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Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla Model S in landslide, Plug'n Drive wants EVs

A woman and child survived a landslide in a Tesla Model S. The front of the car was severely damaged with the hood and front fascia badly crumpled. The rear hatch window glass caved in, but while the windshield was cracked, the safety glass held together. While in another vehicle, the occupants could have been crushed by the tree that landed on the car, the cabin structure of the Model S mostly withstood the pressure, saving the humans inside. It's not the typical situation most people think of when considering car safety, but it is a dramatic example of the protection the Model S offers. Read more and see the aftermath at Green Car Reports. The Renault-Nissan Alliance will provide 200 battery electric vehicles for the United Nation's COP21 climate conference in Paris. Together the cars will drive a combined 400,000 kilometers (about 248,550 miles) emissions-free. The cars - a fleet of Renault Zoes, Nissan Leafs and Nissan e-NV200s - will be used as shuttles for the conference attendees. The Alliance will set up a network of 90 chargers for the event, powered by low-carbon electricity. The residual emissions will be offset through a UN carbon offsetting program. Read more from Nissan, or at Green Car Congress. At the Queen's Park Electric Vehicle Day this week, the non-profit group Plug'n Drive called for Ontario to emphasize vehicle electrification. The group says that adding electric power to more cars, "can make a significant contribution to GHG emission reductions in Ontario, while at the same time benefitting the Ontario economy." GHG are, of course, greenhouse gases. According to the group, there are currently more than 12,140 EVs in Canada. Read more in the press release below. Plug'n Drive advocates for electrification of transportation as a key plank of Ontario's climate change action strategy First ever Electric Vehicle Day at Queen's Park demonstrates the benefits of electric vehicles TORONTO, ON, Oct. 26, 2015 /CNW/ - Plug'n Drive is hosting the first ever Queen's Park Electric Vehicle Day today at 11:00 a.m., providing MPPs from all parties, Ministers, public servants, stakeholders and the public the opportunity to test drive electric cars at all price points and to learn about the environmental and economic benefits of switching from gas to electric.

Watch some vintage F1 cars blast up a Japanese mountain road

It's a rare treat to see classic Formula One cars racing anywhere, but watching them on a Japanese mountain road is absolutely sublime. The folks behind Motorhead from Japan took over the toll road's twisting stretch of tarmac to turn this impossible dream into a reality. The unusual opportunity of a closed mountain road would be a waste for only two vehicles, and there were plenty of drivers in amazing machines that wanted to blast up the hill. After the vintage F1 cars got their turn, some drifters in a Nissan GT-R and a Toyota GT86 added some tire smoke to the misty mountain air. A couple more GT-R racecars and some modern sports cars eventually joined them. Before the rain hit, this team had quite a party going on. This video features amazing camera work, but the music unfortunately drowns out the chance to hear these amazing racecars. If watching this leaves you wanting more, Motorhead released a video last year of another group of impressive performance vehicles on the mountain road.

Recharge Wrap-up: Fiat 500X emissions, Japan EV sales down

The Fiat 500X exceeds EU emissions limits, according to environmental lobby group DUH. In dyno tests, DUH found NOx emissions in the diesel-powered 500X to be 11 to 20 times the limit with a warm engine, but closer to the limit with a cold engine. Testing of vehicles from Fiat and other automakers "point towards defeat devices," says DUH campaigner Axel Friedrich. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) offered no comment in response to the accusations. Read more from Reuters. A UK study finds that about 20 percent of the benefits from fuel efficient vehicles are negated by a tendency for people to drive them more. The study, which covers the years 1970 to 2011, finds a significant "rebound effect," when consumers use more of a cheaper energy source. It suggests these drivers drive more not because of the fuel efficiency, but because of the lower operating costs. "Until now, we didn't know the size of this effect for British motoring," says Dr. Lee Stapleton, Research Fellow for the University of Sussex Centre on Innovation and Energy Demand. "We found evidence of a significant, long-term rebound and expect our results to be of interest for public policy." Read more at Green Car Congress. Japanese EV sales have declined for the first time ever. Sales of electric vehicles slid 22 percent in 2015, leaving them at the same levels as 2012. Low gasoline prices are to blame, as well as the late arrival of the updated Nissan Leaf, which caused potential customers to hold off on their purchase. This allowed the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV to take the lead as Japan's best selling EV. The Toyota Prius Plug-In came in third place in EV sales, with the BMW i3 close on its heels. Read more from EV Sales. Featured Gallery 2016 Fiat 500X: First Drive View 34 Photos Related Gallery Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Concept-S: Paris 2014 View 12 Photos News Source: Reuters, Green Car Congress, EV SalesImage Credit: Copyright 2016 Drew Phillips / AOL Green Fiat Mitsubishi Nissan Emissions Fuel Efficiency Electric recharge wrapup