Whether buying a Chevrolet Cruze or the lucky three able to purchase a Lamborghini Veneno supercar, there must be a pleasant ownership experience. Automakers have learned in recent years building a brand’s image does not end once a vehicle leaves a lot. Known as after-sales, auto companies have constructed infrastructure to provide owners with a constant sense that they had bought a meaningful vehicle. While reliability and overall popularity contributes largely to a car’s success, automobile manufacturers undertake other measures to engineer better sensations of vehicle ownership. One attempt automakers use is to keep value in your vehicle.

For major auto companies, the shear volume of their vehicles make used dealerships a viable option. Providing certified pre-owned cars to customers, a brand retains some sense of control insuring quality older products achieve high resale value. For smaller auto companies, they need a different approach to keep the mystique of their previous model year vehicles. Though rarity might have a value retain a high value, there are no guarantees. DeLoreans and even late model exotic cars can be purchased for rather paltry sum. For Tesla Motors, the still-blossoming electric car company has created a vehicle financing agreement for their 2013 Motor Trend Car of the Year-winning Model S sedan.

Crafted in agreement with US Bank and Wells Fargo, Tesla Motors is offering a purchasing contract combining benefits of car leasing with perks of ownership. With a ten percent down payment (equating to a minimum of $6,240 for the 60 kWh version of the Tesla Model S), full electric luxury car driving can be obtained. Tesla Motors rationalizes that the down payment is reimbursed through the state and federal tax credits for purchasing an electric vehicle. Some regions of the United States offer up to $15,000 back to buyers of the Tesla Model S.

Boasting operational cost forecasts under $500 a month, Tesla Motors is confident that buyers will hold onto their Model S sedan. After a 36-month period, owners are presented with the option to sell the vehicle back to Tesla Motors. Tesla Motors has guaranteed the resale value of the Model S after 36 months will be equal to the Mercedes-Benz S Class sedan. The process and the promise of a set resale value based on an established luxury car is a unique property provided through this Tesla Motors financing plan.

Resale value of the Model S is also be helped by a separate announcement from Tesla Motors. Citing low demand, Tesla has opted not to sell the smallest capacity 40 kWh Model S version. Though the 40 kWh model was intended to be the entry-level $50,000 version of Tesla Model S, the 60 kWh version now the starting model at $62,400 price.

The news of Tesla Motors’ financing system comes during a celebratory early April for the electric car company. Announcing a profitable first quarter of the year, Tesla exceeded their production target for the Model S. Impressive indeed since some well-established automakers struggle meeting sale targets for their provocative vehicles. Planning to sale 4,500 vehicles, 4,750 Tesla Model S sedans were sold through their expanding dealership network. Tesla Motors even appears attractive to non-believers of the company. Wall Street took a keen interest in the electric car manufacturer and its stock hovering around the $38 mark on last Thursday. As of the end of Tuesday, April 2nd, Tesla Motors stock is trading at $44.34.

Information and photo source: Chris Nagy, Tesla Motors

Well, you’re probably all too drunk to be reading this, but maybe you’ll catch it in the morning.

As you and your liver know, it’s St. Patrick’s Day today! St. Partick’s Day started when…huh? Yeah, pass over another Guinness!

Enough talking – check out the gallery below and let us know what green supercar is your favorite. Feel free to share your own in the comments!

Reaching an end to another year, 365 days can be summed up by a number of successes and failures; the same can be said for the automotive field of 2012.

Vehicle premiere, discontinuation of models, safety recalls and other tidbits of news have been the subject matter for this as well as other automobile resources this past year. In what is a traditional pattern among news outlets, this article is taking time to look back at what the previous 12 months brought to car culture. The following examples are some spotlight moments involving automobiles in 2012.

Viper Returns as SRT Brand Vehicle

The discontinuation of the Viper supercar took the cherry off the top of the automaker’s sundae in 2010. Accepting the fact that a very potent Dodge Challenger SRT8 maintained some performance creditability for the Chrysler division, fans venomously desired the high-performance vehicle behind a reptile-inspired name. A car steered by a culture even the auto company was not immune to, the New York Auto Show marked the return of the Viper supercar. Under the newly assembled, performance-oriented SRT brand, a 640-horsepower V-10 engined dream machine materialized. Back with a vengeance, the SRT Viper took a bite at the American Le Mans Series with the Viper GTS-R for selected 2012 events starting at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Hyundai-Kia Busted on Fuel Economy Miscalculation

For anyone who has purchased a new car and boiled with outraged when fuel mileage was not as advertised, 2012 brought some high profile attention to this costly pet peeve. After an investigation by the United States EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) into 13 Hyundai and Kia brand vehicles the Hyundai Motor Company was pressed to knowledge they misstated fuel economy. Affecting popular products built between the 2011 to 2013 model year, Hyundai Elantra, Santa Fe as well as the Kia Shortage are some of the vehicles revealed to receive less fuel mileage than originally stated. The worst offender in terms of fuel economy was the automatic-equipped Kia Soul observed in producing six miles per gallon less in highway gas mileage.

