2020 Model 3 2020 Long Range Fsd Autopilot Awd Nav Pano Cam 26k on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Recharge Wrap-up: California breaks ground on high-speed rail, Ford launches global mobility experiments

California has celebrated the groundbreaking of the country's first high-speed rail system. The ceremony took place in Fresno, in the San Joaquin Valley, situated along the line's initial route through California's Central Valley. The train will travel at speeds of up to 220 miles per hour, delivering passengers from San Francisco to LA in less than three hours when finished by 2029. California eventually plans to extend high-speed rail service north to Sacramento and south to San Diego, with a total of 24 stations. The project is expected to cost a total of $68 billion, but could potentially ease road and air traffic, as well as the pollution that comes with it. See the groundbreaking ceremony in the video below, and read more at Engadget or the California High-Speed Rail Authority website. Elon Musk (barely) commented on the Tesla Model 3 during his Reddit AMA. A commenter asked for any new information on the upcoming electric sedan, to which Musk merely replied, "It won't look like other cars." Unfortunately for Tesla fans, the lone comment was the only reference to the electric automaker Musk leads as CEO. The event was full of some really cool space talk, though. Musk also noted he gets an average of six hours of sleep per night, and that showering is the daily habit that impacts his life the most positively. Read the entire AMA at Reddit. Ford outlined its Smart Mobility Plan at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. It includes 25 global mobility experiments designed to provide insights into the future of transportation needs around the world. "We see a world where vehicles talk to one another, drivers and vehicles communicate with the city infrastructure to relieve congestion, and people routinely share vehicles or multiple forms of transportation for their daily commute," says Ford President and CEO Mark Fields. The mobility experiments include carsharing programs in Michigan, London, Germany and India, a fast-charging infrastructure experiment, a shuttle service in New York and London and even a cycling focused data program in Palo Alto. Read more at Ford's website. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. "Our priority is not in making marketing claims or being in a race for the first autonomous car on the road," Fields said. "Our priority is in making the first Ford autonomous vehicle accessible to the masses and truly enhancing customers' lives.

Tesla not bought with Bitcoin currency after all?

The story we posted about a dealership accepting Bitcoins as payment for a Tesla Model S is reportedly only partially true. Lamborghini Newport Beach instead used BitPay to exchange the electronic currency for US dollars before completing the sale, according to "Squawk on the Street" on CNBC.
"We found out that by using a little program that Bitcoin uses, which is actually BitPay, we would have received US dollars," Pietro Frigerio, general manager of the dealership, says in the interview. "It's like if you come into the dealership and you want to buy a Lamborghini using gold bars, we would not accept it. So you'd go out, exchange it, and you'd come back to us. That was how it worked [with the Tesla and the Bitcoins]."
Frigerio says that the dealership doesn't accept Bitcoin as a currency and only accepts US dollars as payment for its vehicles. That said, we wouldn't be surprised if using BitPay to turn Bitcoins into US dollars for the used Model S purchase was actually easier than going through a more traditional financial establishment. Head over to CNBC to check out the "Squawk on the Street" interview with more details.

Tesla owners will celebrate Supercharger network with DC meet-up

Groucho Marx famously said that he'd never belong to a club that would have him as a member. When it comes to this particular club, though, we're going to beg to differ. The Tesla Motors Club is putting out the call for what they're calling the "All Superchargers Lead to DC" tour for Presidents Day weekend that will give EV fans a chance to meet up, brag about their vehicles and do a tidy tour of the nation's capital. The agenda starts with a meet up Saturday, February 15 at Supercharger locations outside of DC, in either Hagerstown, MD; Glen Allen, VA; or Newark, DE. Once everyone is charged up, they will drive towards the city and the party really starts at an Arlington, VA hotel. Sunday includes a scenic drive through Washington, DC, as well as a visit to the Air and Space Museum at Dulles Airport. Monday includes a discussion of global domination before the drivers head their separate ways. The club spells out its agenda here and we've heard that there are over 50 attendees and cars signed up. Who's driving from the furthest away, we wonder. Tesla says it has 65 stations in its North American supercharger network. These stations can provide as many as 170 miles of range on a 30-minute charge. Not surprisingly, most of these stations are dotted either on the West or East Coasts but Tesla says the final parts to make a cross-country drive will be installed in the next few weeks.