Category: Battery Electric Car

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70 year old lady loves her solar powered Nissan Leaf

My original motivation for buying an electric car was that I hated going to petrol stations and I resented the amount of money I spent there.

I was worried that an electric car would feel so different to drive from my previous car, that as a 70 year old lady, I would find it too difficult to adapt. Once I had a Test Drive, I realised I had nothing to worry about.

To start with the only difference I noticed was that it was much quieter, which does mean you have to watch out that pedestrians don’t walk out in front of you without looking, but doesn’t affect the feel of the car. My first Test Drive was in a Mitsubishi iMiev, which was the only electric car available in Australia at the time. I was persuaded to wait for the LEAF to arrive and I’m glad I did because it is larger and suits my needs better.

To help with reducing the cost of charging the Leaf I installed a 3kw solar panel system on the roof of my home. On a fine day, I can fully charge my car for no cost, using only the 15 amp power point I had installed for the purpose. The whole LEAF/Solar Panel purchase is an investment, which will pay for itself in savings if I live long enough. It is also true that it is a benefit to the environment, both locally and globally. For me, all that is a bonus, it was not my motivation.

I took delivery of my LEAF 13 November 2012. I had to collect it from Sydney because that was the closest Nissan dealership that stocked the LEAF, at the time. My first concern was to get home to Maitland in the Hunter Valley because that was almost 152 kms away.

Although, officially I could go that far without a charge, there was concern that I might not make the distance. I decided to risk it, knowing I am very good at driving cautiously. As a precaution I had a tow truck lined up to collect me if I didn’t. I reached home with 14 kms to spare. That gave me confidence because I bought my LEAF to do short trips around Maitland, not to drive long distances. Having made it home from Sydney it was obvious that ‘range anxiety’ wasn’t going to be a concern for me.

Once I started driving my LEAF regularly I realised there was something else I particularly enjoyed. On the rare occasions when I drive on a 4 lane highway, other cars see me sitting at traffic lights and think ‘electric car, that won’t go fast’ and put their foot down, expecting to leave me behind, only to find I leave them at the starting post with my instant acceleration. I also enjoy sharing my experiences with family and friends. Within a couple of months I discovered something else special about being a LEAF owner. We like sharing our experiences with other LEAF owners. The Australian LEAF Owners Forum was formed which allows us to share our knowledge and discoveries about our EVs. I have never had a car that is special in that way before and I enjoy it.

NSW members of the Forum decided we wanted to meet to collaborate. This was a bit tricky because all the others live in Sydney. One member found a Caravan Park in Bateau Bay, 90 kms for the Sydneysiders and 90 kms for me, with many 15 amp power points, where we could all recharge our LEAFs while we had a long, lazy lunch talking about our prized possessions. We got on in real life as well as we had in the Forum and that makes owning a LEAF very special indeed.

Guest Post by: Dr Phoebe Thornley @PhoebePhoebet

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NHTSA opens ‘preliminary evaluation’ into Tesla fires

U.S. safety regulators have opened a preliminary evaluation into two fires in Tesla Model S electric cars.

The National Highway Traffic Administration says fires broke out in two of the cars' batteries after the undercarriage hit road debris. The debris damaged the batteries and caused a thermal reaction and fires. No one was hurt in the fires.

The probe affects more than 13,000 cars sold in the U.S. The agency says it wants to examine risks from the undercarriage getting hit.

Tesla's batteries are located beneath the passenger compartment and protected by a quarter-inch-thick metal shield.

Tesla says it asked the government to investigate even though its cars catch fire at a far lower rate than gas-powered vehicles.

In 2011 the NHTSA opened a similar preliminary evaluation into the Chevy Volt following a severe-impact lab test on a battery pack that resulted in an electrical fire six days later.

This led to GM adding further enhancements to the vehicle structure and battery coolant system in the Chevrolet Volt that would further protect the battery from the possibility of an electrical fire.

Only 3 months ago the NHTSA awarded the Tesla Model S Five Star ratings in all NHTSA crash tests.

Source: NHTSA

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Norway has become the world capital of the electric car

Following the example of their crown prince, thousands of Norwegians have switched to electric cars, taking advantage of strong government incentives.

For the second month in a row, an electric car topped new car registrations in October in the Nordic country, where 716 Nissan Leaf were sold with an unprecedented market share of 5.6 percent.

