2020 Tesla Model S on 2040-cars

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First Tesla Model S P85D owner says it's 'night and day' improvement

The first public owner of a Tesla Model S P85D says the model's autonomous-driving feature that more-or-less allows for the all-electric sedan drive itself hasn't been activated yet. We should all have such troubles. Southern California resident Kevin Babineau was indeed the first customer to take delivery of a Tesla Model S P85D, which features a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup. Babineau is a longtime car collector, with Humvees and a '69 Chevy Impala in his garage. He previously owned a Tesla Roadster, as well, according to an account he gives to Business Insider. Compared to a standard Tesla Model S and its already-impressive performance standards, the P85D is "night and day" different, Babineau said. The souped-up version is said to go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in a tidy 3.2 seconds. Babineau paid about $130,000 for the quickness privilege, but as you can read in the article, it sounds like it was money well spent. "The emotions that come out of that kind of speed, in that short a distance, your body's not used to it," he said. Tesla unveiled the P85D in October. As you can see in the video below, it can be fun. A P85D driver (no, it doesn't look like Babineau) goes up against Ferraris and Lamborghinis in drag races, and takes them all down. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Recharge Wrap-up: Dedicated stop-start battery, anti-Tesla states win Luddite Award

Arizona, Michigan, New Jersey and Texas have been awarded a Luddite Award for blocking Tesla sales. The collective honor is bestowed by the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF) for standing "resolutely in opposition to innovation." It's a particularly hard blow for the proudly auto-centric state of Michigan, whose Governor Rick Snyder signed an anti-Tesla bill into law in October. ITIF is now accepting votes for the "worst of the worst," with the "winner" to be announced February 5. Among the awardees in the running are Virginia and Nevada for their stances on ridesharing services. Read more in the press release below, in the ITIF's report or at the Detroit Free Press. Tesla has put the finishing touches on its underground Supercharger station in London. The subterranean chargers reside below the Westfield London shopping mall, which is also home to a Tesla Store. The Westfield London station is Tesla's largest underground station in Europe. Have a look in the attached photo gallery, or visit Tesla's Facebook page for more. Johnson Controls has developed a dedicated battery for stop-start system. The small lithium-ion battery allows for more frequent and longer engine stops, improving fuel economy by as much as eight percent. It weighs just nine pounds, and with no need for thermal management, it offers more packaging freedom within the vehicle. The battery offers a lifespan of four to six years, with a price in the hundreds of dollars. Johnson Controls will debut the start-stop battery at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, with deployment beginning in Europe in 2018. Read more at Automotive News. ITIF Announces 2014 Luddite Awards WASHINGTON – (January 5, 2015) Technological innovation is the wellspring of social and economic progress. Despite this, a growing array of interests-some economic, some ideological-now stand resolutely in opposition to innovation. These "neo-Luddites" have worked to convince the public and policymakers that technological innovation is something to be feared and contained. Their targets include genetically modified organisms, new Internet apps, smart electric meters, health IT, big data, and increasingly productivity itself. And if these advocates are successful Americans will suffer in the form of lower quality of life and reduced societal growth.

Recharge Wrap-up: Ohio State wins EcoCar 3 Year One, Renault video praises environmental benefits of EVs

A new video from Renault touts the benefits of electric vehicles. The video covers how EVs can help improve the air we breathe and mitigate climate change. It looks into the future at how the air of various metropolitan areas would improve with the adoption of electric cars. It focuses on how EVs help reduce not just CO2 emissions that put the climate in jeopardy, but gases and particulate matter that directly affect the human health. A study in Rome shows that if 10 to 20 percent of the vehicles were electric, particulate pollutants that cause respiratory and heart diseases would decrease by 30 percent, with nitrogen dioxide decreasing 45 percent. "The solution already exists," the video says, "and it is quite accessible for most of us." See the video above, and read more in the press release below. Ohio State University has won Year One of EcoCar 3. Winning the Year One trophy in the competition to create eco-friendly technology and incorporate it into a Chevrolet Camaro, the team defends its title from EcoCar 2 and wins $10,000 in prize money. "This year really lays the foundation vehicle development, which is critical step in the process for future success," says Ohio State University Engineering Manager M.J. Yatsko. "We have already begun vehicle dynamic analysis for next year and are excited to share some of our innovative features we plan to integrate into our vehicle." Teams receive their Camaros this fall, and will use the next years to install, test, and refine their technologies. Read more from the US Department of Energy. Advanced Microgrid Solutions will use up to 500 megawatt-hours of Tesla batteries for grid-based energy storage. It will install the Tesla Powerpack systems for storage in commercial and industrial facilities to help balance the grid load. It offers greater reliability for the grid, and cost saving for customers. "Tesla's focus on performance and design makes them the stand out technology choice for our projects," Says Advanced Microgrid Solutions CEO Susan Kennedy. "AMS' projects require intelligent, powerful and scalable energy storage solutions. Tesla's technology gives us the edge we are looking for." Read more in the press release from AMS. The National Electric Drag Racing Association has announced the Inaugural 2015 NEDRA Points Championship Series. It borrows rules from NHRA and IHRA, and seeks to put vehicle consistency and driver skill at the forefront.