2019 Model 3 2019 Long Range Autopilot Nav Pano Blind 55k on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Tesla announces 'infinite mile warranty' for Model S EV drive unit

Tesla Motors has a way with words. From Superchargers to 'auto pilot,' Tesla likes to set itself apart by calling things other things. What, fast charging and autonomous drive not good enough for ya? The same thing just happened with the announcement of a new 'infinite mile warranty' for the drive unit. That's infinite, not unlimited, but whatever it's called, the new policy lifts the warranty mileage cap on the 85-kWh version of the Model S that had previously been set at four years and 50,000 miles. The new rules say that the drive unit will have the same 'limits' as the battery pack, which means as many miles as you can put on the car in eight years. Tesla will also honor the warranty no matter how many people have owned the car and is applying the warranty retroactively, so feel safe buying that used 2012 Model S until 2019 if you still want some warranty coverage. "If we truly believe that electric motors are fundamentally more reliable than gasoline engines ... then our warranty policy should reflect that." – Elon Musk Tesla has gotten some criticism recently for quality issues in Model S EVs that have been on the road for a while now. Consumer Reports, for example, described problems with their Model S after owning it for 17 months. In the warranty change announcement blog post, Tesla CEO Elon Musk admitted that Tesla made a mistake imposing a limit in the first place. "In hindsight, this should have been our policy from the beginning of the Model S program," he said. "If we truly believe that electric motors are fundamentally more reliable than gasoline engines, with far fewer moving parts and no oily residue or combustion byproducts to gum up the works, then our warranty policy should reflect that." Now it does. Tesla is warning its investors that the short-term impact might be negative, but "by doing the right thing for Tesla vehicle owners at this early stage of our company, I am confident that it will work out well in the long term," Musk said. You can read the short announcement below. Infinite Mile Warranty The Tesla Model S drive unit warranty has been increased to match that of the battery pack. That means the 85 kWh Model S, our most popular model by far, now has an 8 year, infinite mile warranty on both the battery pack and drive unit. There is also no limit on the number of owners during the warranty period. Moreover, the warranty extension will apply retroactively to all Model S vehicles ever produced.

Tesla Model S now the least-stolen car in the US

When is a Honda Accord more appealing than a Tesla Model S? When you're a thief. The Accord continues to reign as the most-stolen car in the US but the Model S is now claiming a new and interesting title: the least-stolen car in America. Last year, it wasn't even on the list. Of course, sometimes a Model S is stolen and the most famous case ended with tragic results. Last year there was an eight-way tie for "least-stolen." For the record, last year there was an eight-way tie for "least-stolen," made up mostly of SUVs and CUVs. The rankings were listed by a value called "claim frequency," which is how many were reported stolen per 1,000 units produced and where lower means it is stolen less. With a 0.4, these were the vehicles least wanted by thieves in 2013: Dodge Journey, Volkswagen Tiguan, Audi A4, Acura RDX, Toyota Matrix, Lexus HS 250 hybrid, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson. This year, the Tesla clocked in with a 0.15. The average vehicle has a claim frequency of 3.51. Tesla has, of course, worked hard to make the Model S an unlikely target. It can be shut down remotely, it can be tracked and it has a hacker princess and cash prizes working to protect from other attacks. Tesla's Alexis Georgeson told AutoblogGreen that Tesla hasn't been able to verify the "least-stolen" moniker but said that, "We take the security of our cars very seriously and relentlessly continue to improve our vehicles via over-the-air updates, an ability unique to the industry. We will continue to work to stay ahead by providing the most sophisticated tools and technologies in our cars and working closely with security researchers to identify and address potential vulnerabilities." Value Walk says that another reason for the low theft rate is that there might be very low demand for Model S parts, since the cars are still under warranty and there aren't many on the road. Still, the claim frequency is a fair comparison, and by that metric the Tesla Model S looks just awful to at least one group of people.

Tesla-Based Rinspeed XchangE Concept Offers A Vision For The Future Of Autonomous Driving

It has become an annual tradition for Swiss automaker Rinspeed to release details of its latest inventive concept just ahead of the Geneva Motor Show. Not your customary custom shop, Rinspeed considers themselves an "automotive think tank and mobility lab." Perhaps it's no surprise, then, that this year's concept pairs two emerging automotive industry trends: electric vehicles and autonomous driving technology. From the outside, the Rinspeed XchangeE looks much like the all-electric Tesla Model S upon which it is based, save for a modified front fascia, clear plexiglass roof and bright green paint job. Inside, however, is where things get interesting. View 6 Photos "Passengers will be able to assume virtually any seating or resting position when traveling in a fully autonomous vehicle in the future, which will require a completely new operating and display concept," says the automaker in a statement. The plush "business-class" interior of the XchangE is reconfigurable, offering up to twenty possible seating positions to passengers. Additional flexibility is provided by a "bionic" steering column, featuring a TRW wheel that can slide to the center of the vehicle when not in use by the driver. With the XchangE, Rinspeed has rethought safety and security for the autonomous age as well. An RFID access control system ensures that only approved drivers will be able to command the vehicle. The steering wheel's hands-on recognition system will let the car know when the driver has returned to the helm. All data transfer between car and cloud is handled by a secure LTE network connection. In-car infotainment runs on HTML 5, which Rinspeed claims will provide "comprehensive protection against hacker attacks." The only question that remains is what to do on those long road trips, now that you're no longer hunched over a steering wheel the entire time. Forget flip-down or seat-back DVD players. The Rinspeed XchangE features a gesture-controlled 32-inch 4K television. "You can read, listen to music, surf the web, play games and watch movies in brilliant picture and sound quality," says the automaker. "Or you can hold a four-party meeting at 120 km/h [75 mph] and work on your files while brewing a fresh cup of Italian Amici espresso." This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Geneva Motor Show Tesla Autonomous Vehicles Concept Cars Translogic Videos