Upon admitting the error, Kia and Hyundai owners of affected vehicles by lower fuel economy received special debit cards that will reimburse for the increased fuel consumption. Estimated to cost 100 million dollars, some civil attorneys filing suits to the problem could potentially make the price higher. There are many indications now the Hyundai-Kia fuel economy embarrassment could be etching the soil of even more investigations into misquoted fuel calculations. Bad news for automakers, the news has been terrific for lawyers filing class-action lawsuits.

Audi Hybrid Claims Historic Le Mans Win

The 2012 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans was a technological showcase. Occupying paddock 56 was the radical Nissan Deltawing race car exhibiting clever lightweight engineering as an unclassified experimental entrant in the race. In the fight for victory in the prototype category, Audi’s R18 e-tron quattro diesel powerplant combined with an electric motor became the biggest newsmaker of the sports car season. Fielded by Team Joest, the Audi R18 e-tron quattro was brought to the Circuit de la Sarthe with just a single race of development. For the Le Mans 24-hour race, the two hybrid race machines entered by Audi crossed the finish line first and second place. The Audi R18 e-tron quattro became the first hybrid vehicle to win the French sports car classic.

Battle of the Super Pony Cars

As sharply rising fleet fuel economy averages threatens to put a cap on horsepower (or at least the way will get performance in future new cars), there is a very real possibility that free-spirited, American supercars could eventually be forced to practice more civility. Acting as a refreshingly defiant scene in the face of zero-emissions vehicles as well as downsized powerplants, Ford and Chevrolet grabbed pony car performance echelons untouched from a factory-prepped version.

Rolling out the 580-horsepower Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 early in the year, General Motors’ pre-production enthusiasm was hindered by Ford’s latest Shelby GT500. Seeing the high-performance Camaro in the horizon, the response from Ford was a 662-horsepower presented as a 2013 model year vehicle. The latest motoring extremes of the supercharger-induced Ford Shelby GT500 and the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 revisited the muscle car era where street-going horsepower was not subject to compromises. However, with both vehicles north of the $50,000-range, the super pony car lifestyle is about as accessible as an entry-level Tesla Model S.

Sun Sets on Suzuki’s Automotive Business

In November, American Suzuki Motor Corporation filed for bankruptcy and announced the winding down of their 27-year effort of distributing automobiles to the United States. Operating as a very small vehicle niche in later years, sales of vehicles like the Grand Vitara crossover and the Kizashi sedan in the United States were ultimately not enough sustain the product line-up for the future. Despite concerns that Suzuki vehicles could now possess lower resale values as part supplies and customer support after warranty periods will be tainted, sales of automobiles have been showing an upward pattern ending off November claiming by 22 percent compared to 2011.

Chrysler, Dodge Drops NASCAR Effort After 2012 Season

After five wins and 23 top-ten finishes on the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup tour, Brad Keselowski claimed the 2012 stock car title. Driving a Dodge Charger, it was the first time since 1975 that the brand powered a competitor to the series championship. With the triumph in 2012 came realization that 2013 will not feature a title defence from a Dodge. Early in 2012, Keselowski’s NASCAR team Penske Racing had announced a switch to Ford for the upcoming season. Unable to find a suitable anchor team in the present NASCAR series or the Nationwide Series, Chrysler chose to pull the plug on support of racing activities. It also means the sharp-looking 2013 Sprint Cup version of the Dodge Charger will not be joining the Chevrolet SS and Ford Fusion on NASCAR race tracks.

Brad Keselowski was also involved in a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series moment of glory with Chrysler Group. Ryan Blaney won the September race at Iowa Speedway driving a Keselowski-owned Ram pickup truck. The first victory for the Ram brand, Blaney’s win was the first for a Chrysler division truck since March of 2008.

Tesla Shocks Many with Model S

A car that almost didn’t come to be as Elon Musk’s all-electric automaker has been tethering on financial disaster, Tesla’s luxury four-door sedan certainly made a charge forward in the battery-powered car segment.

An eye-catching sports sedan, technological innovation at the heart of the Tesla Model S. Safe to say the Tesla Model S is not likely to become an all-electric equivalent to the Ford Model T in changing the way we travel. However, requiring around $50,000 (after government tax credits) for a base example, the price of the Model S positioned at roughly half of their outgoing Roadster. Tesla is showing electric vehicle can edge towards cost effectiveness.