“Norway is showing the way out of oil dependence, or even addiction,” said Snorre Sletvold, president of the Norwegian Electric Car Association.

From the modest Buddy, a locally produced two-seater urban car, to the more ostentatious US-made Tesla S, some 15,000 electric cars should be rolling on Norwegian roads by the end of 2013, 10 times more than in neighboring Denmark and Sweden.

Electric cars still represent a small fraction of Norway’s car pool, but figures grow steadily every month.

In total, they accounted for 7.2 percent of Norwegian auto sales in October, up from a 3.4 percent market share a year ago. Around 5,200 have been sold in the first 10 months of 2013 and new models by Volkswagen (including an electric version of its famous Golf), BMW and Renault are expected to hit the market in the coming months.

In September, US-made Tesla S, Crown Prince Haakon’s personal choice, topped the sales list due to a backlog that had built up before the first cars were shipped to the country.

Somewhat paradoxical in oil-rich Norway, this success can be partially explained by the numerous incentives intended to foster clean vehicle sales in the country.

Regardless of their price range, electric cars are exempt from VAT and other high Norwegian taxes, public parking fees and urban toll payments, and are allowed to use bus lanes.

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Nissan to introduce e-NV200 commercial vehicle in Japan in 2014

Nissan Motor plans to launch e-NV200, a 100% electric commercial vehicle, in Japan in fiscal 2014. Production will begin the same year in Barcelona, Spain.

The e-NV200 model is based on the NV200 taxi vehicle, and is the second fully-electric vehicle from the manufacturer, after Nissan Leaf.

The vehicle has zero CO2 emissions during operation. Its features include an advanced telematics system, and power supply in the luggage area for outdoor activities or emergency power. Its powertrain, similar to that of Leaf, enables good acceleration and quiet operation, claims the company.

Nissan is in the process of creating a market for its new launch. The e-NV200's low operating cost is expected to make the vehicle attractive.

The company is in talks with Yokohama, Nissan's home city, to make the e-NV200 available for public services.

Nissan plans to make the latest electric vehicle part of "Yokohama Mobility Project Zero," a collaboration between the company and the city to achieve low carbon footprint. Nissan Leaf and ultra-compact electric vehicle Nissan New Mobility Concept are already included in the project.

The automaker is likely to introduce e-NV200 in Barcelona as well for public transport. It is preparing to install EV charger network and parking areas to support these vehicles in the city.

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Electric car runs record-setting 1,300 km on one charge

A Japanese team set a world record Friday for distance traveled by an electric vehicle on a single battery charge, running 1,300 km on a course in Akita Prefecture.

The four-driver team included Kenjiro Shinozuka, 64, who in 1997 became the first Japanese driver to win the Dakar Rally.

The team said it plans to file a request with Guinness World Records for recognition of the feat, which eclipsed the previous mark of 1,003.2 km.

The drivers used an EV converted Suzuki Every minivehicle, equipped with a lithium-ion battery, to lap the 25-km-long course.

The four took turns at the wheel to drive the vehicle day and night at speeds of around 30 kph.

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Audi Sport join Formula E Championship

ABT Sportsline, led by Team Principal Hans-Jürgen Abt, has today (15 November) reached an agreement that will see it become the seventh team and the only German outfit to enter the new FIA Formula E Championship – competing under the banner ‘Audi Sport ABT Formula E Team’.

“We’re proud to have the opportunity to take part in the debut of this new racing series. Participating in the new FIA Formula E Championship marks a completely new chapter in our more than 60-year motorsport history,” said Hans-Jürgen Abt. “As a company that has been active in the field of regenerative powertrains and electric mobility we’re convinced of the series’ concept. It’s innovative, delivers motorsport at the highest level and a great show for fans around the world – all of which are a perfect fit for ABT Sportsline.”

The outfit, from Germany’s Allgäu region, will race under the name of Audi Sport ABT Formula E Team, based on the name used in its successful commitment as an Audi factory team in the popular international touring car series DTM.

Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich commented: “We’ve been watching this new project of the FIA with great interest and are delighted that ABT Sportsline as one of our close and long-standing partners will be involved right from the beginning. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for the squad on tackling this new challenge and are planning to support its commitment with drivers from our factory line-up if required.”

