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Recharge Wrap-up: BMW i3 to get more range, a call for EV signage

The BMW i3 will get more range next year, and BMW will announce another i model soon. BMW CEO Harald Kruger didn't say by how much the i3's electric range would be expanded (it currently gets 81 miles on a single charge, or 150 with the range extender). He did say that a third, yet unnamed i car would be out "soon," and that it would be larger than the i3. We've heard rumors of an i5 for years now and BMW has previously stated that a new i car would not be based on an existing model. Read more at Green Car Reports. Where is the sun visor in the Tesla Model X? With a huge panoramic glass roof, Tesla had to be pretty inventive with its design. The sun visor is tucked away in the A-pillar and held in place by a magnet. It pulls out, and swivels overhead. A magnetic peg pops out to attach the end of the visor to the rear view mirror housing. From there, it can be rotated, or one can flip out a panel to create a larger shade. The vanity mirror is hidden behind another panel inside the visor. Have a look over at Teslarati. Nissan and Ecotricity are calling on the UK government to create road signage for EV charging points. There are currently over 9,000 places for drivers to charge their electric vehicles throughout the UK, but no official signage to tell them where they are. "It's time to introduce charging point road signs in Britain," says Ecotricity founder Dale Vince. "They'll provide necessary direction for the thousands of electric car drivers in Britain as well as increasing public awareness that the infrastructure is ready for them to make the move to an electric car." Nissan and Ecotricity suggest that symbols to designate the different types of charging available would also be helpful to EV drivers. Read more at Green Car Congress, or in the press release below.

Nissan gets it on with the loud "Karaok-e" van concept

With a minivan, you can pack it with a half dozen friends to shuttle them to a big party. But that involves some boring time in traffic. With the Nissan Townstar Karaok-e you can skip that boring step because the van is the party. That’s the idea behind Nissan's modified Townstar Evalia is a one-off project recently shown in Europe. ItÂ’s an exercise that transforms the van into a mobile karaoke lounge. The bulk of the modifications are in the rear of the van. A 32-inch video monitor for graphics and lyrics is the centerpiece along with the exotic sound system. There are also fancy lights in the ceiling and the cabinetry, and they're synchronized the to the beat of the music. There's no mention in the press release if the van comes with a “donÂ’t dance while driving” warning. This all-electric seven-seat Townstar Evalia—which Nissan rather cosmically claims is intended to inspire “well-being and happiness”—further features a number of apps that allows passengers to show off their vocal chops, record their performances, and share them on social media platforms. The brand hasnÂ’t ignored the exterior, which features a juicy wrap enhanced by a couple of hashtags. The neon-like roof attachment would almost certainly have impressed Donna Summer. The Townstar Evalia in Europe shares close ties with the Renault Kangoo van. It comes in a long wheelbase configuration with options for five or seven seats and is available with either fully electric or gasoline powertrains. Nissan offers no hint that this particular Townstar variant might enter serious production, and we doubt that even a groundswell of interest from the public would get the company to start building them. But we bet there are limo services that might be interested, and certainly some upfitters that could put together something similar. Of course, that's as long as said customer has the will and the means.  

Consumer Reports no longer recommends Honda Civic

Consumer Reports annual Car Reliability Survey is out, and yes, there are some big surprises. First and foremost? The venerable publication no longer recommends the Honda Civic. In fact, aside from the walking-dead CR-Z and limited-release Clarity fuel-cell car, the Civic is the only Honda to miss out on CR's prestigious nod. At the opposite end there's a surprise as well – Toyota and Lexus remain the most reliable brands on the market, but Buick cracked the top three. That's up from seventh last year, and the first time for an American brand to stand on the Consumer Reports podium. Mazda's entire lineup earned Recommended checks as well. Consumer Reports dinged the Civic for its "infuriating" touch-screen radio, lack of driver lumbar adjustability, the limited selection of cars on dealer lots fitted with Honda's popular Sensing system, and the company's decision to offer LaneWatch instead of a full-tilt blind-spot monitoring system. Its score? A lowly 58. The Civic isn't the only surprise drop from CR's Recommended ranks. The Audi A3, Ford F-150, Subaru WRX/STI, and Volkswagen Jetta, GTI, and Passat all lost the Consumer Reports' checkmark. On the flipside, a number of popular vehicles graduated to the Recommended ranks, including the BMW X5, Chevrolet Camaro, Corvette, and Cruze, Hyundai Santa Fe, Porsche Macan, and Tesla Model S. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the hilariously recall-prone Ford Escape getting a Recommended check – considering the popularity of Ford's small crossover, this is likely a coup for the brand, as it puts the Escape on a level playing field with the Recommended Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Nissan Rogue. While Ford is probably happy to see CR promote the Escape, the list wasn't as kind for every brand. For example, of the entire Fiat Chrysler Automobiles catalog, the ancient Chrysler 300 was the only car to score a check – there wasn't a single Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, or Ram on the list. That hurts. FCA isn't alone at the low end, either. GMC, Jaguar Land Rover, Mini, and Mitsubishi don't have a vehicle on CR's list between them, while brands like Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Nissan, Lincoln, Infiniti, and Cadillac only have a few models each. You can check out Consumer Reports entire reliability roundup, even without a subscription, here.