On this week’s show : The Tesla Model X
gets recalled, BMW Launches the ReachNow car
sharing scheme in Seattle, and a Nissan LEAF
that can read your mind… sort of.
These stories and more, coming up next, on
TEN.
Enjoying today’s show on Youtube and want
to read the stories we’re referring to today?
Just head to our website at Transport Evolved
dot com forward slash TEN, where you’ll
find today’s show notes -- as well as links
to the latest future car news, buying guides,
tech primers, and car reviews.
It’s Friday, April fifteenth, twenty sixteen,
I’m Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield, and I just
want to give a shout out to David Eberhardt,
the awesome artist behind the super cool Astrophysix
Men T-Shirt I’m wearing today (and have
worn plenty of times in the past on this show.)
If you like it, you can find it for yourself
over at Tee Fury dot com, along with plenty
other T-Shirts you may recognise from other
shows I’ve filmed.
And in case you’re wondering, no this isn’t
an advert and I’m not getting paid for this.
I just get a lot of people asking me where
I get the cool T-Shirts from, so i figured
it was time to share with the class.
Go on… check them out.
We start today’s show with news of a recall
involving the Tesla Model X electric crossover
SUV, caused by a potential problem with the
latch mechanism on the third-row seats of
the two thousand seven hundred or so vehicles
which have already shipped to customers.
As we explained on Monday, the recall was
prompted after a third-row seat latch mechanism
failed on one car being used for internal
validation tests being carried ahead of the
official European launch of Model X.
The tests, carried out by Tesla, were designed
to mimic official EuroNCAP crash tests, and
as we understand it, the part in question
-- supplied to Tesla by a parts company from
Australia -- only failed once.
Indeed, prior testing of the mechanism ahead
of the car’s U.S. launch showed no problems
and Tesla says no subsequent tests have been
able to replicate the fault.
Tesla being Tesla however, it has already
redesigned the latch mechanism and is already
manufacturing replacement third-row seat backs
for all cars made before the fault was discovered.
While there’s little risk to occupant safety,
Tesla has requested that customers refrain
from using the third-row seats in their cars
until the replacement part has been fitted.
Kudos to Tesla for the proactive approach
and if you’ve got a Model X, we’d love
to hear how quickly your car gets its new
third-row seat backs in the Comments below.
Staying with the Model X for a second, this
week also heralded the official launch of
the online configurator tool for Model X customers
who have yet to place down a deposit on the
high-end plug-in car.
Launched on Tuesday, the online configurator
allows would-be customers to spec their dream
Model X for the first time -- and also managed
to quietly launch a revised entry-level Model
X with 75 kilowatt-hour rather than 70 kilowatt-hour
battery pack.
Customers who have already ordered the Tesla
Model X 70 D -- a car which hasn’t yet entered
into production -- will be offered the Tesla
Model X 75D instead, although we suspect they’ll
also be asked to pay the apparent eighteen
hundred dollar price increase for the extra
capacity over the 70D as well.
Still, that’s cheaper than the range-topping
Tesla Model X P90D: Tick every option box
for that, and you’ll need somewhere around
$150,000 before incentives to own one.
Ouch.
The Tesla Model X wasn’t the only Tesla
getting an upgrade this week either, On Tuesday,
the California automaker also rolled out a
refreshed Model S, complete with some new
options, slightly tweaked EPA-approved ranges,
and a revised front grille that brings Model
X, Model S and Model 3 design language in
line with one another.
Sadly, we’ve no video of the updated Model
S to share because Tesla hasn’t yet made
any available to the press, but as these photos
show, the Model S now has the same sans grille
design as Model X, along with a new lower
bumper panel and Tesla-T bar-shaped black
inset with the usual Tesla logo.
Other improvements to Model S include the
option of having the HEPA BioHazard filtration
system (part of the high-tech package), two
new optional trim designs, and an improved
48-amp on-board charger that can slash charging
time.
Add two in tandem for even more charging power,
and Tesla says charging times at home can
be improved by fifty percent when paired with
its 100-amp Tesla wall connector charging
station.
Sadly, there’s no P100 D yet -- and the
upgrades also come with a price hike of $1500
across the Tesla Model S range.
Still, I guess when you’re considering a
brand-new Model S, fifteen hundred bucks isn’t
going to break the bank, metaphorically speaking
of course.
And, one of the benefits to Tesla ownership
is unlimited, free-at-point of use access
to its massive Supercharger network, something
that as yet no other automaker has managed
to build a rival to.
The closest is Nissan, which has been working
alongside various U.S. charging providers
for the past few years to roll out its No
Charge to Charge program which essentially
gives new Nissan LEAF customers a single smart
card that grants unmetered access (at least
for the first 30 minutes) to different electric
car charging networks across the U.S.
While it’s not yet nationwide, it is now
in most major U.S. cities where the Nissan
LEAF is sold -- but earlier this week Blink
-- one of Nissan’s No Charge to Charge partners
-- declared it is no-longer going to honor
NCTC card holders at its Level 2 charging
stations across the U.S.
At the time of filming, we’ve not been able
to get to the bottom of this decision, but
we can say thanks to an email sent to all
NCTC customers that Blink will cease offering
free Level charging at the end of next month.
Or to put it another way, it will start charging
those customers the usual (quite astonishingly
high) charging fees for every session at Level
2 charging stations from April 23..
Because of the way it’s worded however,
it’s not clear if the company intends to
honor NCTC customers at DC quick charging
stations or not.
When we have more information we’ll let
you know, but considering the local to me
Blink Network chargers spend more time out
of action than they do in service, the network’s
departure from the scheme may not be missed
all that much.
Yeah.
A scheme that you will be able to access -- at
least if you live in the Pacific northwest
city of Seattle -- is the newly-launched BMW
ReachNow car sharing service, which officially
went live this week.
