Tag Archives: tesla
BMW Prepares to Challenge the Tesla Model 3
The Tesla Model 3 is set to be revealed this month. Looming in the scene is BMW with its plan to launch an all-electric sedan to take on the company led by Elon Musk.
According to Trusted Reviews, citing German publication Handelsblatt, BMW has set its sights on introducing a car that will rival the Tesla 3 and the company will reveal it at the Munich Auto Show in September.
The Tesla Model 3 challenger will come from the 3 Series range of BMW. The fully-electric sedan will be the company’s first in its bid to enter the electric vehicle segment of the market, which is dominated by Tesla.
The source claimed that the electric 3 Series will have a range of at least 400 kilometers. No other details have been revealed yet though. It should be noted too that BMW had not released an official statement about the matter so take this with a grain of salt.
At present the BMW 3 Series saloon car has a starting price of £25,740. An electric variant of the vehicle might cost more than that due to the cost of developing and manufacturing one. Add to that the expenses of sourcing parts like the battery and electric motor. On the other hand, the German luxury automaker might not jack up the value of the coming EV too much so that it will be competitive with the pricing of the Tesla Model 3.
The BMW 3 Series has been in production since 1975. The product is the entry-level luxury car of the German automaker. The vehicle is currently in its sixth generation model.
A plug-in hybrid model of the 3 Series was introduced last year. The car has gained good reviews so for its design and easy-to-use features. We think it is just right for BMW to follow up on its success by producing its new EV under the 3 Series platform.
Toyota Remains the Most Valuable Car Brand in the World
Toyota retains its status as the most valuable car brand in the world. The company toppled the likes of luxury car giants like Mercedes-Benz and BMW to keep its position.
According to Autoweek, the Japanese automaker’s value dropped by three percent to $28.7 billion. The decrease was attributed to the tough currency rates, in addition to the company’s investments and increase in labor costs. Despite the setbacks, Toyota topped the vehicle segment of the BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brand study made by market researcher Kantar Millward Brown.
Brown said Toyota is still viewed by customers as a reliable brand with quality value. Even with the recall issues going on, Toyota car owners gave positive reviews to their cars.
Based on the report, the study was first conducted 12 years ago. Since then, Toyota has landed in the number one rank 10 times.
In our earlier article, Toyota projected that further losses in revenue and net income are expected for the current fiscal year, which ends in March 2018. The company, through its CEO Akio Toyoda, defended that the slump is also in line with their vision to put more priority in stabilizing their future investments rather than focusing on short-term profit.
The Toyota CEO added that to safeguard the company’s future, they created an internal division called the Toyota Research Institute. The new division aims to work on futuristic technologies like the development of electric and hybrid vehicles as well as a potential autonomous car.
BMW and Mercedes landed on the second and third spots, respectively. BMW fell in value by eight percent to $24.6 billion while Mercedes rose by four percent to $23.5 billion.
On sidelines, Tesla seems to be catching up fast in the global car brand rankings. The company just jumped from number 10 last year to number 8 at the present, thanks to an increase of brand value by 32 percent to $5.9 billion. The car maker overtook Land Rover and Porsche to secure its new place in the hierarchy.
Upgraded Battery for Tesla Model S and X Performance Versions Introduced
Tesla just introduced a new battery that will power up the performance variants of its Model S and X cars. The new unit promises more range and better acceleration for the said vehicles.
According to Tesla’s chief executive Elon Musk in his interview, the upgraded battery of the electric vehicle brand is a “profound milestone” for the company. He explained that despite the battery having the same cell chemistry with its predecessors, it has been reconfigured to offer more energy.
Musk promised that the new 100-kilowatt hour battery pack of Tesla will offer faster acceleration to the P100D, which is the performance version of the Model S sedan. He claimed the power unit will make the P100D the fastest accelerating production car in the world.
The P100D is expected to sprint from zero to 60 mph in just 2.5 seconds. Musk admitted that there are other faster cars in the market, but he asserted that the mentioned vehicles are limited edition models only unlike the Tesla car, which is mass produced.
