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Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla battery drain reported; ELF two-seater solar trike

Biofuel company KiOR has filed for bankruptcy. KiOR, which was born out of a partnership between Khosla Ventures and Dutch biofuel startup BIOeCON, has debts numbering $261.31 million, with just $58.27 million in assets. The company produced biocrude from cellulosic biomass, but was unable to meet its production targets at its facility in Columbus, MS, and was also facing quality problems and accused mismanagement. KiOR shuttered its biocrude plant earlier this year, and suffered a huge loss in stock value. Read more at Gigaom. Some Tesla Model S owners are complaining again of "vampire" drain during sleep mode. Since downloading the Firmware 6.0, some drivers have reported a battery draw, even when set to "sleep always." Losses can be up to 12 miles of range from sitting overnight, and the latest versions of 6.0 haven't seemed to have solved the problem. Interestingly, the problem isn't affecting all Model S owners. Also, battery draw problems have been reported in the past, which Tesla took steps to fix in previous firmware updates. Read more at Inside EVs. Daimler's Car2go carsharing service is expected to reach 1 million users by the end of the year. The company currently reports 900,000 users worldwide. Car2go operates in 29 cities in North America and Europe, with plans to expand operations to China. "China might be risky, but it also brings lots of opportunities," says Daimler's Rainer Becker. While Car2go has yet to make a profit as a whole, it is moving in that direction, with Becker saying some cities' operations are already profitable. Read more at Automotive News Europe. The ELF solar- and human-powered trike from Organic Transit is now available as a two-seater. The ELF 2FR, as it is called, is a package that adds a rear seat behind the driver of the pod-shaped EV to allow for eco-friendly transport of two adults. The standard ELF retails for $5,495, and the upgrade to the 2FR adds another $499 to the price, which seems like a small premium for doubling the occupancy. Organic Transit hasn't released all the details on its website for the 2FR yet, but the standard ELF charges via outlet or 100-watt solar panel, goes 20 miles per hour and gets the equivalent of 1,800 miles per gallon (though adding the weight of another adult will certainly change those mileage numbers). Check out the Organic Transit's ELF 2FR in the videos below and read more at Treehugger. VIA Motors has received EPA certification for its range-extended electric van.

Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid and EV Buyer's Guide: Which one do you want?

If you're shopping for a new vehicle these days, there's a litany of acronyms, buzzwords, and technobabble to further complicate an already difficult decision. But if you're looking at a green powertrain, you have three basic choices to compare: hybrid, plug-in hybrid and "EV" or, electric vehicle. So what are they and which one — if any — is right for you? Research your next new vehicle using Autoblog's Car Finder. Gasoline-Electric Hybrids By now, most people are familiar with the concept of a hybrid car. Thank Toyota's Prius for that. At its most basic, a hybrid vehicle has two powertrains, one gasoline and one electric, which work together for maximum efficiency. At low speeds, the engine can shut off entirely, relying solely on the battery for propulsion. The battery is either charged as you drive by converting kinetic energy into potential energy via a complex regenerative braking system, or directly off of the gas motor. This is a very hands-off, behind-the-scenes system as all the driver has to is put in gas and drive as normal. Hybrids come in all shapes and sizes and, according to the EPA, range in fuel economy from 58 mpg for the Hyundai Ioniq Blue all the way down to 13 mpg for the Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta. Best For: Anyone who want to see their fuel consumption go down without many sacrifices. You can easily find a hybrid sedan, hatchback, crossover, SUV or even a pickup truck (i f you can find one). Best of all, a hybrid requires no special equipment to be installed at home, or added work for the driver. Hybrids do cost more than traditionally-powered competitors, so make sure to compare projected fuel savings with how much extra a hybrid will cost – it may take a surprisingly long time to break even. The EPA provides a handy calculator for this very purpose. Our Favorite Hybrids: 2017 Toyota Prius 2018 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid 2017 Ford Fusion Hybrid Plug-In Hybrids Sometimes referred to as a PHEV, or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, this is a baby-step towards full electrification. Armed with a much larger battery pack than a hybrid, PHEVs can go between 12 ( Mercedes-Benz GLE550e) and 97 ( BMW i3 w/Range Extender) miles on electricity alone depending on the model and your driving style. Like a normal hybrid, the driver is largely unaware of which power source is currently in use, even as they switch over — either because the battery is drained, or the driving circumstances require more power.

Figuring out exactly how much it costs to charge Tesla Model S

Is the Tesla Model S an electricity guzzler? One driver trying to answer that question says it does gobble down more juice than previously thought, but it's not time to make Hummer jokes just yet. First, the goal: Tesla's claims that properly set up home-charging stations can get about a 91-percent efficiency rate. Rob M. from Teslarati has been diligently tracking electricity used by his home charging station – made up of a NEMA 14-50 outlet that was professionally installed and Tesla's Universal Mobile Connector (UMC) – since June, as we reported here. The results for the month that ended July 21 revealed that the Model S was taking in about 82 percent of the electricity it was pulling from the system, indicating an 18-percent loss of electricity. Most EVs are thought to charge at an 88 to 90-percent efficiency rate. The downside to his results? About $26 more per month in electricity costs than previously estimated on about 2,400 miles worth of driving. There is a positive upshot, though: his monthly fuel savings totaled about $334 compared to driving an internal combustion engine vehicle. These early results are intriguing, and make us wonder... Is anyone else checking in on their Model S charging efficiency?