Nine years since the Toyota Prius, two years after the plug-in hybrid Chevrolet Volt, the Tesla Model S became the 2013 Motor Trend’s Car of the Year. The award’s first all electric vehicle winner the Model S sedan was admired for its technological as well as design. At this point, only one of the company’s harsher critics Mitt Romney could be quieter than the Tesla Model S sedan’s electric motor. For the record, I am tiring of the electric vehicle puns as much as I suspect readers are.

Battery Blunders for Electric Vehicles

As electric cars have become more prevalent, it is perhaps inevitable that electric vehicles join the rest of the production car culture with the occasional recall. However, with so many new electrified vehicles entering the marketplace in 2012, quite a bit of noise was created around some popular battery-dependant cars.

At the beginning of 2012, the plug-in hybrid Chevrolet Volt was placed under a safety recall after a federal crash test later led to a fire. Linked to a damaged battery coolant system following the crash, the Chevy Volt’s problem was quickly addressed.

Another plug-in hybrid car, the Fisker Karma, has been connected to more troublesome battery saga. A late 2011 recall of the Karma because of a battery fire risk was only a start to a series of teething problems resulting with a start-up auto company and their new vehicle. Similar to the Chevrolet Volt, the cooling system for the Karma’s battery was the culprit that time as well as a later recall in August. The Fisker Karma was also the recipient of a lot of embarrassment when a Consumer Reports test vehicle shut down during evaluation. Ultimately found to be a construction flaw at Fisker’s battery supplier A123 Systems, the issue compounded issues with the latter company. Entered into Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October, A123 Systems was ultimately sold to Wanxiang America Corporation founded by Chinese businessperson Lu Guanqiu.

Google Revolutionizing How People Will Not Drive

In 2012, the Google driverless car or self-driving car fleet has achieved over 300,000 miles of travel with 50,000 performed without a human driver. Despite the many concerns regarding autonomous vehicles roaming the roads and highways, work by Google is continuing to gain steam.

2012 saw new freedoms introduced for the Google driverless Car project as the state of Nevada and California where tests can be performed on public roads. Unrelated to Google, mining company Rio Tinto announced they were created a driverless train for operating in Western Australia by 2014. A popular cultural icon among anyone following technology, the Google driverless car concept was also a subject of a NASCAR April Fool’s Day joke. As the driverless vehicles earned the right to operate on roadways, it is unclear if the car had to pose for an ugly license card picture.

Information source: A123 Systems, Audi AG, Chrysler Group, Google, NASCAR, Suzuki, Tesla Motors
Photo source: Audi AG, Bryan Czobat/Autostock, Chris Nagy, Google

Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk has to be feeling pretty good about now. Arch rival Fisker Automotive has seen negative headlines all year, and is now searching for a partner as it moves forward with development of the Atlantic.

Meanwhile, Tesla as been busy collecting accolades from the press. The Model S has won Car of the Year at Motor Trend, Automobile Magazine and Yahoo Autos. Time gave the S 2012 Best Invention of the Year, Popular Science its Best of What’s New award and Popular Mechanics its award for Auto Excellence.

Recently, the company announced a $2500 price increase for the Model S. This bump will go into effect for new buyers of the car. The Model S is a hot commodity, so squeezing some extra profit margins out of each sale makes sense. It’s not like $2500 will matter much to buyers in this segment anyway. One thing that Tesla has relentlessly focused on throughout this process is quality. Tesla has gone about the Model S production process in a way that insures each product the company is putting out is top-notch.

Musk made a calculation that he would take the long view rather than damaging the Tesla brand by pushing out many units with a shoddy build quality. This approach has paid off, resulting in no damaging headlines and many satisfied owners. Production is beginning to ramp up very nicely right now. So much so in fact that Musk announced to his Twitter followers that Tesla was cash-positive last week. This is a huge development for the company and puts it on track to meet its profitability targets for 2013. Up until now, not enough vehicles were being produced to offset the large operating costs and continuing investment into a full-scale production ramp-up. Profitability with the Model S is absolutely essential and Musk has always insured investors that the company would see a hefty margin. This is an important frst step in achieving that. With over 16,000 Model S orders in the books, we are looking forward to seeing what 2013 has in store for Tesla.

Tesla has been taking a victory lap of sorts lately. It has thousands of orders for the Model S that extend all the way until next year and the Model S has received nothing but positive press coverage. The Model S has won Car of the Year at Motor Trend, Automobile Magazine and Yahoo Autos.

Time gave it it’s 2012 Best Invention of the Year, Popular Science it’s Best of What’s New award and Popular Mechanic’s it’s award for Auto Excellence. Against this backdrop, Tesla has announced that the car will be getting a price increase. By what or how much isn’t clear yet, but details are out on how it will affect customers with existing reservations.

