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Tesla, BMW and Nissan meeting in secret to discuss charging tech

It's interesting what's happening in the electric vehicle field. It used to be that BMW and Tesla were competitors. Then – and of course they're still competing, especially in the public mind – they were working together on ... something. Maybe. And now, the Financial Times reports that the two luxury automakers are meeting with Nissan. Again, maybe. The scuttlebutt is that the three companies are interested in working together on something to do with charging electric vehicles, potentially a global recharging standard. Currently, when it comes to fast charging, BMW uses the SAE Combo standard, Nissan uses CHAdeMO and Tesla uses its own Superchargers. The meeting was prompted by Tesla opening of all of its patents the other day, FT says. Speaking during the recent annual shareholder meeting, Musk said he was "more than happy to have other manufacturers" use Tesla's Superchargers but that, "there is no other electric car that can accept anything close to 135 kilowatts." Let's assume the technical hurdle can be overcome. With any potential patent/licensing problems out of the way, these discussions with BMW and Nissan might be revolving around this other angle that Musk mentioned: "They (other automakers) just have to contribute to the capital cost, so figure out what percentage of the time are their cars using the Supercharger network and then they can make a contribution proportionate to their customer usage of the Supercharger network." That certainly sounds like something that could take some time to figure out. News Source: Financial TimesImage Credit: Elbilforeningen / Flickr Green BMW Nissan Tesla Electric supercharger chademo sae combo

Ford files trademark application for 'Model E'

In early December, Ford filed an application with the US Patent and Trademark Office for the name "Model E." Historically, Ford never produced a Model E, and while automakers are known to file for trademarks they never use, some have wondered if the application might be used for a concept car.
Based on other recent events, though, it could be a legal move. In 2000 Ford sued an online start-up called Model E over the similarity of that name to Ford's industry-shaping Model T, but the judge dismissed the case citing lack of proper grounds. In August 2013, Tesla applied for trademark registration for Model E, and at the time, Ford said it would review the application. Tesla actually made two applications for Model E, one for automobiles and structural parts therefore, the other for "providing maintenance and repair services for automobiles," and there are plenty of theories about what the name could be applied to.
The Published for Opposition date for Tesla's applications is December 31, 2013, after which anyone who thinks they'd be harmed by Tesla being granted the trademark gets 30 days to register their issues. This is just speculation, but Ford's application - which was filed for automobiles only - might be about protecting what it sees as unwelcome encroachment on the name Model T, protection it wasn't able to enforce before when the stakes were only online and much smaller.

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