2022 Tesla Model X Plaid on 2040-cars

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Tesla is quietly installing higher-speed, non-Supercharger network [UPDATE]

UPDATE: We've received confirmation from Tesla on details of the charging network, and have updated the text below accordingly. To a Tesla Model S driver, 58 miles an hour is pretty tepid when it comes to driving speed. Recharging speed, though? That's a pretty good clip. The California-based automaker is complementing the deployment of it high-powered Superchargers with slightly-less-super wall chargers that supply 80 amps and can provide almost 60 miles worth of driving in one hour of charging. That's about twice as fast as a 240-volt charger, though it's a fraction of the juice provided by the Superchargers that Tesla is building on at least three continents. The Tesla Destination Charging Program, recently covered in The Wall Street Journal, features the Tesla High Power Wall Connector. Those devices have been deployed at almost 110 hotels, beach parking lots and restaurants in North America, Tesla spokeswoman Alexis Georgeson confirmed to AutoblogGreen in an e-mail. Tesla just launched the program this spring and lists those chargers' locations on its website (www.teslamotors.com/findus). With such chargers in place, getting 58 miles to the hour will be valuable for day-tripping Model S drivers who are just looking to get home without a tow. And, like the Superchargers, the wall chargers are free to use. "By offering convenient destination charging services to Model S owners, these hotels and resorts are replicating the convenience our owners have become accustomed to at home," Georgeson said. Tesla has deployed 111 Supercharger stations across North America, in addition to 59 stations in Europe and 13 in Asia. Neither the Superchargers nor the wall chargers are compatible with any other electric vehicles, so no soup for you, Nissan Leaf drivers.

Getting ready for the Tesla D tonight means reading some tea leaves

Today is D-day. We will know all of the details about the Tesla D and the mysterious "one other thing" – well, all the details that Tesla is willing to give – later tonight, but for now we're going to try and piece the story together based on whatever rumors and hints we can find. We've already speculated that the D stands for an all-wheel drive version of the Model S, which is an update that CEO Elon Musk has long talked about. But what else could be announced tonight, since the 'one other thing' apparently won't be the reveal of the production Model X? Could it be the first prototype of the Model 3? That's one rumor. Vanity Fair got to ask Musk directly, since the magazine invited him to its New Establishment Summit. While Musk didn't exactly spill the beans, he did give us a little something to chew on. "One of the things is already there, and people just don't realize it," he said (see video below). When pressed for more details, all Musk said was: "The Internet is very good at guessing these things. [They're] directionally connect, but the magnitude is not appreciated yet." Could he be talking about better driver assistance features? Some sources say that's exactly what he's hinting at, with the D standing for Driver or something else that means autopilot. There's also an unconfirmed report out there that the AWD Model S, which might be called the P85D, will be noticeably quicker – with a 0-60 time of under three seconds, compared to 4.2 for the current quickest model – but this sort of thing has been suggested and then denied before. So, any other guesses? This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Tesla Trade-up now offering Pedego e-bike

Three years ago, an Ottawa resident embarked on an effort to turn a $30 camera into a Tesla Roadster electric vehicle purely through the magic of bartering. Today, he's halfway to his goal. Sort of. Martin Provost, known for his Tesla Trade Up blog, has traded his way up to a $2,000 Pedego Comfort Cruiser electric bike, and it came from the CEO of Pedego, no less. If you're keeping track, that's two wheels out of the four that he's taken down. See, half way. In mid-2011, Provost set out on what he calls his "quest to become an EV owner through the kindness of humanity." Starting with that camera, he's since engineered 10 trades. The process included bartering his way through items like a computer, an electric guitar, a VIP brewery tour and a software suite valued at $3,000. Of course, he now has a $2,000 e-bike, so we hope he doesn't go too far backwards. The gentleman also has taken his official leap into EV ownership, securing a Smart Electric Drive for a lease rate of $100 a month. He's big on the three-year lease contract because it'll expire around the same time Tesla may start putting out its $35,000 vehicle. Which is irrelevant if he actually scores that Roadster, but it's nice to know he has a backup plan, just in case.