#Mustang Mach-E Moving the Needle Toward EVs?

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Are Tesla Cybertruck, Mustang Mach-E Moving the Needle Toward EVs?

The Los Angeles Auto Show/Automobility last month was a coming-out party for EVs targeting the US market, currently still below 2 percent of sales. Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Mercedes, Toyota, Volkswagen, and others announced or showcased electric and electrified vehicles. All were overshadowed by the introductions of the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Tesla Cybertruck.

But will these two controversial, high-profile vehicles set off a rush toward EVs? They will generate heated discussion. The Mach-E should do well, as well as an EV can do circa 2021. There are lots of questions about the viability of an electric pickup truck, how much pickup buyers are seduced by the Tesla name, whether Tesla can turn any profit on Cybertruck, and if the wedge design will be changed as it moves toward production.

Tesla is well past 250,000 pre-orders, but the deposit is just $100, for a truck that goes into production – Tesla says – at the end of 2021, with the most powerful, three-motor, version in production in 2020 – again, Tesla says. Tesla has a history of shipping late. Tesla has taken deposits of up to $250,000 for the Roadster 2.0, a limited production vehicle yet to ship. The deposit amount has been $2,500 for the Model Y compact crossover and $1,000 for the Model 3 sedan, currently Tesla’s best-seller. It may be the low-deposit price generating large numbers of potential customers appeals to investors.

There are lots of other questions about Cybertruck: How easily can a stainless steel body be painted? (Not hard, with proper prep work.) What will it look like with side mirrors and headlamps? How much more will it weigh than a traditional pickup – 1,000, 2,000 pounds more?

Tesla Cybertruck with concept Tesla ATV (electric, of course).

Critics Have Been Unkind (Again) to Tesla

“Tesla’s ‘Cybertruck’ looks like the kind of vehicle that The National Guard would have used at Kent State University in May 1970,” says Anton Wahlman, an industry analyst writing in The Street. “Imagining these Cybertrucks roll down the streets of America will definitely give the impression that martial law has just been imposed, and that you are supposed to shelter in place while the government comes to arrest protesters.”

Wahlman is short TSLA stock (he’s betting the price will go down) and adds, “Once you buy into the Tesla image realignment from flower-power greenie to military occupation [style truck], there are many practical questions that have to be answered:

1. How much will it cost to manufacture this truck? $100,000 or more like $200,000? Clearly at the advertised prices — as low as $39,900 — this will lose a lot more than any Tesla that came before it. If that’s accurate, then it’s the biggest flaw of them all. 2. The 500-mile range for the high-end version obviously is totally unrealistic given the weight and cost of the batteries that would have to be involved. 3. The usual Tesla questions: Testing, durability and quality? Experienced vehicle manufacturers take many years to sort that out.

Research analyst Sean Chandler in Seeking Alpha says the Cybertruck’s unibody construction is a detriment to traditional pickup buyers who’re used to pickups and bigger trucks being built on a frame with the body. Then the manufacturer can put anything on top to make it an ambulance, delivery truck, dump truck, RV, and so on. Ford’s best-selling F-150, sold just as a pickup, can be had in three cab configurations, three bed lengths, and three degrees of ruggedness and load-hauling (F-150, F-250, F-350). Chandler, who is long (bets TSLA goes up), says:

If Tesla built a box frame customizable chassis with a 100-200kWh battery with single, dual, or triple motor configurations, third-party manufacturers would probably go crazy over this. UPS (NYSE:UPS) and FedEx (NYSE:FDX) could have low-cost electric delivery trucks or vans built to their specifications. This would even hurt Amazon (AMZN), which has poured hundreds of millions into Rivian and ordered 100,000 vans; that’s how badly an ICE alternative delivery truck is desired. Shuttle buses, school buses, motorhomes, ambulances, and so much more could benefit from a low-cost (long-term), efficient, and reliable all-electric design. … When it comes to the battery and powertrain, nobody comes close to Tesla.

Mustang Mach-E Is Simpler to Love

The Mustang Mach-E is a simple story: Ford is an international automaker and needs to build for a world market, as well as try to stoke life into US EV sales. It took what might have been the next Ford Escape in EV form and decided to a) call it a Mustang and b) give it performance attributes an Escape EV wouldn’t have received.

Mustang fanboys don’t like it one bit. But Corvette traditionalists are crying in their beer about the Vette being mid-engined, as if that’s a bad thing.

If you think of the Mach-E as one more compact/midsize crossover for Americans shopping, or taking kids to soccer practice or ballet class, it’s fine. The 15-inch screen is a nice taste of the future.

That Ford chose to have the rollout at Hawthorne Airport near LAX, the same place Tesla did it’s rollout five days later (and where its design studios are sited), well, what’s wrong with a little competitive psychology?