In addition to the acceleration boost, the new battery increases the range of the Model S. Musk stated that from the former 290 miles range of their older battery they were able to increase the range of the upgraded one to 300 miles. He added that it is even possible for the car to cover up to 400 miles without recharging during cool weather.
Musk revealed that the introduction of the upgraded Tesla batteries will help fund the development of the more affordable Model 3 units. The company is looking to make a total of 500,000 all-electric vehicles in 2018.
At present, the starting costs of the performance variants of the Tesla Model S and X vehicles are at $108,000 and $115,000, respectively. It should be noted that the disclosed pricing reflect the ones without the new battery pack yet.
Mercedes-Benz Is Planning A Sub-Brand For Electric Models
Recent reports have indicated that known luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz is gearing up to build an entire sub-brand for electric vehicles, following the success of Tesla’s luxury EVs. It seems the German automaker wants to cash in to what was once perceived to be merely a hype tech geeks, engineers and moguls have created.
Last June, Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Mercedes-Benz’s parent company Daimler, said that the automaker plans to introduce its first EV at the Paris Motor Show in October. According to reports, the model would be a direct competition to the Tesla Model S, and will have a 310-mile range either to meet or exceed what the Tesla model can deliver.
Expected to be built in Germany, Merc’s new EV will carry whatever moniker the automaker conceives to challenge BMW’s i label.
Tesla’s Model 3 currently has 373,000 reservations, so it’s fairly obvious this is not merely a trend. Mercedes wants to capitalize on that interest, and the timing now is just about right.
But to get to that point, the company has to invest extensively in research and development toward EVs. This is in part of the German automaker’s larger plan to boost its R&D spending from $6.3 billion in 2014 and $7.3 billion in 2015.
Passenger cars are not the only vehicles Daimler is looking to turn into electric-based. The Urban e-Truck prototype has proven that electric distribution is already a must in deliveries within the city.
Mercedes-Benz is not exactly oblivious of what Tesla has been doing. Its parent company Daimler has invested heavily in Tesla, and in fact earns a 10-percent stake in Tesla Motors in 2010, though its remaining 4 percent was sold in 2014.
It has even purchased Tesla batteries for the B-Class Electric and Tesla was the one that developed the whole propulsion system for the early version of Smart Electric Drive.
New Tesla Model S60 Replaces Model S70
Let’s get this out of the way: the new Tesla Model S60 is replacing the Model S70, which is, yes, the same model replaced by the older Model S60 last year. Tesla is reintroducing the Model S60, a different version from the earlier one that packed 60kWh battery pack and was replaced by the Model S70 and 70D, according to a source.
The reintroduction came just after Tesla revealed to 70 owners that the 70kWh battery capacity their cars are based on can actually unlock an extra 5kWh via an over-the-air update and a few thousand bucks. But forget all that, the new Model S60 is here, and it is offering something interesting.
Truth be told, there’s nothing special about the Model S60. In fact, it even has less driving range than the S70 and 70D. The rear-drive 60 can go up to 210 miles of range while the all-wheel-drive 60D can go 218 miles per charge. Those figures are 24 miles and 22 miles lower than what the 70 models are offering.
The upside? The Model S60 base model will only cost $67,200 ($5,000 plus for the 60D), significantly lower than the base price for the old S60 and the 70 it will be replacing.
Another thing that would convert you into the new S60 fan? The 70 model has surprisingly the 75kWh battery capacity. The new Model S60 will have it too. Buyers can tap that extra battery capacity when they order their 2016 S60 or 60D for an additional $8,500 on top of the current prices.
If you’ll order it as over-the-air update from the car’s internet connection, it will cost $9,000 instead of $8,500. The price upgrade is three times more than the cost for the Model S70 and 70D, but the 2017 S60 and 60D are also gaining three times more in terms of capacity.
That extra battery capacity will enable the Model S60 to go 249 miles and the 60D 259 miles.
2017 Tesla Model S Gets Minor Facelift
After Tesla discontinued the Roadster, it also released the new Model S that has recently become widely popular. In fact, it has generated such good sales that Tesla extended its offering of vehicles—the Model X and the upcoming Tesla Model 3.
