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Tesla abandons 'Model E' trademark

Tesla Motors has famously said it will produce and sell a more affordable all-electric car to help further its goal of changing the gasoline-powered paradigm. While there are certain things we know about that vehicle already – it will come standard with a battery capable of a 200-mile range, cost about $35,000 and be around 20 percent smaller than the Model S – there are some things we don't know. For instance, what it will be called. The automaker seemed to be leaning towards "Model E" and had trademarked that name. CEO Elon Musk even referred to the future vehicle by that appellation during a relatively recent public appearance in Europe. If you had been looking forward to the prospect of driving something called a Tesla Model E, however, you may need to adjust your expectations. During a perusal of the California company's various trademarks, we noticed that this particular one has been abandoned. While this rather sadly destroys the possibility of someone ever stocking their garage with Tesla Models S, E, and X, we welcome the decision. Although it might seem a logical choice, as the word electric begins with "E", the letter just doesn't resonate particularly well. The move also raises the possibility of a different type of nomenclature altogether. For its part, Tesla has confirmed with us that it is "no longer pursuing the Model E trademark." Name-wise, we suspect there is a good chance one has already been decided on and that it will be revealed sometime before the cloth is pulled from the first prototype early next year. Still,if you think you have a good suggestion for them, please let us know in Comments.

Tesla investigating the cause of Model S garage fire in Toronto

A Tesla owner in Toronto returned from a drive only to have his fire alarms go off shortly after powering down his Model S in an incident that is once again raising concerns about the electric hatchback's safety. Where previous cases of Model S combustion were anything but spontaneous -the car was always involved in an impact before going up in flames - this latest case has no obvious cause.
According to Bloomberg, as far as its owner knows, this particular Model S was not involved in a collision during the drive. It also wasn't charging when the fire started. According to Tesla, though, it wasn't any of the Model S' major components that caused the fire.
"In this particular case, we don't yet know the precise cause, but have definitely determined that it did not originate in the battery, the charging system, the adapter or the electrical receptacle, as these components were untouched by fire," said Tesla in an official statement.

Ed Welburn leaves a lasting legacy at GM design

General Motors design chief Ed Welburn retired July 1, and the soft-spoken stylist is leaving a lasting legacy at the automaker and on the industry. He became the first African American to lead design at a carmaker when he took over GM's top spot in 2003. Just six people have overseen the company's design, and Welburn followed in the footsteps of icons like Harley Earl and Bill Mitchell. When Welburn was given expanded global oversight in 2005, it wasn't ceremonial. He helped unite the company's sprawling design empire, and today is in charge of 2,500 people who have a hand in designing GM cars. "He nurtured a creative, inclusive, and customer-focused culture among our designers that has strengthened our global brands," Mary Barra, GM chairman and CEO, said in a statement." Welburn took the helm when GM and the industry were shaking off a general styling malaise that pervaded the 1980s and 1990s. During his 13 years in charge, he took risks, produced a wide range of styles for everything from hybrids to sports cars to big trucks, and leaves GM design in a better place. Welburn's replacement, Michael Simcoe from GM's international design unit, has big shoes to fill. News & Analysis News: Tesla attracted more than 325,000 preorders of the Model 3 in about a week. Analysis: If anything, the Model 3 is more popular than many expected. Elon Musk tweeted that surprising figure on Thursday, and he said just five percent ordered the maximum number of two. That seems to indicate actual owners rather than speculators are fueling the demand. With a starting price of $35,000 before incentives and an electric range of 215 miles, the Model 3 is the Tesla that's attainable for a lot of people. Clearly, that notion is resonating. News: Lincoln has drawn 40,000 hand-raisers for the Continental. Analysis: Okay, that's not a Tesla figure, but it's still an encouraging sign for Lincoln that one of its most famous and historic names still resonates in 2016. It also demonstrates using a real, albeit slightly dusty name, was the right call for the MKS replacement. "No other Lincoln vehicle has generated this much interest in this little time," Lincoln president Kumar Galhotra said in New York last month. The concept that debuted a year ago put Lincoln back on the map, and the production version remains true to that promise. It will stand out on the road when it arrives this fall, and ultimately, that kind of style will determine Lincoln's future.