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Tesla news roundup: Supportive bill proposed in NJ; NHTSA ends investigation

The ongoing dealer fight against Tesla Motors in a number of states continues to evolve, with two bits of news out of Ohio and New Jersey this week. There is good news and, well, good news. And then there's lots more news. In Ohio, the automaker won a compromise bill that won't exactly let Tesla to do whatever it wants, but it will let the company's two existing stores stay open and a third to come online. Tesla sent AutoblogGreen a statement from Diarmuid O'Connell, VP of corporate and business development, on the situation there: We're pleased with the compromise reached in the Senate Committee to amend SB 260 to allow Ohio residents to continue to purchase electric vehicles directly from Tesla at our two existing stores and one additional location in Ohio. Tesla stores are essential to educating customers about electric vehicle technology and building a mass market for EVs. We look forward to continuing to provide our Ohio customers with the full Tesla experience and to further investing in the state by employing Ohioans both directly at our stores and service centers, and through our Ohio-based suppliers of parts and components. Meanwhile, over in New Jersey, Assemblyman Tim Eustace introduced legislation that would reverse the ban on Tesla stores in that state. On Facebook, the EV-driving Assemblyman wrote, "We need to attract companies that will create jobs and promote economic growth. If the governor is unwilling, then the Legislature will get it done." You can read the proposed bill here. Also, coinciding with the announcement of the new titanium underbody shields for the Model S, the NHTSA said it has closed its investigation into three Model S fires and said that, "A defect trend has not been identified." With the political landscape constantly changing, lots of editorial voices are joining the discussion. As The New York Times editorial board says, "the fight with Tesla is not really about this niche company" and basically comes to the same conclusion we did the other day: "Instead of fighting Tesla, dealers should be improving customer service." Possible 2016 presidential candidate Marco Rubio (R-FL) also jumped into the fray, saying on CNBC that he has no problem with Tesla's business model. You can see a clip of that below as well as a short video of a Model S delivery staging area in Europe. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party.

Tesla expands Supercharger network in central Europe

While you can't drive a Tesla from the US to Europe, Model S drivers on both sides of the pond are seeing a robust Supercharger network. Today, Tesla announced that enough stations exist in central Europe to get a Model S from Amsterdam to cities 500 or 600 miles away in the Alps. As in the US, using a Supercharger is free. The eight Superchargers are located in Germany, Holland, Switzerland and Austria trace a route along the German Autobahn (another six are in Norway) and Tesla says that by the end of March 2014, "50 percent of the German population will live within 320km [200 miles] of a Supercharger," with the rest covered by the start of 2015. The lowest-range Model S, the one with a 60-kWh battery pack, can go 230 miles on a charge, officially. Tesla says its Superchargers can add 170 miles of range in a 30-minute fill-up. You can see Tesla's future Supercharger plans here and find more details in the press release below. TESLA EXPANDS SUPERCHARGER NETWORK IN EUROPE Newly energized routes enable free, convenient long distance travel across DACH region and the Netherlands Tuesday, January 21, 2014 AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands – This week, Tesla officially opens new Supercharger locations connecting the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. These newly-energized routes will enable Model S customers to enjoy free, convenient, 100 percent electric trips on the German Autobahn and to destinations in the Alps and elsewhere. Tesla's first six Superchargers were energized in California in September 2012, with the first network of European Supercharger stations opening in Norway less than a year later. As of today, 81 Supercharger locations are energized worldwide, with 14 locations in Europe. More than 11 million kilometers have been charged by Tesla Superchargers and nearly 1.13 million liters of gas have been offset. The accelerated energizing of Superchargers in Germany (Wilnsdorf, Bad Rappenau, Aichstetten and Jettingen), Switzerland (Lully), Austria (St. Anton) and the Netherlands (Zevenaar and Oosterhout) represents a new milestone in the expansion of the European network. In Germany, Superchargers connect Cologne, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Munich. They also connect the German network to Amsterdam, Zurich, and Innsbruck. In the Netherlands, energized routes connect Amsterdam to Cologne and Brussels, and in Switzerland the stations connect Zurich and Geneva.

Longtime Tesla rival Henrik Fisker exits Twitter after Musk reaches deal to buy platform

Electric vehicle pioneer and Tesla competitor Henrik Fisker exited Twitter this week after his old rival Elon Musk reached an agreement to buy the social media platform for $44 billion. Fisker, who oversees electric vehicle maker Fisker Inc., wrote on Instagram Tuesday: “I believe 100% in free speech. But I do not want my free speech to be actively managed or controlled by a competitor. And I do not want a competitor to determine how my followers experience Fisker as we grow our company.” FiskerÂ’s Twitter handle no longer exists, though his companyÂ’s Twitter feed remained active as of Tuesday with a post of Henrik Fisker test driving a vehicle. Musk did not appear to directly react to FiskerÂ’s move on Tuesday, tweeting two general messages about free speech. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Fisker and Musk have long been adversaries. Tesla sued Fisker in 2008 alleging his design company stole Tesla technology and used it to develop his own vehicle. An arbitrator ruled in favor of Fisker. Henrik Fisker did design work on the Tesla Model S sedan before the car launched, when the project was known by the codename WhiteStar. In the early 2010s, FiskerÂ’s first carmaker, Fisker Automotive, was a rival to Tesla and, for a while, they were on nearly equal footing as Fisker promised to bring his attractive sedan called the Karma to market followed up by a string of sleek cars and crossovers. The company, however, had issues with its battery packs and was hit with a string of bad luck, including losing a shipment of vehicles due to fires and floods related to Hurricane Sandy in 2012. It went bankrupt in 2013. The EV landscape has changed dramatically since then, with most major automakers investing heavily in the technology and newcomers like Lucid and Rivian joining the fray. Tesla, meanwhile, took off and catapulted Musk to even greater international fame, along with his PayPal and SpaceX ventures. Henrik Fisker regrouped and founded Fisker Inc. in 2016. It went public in 2020 and is planning to launch the Ocean SUV this year. Before founding EV startups, Fisker was known as a noted sports-car designer who counts the 2005 Aston Martin V8 Vantage and 1999 BMW Z8 among his highlights. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Green Fisker Tesla Electric Elon Musk Twitter Henrik Fisker