Tesla Model 3 Performance has taken on the world famous Nürburgring race track with all its might — executing the 5.148 km (3.199 mi), 16 turn asphalt track masterfully. No doubt, the driver was also exceptional in handling the car — you’d need the nerves of a gorilla to drive at these insane speeds on such a path.
With all the hype Big Auto generates with press releases and concept cars, you’d think its dealerships would be flooded with electric vehicles by now. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. But slowly, ever so slowly, new EVs are being introduced. How do they compare with Tesla vehicles? That’s always the first question on everyone’s lips.
The China EV sales count for January 2019 is in. China recorded 91,175 passenger electric vehicle sales in the month, and around 96,000 when adding on commercial vehicles sales. Meanwhile, with total vehicle sales dropping in China almost 16% year over year this January, gasmobiles continue their inevitable fall whilst EVs inexorably rise.
And another electric vehicle (EV) series is seeing the light, with Continental now on board as the official founding partner of the Extreme E off-road electric racing series.
The Electric Vehicle Road Trip (EVRT) was created with the simple goal of raising awareness of electric vehicles by touring them around various parts of the world where EVs are not finding traction. The oil- rich Middle East is one such region — which should come as no surprise, since oil is providing the economic fuel for much of the region.
After two record-breaking months (September with 105,000 sales and October with 120,000), plug-in vehicles in November just kept on pushing forward. There were more than 140,000 registrations there last month, up 59% year over year (YoY). The previous record was beaten by a significant margin (18%).
Out of nowhere — listening to my favorite Danish stand-up comedian Jan Gintberg being interviewed in a cozy Sunday morning radio show — he said he was going to initiate a 24-hour electric “Le Mans” in Denmark.
The report is another data point showing that a family’s total cost of ownership of electric cars is better than for gasoline or diesel vehicles. And with all of the other benefits — including health, much lower greenhouse gas emissions and typically greater safety — it’s not hard to see that the shift to electric cars will only accelerate.
They actually pulled it off! The cool True Cousins Hans-Henrik Thomsen and Glenn Ellegaard Nielsen went to the drag strip at Mantorp Park in Sweden and did what they had threatened to do: Set the 1/4 mile electric doorslammer world record.
In this edition of the cleantech news roundup, we’ve got a Honda Clarity review, a Tesla motorcycle nothingburger, an electric Maserati Alfieri GT, an electric Mustang and a Volvo 142 electric conversion, a debunked wind myth, Canada’s tar sands “investment” (which should be pronounced ‘money down the drain’), and even an easy sesame noodle recipe.