The good news is that if you already ordered, the increase will not apply to you if you “configure and finalize” your order within a “fair and pre-defined time-frame.” If you’ll remember, Tesla did the same thing with the Roadster to increase profit margins. When you have a product as acclaimed and highly sought after as the Model S, it makes sense to increase profit margins on future sales.

Also, the price increases include a re-think of the option packages to make some features that are currently standard optional in the future. Tesla has made it clear that those with current orders or reservations will be able to purchase the car under the previous structure. Tesla says the changes will be announced within 2 or 3 weeks. The car currently starts at $57,400 before government tax credits. Most sales so far however have been concentrated on the up-level models with more range and features.

In the last few weeks, several of the largest players in the automotive press game crowned a new champion. The Tesla Model S has gone from vaporware to victor in 2012, coincidentally the year in which the world was predicted to end. It turns out that it is only the beginning of the end of how we think of what makes a vehicle great , and what the future of style, performance, quality, and innovation can be.

We all know the stats by now, 0-60 in 4.4 seconds for the performance model, a range that can approach 300 miles with the optional long-range battery pack, and the drive in movie sized touch screen. But the car is greater than simple stats or the sum of its parts. The numerous awards in a way legitimizes what was considered a novelty item by some, and will doubtlessly cement many future orders on Tesla’s growing back order list. In some ways the Model S in now considered to be in the past, a milestone achieved on the road to greater things. If the Model S was the equivalent of having John Glenn orbiting the earth, then the upcoming Model X will be like the moon landing.

The Model X will make fully electric vehicles even more mainstream. The Model X is an SUV that will provide the space, comfort, and ride height that so many people love, but get heart palpitations every time gas prices jump by more that 10 cents a gallon. Will people run to their Chevy dealer and turn in their keys to their Suburban? The answer is most likely not for too many reasons to list here. However, Lexus, Infinity, BMW, Porsche, Audi, VW, Volvo, and others should be more than a bit concerned.

The Model X will have optional all wheel drive, sprint from 0-60 in under 5 seconds, have room for seven, handle like a sports car due to its low center of gravity, carry a large amount of cargo, and offer access to the rear seats without yoga like contortions thanks to some awesome gullwing like “falcon” doors. Styling is along the elegant and modern lines of the Model S and you will also get a world-class interior loaded with technology. Let’s see what else? Oh that’s right, I almost forgot, around 90 MPGe.

The cost is expected to stretch between $60,000 – $100,000 which places pressure on the main players in the high-end SUV segment. Deliveries begin in 2014 – will that also be the year of a Tesla SUV of the year award? We will have the answer to that question soon enough; we will also learn if Tesla can successfully sell and provide service for two full product lines at the same time. My take on it is that you should not underestimate Iron Man Elon Musk or Tesla’s talented team of engineers. Electric vehicles that are fast, practical, and cool are now here and they are winning.

A few years back, Toyota realized it had a problem. It was losing enthusiasts and younger buyers, which was detrimental to it’s future. Chief executive officer Akio Toyoda took charge and shook the development process up. The result is a far more engaging 2013 Lexus GS and the Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ twins that were years in the making. Both proved that Toyota still knows how to make fun to drive vehicles.

The problem is there now needs to be more of them. Over the past few years we have heard rumors about a comeback for the Toyota Supra and mid-engined MR2 sports car. The FR-S already serves duty as a modern Celica of sorts. New information is emerging now that could offer an exciting possibility for the Supra.

Toyota chief engineer Tetsuya Tada says the company wants to have a green image along with products that offer driving fun. The Detroit Bureau has a new report out on how they are going to do that. It’s no secret that Tesla and Toyota have a great working relationship. Toyota has limited experience with pure electrics and turned to Tesla to quickly develop the RAV4 EV.

A few years down the road Tesla wants to bring out a sports car once again. The Detroit Bureau speculates that Tesla and Toyota could jointly work on a next all electric Supra. A new Supra is all but approved, but we have never heard anything else like this. Tada was tight lipped on the car’s powertrain but internally other executives aren’t. Tesla could provide the powertrain in addition to the use of the Model S platform. Tesla has recently hinted about working on a sports car. This would be a surprising development if true. We’ll have to see if anything comes of it.

It isn’t often that I use the basis of an article to promote the work of another automotive publication. While my efforts are always confident my work for Automoblog.net to stand on its own, I will freely commend Motor Trend as the gold standard of automobile journalism. After 63 years dedicated to covering automobiles in North America, Motor Trend’s announcement in declaring a “Car of the Year” winner is understandably a big annual event in car media. Like a motorized beauty pageant, the Motor Trend Car of the Year award for the 2013 model year vehicles is a compilation of best efforts in order to win over judges.

