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Audi EV exec compliments Tesla Supercharger network

Stefan Niemand, Audi's Director of Battery Electric Vehicles, didn't mince words that the EV market must improve, and he even applauded the American competition during a meeting of Germany's auto industry organization, the VDA. "I hate to admit it, but Tesla did everything right", he said about the Supercharger network, according to EETimes Europe Automotive. Niemand also tried to convince the members that EVs needed to improve significantly. "These cars are slower than those with conventional drive and they have a much lower range – and in compensation they are more expensive," Niemand said, according to EETimes Europe Automotive In the exec's opinion, it's acceptable if an electric vehicle is a little more expensive than the competition, but the model needs to be every bit as enjoyable to drive as one with a combustion drivetrain. Niemand championed the need for a vast recharging infrastructure and used his speech to do some cheerleading for the forthcoming production version of the company's E-Tron Quattro crossover concept. The company claims the future model can do everything Niemand is admonishing the industry about. For example, the version at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show could produce up to 496 horsepower for short periods and cover 311 miles on the European testing cycle. The exec's arguments echo those of Audi of America president Scott Keogh who sees a similar EV future in the US. Keogh believes the brand's electric sales could as high as 25 percent of its volume by 2025. The company is getting the public ready for this electrified powertrain transition with the A3 e-Tron plug-in hybrid, but the production E-Tron Quattro takes the idea to the next level. To solve the recharging problem, the company is also working on 150-kW fast charging network with partners. Related Video:

Morgan Stanley says Tesla is world's most important automaker [w/poll]

If you had to choose one automaker, out of the dozens out there on the marketplace, to identify as the single most important in the world, which would it be? Toyota, the world's largest automaker? General Motors, which once laid claim to the same and is still the largest in America? Volkswagen, the largest in Europe? Or maybe Hyundai, which has risen like a phoenix from the proverbial ashes to become the fourth largest in the world? Nope, nope and nope, says financial services company Morgan Stanley: it's Tesla.
The potentially startling conclusion came in the form of an investment report cited by the LA Times and issued by Morgan Stanley research analyst Adam Jones, who wrote that "Tesla Motors has transformed from a fledgling start-up to arguably the most important car company in the world."
To back up the claim, Jones asserts that Tesla is not only an emerging force to be reckoned with in its own right, but has also spurred other, more established automakers to take electric vehicles (and their champion) more seriously. It's also prompted local governments to solicit Tesla to build its new gigafactory in their state, and encompasses more US content than any other car on the road.

Toyota RAV4 EV recalled for Tesla motor assembly software problem

As we noted this morning, Toyota is recalling 112,500 cars and SUVs to fix problems with electric power steering controls and electric vehicle software. The largest of two recalls announced yesterday cover about 110,000 2015 Camry midsize sedans and Highlander SUVs, as well as 2014 and 2015 RAV4 SUVs. There is a specific problem for those RAV4s that are also of the electric variety, which Toyota built with Tesla help from 2012 through 2014. This recall covers 2,500 RAV4 electric vehicles. Software in a motor assembly can make the vehicles shift into neutral on their own. Toyota says it knows of no crashes or injuries that resulted from the problem. For the non-EV-specific recalls, Toyota says a circuit board in the electric power steering may have been damaged at the factory. Power-assisted steering could fail, increasing the effort needed to steer and raising the risk of a crash. Dealers will inspect and replace power steering controls if needed. Related Video: The AP contributed to this report. Featured Gallery 2012 Toyota RAV4 EV: First Drive View 22 Photos News Source: Bloomberg Green Recalls Tesla Toyota Electric rav4 ev toyota rav4 ev