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Feds decide against investigating Tesla Model S fire

Despite earlier reports, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced it will not be filing a formal investigation into the fire that engulfed a Tesla Model S earlier this month, as the agency says there was no evidence to suggest the fire was due to a manufacturer defect or that the car was in violation of government-mandated safety standards, according to Automotive News.
The NHTSA's decision whether to investigate was delayed, as the fire happened on the first day of the US government shutdown. AN reports that as of October 22, the administration was still "gathering data," according to a statement by Administrator David Strickland.
The October 1 fire that torched the critically acclaimed EV was started after an impact with a "large metallic object," according to multiple sources including the driver/owner. As we reported on October 3, despite the car-destroying blaze, Tesla maintained that the battery pack acted exactly as designed, by containing the blaze to just one of the battery pack's 16 modules, rather than sending the whole lithium-ion unit up in flames.

Tesla Supercharger wins AOL Autos Tech of the Year award

The votes are in, the ballots have been counted and the envelope is open. Together with our partners at AOL Autos, we're proud to announce the winner of our second annual Technology of the Year award. After having awarded the inaugural prize last year to Chrysler for its UConnect infotainment system, this year we've selected the Tesla Supercharger network as the top technological advancement in the automotive industry.
While enthusiasts will likely associate the name "supercharger" with forced induction, Tesla has successfully redefined the term to apply to its increasingly sprawling network of charging stations across the country. Drive your Model S up to one of the 54 such stations in the United States, and you can be on your way with a full charge in just 20 minutes, instead of the full eight hours it usually takes. With much of the industry and government still wringing its hands over a lack of infrastructure for alternative fuels, Tesla has taken the reins and is working to fix the problem itself.
The winner was selected from a compelling list of candidates by a jury including editors from AOL Autos, Autoblog, AutoblogGreen, Translogic and even Engadget. The Tesla Supercharger beat out such contenders as Chevy's MyLink Valet Mode, Infiniti Backup Collision Intervention, Volvo Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection, Mopar In-Vehicle Wireless Charging and Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive to claim the hardware, which was presented at this week's CES show in Las Vegas.

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.