Facing tough competition from the redesigned 2013 Ford Fusion, the Toyota Prius c and Chevrolet Malibu, an all-electric luxury vehicle prevailed from the intense evaluation as the latest recipient of the sought-after honour of Motor Trend Car of Year. The creation of Elon Musk’s all-electric car company, the Tesla Model S stood above all others in a surprising upset.

A first time an all-electric vehicle claimed the Motor Trend Car of the Year honours, the Tesla Model S was appreciated for its technological achievement of 250 patents, solid all-around luxury design and sporty nature. A big victory indeed for electric vehicles, the Model S sedan’s award from Motor Trend will be crucial positive recognition for the young California-based auto company.

The Motor Trend Car of the Year award was first handed out in 1949 shortly after their magazine was released. In that year, as well as several years following, a car division was named as the winner rather than a specific product. Cadillac was the inaugural winner of the Motor Trend Car of the Year award in 1949. The Ford Thunderbird was the first individual vehicle to be singled out by the magazine for the annual honours.

In the history relating to the Car of the Year award, Motor Trend largely favoured American badged vehicles from the Detroit Three auto companies. General Motors, Chrysler Corporation and Ford Motor Company scored the honour on all but 11 occasions it was up for grabs. In fact, for many years the Car of the Year category entrants could only be American built products. Motor Trend handed out a separate Import Car of the Year award for several decades. Prior to the so-called “Made in America“ criteria, the Citroen SM was named Motor Trend Car of the Year in 1972 becoming the first imported nameplate to win. The Volkswagen GTI won in 1985 but it qualified because it was produced in the United States at the time.

Beneficial to the Tesla Model S, the sedan have received the same honour as iconic automotive products like Ford Taurus and Toyota Prius has received in the past. However, the Motor Trend Car of the Year award is not a guarantee for success. The Chevrolet Corvair, Ford Mustang II, Dodge Omni and the Renault Alliance are a few award recipients either forgotten or would be remembered unfavourably after their production concluded. The 1972 Motor Trend Car of the Year winning Citroen SM only had a short-lived sales history in the United States and the reinvented Ford Thunderbird that won 2002 honours fizzled quickly from popularity.

Tesla Motors was mentioned during the first United States presidential debate in early October. Candidate Mitt Romney dropped the name of the auto company as a “loser” of clean energy businesses attributed to president Barack Obama‘s policies. Since Obama defended the US presidency against Romney, some political observers could see the Tesla Model S Car of the Year win as a second defeat in the world of Republican thinking.

Notwithstanding the opinion of a defeated presidential candidate, the Tesla Model S reception of the special Car of the Year honour from Motor Trend does leave a few questions. Is an electrified $50,000-plus luxury sedan that can only travel about 265 miles the evolutionary vehicle worthy of the prestigious award in motoring? Though the Model S is a technologically marvellous product, infrastructure for charging electric cars as well as Tesla’s limited dealership network only now starting to bud could keep the sedan’s winning personality undiscovered secret for some time. However, perhaps with the major award win, the prospect of electric cars is definitely given an enthusiastic boast. The Tesla Model S could have the ingredients to many more cars of the year in the future.

Information source: Motor trend, Tesla Motors
Photo source: Tesla Motors

Earlier this month, Tesla announced its sophisticated Supercharger setup. The network enables buyers of the 65 kWh and 85 kWh Model S to quick charge their cars in a record amount of time. The 85 kWh model can get charged up with 150 miles of range in just half an hour.

This is a breakthrough development that radically changes the way the car can be used. With a 300 mile range, not only is the Model S far capable than every other electric vehicle on the market, but the network opens up possibilities so much. A 300 mile initial charge and then 150 miles of range in just 30 minutes will enable a lot of ground to be covered in long-distance driving.

The Model S’ navigation system will calculate when stops are needed. Tesla is planning on installing these systems at key places along interstate highways (at locations with food btw) and the like. What’s more is that each system is solar powered, actually putting power to the gird. Technology is all great if its something in the future, but what about today. Something pretty remarkable about the Supercharger announcement was that Tesla had already built six of the stations in secret. They are already operational, meaning that this technology has come to us here and now.

Now Tesla has designated October 19th is “Supercharging” day, meaning that the automated Supercharger stations will be officially opened up to the public. The six locations include Folsom, Gilroy, Harris Ranch, Tejon Ranch, Barstow and Los Angeles. That instantly opens a huge coverage area of California. And, more is coming. Tesla plans to install stations from Vancouver to San Diego and Los Angeles to New York, giving Model S owners the ability to drive cross-country. Every future Tesla will be Supercharger compatible, meaning that the company is building an network today that will be utilized by future entry level models. Are we excited? You bet. Stay tuned for more news as Tesla prepares to announce future site locations for the Supercharger.

