Ten Thoughts About Electric Vehicles and Beyond

Quick hits and musings about recent electric vehicle developments and the renewable space.

1. This whole anti Tesla Motors action in New Jersey is really a testament to conservatives wacky stances and how they define their movement. Their actions are so far divorced from any real policy stances on what a conservative used to be. This article, Tesla Motors Hits Back Hard in New Jersey Lawsuit Brief, encapsulizes this new conservative ideology: Any change to U.S. norms or structures are not American and should be stopped. Nuts.  

2. I wish the newly introduced plug-in VW Pasat was coming to the U.S., but no such luck as the company announced that the car will launch in Europe for now. Formally debuted at the Paris Auto Show last week, the new vehicle reveals a solid design and this plug-in vehicle will be able to run 31 miles on a charge, according to VW. The car comes in a sedan and wagon version and the dashboard offers an "emission free" readout. The hybrid vehicle may be available in the U.S. after the current internal combustion engine version is set to expire at the end of this decade. Read more

California already has 100,000 electric vehicles on the road and new home building codes could spur more growth. (Source: ChargePoint)3. Good to see more momentum in California with building codes and new housing being electric vehicle ready. In a Long Tailpipe post, David Herron's provides an in-depth look at what's being proposed and it's quite minimal in terms of cost for builders. Herron points out, "The new building code requirements don't specify charging station installation, just the conduit and electrical system calculations required to prepare for charging stations." Reminds me of the late '90s and building codes in Chicago, where new condos or townhomes had to have at least one parking spot or a garage. 

4. At the Paris Auto Show, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne said he is worried about recent European sales reports (European Car Market Still A Mess) from Ford, but also said electric vehicles are NOT going to replace combustion vehicles. Look at the big brain on Sergio, he must be fried. Of course, electric vehicles will never totally replace gas cars, EVER. However, electric vehicles will be a big part of your sales pie in the next 10 years and therein lies the disconnect for this supposed smart auto executive.

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EV Intersection | Porsche First to Market with Luxury Plug-in Electric Vehicle

EV intersection for Sept. 29 travels the back roads this week to find electric vehicle and infrastructure articles you need to read. Includes Porsche's SUV/Crossover hitting dealers, BMW's DC fast charging strategy and the secret police in Iowa go after Tesla ride-and-drives. 

The plug-in hybrid from Porsche Cayenne to be available starting in November 2014.

1.The Porsche Cayenne SUV beats Tesla Motors's Model X to the punch by releasing its SUV S-E Hybrid plug-in at the Paris auto show this week and then to dealers in early November, reports The Detroit Bureau. The article does not address U.S. deliveries, but this model is priced around $76,400...right in the same spot for the Model X and it's 260 miles to a charge (assuming). Rumors say the Porsche will be able to deliver 11-22 miles on a charge. Mileage improves somewhat with the plug-in component and Porsche says:

"So far, battery-based vehicles haven’t exactly charged up the global automotive market, but Porsche notes that 9% of the Panameras it sold worldwide so far this year were S E-Hybrids. And that figure jumped to 16% in the U.S."

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EV Intersection for Aug. 12, 2014

Performance 85 Model S graces the Green Fair on the Fox this last Saturday, Aug. 9, 2014. Another edition of Electric Vehicle Intersection, where energy, advanced vehicles, battery developments and charging infrastructure intersect. Just click on the link below to read the story. 

Above is a picture of a candy-apple red, Tesla Motors Model S electric vehicle at the "Green Fair on the Fox" festival last Saturday. Fun day talking electric vehicles to curious folks! 

Tesla Shows It All| (Brendan Byrne) Interesting "leak" to a German auto magazine, Autobild, via Tesla Chief Designer, Franz Von Hohlhausen. According to Hohlhausen, "a new Roadster to the '3rd generation' platform is to show what Tesla is able" in 2017. Brilliant move, why? Big profit margins on high-end luxury electric vehicles, where some analysts thought Tesla could set up shop a couple of years ago. Here's the link to the Autobild article (if you have Chrome, it will translate to English).

Inside the July 2014 Sales Numbers for Nissan | (Jay Cole) GM should take note as Nissan's leadership strategy has been paying off since last year, when they introduced the pilot program, "No charge for charge" in Texas. Read "Will Nissan's No Charge to Charge Program Drive Leaf Sales?" at Charged EVs. Hats off and hope to see Nissan at our National Drive Electric Week in Naperville, IL.  

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