The agreement was signed by Hans-Jürgen Abt and Alejandro Agag, CEO of Formula E Holdings, in Kempten, Germany. Audi Sport ABT Formula E Team will now be put forward to the FIA for final approval as the seventh outfit to enter the new global electric race series. They join IndyCar outfits Andretti Autosport and Dragon Racing, Asia’s China Racing and Super Aguri and fellow European squads Drayson Racing and e.dams.

With five titles to its credit in the DTM alone ABT Sportsline is one of the most successful German teams, which has achieved victories and titles in GT and endurance racing as well. The commitment in Formula racing now also marks a return to the outfit’s early days. At the beginning of the 1990s, ABT scored its initial successes in Formel ADAC and Formula Three. One of the drivers back then was the subsequent Formula One and DTM star Ralf Schumacher. “We’ve been keen to embrace new challenges on many occasions in the past. Formula E is no doubt one of the most intensive ones, which makes our excitement about it even greater,” added Hans-Jürgen Abt.

Alejandro Agag said: “We’re delighted to welcome the Audi Sport ABT Formula E Team into the championship, our seventh of 10 teams and the third European outfit. Formula E is very much an open championship and a platform for teams to showcase their own fully-electric cars, so to have one of the most successful German motorsport teams with the support of a big manufacturer on board is a fantastic addition to the series. I’m sure German racing fans will also be particularly pleased as they now have a home team to support during the Berlin Formula E race.”

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Mitsubishi Motors cuts iMiEV price by up to $9,100 in Japan

Mitsubishi Motors Corp has slashed the price of its first generation electric kei-car the i-MiEV in Japan by up to $9,100.

Japan's sixth-biggest carmaker, which started selling the i-MiEV 4 years ago in 2009, said on Thursday it was dropping the price of its top of the range i-MiEV by around 25 percent, or 900,000 yen ($9,100), to 2.9 million yen

With government subsidies, the model can be bought in Japan for around 2 million yen, it said (AUD$ 21,500).

"The main purpose of cutting the price is to strengthen our ability to sell these cars," a Mitsubishi Motors spokesman said.

Mitsubishi Motors also cut the price of the entry level i-MiEV by 190,000 yen to 2.5 million, which with subsidies can be bought for about 1.7 million yen (AUD$ 18,250).

In just over four years since the vehicle first went on sale, Mitsubishi has manufactured some 30,000 i-MiEVs. The car was rebadged and sold by PSA Peugeot Citroen as the iOn and the C-Zero.

Mitsubishi is still betting on the electric powertrain technology and is aiming for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids to account for 20 percent of the vehicles it produces by 2020.

Mitsubishi and Nissan Motor Co recently announced plans to expand a joint venture to develop a new small car including an electric version.

Nissan, maker of the Leaf electric car, also said on Thursday it would start selling its second all-electric vehicle, a commercial van called the e-NV200, in Japan in the financial year through March 2015.

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Mitsubishi Electric to Exhibit EMIRAI 2 EV concept car @ Tokyo Motor Show [VIDEO]

Mitsubishi Electric will display its EMIRAI 2 concept car at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show. The car is a continuation of the original EMIRAI first exhibited in December 2011 with rear projection customizable dashboard display, biometrics capabilities, and sensor array.

Advanced automotive technologies and products will be displayed in two EMIRAI 2 electric-vehicle concept cars. One vehicle features an EV powertrain and the other a driving-assistance system to offer safer and more comfortable driving experiences in the coming future.

The EV powertrain system incorporates high-accuracy traction control and acceleration control. The driving-assistance system features integrated image sensing and powered on-board display technologies.

The show will be held at the Tokyo Big Sight exhibition complex in Tokyo, Japan from November 23 to December 1.

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Kia Soul EV with 200 km range to launch in 2014 [UPDATE]

An all-electric version of the Kia Soul is still on track to launch globally in early 2014. It will be Kia’s first electric car sold outside its home market of South Korea, following up on the domestic Ray EV.

The Soul will be equipped with a 27 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery making it capable of travelling up to a claimed 200 km on a single charge. Paired with that is an 81 kW / 285 Nm electric motor, propelling the Soul EV from 0-100 km/h in less than 12 seconds, and on to a top speed of 144 km/h.

