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Tesla goes Down Under December 9th

Not too long after Tesla stepped in to scoop up some of the engineers left behind as Ford, GM and Toyota announced shuttering production Down Under, the California-based EV company will start selling its Model S in Australia. Beginning Tuesday, December 9, sales will begin in Sydney, bringing a California-style plug-in change to the country's automotive landscape. The Model S will start at $81,729 US in Australia. Come Tuesday, we can expect to hear what Tesla's plans are in regard to distribution, creating charging networks and the like. So far, we know that its Supercharger network will likely be powered at least in part by solar energy and that the first Model S deliveries will go to solar-powered homes. This isn't surprising, considering the company's ties to SolarCity, for whom Tesla will set aside a certain amount of battery production in its Reno-based Gigafactory. If Tesla's solar strategy is successful, it could open up conversations about larger-scale reliance on renewable energy in Australia. We'll have to wait and see. The Model S will start at $97,245 ($81,729 US) in Australia, and that includes taxes and registration fees, but customers outside of the Australian Capital Territory could see their base prices start at over $103,000. Tesla believes, though, that its prices will be competitive with the other big players in Australia's luxury segment. Right now, there are still a lot of questions to be answered regarding Tesla's future in Australia. Some of those answers should arrive next week, while we'll just have to wait for the market to respond for others. If you'd like to be part of that market, head on over to Tesla's Australia page. Featured Gallery Tesla Model S View 24 Photos News Source: Clean TechnicaImage Credit: Copyright 2014 Drew Phillips / AOL Green Tesla Electric Solar Cars supercharger gigafactory sydney

Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla Model S in landslide, Plug'n Drive wants EVs

A woman and child survived a landslide in a Tesla Model S. The front of the car was severely damaged with the hood and front fascia badly crumpled. The rear hatch window glass caved in, but while the windshield was cracked, the safety glass held together. While in another vehicle, the occupants could have been crushed by the tree that landed on the car, the cabin structure of the Model S mostly withstood the pressure, saving the humans inside. It's not the typical situation most people think of when considering car safety, but it is a dramatic example of the protection the Model S offers. Read more and see the aftermath at Green Car Reports. The Renault-Nissan Alliance will provide 200 battery electric vehicles for the United Nation's COP21 climate conference in Paris. Together the cars will drive a combined 400,000 kilometers (about 248,550 miles) emissions-free. The cars - a fleet of Renault Zoes, Nissan Leafs and Nissan e-NV200s - will be used as shuttles for the conference attendees. The Alliance will set up a network of 90 chargers for the event, powered by low-carbon electricity. The residual emissions will be offset through a UN carbon offsetting program. Read more from Nissan, or at Green Car Congress. At the Queen's Park Electric Vehicle Day this week, the non-profit group Plug'n Drive called for Ontario to emphasize vehicle electrification. The group says that adding electric power to more cars, "can make a significant contribution to GHG emission reductions in Ontario, while at the same time benefitting the Ontario economy." GHG are, of course, greenhouse gases. According to the group, there are currently more than 12,140 EVs in Canada. Read more in the press release below. Plug'n Drive advocates for electrification of transportation as a key plank of Ontario's climate change action strategy First ever Electric Vehicle Day at Queen's Park demonstrates the benefits of electric vehicles TORONTO, ON, Oct. 26, 2015 /CNW/ - Plug'n Drive is hosting the first ever Queen's Park Electric Vehicle Day today at 11:00 a.m., providing MPPs from all parties, Ministers, public servants, stakeholders and the public the opportunity to test drive electric cars at all price points and to learn about the environmental and economic benefits of switching from gas to electric.

AAA says Tesla Model S is the best green car available

AAA has released its 2014 Green Car Guide (PDF), a 140-page document that discusses what it means to be green, how to be a greener driver, how to shop for green cars, what choices are available and what green cars are on the horizon. Most importantly, the guide evaluates and ranks 83 different green vehicles, from high-mileage gasoline vehicles to battery electric cars, and everything in between. This year's king of green vehicles, according to AAA, is the Tesla Model S. Despite some interpreting this to mean that AAA is calling the Tesla Model S (with 85-kWh battery) the greenest car, the scoring system only includes two "green" categories out of the 13 evaluated: emissions and fuel economy; the Tesla earns 10 out of 10 in both, but so do every other EV on the list. The other categories include braking, crashworthiness, visibility, slalom handling, ride quality, interior noise, acceleration, ease of entry and exit, interior size, turning circle and luggage capacity. The Model S scored very well (more than 7 out of 10 points) in every category except the last four mentioned. So, this isn't about whether the Tesla is the greenest of the lot. Instead, it's about the AAA deeming it the best all-around car of the green bunch. The best green car value is the gasoline-powered Chevrolet Spark 1LT at $229 per point. AAA also calculates the cost per point for the 83 cars tested. The best green car value, according to this evaluation, is the gasoline-powered Chevrolet Spark 1LT at $229 per point. The Tesla Model S is in the bottom five, at $953 per point. So while the Tesla might be AAA's best green car, those points don't come cheap. In terms of the greenest car available, there are other evaluations out there. For instance, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released its own list earlier this year, using broader methods for evaluating what makes a car green, including emissions, fuel economy, curb weight and battery weight (the latter two are used to inform environmental impact of production and disposal). Their top three green cars are the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive, Toyota Prius C and Nissan Leaf. The Tesla Model S isn't even in the top 10. Oh, and let's not forget Green Car Journal's Green Car Of The Year, the Honda Accord. Still, which car would you rather drive every day?