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Tesla Model 3: Finding perspective

The reveal of the Tesla Model 3 this week was one of the biggest automotive events of the year. The car attracted 180,000 pre-orders in just 24 hours, gave the company's stock a jolt, and set Tesla on a more ambitious growth path for the rest of the decade. It's a staggering feat considering the Model 3 is one car, from one company that's just 13 years old. It begs the question: Is all of this attention warranted? Barclays analyst Brian Johnson urged investors to "take a deep breath," and be mindful that the Model 3 won't likely arrive in "significant volume" until possibly 2019. Though Tesla promises the car will launch in 2017, Johnson points to the slow rollouts of the Model S sedan and Model X crossover as cautionary notes. The potential extended wait didn't temper the enthusiasm of Tesla's faithful, and many put down deposits before they had even seen the car. Johnson compared the hype to a "Black Friday atmosphere," saying the social media buzz went from "insane mode to ludicrous mode," in a riff on Tesla's driving features. Still, the Barclays analyst was admittedly "curmudgeonly" when it came to Tesla's stock price. In comparison, Morgan Stanley called Tesla's shares undervalued, and expects the Model 3 to be the start of cataclysmic changes in the industry. "We have said for some time that, despite its many worthy accomplishments, Tesla had not yet truly disrupted the auto industry," according to a report led by Adam Jonas. "We are now getting a feeling that this may be starting to change." The Model 3 offers a range of 215 miles on a single charge, can sprint to 60 miles per hour in less than six seconds, and has room for five. It will also be capable of charging on Tesla's supercharging network and features the company's autonomous technology. With a starting price of $35,000 before incentives, it's arguably the most futuristic car that's attainable for a wide swatch of American buyers, though the Chevy Bolt EV is comparable (200-plus-mile range, $37,500 MSRP before incentives) in many ways. The Model 3's attainability is what partially drove the hype. It was like Elon was whispering: Y ou can own the future. The question is now: Can Tesla deliver? If it does, this early fanfare will be richly deserved. News & Analysis News: Top Gear appears to be in turmoil as Chris Evans works four hours a day. Analysis: Is this a soap opera or a car show?

Tesla patents Supercharger that can handle herd of EVs

Tesla Motors is quietly getting ready for an electric-vehicle charging station that could be considered smarter than the drivers using it. The California-based automaker has applied for a number of patents (details here) in which its super-quick Superchargers would be programmable to better manage what Tesla hopes will be a mass influx of thirsty Model S (and Model X and, potentially, Model E) EVs. This company thinks big. Among other things, the patents detail a charging station that has multiple charging ports and that can manage multiple charging stages. It can also do things like redirect power to either whichever car arrives first or, by measuring the batteries' respective states of charge, who needs it the most. Heck, there's even a provision where the system can redirect power according to the drivers' intended departure time, i.e. whomever says they're sticking around the longest gets last charge. If the station could also get drivers to be truthful about such things, that'd be a real accomplishment. Tesla has already had a lot of success with its Supercharger network, which is now expansive enough to exclusively power a cross-country drive. Earlier this month, a couple of Model S vehicles went from Los Angeles to New York City using nothing but Superchargers and pulled off the trip in 76.5 hours (the blog posts are here). We're guessing those EVs may have broken the speed limit here or there, but don't quote us. Featured Gallery Tesla Supercharger News Source: Google via Green Car Reports Green Tesla Technology Emerging Technologies Electric charging station patent supercharger

Tesla says Chris Christie's move is 'affront to the very concept of a free market'

Tesla has a special history with the state of New Jersey, having delivered the 500th Roadster there in 2009. Fast forward to 2014, though, and the electric vehicle company is having a decidedly less-positive experience in the Garden State. In short, Tesla's ongoing dealer fight has turned sour, and thing are potentially going from bad to worse today. Tesla says it has been working "constructively" with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJMVC) and Governor Chris Christie's administration "to defend against the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers' (NJ CAR) attacks on Tesla's business model and the rights of New Jersey consumers." In other words, the right for Tesla to open its own stores and not use the traditional dealer model. The legislative process on the fate of Proposal PRN 2013-138 (PDF) has been continuing and Tesla says it thought everyone was acting in good faith, but now it's not so sure. In a new official blog post, Tesla says: Unfortunately, Monday we received news that Governor Christie's administration has gone back on its word to delay a proposed anti-Tesla regulation so that the matter could be handled through a fair process in the Legislature. The Administration has decided to go outside the legislative process by expediting a rule proposal that would completely change the law in New Jersey. This new rule, if adopted, would curtail Tesla's sales operations and jeopardize our existing retail licenses in the state. ... This is an affront to the very concept of a free market. A meeting on the proposal is scheduled to take place this afternoon, and Tesla is not happy about it. In Ohio last year, Tesla asked for immediate help to stop a similar bill, which ended up working. For a while. Last year, New Jersey started considering an EV-only tax that would cost EV drivers about $100 a year, but that appears to have been scrapped.