Obviously, I am behind the times when it comes to reviewing the 2011 documentary film “Revenge of the Electric Car”. I had bought the DVD four months ago but only gained the time and compulsion to watch the film during the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. Thanks to hard-to-come-by share time and the US Presidential debate provoked me to finally catch up on the story of the electric car in North America.

Pressing the play button to my DVD player, the one major difference between the 2006 indie documentary and the 2011 follow-up became apparent. Who Killed the Electric Car? operated at more of a grassroots level to examine what happened to the aborted initiatives that would have seen all-electric vehicles become a more common sight on California highways. Stated in this movie by narrator Tim Robbins, the creators of the first documentary struggled to even get a soundbite from one of the major automakers in relations to electric car. Whereas the first film was moved almost entirely on the emotions of environmentalist or other electric car enthusiasts, Revenge of the Electric Car was moved almost entirely on cooperation with auto companies.

Along with Tesla Motors and Nissan, the second film featured a twist worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster as the apparent enemy in the last film returns as a protagonist. General Motors and most particularly automotive executive extraordinaire Robert Lutz provided an in-depth look at the development process of the plug-in hybrid Chevrolet Volt. In California, the efforts of Tesla Motors included close access to PayPal and SpaceX founder Elon Musk.

Both Lutz and Musk were delightfully candid in “Revenge of the Electric Car” as men bearing most of the pressure of their electrified vehicle visions. You can actually called into question whether these lead figures are on the verge of bring the Generals for the electric car vanguard or misguided by a vision of a world the majority of the human population is unprepared to enter. We know Robert Lutz’s motivation for the Chevrolet Volt was to allow General Motors to be seen as a front for advanced automotive technology against the likes of Toyota. In the case of Musk, “Revenge of the Electric Car” revealed him as an astounding creator (both companies as well as a family of five children) and a hands-on CEO with Tesla Motors. Nissan was also given spotlight as they ready their all-electric Leaf for the marketplace but their story was frankly pale in comparison to General Motors and Tesla Motors through the film.

Profiling the reality of making EVs a real world product, the high-profile global financial collapse happening during 2008 and 2009 was given an unplanned supporting role. The documentary was on the inside when General Motors’ Robert Lutz needed to sale the business case for his employer. On the other side of the United States, Elon Musk and his Tesla Motors auto company was portrayed in near collapse. Only with the aid of a United States Department of Energy loan, an IPO (Initial Public Offering) and a partnership with Toyota was it possible for the Model S to be produced.

A diversion from the corporate industry tone of “Revenge of the Electric Car“, viewers were also enlightened by the smaller scale company of Greg “Gadget” Abbott. Proclaimed as Reverend Gadget professionally, Abbott returns after also being involved in “Who Killed the Electric Car?”. A retrofitter of gasoline-powered vehicles to electric propulsion, his work conveyed him as “The Outsider” in this film. Experiencing struggles of his own with a 2008 fire that destroyed a great deal of his operation, the film’s theme shared a melancholy tone through the film’s mid-stage. Knowing through extensive media coverage that the electrified dreams of General Motors, Nissan and Tesla Motors have been developed to market, the Revenge of the Electric Car documentary ultimately presented a different conclusion to where the predecessor film left off with only a few surviving GM EV-1s after the mass recall/destruction of the early all-electric production car.

The one scene that came off as the most amusing (at least to me) is Robert Lutz and Elon Musk meeting in a chance encounter at an auto show. With the documentary likely influencing the actual ‘chance’ in their meeting, seeing the two men taking a brief tour of other auto displays was somewhat like the Christmas song duet between David Bowie and Bing Crosby. Both admired for distinct achievements as well as wildly different in approach to the automotive sector, Lutz and Musk together shared the spotlight as they visualize a single experience.

Without providing anything near same jolting information of Who Killed the Electric Car?, Revenge of the Electric Car is found to lack the same spark as the original public awareness film. While the first film was a passionately angry piece that ended with finger pointing in several directions at why the electric car was not accepted during the late 1990s, Revenge of the Electric Car is tamer as the documentary worked largely as a walking tour of possible production car evolution. However, despite the difference in tone, the second film end with the same degree of optimism and pessimism cast in the previous documentary.

Photo source: Chris Nagy, Tesla Motors

It’s not often you see an electric vehicle at a drag race. Then again, it’s not often you see an electric vehicle like the Tesla Model S. Tesla is hoping that changes soon. Until it does, Automobile Magazine arranged a drag race between the Model S and the longtime king of performance sedans – the BMW M5. In developing the Model S, Tesla didn’t want to just make a high-mileage vehicle (which, with 300 miles of range at the top end…they did) but also an uncompromising one in the area of performance.