Power is sent through the car’s front wheels via a single-speed constant ratio gear reduction unit. In a test drive Autocar.co.uk says there is and there’s surprisingly aggressive deceleration upon throttle lift off. Kia says the Soul EV’s battery can be fully charged in around five hours when using a standard 240-volt outlet, or in 25 minutes when using a fast-charge unit with a 100 kW output.

The Soul EV is expected to go on sale in the first half of 2014 and pricing is expected to start at 40 million KRW ($35,490 / €27,480).

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How Tesla designed the Model S from the ground up [VIDEO]

Katie Fehrenbacher recently interviewed Tesla’s Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen to discuss the process of how Tesla started with a clean sheet to design the Model S from the ground up as a dedicated electric car.

For established carmakers, car design is a very iterative process with decades of work to build from. Tesla Motors had no such history to work with, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing according to Holzhausen.

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Nissan to unveil electric sports car at Tokyo Motor Show [VIDEO]

Nissan said Friday it would unveil a sporty concept electric vehicle at the Tokyo Motor Show

The company, which has been selling its Leaf electric vehicle since late 2010, said it hoped its Nissan BladeGlider would help it reach a market of male drivers who still want performance and styling in an environmentally friendly car - a major hurdle to widespread commercial sales.

The car, to be unveiled at the biennial Tokyo exhibition later this month, features an aerodynamic design that widens from the front to back with space for a driver in the middle and two passengers in the rear.

The design -- one metre in the front (3.3 feet) and 1.89 metres at the back and made with lightweight carbon fibres -- puts the vehicle's centre of mass on the rear tires to allow for tighter turns, Nissan said.

"The driver's seat has been positioned in the middle of the vehicle to give a sense of a pilot in an airborne glider," Nissan said.

The concept vehicle is squarely aimed at moving into a higher-end electric vehicle market already tapped with some success by US-based Tesla.

The Japanese firm has invested about 4.0 billion euros ($5.4 billion) in electric car development in a partnership with French carmaker Renault, which owns more than 40 percent of Nissan.

This week, Renault-Nissan announced an electric car tie-up with Mitsubishi.

Nissan said it has sold more than 80,000 Leaf electric vehicles globally since its rollout three years ago.

The Japanese automaker will also be showing off its second commercial electric vehicle, the e-NV200 minivan, which it unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

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Mitsubishi to Increase EV and PHEV vehicles to 20% of Production by 2020

Mitsubishi Motors plan to refocus its lineup on Plug-In SUV's and electrified sedans under a new three-year business plan that aims to boost global sales 29%.

At this month's Tokyo Motor Show, it will unveil three electrified concepts: a plug-in hybrid SUV, a plug-in crossover and a microhybrid van with an engine start-stop system. The Outlander plug-in hybrid, already on sale in Japan and Europe, is due to be launched in the US but may not arrive in the United States until 2015.

The company will push electrified drivetrains in a bid to make 20 percent of its vehicle output either all-electric or plug-in hybrid by 2020. That will entail the development of a next-generation electric vehicle technology that gets a longer driving distance on each charge and a lower price point. Mitsubishi will downsize EV components and aims to introduce a wireless charging system.

Earlier this week on the eve of unveiling the mid-term plan, Mitsubishi announced it was furthering technology and vehicle development ties with the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Under that deal, Mitsubish plans to sell a Renault-based mid-sized car in the United States. The car will be the first of two Renault-based sedans sold by Mitsubishi under the product and technology exchange.

As part of the latest deal, the companies also aim to share technologies and "product assets" related to electric vehicles and recent product platforms.

Nissan is the global market leader in electric vehicles, with its Leaf EV, while Mitsubishi, which markets its own EV called the i, has made EVs and hybrids a central pillar of the company's mid-term business plan.

Mitsubishi and Nissan will further cooperate to develop a new small car to be sold globally. An electric version of the car is also planned. That car will be based on a jointly developed platform for Japan's minicar segment, a type of car restricted in overall dimensions and restricted to engines no bigger than 0.66-liters.

The company says they will boost R&D spending by 30% to an average of 80.0 billion yen ($812.7 million) a year over the next three years, compared with 63.0 billion yen ($640.0 million) a year over the outgoing three-year business plan.

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Tesla Model S Top Selling Car in Some of America’s Wealthiest Cities

It's no secret that the Tesla Model S is the newest "must-have" toy among America's most affluent citizens. But a shocking analysis from Edmunds.com finds that in some of the country's richest communities, the Model S sells better than any other car on the market.