Mustang Mach-E

Why the EV Market Hasn’t Taken Off

Several factors keep EVs from being 5 percent or 20 percent of US sales. Some of the issues are perceptual.

They cost more. Even if service is less complicated.

The tax credit is going away for Tesla with GM to follow. And even $7,500 doesn’t always recapture the price delta versus a comparable gas-engine car.

Range anxiety is real. At least in buyers’ minds, and certainly if it’s the family’s only vehicle.

The public charging infrastructure isn’t there (except Tesla).

Urbanites and suburban apartment-dwellers don’t have ready access to charging at home.

The EV cost-of-energy advantage disappears at public charging stations.

Inductive chargers and robotic charging arms aren’t ready.

People too unmotivated to plug in don’t use PHEVs as EVs, negating their value as EVs and making it less likely they’ll buy another.

Some California towns charge more for electricity the more you use, raising the cost of home charging to the equivalent of burning gasoline.

Cold weather does a number on EV range.

Now read:

Tesla Unveils the Stoner Truck. Sorry, Cybertruck. It’s as Big as an F-150.

Ford Mach-E: It’s a Mustang, an EV (Yes), an SUV (Gasp), Very Quick, and the Future of Ford

Best Cars of the 2019 LA Auto Show

from ExtremeTechExtremeTech https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/302898-are-tesla-cybertruck-mustang-mach-e-moving-the-needle-toward-evs from Blogger http://componentplanet.blogspot.com/2019/12/are-tesla-cybertruck-mustang-mach-e.html

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Are Tesla Cybertruck, Mustang Mach-E Moving the Needle Toward EVs?

Are Tesla Cybertruck, Mustang Mach-E Moving the Needle Toward EVs?

The Los Angeles Auto Show/Automobility last month was a coming-out party for EVs targeting the US market, currently still below 2 percent of sales. Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Mercedes, Toyota, Volkswagen, and others announced or showcased electric and electrified vehicles. All were overshadowed by the introductions of the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Tesla Cybertruck.

But will these two…

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Tesla: Claims of Unintended Acceleration Are ‘Completely False’

Tesla is accustomed to bad press — CEO Elon Musk has often fired off snarky responses on Twitter before the end of the news cycle. However, Musk is a bit more controlled these days. Tesla has issued an official response to last week’s claims of unintended acceleration, and it’s leaving no question as to its position. Tesla says the petition is completely false. 

Tesla kicks off its brief response by reminding everyone that the person who submitted the petition to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is an independent investor. As we previously noted, investor Brian Sparks is shorting Tesla’s stock, so he stands to make money if the company’s share price drops. While that doesn’t necessarily mean Sparks is incorrect, Tesla claims the symptoms described in the complaints are not possible in Tesla vehicles. 

According to Tesla, it has investigated every claim of unintended acceleration for which it has data from the car. In all instances, the vehicle performed as expected. That is, it accelerated in response to the driver pressing the accelerator. In addition, Tesla says the incidents described in the petition simply cannot happen in its vehicles. The accelerator uses two independent sensors to determine position, and the system defaults to cut motor torque in the event of an error. The system also cuts power to the motor if it detects both the accelerator and brake being pressed at the same time. 

Tesla says its cars can’t suffer from “unintended acceleration” as described in the petition.

The term “unintended acceleration” came into use during the early 2000s when Toyota drivers began reporting instances of vehicles speeding up seemingly of their own free will. Toyota eventually had to recall millions of vehicles and suspended sales of several models after several deaths linked to the issue. Tesla sells performance vehicles, and unintended acceleration in a Tesla could be much more dangerous. 

The NHTSA hasn’t decided to start a formal investigation, but it is evaluating the petition submitted by Sparks. He claims the 100+ incidents listed in the petition signal a troubling trend with Tesla vehicles. It’ll be up to regulators to decide whether or not it warrants a full investigation. If the agency takes action, Tesla’s stock price will likely fall and make Sparks money. So far, the petition hasn’t had any impact. After a brief fall-off on Friday, Tesla shares are trading higher than they were last week.

Now read:

Another Tesla Crash, Another Investigation Into Autopilot

Are Tesla Cybertruck, Mustang Mach-E Moving the Needle Toward EVs?

Ford Took Over Tesla’s Electric Avenue for Mustang Mach-E Introduction

from ExtremeTechExtremeTech https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/305115-tesla-claims-of-unintended-acceleration-are-completely-false from Blogger http://componentplanet.blogspot.com/2020/01/tesla-claims-of-unintended-acceleration.html

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Fisker Ocean: Can This Electric SUV Really Come in Cheaper Than Tesla Model 3?

News about the Fisker Ocean continues to build. The performance specs are yet to come, while financing numbers all sound good. Really good on the cost part: $37,499 before tax credits, $29,999 after the $7,500 federal tax credit, or $379 for a lease. That’s less than a Tesla Model 3. But the Model 3 is shipping. At this point, Fisker is talking about 2021 production and delivery of first cars in 2022.