The result is a sedan that in Performance guise hits 0-60 in 4.4 seconds – faster than a Porsche 911. An extremely impressive figure, but still not enough to beat the M5′s 4.2 second 0-60 time – theoretically anyway. The Model S puts out 416 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque, versus the BMW’s 560 hp and 500 lb-ft. We know that electric vehicles have instantaneous torque, but still the proof is in the numbers, right? Wrong, according to Automobile. In their tests at Gingerman Raceway, the Tesla beat the BMW a majority of the time in the 0-100 mph dash. Not sure how that happened, but you can check out the results on video for yourself below.

While the benefits of a stable democratic government is something that means a lot to me and my pursuits, I make it a habit not to be too heavily involved in political processes. Besides voting, I’ve understood it’s best not to think too much of elected officials or candidates understanding politics is as much a sport as it is a necessary evil. Games are played where campaigns attempt to score points they believe will help get them into office. Sometimes the trust is used, other times a version of the truth told in the fashion the storyteller wants it to be heard.

In the first United States presidential debate held on October 3rd, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney attempted to score a point using California-based electric carmaker Tesla Motors. Describing it as a ‘loser’ related to current United States president Barack Obama’s green energy business policies, Romney left the first debate with an argueable point which is now set to be rebutted by his apparent foe, the auto industry.

Mitt Romney’s mention of Tesla Motors could have been based on false information that company chairman, and CEO Elon Musk was forced to personally rebut on the Tesla blog. It seems that a miscommunications from a “financing round” with the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) relating to paying back a Department of Energy loan worth $465 million. Unable to defend itself due to SEC rules, the health of the maker of the previous Tesla Roadster and now the four-door Model S was reported as grim. Elon Musk responded that the reports were based on public documents meant to educate investors on every possible risk that the company may face. The CEO of Tesla also clarified the negotiating of the repayment terms of the Department of Energy loan was not related to the prospect of the automaker. The loan accounted for a third of the capital raised for Tesla to start production of the now-realized Model S. Musk continued to say in the blog, “we expect Tesla to become cash flow positive at the end of next month.”

Tesla Motors is certainly fighting an uphill battle as an electric carmaker attempting to attract customers with a vehicle that starts just under $50,000. However, it reasons to believe that if creating an auto company in the United States would be easy, there would have more than three major automobile builders. Tesla Motors is said to currently employ over 2,000 workers at present time (a vast majority based in the United States). Besides the Model S as well as the future Model X crossover vehicle, Tesla Motors is also involved in outfitting Toyota’s new RAV4 EV products with electrical powertrain hardware. A company needing to feature a wide reach, Tesla Motors is going to become a little more visible in these next few months as new retail outlets are opening across the United States as well as its first Canadian location in Toronto. Tesla Motors is aspiring to enterprise into a risky business during an economy that is still fighting to bring out the best of innovation and attitude. Without taking sides, it seems rather hazardous for a president or presidential candidate to talk down an up-and-coming business in which a campaign is pledging to assist.

A company founded in 2003 borrowing its name from a father of the AC electric induction motor, Tesla Motor’s namesake was also the victim of harsh treatment by other businessmen. Working for renowned American inventor Thomas Edison in 1885, Nicola Tesla committed and succeeded to deliver more efficient electric motor and generator designs. Under the impression there would be a huge cash reward, Tesla was outraged later by Edison declaring the money to be a joke mistaken seriously. Nicola Tesla promptly left Edison and developed his own patents.

The United States car business has made a sizable impact on the 2012 presidential election campaign that has led to the Republican party looking stained by engine oil. During the Super Bowl earlier this year, several right-wing pundits painted the “Half-time in America” commercial released by Chrysler Group as a hidden campaign ad supporting President Barack Obama. Ironically, the narrator of the Chrysler spot, movie legend Clint Eastwood, would give the memorable (although strange) “empty chair” speech at the Republican National Convention. Individually, Mitt Romney’s reputation with the auto industry has already been tarnished by his opposition to the government bailouts of General Motors and Chrysler of 2009.

Whether Tesla Motors succeeds or fails in the important coming years can be debated. The car business (let alone the electric car business) is place where so many variables can turn success into failure. However, for the innovation of technology, for the exploration of a company into a bold territory, for the hands who are currently trying to mould a unique market that could change the roadways of the United States (or even the world) to be manufactured into a reason for scoring political points is hardly the exhibiting the productivity potential of a nation.

Information and video source: Tesla
Video Source: Bloomberg L.P.