As we explained on Tuesday, the service offers
Seattle residents and visitors the chance
to rent a BMW MINI, BMW 3-Series or BMW i-3
on an ad-hoc, per-hour basis, and is modelled
on the highly-popular DriveNow scheme already
in operation across parts of Europe.
Those who have been watching this show for
a while will know that DriveNow also used
to operate in San Francisco as an exclusively
electric only car sharing service, but was
cancelled by BMW due to problems obtaining
the necessary parking permits across the city.
As far as we know, the BMW i3s used in this
new scheme in Seattle are the same cars that
once lived in San Francisco, although this
time they’re joined by some internal combustion
offerings from BMW too.
It’s easy to register for the service using
the free ReachNow app, so if you’re in Seattle
and fancy giving it a go, why not download
the app and see how you get on.
Talking of Washington, as anyone who lives
in Washington state or indeed its neighbor
to the south Oregon will know, it’s not
too difficult to travel long-distance by electric
car in either state (at least down I-5) thanks
to the most excellent West Coast Electric
Highway.
And while travel further south in California
is fine around the key EV-friendly cities
of San Francisco and Los Angeles, there’s
been something of a lack of infrastructure
along the I-5 corridor, making long-distance
trips almost impossible unless you own a Tesla.
Well this week, we heard that’s about to
change thanks to the awarding of nearly $9
million in grants to ensure California’s
portion of the West Coast Electric Highway
finally joins up with the Pacific northwest
segment.
Four different charging providers -- Chargepoint,
EV Connect, NRG and Recargo -- received a
share of the funds, which collaboratively
will fund 41 DC quick charging sites along
I-5, Highways 99 and 101.
In addition, 40 of the sites will also gain
Level 2 charging capability, which is essentially
the same charging capabilities that most electric
car owners have at home.
Let’s hope all four companies are successful
in completing the installations on time and
that the stations they install are more reliable
than some of the charging stations we’ve
seen installed in the past..
Say no more.
From one hotspot for electric vehicles to
another now half a world away in Norway.
As some of you might remember, there was some
concern last year when Noway hit its electric
car adoption goals two years early, making
some wonder if the slow withdrawal of electric
car incentives would mean the North European
country would slide back into gas-guzzling.
Well, this week we heard the news that’s
certainly not the case.
Indeed, last month, a massive two-thirds of
new cars registered in Norway were either
pure electric, plug-in hybrid, or hybrid.
And while we’ll admit Norway’s massive
electric car incentives are still in place
(for now at least), the impending withdrawal
of perks like driving in the bus lanes for
free doesn’t seem to have lessened the enthusiasm
for plug-in cars.
Of course, this might all change in the coming
months and years, but for now, it seems Norway’s
citizens are well and truly in love with the
electric car and the Norwegian government
is well on the way to achieving its goal of
making 100 percent of all cars on its roads
emission-free in just nine year’s time.
And that’s great news for anyone who wants
to see a cleaner, greener world.
Well done, Norway.
And the rest of the world?
What’s taking you so bloody long?
From a country that’s rapidly adopting electric
cars now to a company that aims to rapidly
make electric cars.
Or at least, rapidly make the factory where
it will eventually make electric cars.
I am of course talking about Faraday Futures
( or FF), which held the groundbreaking ceremony
this week for its one billion dollar automotive
production facility just north of Las Vegas
Nevada.
The ceremony, attended by both state governor
Brian Sandoval and a slew of local dignitaries,
marked the next stage of FF’s venture into
the automotive market, but didn’t drop a
single hint about what we can expect from
the company in terms of its first production
electric car.
Still, there may not be that much of a wait.
According to company executives present at
the event, we should see the facility -- more
than 900 acres in total -- fully built and
operational in two years’ time, around half
of the time that such a construction project
usually takes.
While it’s great to see FF forge forward,
we can’t help but admit to getting more
and more itchy about this firm.
We want to see more plug-in cars on the market,
but it’s high time we saw a pre-production
prototype, especially if the factory will
be finished in two years.
Don’t you agree?
And finally.
These days we’re pretty used to seeing gimmicky
toys that use brain waves as their preferred
method of control, from those little cat ears
and tail to remote-controlled helicopters.
But this week Nissan Japan launched a new
ad campaign celebrating the LEAF’s fifth
anniversary of the start of sales in japan
that used brain-wave technology to project
the thoughts and emotions of the person behind
the wheel onto the road.
Interpreting brain activity, an advanced computer
program matched neural activity with one of
33 different pre-made images, which were then
projected onto the road as the cars were driven
down the road by students who had never experienced
an electric car before.
It’s kinda hard to explain, but it’s certainly
very very Japanese in its execution, so to
see the video in its entirety head to our
site when we're’ finished here.
Talking of finishing, that’s exactly what
I’m going to do now, because I’m pretty
hungry right now and could really murder some
sausages and mash.
Although I’ve got to admit, I haven’t
found a decent banger this side of the Atlantic
ocean yet.
Anyway I digress.
We’ll be back next week at the usual time
with another episode of TEN.
In the meantime you can find all the news
that’s fit to print at our website at transport
evolved dot com, catch up with us on twitter
at transport Evolve, or check out our latest
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Talking of content, there’s a lot we haven’t
managed to fit into today’s show, including
how Mercedes-Benz executives are sending mixed
messages on electric cars, why it’s okay
that the Tesla Model 3 isn’t for everyone,
how used car dealerships are taking electric
cars to places where they’re not easy to
buy brand new, and we give you an update on
Sparkie, our recently-adopted Toyota RAV4
EV.
So when we’re done, be sure to head to our
site to read them all.
Thanks for watching, I’m Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield,
have a great weekend, and until next time,
keep evolving!
