it clear that it is targeting Tesla and other higher-priced brands. “We’re ending the Tesla subsidy. Taxpayers should not be subsidising people to buy £50,000 cars,” a government spokesperson told The Times. The plug-in car grant was introduced a decade ago. Since 2018, it has periodically been reduced from its original level of £5,000. The government argues that, with battery prices falling and a range of cheaper EVs coming onto the market, reducing the scope of the grant will allow the available funding to go further. “The increasing choice of new vehicles, growing demand from customers, and rapidly rising number of charge points means that while the level of funding remains as high as ever, given soaring demand, we are re-focusing our vehicle grants on the more affordable zero-emission vehicles,” said Transport minister Rachel Maclean. Auto manufacturers are not amused. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said the decision works against the government’s goal of encouraging EV adoption. “This sends the wrong message to the consumer, especially private customers, and to an industry challenged to meet the government’s ambition to be a world leader in the transition to zero-emission mobility,” said SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes. Ford of Britain said the grant cut was “disappointing,” and “not conducive to supporting the zero-emissions future we all desire.” “Robust incentives—both purchase and usage incentives—that are consistent over time are essential if we are to encourage consumers to adopt new technologies,” Ford of Britain Chairman Graham Hoare said. ===  This article originally appeared in Charged. Author: Charles Morris. Sources: BBC, Electrek, The Times

Recently, the internet was abuzz with news that Elon Musk had changed his title to “Technoking of Tesla” according to the company’s latest regulatory filing with the SEC. With Musk’s tech prowess on full display at some of his other companies (e.g. SpaceX) — could Elon soon be Technoking of the Universe?  Above: Tesla’s new ‘Technoking’ (Flickr: Steve Jurvetson) Hold up. Before we get too grandiose, it’s worth noting that “Silicon Valley companies have previously used fanciful language to describe workers’ roles. For years, some companies have used terms such as ‘guru,’ ‘jedi’ or ‘ninja’ to color job descriptions that involve expertise or mental agility. Other colorful titles to emerge include chief happiness officer, chief futurist and chief digital evangelist,” according to the Wall Street Journal. And this could just be another of Musk’s “cheeky provocations” compared to other “corporate leaders [who] conform to a narrow,” conservative PR approach according to WSJ. After all, Tesla also named their Chief Financial Officer, Zach Kirkhorn, the company’s (ahem) “Master of Coin.” To state the obvious, Elon doesn’t fit “the mold of big-company CEOs who make carefully worded public statements… Mr. Musk often posts Twitter messages with freewheeling thoughts about subjects ranging from Tesla’s [latest news] to science-fiction topics and online memes.” Okay, another possibility? “Mr. Musk’s new title could be intended to reflect Tesla’s view that it is [the] source of technology disruption over the long term, Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives wrote in a research memo, pointing to the company’s autonomous-driving work and its strides in battery technology,” reports the Journal. A Wall Street analyst, like Ives, gets paid to pontificate on matters such as Musk’s new job title. But it’s probably not all that serious. According to the SEC filing, Musk will still maintain his position as CEO at Tesla.  That said, Mr. Musk is also doing some exciting things as CEO of SpaceX too. Who knows? If things keep progressing with SpaceX’s Starship, Musk could soon expand his job title (and reach) well beyond earth. === Source: Wall Street Journal

