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Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla battery drain reported; ELF two-seater solar trike

Biofuel company KiOR has filed for bankruptcy. KiOR, which was born out of a partnership between Khosla Ventures and Dutch biofuel startup BIOeCON, has debts numbering $261.31 million, with just $58.27 million in assets. The company produced biocrude from cellulosic biomass, but was unable to meet its production targets at its facility in Columbus, MS, and was also facing quality problems and accused mismanagement. KiOR shuttered its biocrude plant earlier this year, and suffered a huge loss in stock value. Read more at Gigaom. Some Tesla Model S owners are complaining again of "vampire" drain during sleep mode. Since downloading the Firmware 6.0, some drivers have reported a battery draw, even when set to "sleep always." Losses can be up to 12 miles of range from sitting overnight, and the latest versions of 6.0 haven't seemed to have solved the problem. Interestingly, the problem isn't affecting all Model S owners. Also, battery draw problems have been reported in the past, which Tesla took steps to fix in previous firmware updates. Read more at Inside EVs. Daimler's Car2go carsharing service is expected to reach 1 million users by the end of the year. The company currently reports 900,000 users worldwide. Car2go operates in 29 cities in North America and Europe, with plans to expand operations to China. "China might be risky, but it also brings lots of opportunities," says Daimler's Rainer Becker. While Car2go has yet to make a profit as a whole, it is moving in that direction, with Becker saying some cities' operations are already profitable. Read more at Automotive News Europe. The ELF solar- and human-powered trike from Organic Transit is now available as a two-seater. The ELF 2FR, as it is called, is a package that adds a rear seat behind the driver of the pod-shaped EV to allow for eco-friendly transport of two adults. The standard ELF retails for $5,495, and the upgrade to the 2FR adds another $499 to the price, which seems like a small premium for doubling the occupancy. Organic Transit hasn't released all the details on its website for the 2FR yet, but the standard ELF charges via outlet or 100-watt solar panel, goes 20 miles per hour and gets the equivalent of 1,800 miles per gallon (though adding the weight of another adult will certainly change those mileage numbers). Check out the Organic Transit's ELF 2FR in the videos below and read more at Treehugger. VIA Motors has received EPA certification for its range-extended electric van.

Weekly Recap: Diesel scandal continues to fuel VW's woes

Volkswagen's woes continued this week when it was delisted from the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and stripped of awards. Senators are also lining up to advocate for criminal and civil action against the automaker, and its consumer reputation is in tatters. Put simply, it's been another rough period for VW. Despite this, the company eked out a sales gain of less than one percent in September, though that was well behind the overall market's performance. Sister brand Audi, which sells a diesel A3, was less affected, posting a 16-percent gain in September. Revelations that Volkswagen rigged millions of diesel-powered cars around the world didn't surface until September 18, so the full sales impact of the ongoing scandal won't likely be felt until October. Meanwhile, VW's image continues to take a beating, and an AutoPacific survey found only one in 14 vehicle owners have a positive opinion of the company. Before the scandal broke, three-quarters of respondents had a positive view of VW. The survey also found 64 percent don't trust Volkswagen, though the same number believe other companies are or may also be using cheating devices to pass emissions tests. "The reputation of diesels has been severely damaged, at least for the short term," Ed Kim, AutoPacific's vice president of industry analysis, said in a statement. Despite the lingering malaise, experts believe VW will recover, just as Toyota and General Motors eventually emerged from their own high-profile controversies. "Consumers have proven through numerous recalls that they are resilient and quickly return to their buying habits," Kim said. OTHER NEWS & NOTES Mazda to reveal sports car concept in Tokyo Mazda will bring a curvy sports car concept to the Tokyo Motor Show in October. The automaker is being especially coy with the details, only releasing the dark teaser shot that you see to the right and a cryptic statement that suggests the concept "condense[s] Mazda's entire history of sports-car development into a single model." Immediately, speculation abounded this is an RX-7 and RX-8 successor, though Mazda didn't specify what engine the concept will have. Reportedly, the company is still working on rotary engines. Mazda will have a Cosmo Sport 110S on its stand in Tokyo, which pioneered rotary technology in 1967. Read into that what you will. The Rock pitches Ford service Dwayne Johnson, also known as The Rock, is the new frontman for Ford service.

Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla considers Model III SUV and wagon, Ford tears Tesla apart

Worries over Brazil's electric grid mean EVs are excluded from green car incentives. As part of a new efficiency program, non-plug-in hybrids will be eligible for a reduction in import duties, while EVs and plug-in hybrids will not. Brazil's government is concerned that the country's grid lacks the capacity to handle the increased load from an influx of EVs. Brazil plans to create a new incentive program - perhaps a more inclusive one - when the current one expires at the end of 2015. Read more at Green Car Reports. Tesla could make SUV and wagon derivatives of the upcoming Model III sedan. Tesla's VP of engineering, Chris Porritt, told Auto Express that to reach as many customers as possible, Tesla would consider all its options. "SUVs, estates - who knows?" says Porritt. He also says that while the company is currently focused on products with a broader appeal, another Roadster or other sports car aren't out of the question in the future. Read more at Auto Express. Ford admits to a Tesla Model S teardown. Ford CEO Mark Fields says that after disassembling, reassembling and driving the model S, his company is "very familiar with that product." He also says the Ford has the capability to build a similarly high-tech, long-range electric car. The questions still remains if Ford has plans for such a vehicle, but Fields says that it fits within Ford's "product philosophy." Read more at Business Insider and at USA Today.