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Recharge Wrap-up: BYD building e6 for Taiwan, Formula E announces season two test dates

The West Coast Electric Highway in Oregon and Washington offers EV drivers a lot of freedom to travel. With fast chargers available along I-5 and many other highways, drivers can travel through large parts of the Northwest without worrying about being stranded. Most chargers are 20 to 30 miles apart throughout the network - which is helpful considering the extra energy needed to climb the many hills - but things get a little more difficult at the border with California. From Ashland, Oregon southward, there isn't another fast charger for about 200 miles. Read more at Green Car Reports. The BYD e6 will be built in Taiwan for the Taiwanese market. AJ Greentech Holdings will manufacture the electric crossover taxi, which can travel 186 miles on a single charge. "This contract will ensure that our initiative for revolutionizing green energy transportation is carried out," says AJ Greentech Holdings CEO Chu Li An. "By driving this e6 electric taxi, drivers will save 10,000 Taiwan dollars a year on transportation costs, an unparalleled deal, while at the same time, providing a safer environment for all the citizens of Taiwan." Read more at Hybrid Cars. Nissan and Ricker Oil are partnering to bring EV fast charging to Ricker's Convenience Stores in Indianapolis. Nissan Leaf customers who purchase beginning April 1 will be able to charge for free at the nine locations as part of the automaker's "No Charge to Charge" program. "In Indianapolis, we are taking bold steps to reduce our city's oil dependence," says Mayor Greg Ballard. "Growing our citywide network of EV charging stations is important as we transition the city's entire fleet off foreign oil and work with residents to increase their access to electric vehicles." Read more at Convenience Store News. Formula E has announced its preseason test dates for its second season. Testing will take place in August at Donington Park in Leicestershire, England, where Formula E has its headquarters. Teams will be testing cars with powertrains from eight new manufacturers for the second season. The public is welcome to come watch on the last day of testing, August 25. See the full testing schedule and read more from Formula E.

2016 Nissan Leaf with 107-mile range will start at $35,050* [UPDATE]

Here we go. Without making any huge leap into a second-gen model, Nissan has upgraded the 2016 Nissan Leaf from the 2015 model with a big range increase and a more durable battery. According to the new EPA numbers, the new Leaf will go 107 miles from a 30-kWh battery pack. That's going to get people's attention, since the current Leaf has an 84-mile range from a 24-kWh pack. You will still be able to get an 84-mile Leaf in the 2016 model year, since Nissan is keeping the S trim level with the lower, 24-kWh pack size. If you opt for the more expensive SV or SL trims, then you'll not only get the 27-percent greater range, but also a battery pack that is slightly heavier (by 46 pounds) and has more modules (eight vs. four) but the same number of cells. The two packs are the same size. In the end, the EPA rates the 30-kWh with 124 city, 101 highway and 112 combined MPGe fuel economy, while the S trim keeps the 126 city, 101 highway and 114 combined MPGe of the 2015 models. All the new 2016 Leafs keep the same 80-kW AC synchronous motor from earlier models. It still offers 107 horsepower and 187 pound-feet of torque. Prices for the new Leaf start at $35,050 for the Leaf SV (up from $32,950 for the 2015), $37,640 for the Leaf SL (up from $35,970) and $28,060 for the Leaf S (no change from 2015). All prices include $850 delivery charge but not the potential federal tax incentive of $7,500. The 2016's exterior is virtually identical to the 2015, aside from some new colors with names like Forged Bronze, Coulis Red and Deep Blue Pearl. Nissan is offering a few upgrades on the inside, though. There's a new graphic interface display on the 7-inch color screen (5-inch on the S trim) and a new "beam forming microphone" that should make the car's voice recognition better. The information that is displayed on the screen has also changed, with the charging screen info being updated every 12 miles. Given that some (but not all) of the rumors of this Leaf range bump turned out to be true, what do you all think of the talk of a 250-mile Leaf in about three years? UPDATE: The original headline quoted the price of the SL model instead of the less expensive SV, and has now been changed to accurately reflect the starting price of the SV. Both SL and SV come standard with the new 30 kWh battery, while the S model comes standard with the smaller 24 kWh pack. Thanks to those who pointed out this discrepancy!

Lawyer for Ghosn slams bail condition as human rights violation

TOKYO (AP) — The lawyer for Nissan's former chairman Carlos Ghosn on Saturday criticized a bail condition that prevents his client from seeing his wife, as Ghosn awaits trial on financial misconduct charges. A judge has forbidden Ghosn from seeing his wife, Carole, including in the presence of lawyers, or talking to her on the phone. Prosecutors say the restriction is needed to prevent evidence tampering. "This is unfair," Takashi Takano, the lawyer, said in a phone interview, calling it a human rights violation. "It's cruel and unusual." His earlier appeal of the ban, rejected by district and appeals courts, went to the Supreme Court, which turned it down last month. The Supreme Court decision cannot be appealed, but Takano vowed to keep filing new petitions, stressing that the Supreme Court has not yet ruled on the constitutionality or the human rights aspects. The next one will be filed within two or three weeks, he said. Ghosn's lawyers recently filed a second petition with the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, arguing that the restrictions on seeing his wife amount to a deprivation of fundamental human rights. Takano acknowledged that the situation looks dismal, as Japan's Supreme Court is not easily influenced by other governments' views or by public opinion. "Even the strongest man in the world can be stressed, psychologically damaged. That's very natural as a human being," said Takano, noting that Ghosn was holding up well compared to other clients he has had. Ghosn has been aggressively taking part in meetings with his defense team, according to Takano. The case has entered the stage known as "pre-trial sessions," during which both sides hand in evidence. A trial date has not been set. In Japan, preparations for trials routinely take months. Ghosn, who led Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Co. for two decades, was arrested in November and charged with falsifying financial documents in reporting retirement compensation, and with breach of trust in diverting Nissan money toward personal investment losses and a company effectively run by him. Ghosn, 65, a Brazilian-born Frenchman of Lebanese ancestry, has repeatedly said he is innocent, accusing some at Nissan of plotting against him and opposing a plan to merge Nissan with French alliance partner Renault. Renault is set to vote Tuesday on a possible merger with Fiat Chrysler.