Fisker took a prototype to CES 2020 to show off. It has a solar roof to help charge the Ocean. A California mode lowers all windows, including the rear, at the touch of a single button, and gives the car a convertible-like feeling — except that there’s still a steel roof (with a big sunroof, true) overhead.

The solar-panel sunroof increases range. A bit.

The specifications Fisker has published so far are competitive. The battery is rated at 80 kilowatt-hours, with a target range between 250 and 300 miles. Fisker touts a solar panel sunroof to help recharge the car but … it appears to be less than 5 miles a day on a sunny day. We don’t know if an Ocean parked at the airport for a week would lose that much just parked. Add Fisker to the companies using Electrify America for recharging.

Fisker has not yet published performance specs, whether 0-60 takes 4 seconds, 6, or 8. Although really it should be fast enough. Every electric-motor car has exceptional torque – power – starting up from standstill. It’s how electric motors are.

California Mode: Press a button and all the windows roll down together, including the back window.

Fisker also says the Ocean will be the world’s most sustainable car. They note the solar roof, vegan leather interior, eco-suede trim, and carpeting from recycled material. Without explaining further, Fisker says it will use “discarded rubber waste [from] tire manufacturing.”

Interior of the Fisker Ocean with vegan and recycled materials.

So, how much? The base model will sell for $37,499 before the US tax credit of up to $7,500. But that price is for “a limited time,” the company says. Alternatively, the lease for the base model (the only one lacking Calfornia mode) is $379 per month, $2,999 (roughly 10 percent) due at signing. That undercuts Model 3 by about $150 a month (Fisker’s down payment is more than twice Tesla’s, though).

Now, get this: Fisker says, “[Customers] can return the vehicle in one month, eight months, 22 months or several years …. no long-term contracts …. with 30,000 miles per year included.” Fisker will also sell insurance. Maintenance will be through Fisker. Hand-raisers can hold the Ocean for $250 down via the company website.  Fisker also says there’ll be two other designs using the same Ocean platform.

The name Fisker, as in founder Henrik Fisker, has been used in several previous car startups of the last decade. Initially, there was Fisker Automotive, founded 2007, with about 2,000 cars built, total, and about $1.4 billion in private venture money and US-backed loans, according to Reuters. That Fisker went bankrupt, bought by a Chinese auto parts maker, and renamed Karma Automotive, resulting in a plug-in hybrid, the Karma Revero.

This is a new company called Fisker Inc. with a battery adjunct called Fisker Nanotech. We wish them luck. Or karma.

Now read:

Porsche Taycan Slapped With Disappointing 201-Mile EPA Range Estimate

Did Tesla Just Set an Electric Car Speed Record at the Nürburgring?

Are Tesla Cybertruck, Mustang Mach-E Moving the Needle Toward EVs?

from ExtremeTechExtremeTech https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/304788-fisker-ocean-can-this-electric-suv-really-come-in-cheaper-than-tesla-model-3 from Blogger http://componentplanet.blogspot.com/2020/01/fisker-ocean-can-this-electric-suv.html

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Mercedes Now Will Delay EQC EV from 2021 to 2022 in US

Mercedes-Benz EQC Grundträger Schnellspannbefestigung, abschließbare Kunststoff-Trägerkappen. Multifunktionale Basis für alle Mercedes-Benz Transport- und Freizeitlösungen wie Dachboxen, Fahrrad- oder Ski- und Snowboardhalter. ;EQC 400 4x4, Stromverbrauch kombiniert: 20,8 - 19,7 kWh/100 km; CO2-Emissionen kombiniert: 0 g/km* Mercedes-Benz EQC base roof carrier with quick-release fasteners. Locking plastic end caps. Multifunctional basis for all Mercedes Benz transport solutions such as the bicycle rack, ski and snowboard rack or roof box. ;EQC 400 4x4, combined power consumption: 20.8 – 19.7 kWh/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 0 g/km*

If you’ve been waiting to get your hands on the Mercedes-Benz EQC, the first in a line of 10 new EVs, add a year to the wait time if you were expecting to head down to the showroom next month. For US customers, the first shipments have been delayed from the first quarter of 2020 to the first quarter of 2021. Mercedes-Benz here said the delay was because of a strong demand for EVs in the European market. 

At the same time, parent Daimler couldn’t help but notice how slowly premium EVs have been selling, other than Teslas. The EQC is about the same as the company’s compact GLC combustion-engine SUV. The EQC will list for about $70,000. It has two electric motors that produce 402 hp and a claimed 0-60 mph time of 4.8 seconds.

According to Mercedes-Benz USA:

In a recent direction from Daimler AG, it is a strategic decision to first support the growing customer demand for the EQC in Europe.

