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Elephant with an itch to scratch uses cars for relief

Sometimes in life you, get an itch in a place that you need some help to scratch it. That feeling apparently goes for elephants as well as humans. A pachyderm at the Khao Yai National Park in Thailand recently had some serious comfort in its rump. Unfortunately, the giant animal chose several passing vehicles to alleviate the problem. Things start out rather cute with the elephant rubbing its enormous behind on a Mercedes-Benz. However, another vehicle apparently doesn't provide the same level of relief. The animal seems to grow annoyed and starts taking the sedan apart with at least one person inside. The experience must have been mammothly terrifying. According to BBC News, no one was injured, and the odd behavior is being blamed on a result of the elephant's mating season. Male elephants, as well as other male pachyderms, go through a period called the musth, when testosterone levels rise to several times greater than normal in preparation for the mating season. It makes the elephant aggressive, irritable and yes, itchy.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe looks just as banging as big brother

When Mercedes-Benz redesigned the C-Class, the new sedan was crafted as a sort of baby S-Class, both inside and out. So is it really any surprise that with the 2017 C-Class Coupe, MB has once again looked to its flagship model for inspiration? The new C Coupe is, for all intents and purposes, a scaled-down S-Class Coupe, featuring many of the same styling cues that make that big two-door such a stunner. The pert tail is set off by the same kind of duck-bill spoiler integrated into the rear decklid and horizontal taillights. A strong shoulder line emphasizes the aggressive slope of the roof and the high beltline, which if anything is more aggressive than what Mercedes penned for the S-Class Coupe. Up front, a strong grille is flanked by scale model's of the S Coupe's headlights, complete with LED lighting accents. It's a similar story in the cabin, where Mercedes scaled things down but really didn't skimp on style or materials. Expect the C Coupe's mechanicals to mirror those of its four-door counterpart. The C300, the only version of the new two-door to be announced so far, will use the same 241-horsepower, 273-pound-foot, 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder as the C300 sedan. We'd expect the rest of the engine range to get fleshed out over time, with the more potent C400, C450 AMG Sport, and C63 AMG coming online. While not specified, a seven-speed automatic should be on hand to funnel power to either the back wheels or to a 4Matic all-wheel-drive system, here in the C300. As for optional extras, Mercedes specifically mentions an Airmatic suspension, a vast suite of safety systems, and a 360-degree camera, to name just a few. As with the engine lineup, expect the options sheet to mimic the C-Class Sedan. You can read more about the new C-Class Coupe in the attached press release. We've also embedded a hefty gallery of images at the top of the page. The new C Coupe will make its auto show debut at next month's Frankfurt Motor Show, and will hit dealers in the US next this spring. Related Video: The all-new MY2017 C300 and C300 4MATIC Coupe Seduction of the heart and mind Stuttgart – Athletic and sporty, the vivid, sensual design of the new C-Class Coupe cuts a fine figure on the road and embodies modern luxury. At the same time, its interior raises elegance and style to a sporty level.

8 automakers, 15 utilities collaborate on open smart-charging for EVs

We're going to lead with General Motors here. GM is one of eight automakers working with 15 utilities and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) at developing a "smart" plug-in vehicle charging system. Why did we start with GM? Because it's the first automaker whose press release we read that mentioned the other seven automakers. Points for sharing. For the record, the collaboration also includes BMW, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Chrysler, Mitsubishi and Ford. The utilities include DTE Energy, Duke Energy, Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric. The idea is to develop a so-called "demand charging" system in which an integrated system lets the plug-ins and utilities communicate with each other so that vehicle charging is cut back at peak hours, when energy is most expensive, and ramped up when the rates drop. Such entities say there's a sense of urgency to develop such a system because the number of plug-in vehicles on US roads totals more than 225,000 today and is climbing steadily. There's a lot of technology involved, obviously, but the goal is to have an open platform that's compatible with virtually any automaker's plug-in vehicle. No timeframe was disclosed for when such a system could go live but you can find a press release from EPRI below. EPRI, Utilities, Auto Manufacturers to Create an Open Grid Integration Platform for Plug-in Electric Vehicles PALO ALTO, Calif. (July 29, 2014) – The Electric Power Research Institute, 8 automakers and 15 utilities are working to develop and demonstrate an open platform that would integrate plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) with smart grid technologies enabling utilities to support PEV charging regardless of location. The platform will allow manufacturers to offer a customer-friendly interface through which PEV drivers can more easily participate in utility PEV programs, such as rates for off-peak or nighttime charging. The portal for the system would be a utility's communications system and an electric vehicle's telematics system. As the electric grid evolves with smarter functionality, electric vehicles can serve as a distributed energy resource to support grid reliability, stability and efficiency. With more than 225,000 plug-in vehicles on U.S. roads -- and their numbers growing -- they are likely to play a significant role in electricity demand side management.