According to Edmunds.com's analysis of new car registration data from Polk, the Model S is the top-selling vehicle this year in eight of America's 25 wealthiest ZIP Codes. The analysis further finds that all eight communities are located in California. Leading the way is Atherton, CA, where the Model S accounts for 15.4 percent of all new car registrations within its borders. According to Forbes, Atherton, which sits adjacent to Tesla's Palo Alto headquarters, is the wealthiest zip code in America, with a median home price of $6,665,000.

While the analysis shows that the richest populations are snatching up Teslas now, Edmunds.com says that the data offers hints about Tesla's potential to appeal to a broader range of buyers.

"It's a classic pattern for any retail product, including cars: the wealthy and influential buyers set a trend, and the mainstream aspires to follow," says Edmunds.com Sr. Analyst Jessica Caldwell. "As Tesla increases the number of models and improves its price points, it could find itself in demand by more than just those in these wealthy enclaves. After all, luxury car companies typically find the most volume in their entry-level vehicles."

Tesla has made it clear that its next frontier is to make its vehicles more affordable to the mass market. In May, Tesla CEO Elon Musk shared that he hopes to offer a vehicle to car shoppers for under $40,000 within the next four years.

If Tesla does plan to break through to new buyers, it will have to expand its appeal outside of California's borders. Edmunds.com's analysis found that Tesla's market share exceeds 1.0 percent in only one of the non-California zip codes ranked in the top 25 by Forbes (#19 Water Mill, NY with 1.2% of all new car registrations in 2013, through August). The Model S national market share sits at just 0.1 percent.

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The Tesla Model S due in Australia mid 2014

Speaking in Dublin, Tesla Motors founder Elon Musk said that a right-hand-drive version of the Model S, appropriate for the roads of England and Ireland, as well as for Australia, should be ready for production by the end of March 2014.

It is understood that Tesla has scheduled an initial production run of 500 Model S cars bound for right-hand-drive markets, including the UK, Hong Kong, Japan and Australia. Tesla has told buyers it expects Australian deliveries of right-hand-drive Model S sedans to begin sometime between March and June.

Tesla already has an Australian presence, with a store and service centre in Sydney, although neither is open to the public. The workshop functions to serve existing Tesla Roadster owners in Australia,

Tesla has been inviting Australian applications for Model S purchases for some time; securing a vehicle from the general production run requires a refundable AU$6,000 deposit, while ordering a top-spec Signature model won't leave you with any change from AU$40,000.

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BMW says they won’t add SUV to ‘i’ range

BMW has announced an SUV will not be added to the recently introduced "i" range of frugal models.

The Bavarian marque has already started work on future "i" models but none of these include an SUV.

BMW introduced it's first EV earlier this year with the launch of the i3 available as a full electric car or with a range-extending engine. At IAA in Frankfurt this past September the lineup was expanded with the unveiling of a sportier i8 plug-in hybrid which reaches 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.4 sec.

BMW has already trademarked all nameplates from i1 to i9 and even if each designation will be covered, none of the added cars will include an SUV. These are the words of i3's project manager Roland Kowalski who added the BMW i philosophy is "about an urban concept for megacities." The third "i" model could be an i5 sedan or a crossover providing more room compared to the i3 and go up against the Tesla Model S.

BMW are are also planning to have a plug-in hybrid version of their entire model range.

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Nissan LEAF best selling car in Norway for October

The Nissan Leaf has for the first time claimed the number one spot in Norway's passenger car sales chart. In October, the zero emission family car out sold all of its internal combustion engine, hybrid and electric rivals, taking almost 6% of the total passenger vehicle market.

Nissan's second generation LEAF, which was launched earlier in the year, continues to lead the way in zero emission mobility. The Nissan LEAF consistently performs outstandingly in the Norwegian market, the undisputed electric car capital of the world, taking fourth in the sales charts for 2013 to date with over 3% of the market.

Jean-Pierre Diernaz, Nissan Europe Director of Electric Vehicles, is delighted with the latest Norwegian success, commenting: "We have had incredibly strong sales this year in Norway and with the introduction of the new Nissan LEAF in the middle of 2013, we have seen that level not just maintained, but exceeded. To get the number one spot is an extraordinary sales performance, even for the world's best selling electric car, but to be number four in the charts for 2013 so far is something we are incredibly proud of. We continue to be successful in the main Norwegian cities, but the majority of our growth is coming from rural areas, which shows is the breadth of the Nissan LEAF's appeal."

