2015 Tesla Model S on 2040-cars

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Silly dyno, that Tesla doesn't have 2,000 lb-ft of torque

Torque. Lots of torque, right off the line. That one benefit presented by an electric motor over its internal-combustion sibling, and the Tesla Model S delivers it in spades. 443 spades, to be precise, or about as much as a Bentley Continental GT or McLaren 12C. But when one Emmanuel Chang put his electric sedan on a dyno up (way up north) in Edmonton, Alberta, it registered a whopping 2,000 pound-feet!
Of course that number isn't correct, as no car on the road produces that much torque. Even a Bugatti Veyron produces "only" 1,000 lb-ft, give or take. Clearly something's amiss here, but the problem the dyno had in reading the Tesla's torque apparently doesn't come down to its electric powertrain. (Nor does it have anything to do with the northerly latitude or the interference of polar winds.) It comes down to the shiny, ten-spoke alloys.
Apparently this type of dyno measures torque by running horsepower and wheel revolutions through an algorithm. It measures horsepower at the wheel (which, at 436 hp, wasn't far off of Tesla's own rating of 416 hp) and uses a stationary optical sensor interfacing with a reflector on the wheel. Every time the reflector passes the sensor, it counts one revolution. But since the Model S has shiny ten-spoke wheels (and we presume because it was taken outdoors under bright sunlight), the sensor thought that each passing spoke was one revolution of the wheel... when it was, in fact, ten times too much.

Recharge Wrap-up: Toyota allowed to inspect own hydrogen tanks, Telsa tour reveals expansion

Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Ministry has certified Toyota to self-inspect its high-pressure hydrogen tanks. The approval allows more freedom in production timing, as outside inspectors previously had to be on site during the manufacture of hydrogen tanks for vehicle prototypes. Toyota has passed the stringent standards to become a registered manufacturer of the 700-bar hydrogen tanks, which the company will use in its upcoming fuel cell vehicle (FCV). With the improved efficiency this certification allows in the manufacturing process, Toyota believes it will help to lower the cost of the FCV. Read more in the press release below. A look inside Telsa's fremont Factory shows thriving activity and increased capacity. Analyst Trip Chowdhry, in a rare tour of the factory, describes a bustling facility capable of producing the Model X and Model III alongside the Model S. A part of the floor labeled "Driver Assist" suggests to Teslarati that Tesla is researching a self-driving car. Chowdhry reports that the factory lobby was "busy with European suppliers and Asian suppliers." He also found an energized workforce and culture similar to Silicon Valley startups. Read more at International Business Times. Mahindra has introduced a premium version of the e2o electric car, made in partnership with Reva. The car features a range of almost 75 miles, power steering, infotainment, rear-view parking camera, driver information display and an emergency power reserve feature, called REVive, offering an extra five miles of range activated through a smartphone. Mahindra also launched a program called "Goodbye Fuel, Hello Electric" in which customers pay to use the e2o by the mile. Learn more at The Indian Express. Toyota Approved to Self-inspect and Manufacture Hydrogen Tanks for FCVs Toyota City, Japan, August 29, 2014-Toyota Motor Corporation has received approval from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to self-inspect and manufacture high-pressure hydrogen tanks for fuel cell vehicles (FCVs). This makes Toyota the first company to become a registered manufacturer of 70 MPa (700 bar) hydrogen tanks under Japan's High Pressure Gas Safety Act, revised in 1997 by METI. Toyota will now be able to increase the efficiency of the process of manufacturing safe high-pressure hydrogen tanks that ensure customer confidence.

Feds decide against investigating Tesla Model S fire

Despite earlier reports, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced it will not be filing a formal investigation into the fire that engulfed a Tesla Model S earlier this month, as the agency says there was no evidence to suggest the fire was due to a manufacturer defect or that the car was in violation of government-mandated safety standards, according to Automotive News.
The NHTSA's decision whether to investigate was delayed, as the fire happened on the first day of the US government shutdown. AN reports that as of October 22, the administration was still "gathering data," according to a statement by Administrator David Strickland.
The October 1 fire that torched the critically acclaimed EV was started after an impact with a "large metallic object," according to multiple sources including the driver/owner. As we reported on October 3, despite the car-destroying blaze, Tesla maintained that the battery pack acted exactly as designed, by containing the blaze to just one of the battery pack's 16 modules, rather than sending the whole lithium-ion unit up in flames.