2021 Tesla Model 3 Long Range on 2040-cars

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You, too, can sleep in a Tesla Model S for just $85

The Tesla Model S has received near universal praise for its ability to combine the efficiency the electric power and the performance expected from a luxury sedan. However, rarely has the Tesla been complimented for its capability as a camper capable of sleeping two people; in fact that has never happened. Though, a guy named Steve on Airbnb in Phoenix, AZ, is trying to change that perception by renting out his Model S (pictured above) as a motel for $85 a night. If you're not familiar with it, Airbnb is a peer-to-peer lodging service that lets people rent their homes to visitors for short stays. Steve isn't offering his house, at least not all of it, just the Tesla Model S to sleep in. Although, folks are also able to use the kitchen, living room, TV and bathroom in his condo. It's actually hard to tell if this guy is joking or not during some portions of his ad. For example, you shouldn't worry about comfort because photos show an airbed able to sleep two people in the back of the Model S. Also, security shouldn't be a concern because renters are "locked securely in my attached garage" at night. Don't you feel safer already? Light shouldn't be a problem either because the vehicle is equipped with two remote-controlled candles. This might not be the most relaxing vacation to Phoenix, though. The host admits that the Tesla is his personal car, and that means renters need to be up by 8:00 AM for him to go to work. Since Steve's also a licensed limo driver, you can hire him to drive you around, even on guided tours. Related Video:

Leilani Munter loves her Energy Freedom Race Car, Tesla Model S

Leilani Munter is putting a red, white and blue spin on green at the Kansas Speedway tonight. That's where the eco-minded racer is debuting her Energy Freedom car with the message that people should be able to choose how clean they want their energy to be. Tonight is the last race of the season for ARCA, a stock car racing series a level below the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Munter told AutoblogGreen this week that this is the perfect time to bring up the energy freedom issue, since the media is already paying attention. She's no stranger to this sort of thing, either, having driven a race car with solar power assistance at a race at Chicagoland and running a 100-percent renewable energy car at Daytona earlier this year. "I wanted to show people that [EV] technology that is available to us now." – Leilani Munter "My degree is in biology, so I've always been eco-minded," she said before recounting a story about driving her personal Tesla Model S from Charlotte, NC to that race in Chicago. "I wanted to show people that this is a technology that is available to us now and that you can make long trips," she said. She used the burgeoning Supercharger network to fill up along the way and even announced her stops ahead of time in order to meet fans, both of her racing and EV technology. She said some people asked about running out of electricity, but answered them with a laugh and explained that she's got this thing on her dash board that shows her how many miles she has left, just like a gas gauge. Regular readers might remember Munter from the "Eco Dream Team" of race car drivers she put together in 2008 or when she saw the effects of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 first hand. She also had a previous life in Hollywood as a stand-in for Catherine Zeta-Jones. She said that she used the money she made from working on movies to go racing school. That was 14 years ago, and she's used her racing skills to not only promote green energy but also to bring more green to the track since then. She adopts an acre of rain forest or donates to coral reef protection after each race. As for the new Energy Freedom car, Munter said that, "As Americans we should have the right to choose where we get our energy. Utilities are getting a little nervous about people choosing renewable energy, and this car is meant to bring that topic up. I have solar panels on my roof and I can drive off of sunshine every day.

NHTSA, IIHS, and 20 automakers to make auto braking standard by 2022

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and virtually every automaker in the US domestic market have announced a pact to make automatic emergency braking standard by 2022. Here's the full rundown of companies involved: BMW, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo (not to mention the brands that fall under each automaker's respective umbrella). Like we reported yesterday, AEB will be as ubiquitous in the future as traction and stability control are today. But the thing to note here is that this is not a governmental mandate. It's truly an agreement between automakers and the government, a fact that NHTSA claims will lead to widespread adoption three years sooner than a formal rule. That fact in itself should prevent up to 28,000 crashes and 12,000 injuries. The agreement will come into effect in two waves. For the majority of vehicles on the road – those with gross vehicle weights below 8,500 pounds – AEB will need to be standard equipment by September 1, 2022. Vehicles between 8,501 and 10,000 pounds will have an extra three years to offer AEB. "It's an exciting time for vehicle safety. By proactively making emergency braking systems standard equipment on their vehicles, these 20 automakers will help prevent thousands of crashes and save lives," said Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx said in an official statement. "It's a win for safety and a win for consumers." Read on for the official press release from NHTSA. Related Video: U.S. DOT and IIHS announce historic commitment of 20 automakers to make automatic emergency braking standard on new vehicles McLEAN, Va. – The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety announced today a historic commitment by 20 automakers representing more than 99 percent of the U.S. auto market to make automatic emergency braking a standard feature on virtually all new cars no later than NHTSA's 2022 reporting year, which begins Sept 1, 2022. Automakers making the commitment are Audi, BMW, FCA US LLC, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, Kia, Maserati, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, Tesla Motors Inc., Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo Car USA.