There is no question there’s greater demand for EVs in Europe, which demand took off like a rocket when the EU Parliament in April mandated a 37.5 percent reduction of new-car emissions by 2020.

The EQC uses an 80-kWh battery, which should be good for 280 miles of driving on the New European Driving Cycle tests. The US EPA cycle returns lower results, sometimes from 10 to 20 percent. The EQC is being built in Bremen, German, and the factory recently expanded capacity. The EQC is Mercedes’ first platform dedicated exclusively to EVs (although, yes, one might mistake it for a GLC).

If a Mercedes is not dissimilar from an Audi or Jaguar in terms of targeted customers, the news is soft stateside. Based on 11-month sales, the highly regarded Jaguar i-Pace – the current Extreme Tech Car of the Year – will sell 2,600 units. The Audi e-tron will sell 5,000. In comparison, the upscale Tesla Model X SUV will sell about 15,000 units; the closer-to-mainstream Tesla Model 3 will sell about 122,000 units. Tesla also has an advantage in range. While some are suspicious about Tesla’s marketing hype, those same competitors are also jealous of how Teslas with larger battery packs can get 325 miles of range on the US efficiency tests, which are roughly 10 percent to 20 percent stricter than European tests.

The US won’t lack for other kinds of EVs. More than a half-dozen automakers have announced electric pickup trucks, and Ford has chosen the Mustang monicker for its new compact electric SUV.

Now read:

Ford Mach-E: It’s a Mustang, an EV (Yes), an SUV (Gasp), Very Quick, and the Future of Ford

Porsche Taycan Slapped With Disappointing 201-Mile EPA Range Estimate

Are Tesla Cybertruck, Mustang Mach-E Moving the Needle Toward EVs?

from ExtremeTechExtremeTech https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/303468-mercedes-now-will-delay-eqc-ev-from-2021-to-2022-in-us from Blogger http://componentplanet.blogspot.com/2019/12/mercedes-now-will-delay-eqc-ev-from.html

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Porsche Taycan Slapped With Disappointing 201-Mile EPA Range Estimate

Photography: Christoph Bauer Postproduction: Wagnerchic – www.wagnerchic.com

For the last few years, Tesla has owned the high-performance electric vehicle market. Even the company’s mid-range Tesla Model 3 has better acceleration and a higher top speed than some more expensive gasoline-powered sports cars. Porsche, not accustomed to being outperformed by a cheaper car, is preparing to release the all-electric Taycan in 2020. However, EPA mileage testing showed surprisingly poor performance. It was so bad, in fact, that Porsche hired a private firm to do additional tests. 

The Porsche Taycan sounds impressive on paper. It’s a 4-door sedan about the same size as the Tesla Model S. It features two electric motors with 523 horsepower in the base model. The top-of-the-line Taycan Turbo S has a whopping 751 horsepower with a maximum speed of 162 mph. Porsche also offers a up to 93.4 kWh of battery capacity in the Turbo and Turbo S variants. 

As Porsche gets ready for launch, the EPA has completed its testing. Unfortunately for Porsche, the agency strongly disagrees with its claim that the Taycan can run for around 265 miles on a charge. The EPA reports the Taycan Turbo manages just 201 miles with that huge 93.4 kWh lithium-ion cell. To put that in context, the most expensive Tesla Model S with a similarly sized battery manages 315-370 miles on a charge, according to the EPA. 

Porsche is banking on a charging network that will make the low range less of an issue, but the EPA numbers will probably hurt sales.

This puts the Taycan behind virtually all other electric cars, including the Tesla Model 3, Chevy Bolt, Nissan Leaf, and Jaguar I-Pace. Granted, some of those cars focus on efficiency rather than power, but the Taycan is a luxury vehicle that starts at around $100,000. It shouldn’t be that much worse than the competition. 

The EPA numbers were so bad that Porsche hired vehicle testing firm AMCI to conduct a new assessment. The results of that test look much better for Porsche, showing a range of 275 miles. AMCI says its testing more accurately replicates real-world conditions, but this isn’t much help for Porsche. It still has to report the official EPA numbers to buyers, and it makes the Taycan look like it’s lagging behind the competition. The EPA is conservative when it comes to EV mileage ratings, but other carmakers have figured out how to get well above 200 miles in testing.

Now read:

Porsche Taycan EV Sedan Debuts: $152,250 and Up, 670 hp, 0-60 in 3 seconds

Did Tesla Just Set an Electric Car Speed Record at the Nürburgring?

Are Tesla Cybertruck, Mustang Mach-E Moving the Needle Toward EVs?

from ExtremeTechExtremeTech https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/303338-porsche-taycan-slapped-with-disappointing-201-mile-epa-range-estimate from Blogger http://componentplanet.blogspot.com/2019/12/porsche-taycan-slapped-with.html