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Recharge Wrap-up: Fisker EMotion rear end, Faraday Future drag race teaser

Fisker has unveiled the rear end of its EMotion EV. This latest image in a series of slow reveals shows us the strip of lighting across the back, the lines of the trunk opening, and a good look at the rear diffuser. The car appears significantly wider at the fenders than at the roofline, which gives it a planted and muscular look. It's a shape that fits the car's stated performance; Fisker says the EMotion will have a top speed of 161 miles per hour. And, of course, there are no tailpipes. Read more from TechCrunch. Check out the off-road prowess of the Tesla Model X in an icy ditch. Thanks to a sophisticated traction control and torque distribution system, the electric SUV is able to keep its composure even when a wheel leaves the ground over the uneven terrain. Of course, the grippy winter tires help too. The video could also help ease concerns about the vehicles torsional rigidity, though there was a slight creak when opening one of the falcon wing doors while the Model X was suspended over the ditch. See the video and read more at Teslarati. Faraday Future is teasing a video of drag races against the Tesla Model X, Bentley Bentayga, and Ferrari 488 GTB. It shows the camouflaged FF prototype lining up next to the competitors individually, and taking off down the drag strip before cutting the video short. The video then instructs viewers to "stay connected" for the results. Presumably, the prototype will perform impressively. Outrunning a Model X P100D with Ludicrous mode means doing 0-60 in less than 2.9 seconds. Faraday Future is slated to unveil its production electric vehicle at CES 2017 in early January. Check out the video and read more at Teslarati.

Elon Musk: Tesla Model E will be 20 percent smaller than Model S [w/video]

Somewhere between a Lexus CT 200h and an Acura ILX. But a little quieter and definitely bigger than a breadbox. That's the best comparison we could come up with when trying to get an idea of how big Tesla's more moderately priced sedan will be when it hits the market sometime around 2016. Tesla Motors chief Elon Musk, speaking to the California Public Utilities Commission recently, estimated that the Model E will be about 80 percent the size of the Model S sedan. You can see the video of this below. Now we're not sure exactly what that means, but we can practice a little geometry with the Model S's 196-inch length and 77-inch width and have some fun with the possibilities. And a quick perusal of sports sedans will reveal that the Model E's footprint will be a little bigger than the Lexus in question and slightly more petite than the ILX. Either way, Musk's estimate rounds out the equation of sorts for the Model E, even though he doesn't use that name in the video below. The car will have a minimum 200-mile range, Musk said (perhaps from a 48-kWh pack?) at about half the cost. And with 80 percent of the size. As for when we'll start seeing sales of the Model E, which is supposed to start at $35,000, that deadline has migrated over the years from as late as 2017 to as early as next year and then back to 2016. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Recharge Wrap-up: Telsa's aerodynamic modeling program, new toll plan for NYC

A video shows the digital aerodynamic modeling Tesla used when making the Model S. The video is from Exa, which uses predictive airflow software to create a "digital wind tunnel." Tesla's aerodynamics guru Rob Palin said the digital modeling helped them pinpoint areas with the most drag - the mirrors and wheels being the big anchors - and make the car more slippery overall. "One of the objectives with the Model S was to minimize the airflow around the front wheels and to line up the airflow so it hits the front wheels head on," says Palin. "This was an area where we made a huge improvement from the initial concept designs to the final design." See the car's 0.24 drag coefficient in action in the video above, and read more at Teslarati. A new toll plan in New York City could help ease congestion and pay for infrastructure. A report from Move NY Fair finds that drivers in the outer boroughs end up paying most of the tolls, while Manhattan drivers do not. "The toll levels charged to motorists do not accurately reflect travel demand nor do they appropriately act as a disincentive to drive into the most congested part of the city," according to the report. Under the new plan, driver's entering central Manhattan would pay $8, while tolls would be lowered by 45 percent on bridges that don't lead into the central business district. The plan would encourage mass transit, and generate an expected $1.5 billion in annual revenue. Read more at Wired. More and more, utilities are getting into the business of electric vehicle charging. More energy providers are looking to install and operate EV charging stations in order to promote electric driving and create new revenue selling electricity. EV charging can also help to manage the grid more efficiently. Some charging companies and energy consumers oppose utilities getting into the charging game, though. They worry about stifling competition and burdening customers with the costs of creating the infrastructure. The large utility companies, though, are better poised to take on such large projects. Read more at The New York Times. Related Gallery Tesla Model S: Quick Spin View 33 Photos News Source: Teslarati, Wired, New York TimesImage Credit: YouTube: exacorporation Green Tesla Alternative Fuels Electric recharge wrapup