Video below is a short comment Elon Musk made to Bloomberg TV on the impact the US presidential results will have on Tesla Motors

There is a lot that goes into starting a new car company. It’s the reason why Tesla’s 2011 Initial Public Offering was the first for an American automaker since Ford way back in 1958. As a public corporation, Tesla has begun giving financial guidance and forecasts to its shareholders. For a while, the official line has been 5,000 vehicles produced by the end of the year.

That was before production started. The Model S began production in June of this year (a month ahead of time), but since then things have moved slowly. Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk has insisted on quality, inspecting each one of the cars that has come off the line so far. The problem with Model S its that a huge portion of the components are found only in it, and a small percentage of them are delaying production of the rest of the car.

The impact has been detailed in Tesla’s latest filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Originally the company had expected to rake in $560 to $600 million in revenue this year. That figure has been revised downward to $400 to $440 million in revenue, due to a reduction in the amount of deliveries. Instead of 5,000, the company is expecting over 2,500 Model S’ to be built by the end of the year. Tesla says it is four weeks behind its delivery goals. Like we’ve heard earlier, the problem is with suppliers.

Tesla says that it is also adding new shifts and extra automation to speed up the process. Profitability is still on track for 2013, after racking up $864.9 million in losses through June 30th. Ouch. Good news is that Tesla continues to receive new orders for the Model S, with the reservation tally up to 13,000 as of Monday, September 23rd. The problem now though clearly isn’t demand – they just can’t build them fast enough.

There’s no doubt Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk is a perfectionist. He personably inspects Model S cars rolling off the line in Freemont, California and has set out some exacting standards for each model being pushed out. A customer paying for a new luxury vehicle will demand nothing less.

That’s why we haven’t seen quality issues like Fisker has had with the Karma. The slow ramp up has come at a cost though – models have been trickling out of the plant due to supplier issues. 95 percent of the car is up and ready for full-scale production, but there are about 5 percent of the parts that have some hang ups, causing delays.

For a long time Tesla has committed to 5,000 vehicles delivered by the end of the year. So far it has met every benchmark it has set out for itself. Analysts have questioned if Tesla will be able to meet that though, given the build rate so far. Musk recently gave an interview with Fox Business in which he announced that production is climbing up quite nicely. This week around 80 vehicles have been produced, with 100 bodies built. That is double the previous week’s tally.

If increases keep coming in that manner, reaching the 5,000 mark will definitely be within reach. Musk always said that Model S production will be able to be ramped up very quickly once the first stages have been worked through. So far everything is going exactly to plan. Owners are reporting excellent build quality as well as real-life range tallies. This kind of positive press is doing a lot to strengthen the company’s reputation. Given Tesla’s ability to over-deliver so, we don’t doubt their ability to pull off the 5,000 unit goal. Who knows? Musk may even try to surprise us and push it a bit beyond that.

The driving and overall ownership experience of an electric vehicle is far different than that of an internal combustion engine. No more trips to the gas station or maintenance like oil changes, fuel filters and the like. The 2013 Tesla Model S represents the pinnacle of electric automobile development, and Tesla is developing a service plan to accommodate it.

Getting in the Model S and driving is a whole different experience – a key fob in your pocket and weight in the drivers seat causes the car to turn on, ready to be driven. There is nothing to indicate when the car is in drive though. Most buyers are used to a slight “creep” in cars with an automatic transmission. At stoplights we’re all used to holding the brake down so a car won’t move forward ever so slightly. The Model S doesn’t have this, and Tesla is readying a software update to add this functionality.

They are adding this based on owner feedback. As the first cars are being rolled out to customers, Tesla has released details on its after-sales program. A network of Service Centers being opened across the country to provide top-level service for Model S owners. Tesla says it is opening the first centers based on where the initial 12,200 cars will be delivered. The company says that by March 2013 90 percent of current reservation holders will be within 100 miles of a service center, and 80 percent within 50 miles. That’s an impressive number. The Tesla Rangers program is also available to pick up cars at an owner’s home or office, wherever they might be located.

Under Tesla’s plan, each Model S will have an inspection every 12,500 miles. The inspection will include an examination of the car’s steering, suspension, brakes, tires and lighting. Between that, the car will send updates to Tesla with diagnostic issues and it will alert owners accordingly. The software-centric approach means that Tesla can update the car and check these issues out remotely. It really is opening up a whole new frontier in automotive service. Tesla’s one-year service plan starts at $600 and covers a one year or 12,500 miles. It includes any replacement items, excluding tires. A long-term four-year plan is also available for $1,900 and it spans four years or 50,000 miles. If you’re a good distance from a service center, the company offers a $2,400 four-year Tesla Service and unlimited Ranger Service plan. Tesla is demonstrating that it knows how to listen to customers, as well as thinking everything out like a premium automaker should. Flawless work so far guys.