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BYD CEO calls Tesla a rich man's toy, not worried about competition

We've heard the comment, "the Tesla Model S is a rich man's toy" before. Usually it comes from a Cranky McCrankster-type of character in the Comments beneath posts about the all-electric automobile. Not everyone sees the utility of an expensive car that can seat up to seven, run with Corvettes and only gets 265 miles on a charge. We get that, sort of, and everyone's entitled to their opinion. It's a bit odd, though, hearing the remark fall from the lips of Wang Chuanfu, however. BYD Auto's CEO made the comment – well, he said it in Chinese and it's been translated this way by the International Business Times – in an interview with Shanghai Securiites News, along with mentioning that he expects the California automaker to only capture a very small percentage of the Chinese market. That last bit is a fair point, though a tiny chunk of that burgeoning market could still mean a lot of sales. Tesla has intimated its hopes for at least 10,000 takers in its first year of operation in China and says its Beijing location is its biggest and most bustling. As for Chuanfu's comment, Tesla gave AutoblogGreen a simple, "no comment." BYD, of course, sells its e6 electric sedan in its home country and its sales might not even reach the 10,000 level, despite being more affordable and boasting a respectable 186-mile range. Mr. Chuanfu expects bigger things for it Qin plug-in hybrid, which rings up at $31,000 and offers 41 miles of battery-powered range before the gasoline engine kicks in. China wants 500,000 plug-in vehicles plying its streets by 2015's end and BYD wants to be a big part of that picture. While we can understand the competitive downplaying of Tesla's Chinese-market entrance, we expect that BYD is as well aware as anyone that Tesla has a more affordable future car on the horizon and that Chinese car buyers tend to favor foreign brands. It's a big market, though, so perhaps the two entities might help further each other's goals by cooperating on charging standards and infrastructure development instead of sniping. One can dream, right?

Elon Musk talks Tesla Model S updates, AWD version, Model X deliveries

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk does things differently than the heads of other car manufacturers. Case in point, he just made a quick European tour with stops in the Netherlands, Germany and Norway where he, along with CTO JB Straubel, held lengthy question and answer sessions with Tesla owners, reservation holders and other interested parties. Now, we recognize that the California company has a significantly smaller customer base than traditional automakers, making these sorts of events more logistically easy (see also: Fisker). Still, the effort is a refreshing change from scripted press conferences, and allows Tesloids to voice their concerns and criticisms to the exact person with whom the buck stops. It's also good for Tesla, in that it gives new ideas for future improvements a chance to reach the ears of those best placed to implement them. We out here in the wider world like these sessions because they give us a bit of extra insight into the firm's progress and future plans. So what are some of the things we can expect from the electric automaker in the coming months and years? Version 6.0 software is a few weeks away and includes real-time traffic information as well as increased suspension functionality, like lowering and heightening on command. Supercharger production is maxed out and installs are happening at a rate of around five per week. Superchargers will soon pump power at an impressive 135 kW rate, but will plateau there. An AWD Model S will be coming, perhaps around same time as the Model X. Bigger battery pack options may arrive as soon as next year. The new giga-factory for batteries could bring costs down by at least 30 percent, ideally 40 percent and will produce about 30 gigawatt-hours worth per year. After ramp up, volume production of Model X is expected to begin around April 2015. To improve comfort, there will be a seat modification available in the near term, and a different seat option available in a year (or so). Battery swapping between Los Angeles and San Francisco should be online in a few months. The company has analyzed energy usage in production process and claims energy payback happens in less than 10,000 miles. May release white paper on this soon. For lots more tips and tidbits (home energy-storage unit, anyone?) scroll down to watch video of the Netherlands exchange. The Norwegian event – held in a theater because of the crowds – can be viewed at this link. This content is hosted by a third party.

IIHS: High numbers of drivers treat partially automated cars as fully self-driving

WASHINGTON — Drivers using advanced driver assistance systems like Tesla Autopilot or General Motors Super Cruise often treat their vehicles as fully self-driving despite warnings, a new study has found. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), an industry funded group that prods automakers to make safer vehicles, said on Tuesday a survey found regular users of Super Cruise, Nissan/Infiniti ProPILOT Assist and Tesla Autopilot "said they were more likely to perform non-driving-related activities like eating or texting while using their partial automation systems than while driving unassisted." The IIHS study of 600 active users found 53% of Super Cruise, 42% of Autopilot and 12% of ProPILOT Assist owners "said that they were comfortable treating their vehicles as fully self-driving." About 40% of users of Autopilot and Super Cruise — two systems with lockout features for failing to pay attention — reported systems had at some point switched off while they were driving and would not reactivate. "The big-picture message here is that the early adopters of these systems still have a poor understanding of the technologyÂ’s limits," said IIHS President David Harkey. The study comes as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is scrutinizing Autopilot crashes. Since 2016, the NHTSA has opened 37 special investigations involving 18 deaths in crashes involving Tesla vehicles and where systems like Autopilot were suspected of use. Tesla did not respond to requests for comment. Tesla says Autopilot does not make vehicles autonomous and is intended for use with a fully attentive driver who is prepared to take over. GM, which in August said owners could use Super Cruise on 400,000 miles (643,740 km) of North American roads and plans to offer Super Cruise on 22 models by the end of 2023, did not immediately comment. IIHS said advertisements for Super Cruise focus on hands-free capabilities while Autopilot evokes the name used in passenger airplanes and "implies TeslaÂ’s system is more capable than it really is." IIHS in contrast noted ProPILOT Assist "suggests that itÂ’s an assistance feature, rather than a replacement for the driver." NHTSA and automakers say none of the systems make vehicles autonomous. Nissan said its name "is clearly communicating ProPILOT Assist as a system to aid the driver, and it requires hands-on operation.