Legacy automakers are beginning to introduce new electric vehicles. So far however, they’ve been unable to catch up to Tesla in the EV race. That said, there are a number of startups going all-in on electric cars. Many of these new EV automakers don’t have the “heavy baggage” (aka stranded assets) associated with manufacturing internal combustion engine cars. Source: Lucid / EVANNEX It turns out that one of these new EV automakers, Lucid, has been making some noise. But can Lucid really compare to Tesla? According to CNBC, “Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson is following his former boss Elon Musk’s playbook when it comes to production, some technology, dealerships and service. But it’s charting a different path on electric-vehicle charging stations, automated driving systems and advertising.” So let’s take a closer look at some of the similarities (and differences) between Lucid and Tesla. “Unlike some newer electric-vehicle companies, Lucid plans to manufacture all of its vehicles in-house, like Tesla does today,” reports CNBC. And, on the battery front, both companies are working with LG Chem. But Tesla has a much longer list of battery suppliers including Panasonic, Samsung, and CATL as well. How about a propriety charging platform like Tesla’s Supercharger network? Considering this, Rawlinson said, “Do we want to have the capital burden of a fast charging network? No, we can go asset light in that. That’s where we can save money.” Instead of their own charging network, Lucid has chosen to partner with the Volkswagen-owned charging network Electrify America. How about self-driving tech? Tesla’s Elon Musk famously called lidar, or light ranging and detection sensors, “a fool’s errand.” In contrast, Lucid has chosen to use lidar in its sensor suite for advanced driver-assist systems. “Do we think that lidar should be part of the sensor suite for (autonomous vehicles)? Yes, we do,” Rawlinson says. There are some similarities between Lucid and Tesla when it comes to direct-to-consumer sales in lieu of selling through traditional franchise dealerships. To that end, CNBC reports, “Lucid already has six retail locations open in California and Florida. It plans to operate 20 retail locations and service centers in North America by the end of this year.”  While the sales platform may look somewhat similar, the marketing approach does not. Tesla doesn’t do traditional advertising. “Lucid, by contrast, ran a national television campaign from Dec. 25 through the end of January for the Air to generate awareness of the company and vehicle,” according to CNBC. “I thought, well, dammit, we’re going to have to [advertise] because we couldn’t get the message out,” Rawlinson said. “So, we had a little foray into that, and I think that’s been quite positive. So, I don’t rule that out just because Tesla doesn’t do it.” Okay, what about vehicle pricing? Well, at this stage, Lucid has “sold out” of the first 500 of its Air luxury sedan which goes for a whopping $169,000. Will Lucid ever go the more affordable route? Although prices will come down over time, we’re not sure precisely how much at this stage. “In the longer and the fuller timescale, do we actually make a $25,000 car like Tesla’s planning to do with its Model 2?” Rawlinson said. “My view is, as a company, I think we’re probably seven or eight years away from being able to contemplate something like that. That’s a huge undertaking.” === Source: CNBC

Small companies grow into medium-size companies, and some swell into “megafirms,” “giants,” or even “behemoths.” Some puff up into members of feared groups of global power brokers, like the Big Three, the Seven Sisters, Big Auto or Big Tech. This process has been going on since the dawn of capitalism and, like everything else in this crazy world, it is accelerating. Back in the good old Victorian era, it took a generation or two to become a Robber Baron. Nowadays, any self-respecting Stanford grad expects to reach Master of the Universe status in less than a decade. Source: Ivan Radic / Flickr The quickest evolution from cheered underdog to hated overlord was that of Google, which took only eight years to reach $10 billion in sales. That’s the current record for a US startup, but records are made for breaking. As a recent article in the Wall Street Journal reports, several electric vehicle companies are hoping to ride the current SPAC frenzy and leap to large-company status in only a few years. As writer Eliot Brown tells us, the largest corporate cojones belong to Faraday Future, Arrival Group and Fisker, each of which has announced ambitions to reach the milestone of $10 billion in revenue within three years of launching production. Israeli EV component supplier Ree Automotive and flying-car maker Archer Aviation are playing it safe—they plan to hit the $10-billion mark in a stately seven years. All of these companies (and dozens of others) have gone public, or are in the process of doing so, by merging with special-purpose acquisition companies (SPACs). At least 10 EV or battery companies in the SPAC pipeline have been valued at figures in the billions before earning any revenue. Source: Wall Street Journal Going public via a SPAC is the fashionable alternative these days because it involves less stringent regulatory requirements than following the more traditional IPO route. The SPAC track apparently also offers more opportunity for hubris and hype—the regulations that govern IPOs discourage such projections of spectacular growth. As Brown notes, with considerable understatement, many analysts believe the rosy forecasts are unrealistic. Some of these cite the uncertainty of demand for EVs, but the most cogent objection concerns the difficulty of building a manufacturing operation and supply chain. Gavin Baker, an early investor in Tesla when he was a Portfolio Manager at Fidelity Investments, points out that some of these up-and-coming companies are predicting that they’ll be able to ramp up production two or three times faster than Tesla did after it launched Model S. “It is easy to make PowerPoint slides; it’s relatively easy to make a few prototypes that look good and drive well,” Mr. Baker told the WSJ. “It’s mass producing high-quality, reliable cars that’s hard.” YouTube: Faraday Future That won’t be news to anyone at Tesla, which suffered near-death experiences during the production ramps of the Roadster, Model X and Model 3. Nonetheless, according to the WSJ it took the EV trendsetter only about 11 years from the time of its first sales to reach $10 billion in revenue. Tesla’s rapid growth is all the more remarkable when you consider some of the other famous names that have hit 10 billion in a similar timeframe: Uber (9 years); Facebook (10.5 years) and Amazon (12 years). These companies sell web- or app-based services, not precision hardware that has to travel at highway speeds and last for a decade. Several other would-be automakers that started up around the same time as Tesla, including Coda, Aptera (now reborn), and the first iteration of Fisker, quickly went bust. Others have come and gone since. More will follow. === Written by: Charles Morris; Source: Wall Street Journal