Norway has been the centre of the electric vehicle market in Europe for some time, with a package of incentives including zero VAT and zero road tax for electric vehicles as part of efforts to improve air quality for all citizens.

Jacek Gorski, Nissan Nordic Europe Managing Director believes the success is because the car fits Norwegian customers' needs, commenting: "It is no surprise that we are beating even our April record of second position with the new Nissan LEAF, we knew that that latest version was an even better fit to the Norwegian lifestyle. The increased boot capacity, five seats and standard quick charging make it a great family car. In addition, our engineers have designed a Nordic pack including battery heater, just for the Nordic region, to maintain customer satisfaction even in our very cold winters."

October 2013 Sales in Norway
Position
Model
Sales
Percentage
1
Nissan LEAF
716
5.6
2
Toyota Auris
679
5.3
3
Volkswagen Golf
646
5.0
4
Skoda Octavia
540
4.2
5
Toyota Yaris
446
3.5
6
Volvo V40
319
2.5
7
Toyota RAV-4
300
2.3
8
Mazda CX-5
299
2.3
9
Volvo V70
291
2.3
10
Suzuki SX4
277
2.1


2013 January to October Car Sales in Norway
Position
Model
Sales
Percentage
1
Volkswagen Golf
6239
5.3
2
Toyota Auris
3982
3.4
3
Mazda CX-5
3950
3.3
4
Nissan LEAF
3755
3.2
5
Toyota Yaris
3656
3.1

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Daimler wants to expand cooperation with Tesla

Daimler would like to expand its cooperation with Tesla Motors, a top Daimler executive said on Thursday.

"I told my guys, go back to Tesla and look for other opportunities" to work together, Bodo Uebber, Daimler's chief financial officer, said at a press briefing. "We want to look for more cooperation."

Tesla is supplying electric motors and batteries to Daimler for its Smart Fortwo EV and the new Mercedes-Benz B-Class EV that goes on sale next year in the United States and Europe.

"We could use more" from Tesla, Uebber said, without providing specifics. Daimler holds a 4.3 percent stake in Tesla, which also provides EV components to Toyota Motor Corp.

Uebber said Daimler, which just launched its new CLA compact sedan and is preparing to add a second model, the GLA compact crossover, in early 2014, is already reviewing plans for its next generation of small vehicles, due around 2018.

Daimler is discussing "different strategies" for building the next-generation compacts in Mexico with partner Renault-Nissan , "but no decision has been made," Uebber said.

He said the CLA, the GLA and at least one more derivative in 2015 from the company's MFA modular platform were crucial to Daimler's growth, especially in the United States and China.

"We are a late comer" to the small premium segment, he said, but "we need compact cars to get a broader, younger customer base."

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Tesla Superchargers Enables Free Travel Between San Diego and Vancouver

Tesla Motors today announced the opening of the West Coast Supercharger Corridor, energizing a network of stations that enable Model S owners to travel for free between San Diego, California and Vancouver, British Columbia.

With stations along U.S. Highway 101 and Interstate 5, the West Coast's key routes, cities and destinations are connected by Tesla Superchargers. Model S customers can drive between San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Sacramento, Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver for free with minimal stops. More than 99 percent of Californians and 87 percent of Oregon and Washington owners are now within 200 miles of a Supercharger.

Tesla Superchargers are substantially more powerful than any other charging technology in the world, capable of charging Model S 20x faster than most public charging stations. Superchargers deliver up to 120 kW DC (Direct Current) power directly to the Model S battery, providing half a charge in as little as 20 minutes. Superchargers are strategically placed along major highways connecting city centers. Stations are located where customers want to stop, near amenities like roadside diners, cafes and shopping centers, so owners can stop for a quick meal while their Model S charges for free.

This morning in San Diego, two Model S will embark on a 1,750 mile #DriveFree road trip to Vancouver powered only by Tesla Superchargers. The journey will take them through Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Sacramento, Mt. Shasta, Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, with stops at popular destinations such as the Santa Monica Pier, Monterey Bay and the world famous Pike Place Fish Market. Throughout the trip, Tesla will be hosting owner and media events and providing real time updates from the road on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.