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NHTSA denies Tesla asked for Model S fire probe

The Tesla Model S is being investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration after three of the models caught fire; two of the electric cars impacted debris on the road, and one was involved in a single-car accident. This much we know for sure. Just exactly how the investigation came to be, though, is up for debate.
According to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the California-based automaker requested that the government safety agency open the investigation, saying in a blog post, "We have requested that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conduct a full investigation as soon as possible into the fire incidents. While we think it is highly unlikely, if something is discovered that would result in a material improvement in occupant fire safety, we will immediately apply that change to new cars and offer it as a free retrofit to all existing cars."
Not so fast, counters NHTSA head David Strickland. Speaking to The Detroit News, Strickland had this to say: "Investigations are independent... We have never ... actually had an automaker ask for a formal investigation, but it causes a couple of implications: If a manufacturer asks me or asks the agency for a formal investigation, you've already made a determination that you may have a defect that imposes an unreasonable risk to safety. ... I don't think that would ever happen."

Tesla's new $408 per month business lease deal for Model S reminds us of last 'revolutionay' deal

Almost exactly a year ago, Tesla Motors announced what it called a "revolutionary" lease deal for the Model S. Since the electric automaker used some unusual assumptions in its calculations to get to a headline-worthy $500-a-month "true cost of ownership," the company had to quickly change its tune. Some of the same assumptions are back in a business lease deal from new subsidiary, Tesla Finance, for $408 a month (sort of) that was announced today. Tesla is touting the easy-to-understand lease agreement, which takes all of three pages and is "written in plain language." The agreement can also be signed digitally on the car's touchscreen when the car arrives. That, plus the low cost, is the good news. The business lease program is currently only available in ten states. The estimated effective cost of $408 a month sure sounds great but, just as with the first consumer lease plan for the Model S, there are a lot of caveats to be aware of. For one thing, the actual monthly payment is $1,012, well over twice the $408 number. Tesla estimates that you'll save $261 a month in gasoline costs and $343 a month in business tax benefits (with Tesla calculating a 40 percent effective tax rate and 70 percent business use). Those gas savings, "are calculated assuming $0.11 per kilowatt hour compared to paying $4.90 per gallon for premium gasoline with a fuel efficiency of 20 miles per gallon," so if your business already runs a fleet of Toyota Priuses, you can forget the $408 number. Oh, and the business lease program is currently only available in ten states - CA, CO, CT, FL, IL, MA, MD, NY, TX, and WA. Yes, that list includes Texas, where you can't officially buy a Model S. Tesla spokeswoman Shanna Hendriks told AutoblogGreen that the company has a lessor's license in the state of Texas, which allows it to offer the business leasing deal there. The dealership license, which the company can't get in Texas, is the thing that is preventing sales. No matter which of the ten business lease states you're in, the first vehicles under this program have an estimated delivery date of June 2014. Read more below. Tesla Business Leasing By The Tesla Motors Team April 8, 2014 A year ago, Tesla introduced a Resale Value Guarantee that gives customers the option to return their Model S after three years for a known value.

Tesla offered nuclear plant in France, and more | Autoblog Minute

Longtime GM design chief Ed Welburn retires, Lincoln says it has high customer interest in Continental, and could Tesla build the Model 3 in France? Senior Editor Greg Migliore reports on this edition of Autoblog Minute. Show full video transcript text [00:00:00] General Motors' long time Vice President of design, Ed Welburn, announced his retirement this week. He joined GM in 1972 and he's just the sixth design chief in GM's 108 years. He's being replaced by Michael Simcoe who is Vice President of design for GM's international operations. Now Ed Welburn's time at GM dates back to when he was 11 years old. He wrote a letter to the company saying he wanted to be a designer. [00:00:30] Someone at General Motors got back to him and the rest is history. Lincoln already has 40,000 hand raisers for the new Continental. Now those aren't Tesla figures but it's still a very healthy number and shows a lot of interest for its new flagship sedan. The Continental will replace the MKS in Lincoln's lineup. Continental will be in showrooms this fall and it will offer a 3.0L V6 twin-turbo with 400 HP. Lincoln President Kumar Galhotra said, "No other Lincoln vehicle has [00:01:00] generated this much interest in this little time." This week in Tesla news, Reuters reports that a French government official has offered Elon Musk the site of a an old nuclear reactor to build a car factory. The reactor, which is located in the Alsace region of France, is set to close at the end of this year. Now this notion is not that far fetched. Musk says that he would consider it. Meanwhile demand for the Model 3 continues to be strong and has attracted hundreds of thousands of hand raisers. [00:01:30] Those are the highlights form the week that was. Be sure to come back this Saturday for my full recap where I'll have additional insights into the automotive industry. For Autoblog, I'm Greg Migliore. Autoblog Minute is a short-form video news series reporting on all things automotive. Each segment offers a quick and clear picture of what's happening in the automotive industry from the perspective of Autoblog's expert editorial staff, auto executives, and industry professionals. Lincoln Tesla Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video