Hasta La Gadget!

Just two weeks after announcing its expectations to become cash flow positive, Tesla’s clued us into an upcoming price hike for the Model S. The word is mum regarding a reason for the change and how much more customers will have to pony up for the award-winning EV, but Musk and Co. are planning to reveal more details within the next two to three weeks. As part of the price increase, the automaker will be tweaking Model S package options, making some standard features optional going forward. Model S enthusiasts with reservations will remain unaffected by the price and package changes so long as they configure and finalize their cars “within a fair, predefined timeframe” before the heftier price tag goes into effect. Likewise, those who’ve deferred their reservations will have a similar period of time to finalize their order and escape the higher asking price.

[Thanks, Jarrod]

Filed under: Transportation

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Via: Autoblog

Source: Tesla Motors

So far, Nissan has failed to generate the kind sales hoped for with its electric Leaf automobile. Part of the reason the car has failed to sell is that it’s driving range is too short for many shoppers and the price is too high. Nissan showed off a new version of the Leaf this week at a hotel in Tokyo.

The new version of the Leaf has modifications that were made by Nissan based on feedback from owners of current Leaf EVs. One of the biggest worries Nissan noted from Leaf owners was the fear of running out of electricity and being stranded. The upgraded version has a system that will tell drivers exactly how much battery life is left to help alleviate fears of being stranded.

The new version of the Leaf also has an extended electric driving range. Nissan claims that the new version of the Leaf can travel 142 miles on a fully charged battery. That is an increase from 124 miles on the previous version. However, the caveat for 142 miles on a single charge is that you can’t use the air conditioning.

The longer driving range was made possible thanks to improvements in the vehicle battery system and reductions in vehicle weight. The new version of the Leaf sells for under $31,000 for a base model with no options in Japan once government subsidies are applied. Nissan has sold 43,000 Leaf vehicles globally since it launched in 2010, with half that number sold in Japan. Nissan says it has sold 17,000 Leaf EVs in the US and sells about 1500 monthly.

[via Detroit News]

Nissan adds driving range and drops the price of the Leaf EV is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

The Los Angeles Auto Show is coming up, and will feature a host of electric vehicles alongside their gasoline-addicted brethren. Several vehicles are slated to be unveiled during the show, including the Chevrolet Spark EV from GM, a through-and-through electric vehicle. Attendees will get a peek at cars ranging from green to fast and back again.

Mercedes-Benz will be showing off the Ener-G Force concept SUV, which looks like something out a futuristic zombie movie. The sports-utility vehicle is based on the 1970s military SUV G-Class; expect a civilian version to cost “up to six figures.” The 2014 Porsche Cayman will also be makng an appearance, a vehicle similar to the Boxster expected to be priced over $50k.

Other notable unveils include Mercedes-Benz’s showcasing of a rare edition SLS AMG, the Black Series, a more powerful and lighter version of its regular-edition counterpart. Less the show seem to be all electric vehicles and sports cars, Ford will also be stepping in, showing off a new minivan that is all-around smaller and more efficient than anything it presently offers. Subaru, Toyota, and other manufacturers are all slated to unveil models.

The Los Angeles Auto Show started in 1907, and has been going strong ever since. The show opens on November 30 to the public at the LA Convention Center, and lasts through December 9. We’ll be covering the event starting Tuesday, so be sure to check out Slashgear for the latest and greatest updates from California.

[via Forbes]

LA Auto Show will feature rare-edition Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, electric vehicles, and more is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

I’ve been an avid road racer for years now and I can tell you from experience, it’s not a cheap hobby. A racecar can cost you tens of thousands of dollars to begin with and then maintenance and upkeep for consumables like tires, brakes, and other miscellaneous bits can cost you that much or more over a couple seasons of racing. Mazda knows how expensive racing can be and has unveiled a new factory racecar in an attempt to make racing more affordable for us normal folk.

The racecar is the Mazda2 B-Spec and the car fits into the showroom stock racing level. Mazda says that the B-Spec is “showroom stock racing at the most basic level.” You can’t expect to take one of these little B-Spec cars to the track and beat the Mustangs or Corvettes in a straight line. However, a good driver can torment those faster cars, bringing a grin to their face and those watching from the grandstands.

Mazda says that it sells the B-Spec “kit” for $2575. Mazda doesn’t exactly say what that kit includes, but it’s likely packed with things like stickers for the series and maybe some suspension goodies. Mazda sells a similar kit for Spec Miata racing. Other than the $2500 kit, the driver will obviously need the basic car and safety equipment.

Mazda figures starting with a used Mazda2, a racer could be ready to hit the track for about $15,000. A racer who doesn’t have the time to turn wrenches themselves can buy a car ready to race from a prep company for about $25,000. That sounds like a lot of money, but in the racecar world is actually pretty cheap. Mazda is also piling some contingency cash into the series offering a driver winning a SCCA or NASA National Championship $5000 and shot at driving in the Mazda Club Racer Shootout worth $75,000.

Mazda2 B-Spec racecar unveiled is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

El Goog has been experimenting with autonomous vehicles for a while, and now it’s hiring a government man to help handle the red tape and get them on the roads. Ron Medford will be leaving his job as second in command (Deputy Administrator) at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and joining the search giant in January as the Director of Safety for Self-Driving Cars. Google’s prototype robot chauffeurs have navigated over 300,000 miles of US road, but to graduate from the testing stage will require just as much regulatory expertise as it will tech smarts. That’s where Medford comes in, who will be paying close attention to the NHTSA’s multi-year project to define standards for self-driving cars, which started only recently. Now, hopefully, we won’t have to wait as long for those stressful journeys as pilot to become relaxing jaunts as fleshy cargo.

[Image Credit: Getty Images / Brendan Hoffman]

Filed under: Robots, Transportation, Google

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Via: Wired

Source: The Detroit News