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Tesla loses top communicator Simon Sproule to Aston Martin

Looking for a new job? Have experience working in a frenetic environment, promoting cutting-edge mobility products for a demanding boss determined to change the way we travel on this planet, as well as how we trek to others? We hear Tesla Motors just might have an opening for such a person. Again. Simon Sproule, the electric automaker's vice-president of communications and marketing is vacating his cubicle after a mere six months in order to become the chief marketing officer (CMO) over at Aston Martin. That position had gone begging for a year until this appointment. Once he's settled into his new digs, Sproule will again be breaking rock with former Nissan associate Andy Palmer who himself recently took the top spot at the British luxury marque. The move comes at what seems like an inopportune time for Tesla. It has a big D product announcement – suspected to be an all-wheel-drive update of the Model S – scheduled just two days from now and the reveal of its "mass market" Model ? early next year. The company declined our offer to comment on the situation. Aston Martin, on the other hand, should be happy to finally have someone at the marketing helm, what with the recent dropping of the veil from its Lagonda sedan and what's likely to be a bevy of new product built on its forthcoming platform. News Source: PR WeekImage Credit: Haruyoshi Yamaguchi / Bloomberg via Getty Images Green Marketing/Advertising Aston Martin Tesla simon sproule

Recharge Wrap-up: Chicago and NY taxis consider their own hailing apps; Zipcar extends one-way service in Boston

Chicago and New York are considering creating hailing apps for taxis. In order to keep up with rivals like Uber and Lyft, Chicago has approved plans for an app (or perhaps multiple apps) that allow users to hail a cab from their smartphone. A New York City councilperson has also proposed a similar app that has yet to be voted on. The Chicago plan, which is part of the city's Taxi Driver Fairness Reforms package, has the backing of a taxi union, as drivers would benefit from keeping pace with the technology and convenience other hailing apps provide. Read more at The New York Times. Zipcar is extending its point-to-point service test, called ONE>WAY, to all of its members in the Boston area. This service is available between Zipcar Pod locations throughout the area (including Logan International Airport), and includes a reserved parking space at the destination. Zipcar has 200 Honda Fit vehicles available at its Pods for ONE>WAY trips. "ONE>WAY remains true to our mission of enabling simple and responsible urban living by continuing to reduce congestion in cities as members are not circling the block searching for parking," says Zipcar President Kaye Ceille. Read more in the press release below. Two early investors in Tesla are raising a new investment fund worth $300 million. Nancy Pfund and Ira Ehrenpreis are raising a fund through DBL Investing called DBL Partners III. Pfund, through DBL, has invested in various cleantech companies, as well as Elon Musk's Tesla, SpaceX and SolarCity. Ehrenpreis invested in Tesla through Technology Partners, and runs the World Energy Innovation Forum. The plans for the newest DBL investments are unclear, but it's not hard to imagine more green technology and more involvement with Musk. Read more at GigaOM. Andromeda Interfaces has released a video for its Electric Vehicle Interface Controller (EVIC). The EVIC is a display module that monitors efficiency and consumption and interprets that data for the driver. It works as a configurable dashboard with all the important data especially important and specific to EV driving, whether that's range, voltage, rpm, temperatures and the like. The EVIC is meant to be affordable, and suitable for aftermarket or OEM customers, as well as commercial and industrial EVs. See the video below for more information. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Tesla sending free replacement wall charger adapters after garage fire [UPDATE]

Tesla Motors is about to mail off a lot of packages. The California-based electric vehicle manufacturer is going to send out replacement, upgraded wall charger adapters to customers with official Tesla charging units. The reason is a recent garage fire that involved a Tesla Model S and a company wall charger, even though fire investigators said that the car was not responsible and Tesla said the wall unit did not play a role in the blaze. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in an interview with Bloomberg today that replacement adapters will be mailed out in the next two weeks. Musk said fires and overheating adapters are "very rare events, but occasionally the wiring isn't done right. We want people to have absolute comfort, so we're going to be providing them with an upgraded adapter." The new adapter has a thermal fuse that will shut off if it gets too hot. Musk did not say why the original wall charger adapter apparently did not have a thermal fuse in the design. AutoblogGreen has asked Tesla how many adapters will be sent out and if this is a global or US-only replacement program, but as of press time, we have not received a response. We're also not sure if this will trigger a recall - the adapter is not, technically, part of the car - and hope Tesla can clarify this point soon. Tesla's first reaction to that garage fire in November was to update its charger software to automatically reduce the charge current under certain circumstances. To date, that incident in Irvine, CA is the only garage fire involving a Tesla wall charger that has been made public, but there are multiple reports of Tesla wall chargers heating up and melting, (see here, here or here), so it appears Tesla is trying to be safe rather than sorry. UPDATE: Tesla has issued a press release on this program, which is now available below. TESLA PROVIDES CUSTOMERS WITH UPGRADED CHARGING SOFTWARE AND ADAPTER FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2014 PALO ALTO, Calif. – A variety of factors such as corrosion, physical damage to receptacles, or inappropriate wiring or installation of electrical outlets can cause higher than normal electrical resistance when using the Universal Mobile Connector ("UMC") NEMA 14-50 adapters to charge Tesla Model S vehicles. When charging, higher than normal electrical resistance connections to external energy sources may cause excessive heating of the adapter.