After years of changes that only included the drivetrain and energy efficiency, Tesla has finally noticed the need for the Model S to get a facelift, according to a report.
The Model S was initially offered as a rear-wheel drive that has a range of 265 miles. It received several updates in the past years that included a new front motor that made all-wheel-drive variants available, plus Autopilot, and Ludicrous mode. In addition, it went up to a range of 295 miles.
This year, the aesthetics design is getting a facelift too, albeit just a minor one. There aren’t many changes, except for the fact that Tesla updated the current model with a sportier appearance.
The same hood and corner vents can be found up front, as well as the size of the headlights. However, the lens changed as it now sports an LED strip that lines the top and outer side of the lens. There’s a smaller LED strip that hangs from the upper edge as well.
The nose has been redesigned. While the previous model has a big chrome strip, Tesla has removed this altogether. It put a vent into the area below the front hood with the Tesla emblem right in the middle.
The sides and the rear have no changes at all. The Tesla Model S is offered with four different sets of wheels—from the 19-inch, 10-spoke Silver Slipstream wheels to the 19-inch, 10-spoke Cyclone wheels. Furthermore, you can opt for the 21-inch, 10-spoke Turbine wheels in gray or silver.
The standard Model S has a body-colored roof, although you can choose the all-glass panoramic roof for $1,500. For body color, Solid Black and Solid White are available for no additional cost while for $1,000, you can get Titanium Metallic, Midnight Silver Metallic, Obsidian Black Metallic, Deep Blue Metallic, or Silver Metallic. Pearl White Multi-coat and Red Multi-coat will cost an extra $1,500.
The Model S 70D starts out at $84,000.
Californian Government Donates $10 Million to Build New Tesla Model X SUV
Auto brand Tesla Motors, traditionally known for its Roadster model, has seen some rough patches during recent years, but that isn’t stopping drivers from clamoring for its vehicles. And, with the help from government funds, Tesla Motors is expanding more than ever before. The brand’s most recent grant comes from the state of California, which granted Elon Musk’s electric car company $10 million to develop and sell the new Tesla Model X SUV there.
The Tesla Model X was first revealed in concept form this past February with its unique “falcon-wing” doors and electric drivetrain much like the one seen in the Tesla Model S, with which it shares several components, as well as having similar performance and range stats. The new SUV garnered an incredible 500 reservations in the first four days it was showcased. Of course, now it has thousands of reservations, and it isn’t even going on sale until 2014!
The $10 million California grant will help the company upgrade and improve its former NUMMI auto plant, where it currently employs about 1,500 individuals. Along with the $10 million, Tesla will contribute an additional $50 million of its own capital for the project.
So, how much will the new SUV cost drivers? It will be around the same price as the S model, with a range in price between $60,000 and $90,000. A slightly more expensive performance model (boasting a 4.0 second zero-to-sixty mph sprint is also being developed. This means that the new Tesla Model X isn’t the electric supercar we’ve been hearing Tesla may develop or the promised low-priced BMW 3-Series rival that Elon Musk has promised Tesla fans.
Despite the fact that it’s neither of these things, however, the new Tesla X SUV is and will be attractive to a very important group of drivers in the United States: well-to-do California mothers who won’t think about purchasing an upscale SUV because they find it an important tool in picking up their children from soccer practice, carting around toys and strollers, etc. The Model X offers seating for seven adults, excellent headroom, and easy access Falcon Doors for loading and unloading items.
$10 million may not sound like much to develop and manufacture a vehicle, but it should definitely help the automaker expand its reach in the North American market. Of course, the big question for enthusiasts everywhere is if its unique falcon-wing doors will remain in the production model.
We’ll also have to see if Tesla manages to use direct sales in the States instead of selling its products through dealership franchises. At the moment, 48 U.S. states have laws against this practice, but the brand seems like it would like to sell its vehicles this way, so we’ll have to see if the U.S. government will cooperate with the company in the near future.
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