Green Tech

Tesla alters financing following criticism

Last month Tesla said a new financing arrangement would make the Model S cost a mere $500 a month. Following critique in the press of Tesla's creative accounting, CEO Elon Musk announced revisions to the financing plan, now citing a net cost of $580 per month.

The two substantive changes to Tesla financing involve a revised resale value guarantee and longer term loans from partners Wells Fargo and U.S. Bank.

With the longer term loans, Tesla says the per-month cost of a Model S will be $580, taking into account the savings gained by running the car on … Read more

Hydrogen-fueled Aston Martin laps Nurburgring

Hydrogen and electricity dominate the discourse of zero-emission vehicles, and Aston Martin set out to prove the worth of the former on Germany's famed Nurburgring race course. The British automaker completed a lap of the 15-mile Nordschleife circuit last weekend in a race-modified Rapide S model fueled by hydrogen.

The lap was in preparation for next month's 24 Hours of Nurburgring, in which Aston Martin will enter its car in the E1-XP experimental class of the endurance race.

Aston Martin's Hybrid Hydrogen Rapide S uses an idea already extensively explored by BMW: burning hydrogen in an internal … Read more

Tesla offers loaner cars, valet service

Tesla announced today that it would offer its high-end Model S Performance edition, with an 85 kilowatt-hour battery pack, and the Roadster as loaner cars for when owners' cars are being serviced. As Tesla sells cars directly to owners, the company, rather than a dealer, handles all service and loaner-car issues.

No matter what Model S version is in for service, owners will have their choice of the Model S Performance edition, which retails for $87,400, or one of the older Roadster models as a loaner car. Further, Tesla said it will let owners who would like to upgrade … Read more

Formula E electric-car race adds Los Angeles venue

Los Angeles, once known for its smog, has signed on with the all-new Formula E racing organization to host one of the worldwide series of 10 electric-car races, kicking off next year.

Los Angeles joins Miami; London; Rome; Beijing; Rio de Janeiro; Putrajaya, Malaysia; and Buenos Aires, Argentina, in hosting races in the series. Two more cities in the series have yet to be announced.

The Formula E organization demonstrated one of its electric race cars in Los Angeles on Monday.

Although Formula E intends the series to be open to competitive build teams, the organization has contracted Spark Racing … Read more

Staples agrees to progressive e-waste standards

Staples has agreed to work with one of the most environmentally progressive electronic-waste recycling groups to handle gadgets from both the company and consumers when those devices die.

The retail giant announced a deal Monday, Earth Day, to use recyclers certified by e-Stewards, a program set up by the Seattle-based environmental group, the Basel Action Network, to handle materials collected from its free technology recycling program at more than 1,500 stores nationally. The company will also use e-Stewards-certified recyclers to handle electronic waste from its own internal operations.

One of the big problems with electronics disposal is that recycling … Read more

Construction starts on solar-powered stadium

It's a good week for renewable energy around the globe, with the world's first algae-powered building opening in Germany, and the official opening of the largest wind farm in the southern hemisphere. Now, France is getting in on the action, with construction officially beginning on the Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, by Swiss design firm Herzog & de Meuron.

The project consists of three parts: the stadium bowl, including the sports field and the seating; the concourse; and the aesthetic look of the stadium. Located in the Bordeaux Lac region on the banks of the Garonne in the city's north, the stadium will be able to hold up to 42,000 spectators. … Read more

Fisker ready to pull the plug

Fisker sent 160 of its employees home from its Anaheim, Calif., headquarters this morning, apparently decimating its workforce, according to a report by Reuters. The move seems to spell the end for the electric vehicle startup.

Reuter's report goes on to say that 53 executives remain on staff, tasked with selling the company's assets.

The company's sole product, the Karma, is a luxury plug-in hybrid with a base price of $103,000. The car uses an electric motor to power the rear wheels and includes an onboard gasoline engine to generate electricity, a drivetrain concept similar to … Read more

Detroit Electric launches SP:01: A Tesla rival

Little-known -- but storied-brand -- Detroit Electric has launched its electric alternative to the Tesla.

The SP:01 is a limited-edition, two-seat pure-electric sports car, according to the company's announcement today.

With its Lotus Elise-like design, the SP:01 boasts a top speed of 155 mph and goes from 0-62mph in 3.7 seconds.

Other marquee features of the SP:01:

Electric motor: rear-wheel-drive with a mid-mounted 200 bhp electric motor made in the USA. Body: carbon-fiber body, with a total weight of 1,070 kg (2,359 pounds). Driving range: With a power rating of 37 kWh, the … Read more

Tesla guarantees resale value of Model S

Last week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted of an upcoming big announcement. Despite product-oriented speculation, the details that came out today lay out a new financing plan for the Model S.

The plan could bring net payments down to $500 a month according to Tesla, after taking into account the savings from purchasing electricity over gasoline, government incentives, and resale value.

Tesla added a True Cost of Ownership calculator to its site, which lets prospective buyers see how the numbers add up.

Tesla's announcement says it developed the plan with Wells Fargo and U.S. Bank, each of which … Read more