If, as the media are firmly convinced, the German automakers’ EV strategies revolve around competing with Tesla, they will have to come up with an answer to the ascendant Supercharger network. The Europeans recently took a step in this direction with the formation of the Charging Interface Initiative (CharIN). Audi, BMW, Daimler, Opel, Porsche and… Read more »
Search Results Found For: "porsche"
Bob Lutz thinks Tesla’s in trouble
Since Tesla’s 2003 founding, there’s been a steady stream of articles explaining why it would soon go belly-up. The latest comes from a seemingly unlikely source: Bob Lutz, the “father of the Chevrolet Volt.” Back in the day, Lutz and Musk seemed like fellow travelers – the former GM exec said he would always be… Read more »
Slow sales for Tesla in Germany. Are more EV incentives on the way? (UPDATED)
Last month’s Frankfurt auto show was positively crackling with EV news, as Audi, BMW and Porsche presented concept EVs, Mitsubishi showed its 2016 Outlander PHEV, and several suppliers touted tech advances. However, the comparatively low-key presence of electric trendsetter Tesla – which was showing red, white and blue Model S but no Model X –… Read more »
Jaguar Land Rover developing three electrification concepts
As Audi, Porsche and other luxury brands show their concepts for the electric future in Frankfurt, Jaguar Land Rover has released details of three R&D projects that explore three different levels of electrification. The Concept_e MHEV is a mild-hybrid system featuring an electric motor/generator that regenerates braking energy, stores it in a battery and uses… Read more »
Fastned prepares for 300 kW charging
Automakers are touting ever-faster charging speeds – Audi and Porsche both showed concept cars at this month’s auto show in Frankfurt that they claim will be able to charge at speeds of up to 300 kW – and Dutch charging network operator Fastned is determined to be ready. Fastned, which operates 38 stations in the… Read more »
Tesla tweaks its battery chemistry: a closer look at silicon anode development
In mid-July, Tesla Motors made a trio of Model S update announcements. The new options included a 70 kWh rear-wheel-drive base model, an upgrade for the high-end battery pack from 85 to 90 kWh (providing about a 6% increase in range), and Ludicrous mode, which offers a 10% improvement in the car’s 0 to 60… Read more »
Chevrolet Bolt EV “for everyone” except those in right-hand-drive countries?
It’s the most important question about any new EV: is its maker serious about selling it, or is it just another compliance car or halo model? One clue to an automaker’s intentions is whether the EV is offered for sale in all markets, not just in California. It’s probably far too early to make predictions… Read more »
Volkswagen brings new plug-in Passat to Europe
Volkswagen is expanding its stable of plug-in vehicles with the new Passat GTE plug-in hybrid. The VW Group now offers no less than ten plug-ins: the Audi A3 e-tron, Q7 e-tron and R8 e-tron; the Porsche Cayenne and Panamera S E-Hybrids; the Golf and Passat GTE plug-ins, the low-volume XL1, and the battery-electric e-up! and… Read more »
Tesla Motors book gets over-the-air update
Tesla Motors is the epitome of a “moving target,” so when I released my history of the company in mid-2014, I knew it would be out of date before long. Like the company’s vehicles, the book continues to be regularly updated, and each new version will be smoothly delivered through the magic of the internet…. Read more »
2015 VW e-Golf ushers in an era of interchangeable drivetrains for every Volkswagen model
Rising above the waters of the Mittelland Canal in Wolfsburg, Germany, four iconic smokestacks cut through an otherwise sparse skyline. These are the most recognizable – and among the last – vestiges of the original Volkswagen factory from 1938. Symbolically, however, the smokestacks represent much more than the symbols of a power plant that –… Read more »