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Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla Model X towing drag race, Porsche 918 salvage auction

Watch an Alfa Romeo 4C drag race against a Tesla Model X towing an Alfa Romeo 4C. The ridiculous (or, perhaps more appropriately, ludicrous) race appeared in MotorTrend's Instagram, which was then shared on Facebook by Tesla Motors Autopilot Program Director Sterling Anderson, along with the comment, "Fun fact: many high-performance cars cross the quarter mile line faster when towed by a Model X than they do on their own four wheels." While we can't quite see the actual results of the drag race in the video, it appears to be a close one. Check it out in the video above, and read more from Electrek. A Porsche 918 Spyder has gone up for auction. Unfortunately, it's a salvage auction, and said performance plug-in hybrid is totally mangled. The gut-wrenching photos reveal an even sadder detail, as the car's odometer shows it only logged 92 miles before being involved in what appears to have been a terrible wreck (though the listing describes the miles as "not actual"). The current bid on the Copart auction site is up to $106,000, and the listing shows a $600,000 repair estimate. The very expensive hunk of metal and carbon fiber is located in Long Island. Check out the listing for yourself, or read more at MotorAuthority. GKN Driveline says that German drivers are more interested in plug-in hybrids (especially with all-wheel drive) than conventional hybrid cars. In a poll of more than 1,000 drivers commissioned by GKN, 75 percent preferred PHEVs to standard hybrids, while 61.2 percent said that 50 kilometers (31 miles) of electric range is enough for their daily driving duties. About 81 percent are "wary of hybrids," most believing them to be a poor value. 52 percent said their ideal car would combine a plug and all-wheel drive. "We believe that plug-in hybrids with all-wheel drive make sense," says GKN Automotive President of Engineering Peter Moelgg, "and the public's positive response to vehicle programmes that offer this combination – like the Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine, BMW i8, and Porsche 918 Spyder – can only continue to grow." Read more in the press release below. NEW RESEARCH REVEALS GERMAN DRIVERS PREFER PLUG-IN HYBRIDS Lohmar, Germany, 22 March 2016: Drivers now consider plug-in hybrid vehicles to be more attractive and practical than conventional hybrids, a survey commissioned by GKN Driveline has revealed.

Dealers claim factory-owned Tesla stores are illegal

Unlike typical dealers, Tesla has a network of "stores" and "retail stores." While reservations can be made for a new Model S or Roadster at the retail store, Tesla says other versions of the store merely direct potential customers to make their reservation online. Most of these boutique-style stores are in shopping malls, and Tesla asserts that they are not sales facilities. It's an assertion with which traditional auto dealers are taking issue.
Dealers associations and networks across the country are doubling down their efforts to make Tesla's OEM showroom network illegal. Tesla has opened 17 stores in 10 states, as well as the District of Columbia.
Dealership associations contend Tesla's notion that sales are not made at these stores, stating that the showroom experience is still part of the sales process. To that end, dealer groups across the country have embarked in legal battles with the electric carmaker. The Illinois Secretary of State has informed Tesla that it is illegal to list CEO Elon Musk as the owner of its Chicago store. The Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association is looking into legal options against Telsa's Westchester store, as well as two others in New York. In Massachusetts, the opening of a store in the suburban Natick Mall is having its legality challenged by the dealer association in that state. California has laws in place that allow for a manufacturer to run its own dealership, as long as it is not within 10 miles of an existing dealer. That practice caught the ire of Chrysler dealers when the American automaker opened its own multi-brand showroom near downtown Los Angeles.

Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla lane detection video, H2 station locator app

See how well Tesla's Autopilot detects lane markings on a winding road. Tesla Owner and YouTuber KmanAuto puts Autopilot under Firmware version 8.0 to the test in traffic on a curvy road with bright sunlight. The driver is comparing the system's prowess to version 7.0 on the same roads, and doesn't see much of an improvement, despite heavier reliance on radar than cameras. Still, KmanAuto notes, this is not the type of road Autopilot is designed for, but it offers a good comparison between the two versions. While it now works better in some instances, Kman also notes some "regressions." See the video above, and read more at Teslarati. The Renault Zoe EV will take part in the 2016 e-Rallye Monte Carlo. From October 12 through 16, the French automaker will enter four Zoes in the FIA-sanctioned, zero-emissions drive from Fontainebleau, France to Monaco. This marks the third year that the Zoe will compete, and allows the EV to showcase its new battery with improved driving range. Read more from Renault. Industrial gases company Air Liquide has launched an informational website about hydrogen, as well as an H2 infrastructure app. In honor of National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day on October 8 (which corresponds to hydrogen's atomic weight of 1.008), the company launched Let's Clear The Air to educate the public about hydrogen as an alternative fuel. Additionally, the "Hydrogen Station Finder" app, launched in collaboration with the California Fuel Cell Partnership, helps FCEV drivers navigate to stations that make up the growing hydrogen fueling infrastructure. Read more from Air Liquide. UPS will add 200 new hybrid electric delivery trucks to its fleet. Like the 125 vehicles UPS previously announced, these new trucks will use the Workhorse E-Gen chassis, and feature a lithium-ion battery pack and two-cylinder BMW range extender that provide 150 miles of range and about 26 mpg. They'll go into service in January 2017 in Arizona, Texas, Nevada, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and possibly other states. Read more form UPS. Related Gallery Renault ZOE - 2015 ZENN Monte-Carlo Rally News Source: Teslarati, YouTube: KmanAuto, Renault, Air Liquide, UPS, Workhorse Green Tesla Renault Alternative Fuels Technology Autonomous Vehicles Electric Hybrid Hydrogen Cars Videos recharge wrapup