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Ecotricity says Tesla acting the bully in UK supercharging situation

As Tesla Motors stands ready to expand its presence in the oh-so-polite UK, green-energy company Ecotricity is accusing the California-based automaker of being a little less than civilized. The term bullying is being thrown around, and Ecotricity founder Dale Vince told The Guardian that Tesla's communication was "very dark", "shocking" and "brutal." All in the name of some well-placed Supercharger stations. Ecotricity says it had been in talks with Tesla about collaborating on charging station locations. Tesla is looking to deploy the first part of its UK Superchager network this month, but Ecotricity now says it was contacted by Tesla saying that Tesla was going to take over many of Ecotrocity's prime sites, according to The Guardian. Moreover, Tesla is taking advantage of information gleaned from a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), Ecotricity alleges. Tesla did not respond to our request for comment on this issue. Tesla said at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year that it would significantly expand its Supercharger network throughout Europe in 2014 as it introduces the right-hand-drive version of the Model S sedan to the UK. Ecotricity, which specializes in getting its energy from renewable sources, said in February that it would start offering the UK's electric-vehicle drivers 1,000 miles of free fast charging annually on Ecotricity's so-called Electric Highway. The company said at the time that it aimed to deploy fast-charging stations at 90 percent of service stations along UK highways. Tesla sold its first EV, the Roadster, in the UK all the way back in 2010.

Why dealerships should embrace Tesla's direct sales competition

National and regional dealership associations have it in for Tesla Motors. For the past few years the organizations have been pushing lawmakers – to whom, it bears mentioning, they have made generous financial contributions – for legislation that would make it difficult for the Californian automaker to continue with its direct-to-consumer, company-store sales model. This is, of course, in addition to laws already on the books which make it illegal for manufacturers engaged with existing independent dealership networks to operate their own retail locations. As you may have heard, the dealers have recently had success in New Jersey and, previously, in Texas. Arizona passed a law in 2000 that forbids manufacturers from obtaining a dealer's license, completing the triad of states which now restrict sales from Tesla stores. Meanwhile, the company has had some amount of success pushing back against these efforts in Massachusetts, Ohio, New York and North Carolina. It is a constant battle, though, even in most of those locales. Direct sales are key to Tesla's success. Direct sales are key to Tesla's success. It's a big part of how the company managed to move from a simple start up to something of an American automotive phenomenon. While CEO Elon Musk likes to say that it uses this method because selling an electric car would somehow be a conflict of interest for dealerships that also sell conventionally- powered vehicles, there is really a lot more to it than that, and it's wrapped around the customer experience. You can sit at home in your pajamas and configure exactly which color and options you want for your Model S over the Internet, send an electronic payment and have that exact car arrive at your door some weeks later. The company stores are an outgrowth of that concept, but allow you to see physical samples of the colors and materials involved, take a test drive and interface with a friendly human who can immediately answer any questions you might have, as well as facilitate financial transactions. You still get the exact car that you order. Having company-owned stores lets Tesla keep complete control of its entire retail network and therefore, the buying experience. Staff aren't paid by commission and are encouraged to be truly customer-focused.

Bill O'Reilly imploring everyone to get behind Tesla

Bill O'Reilly is a fan of Tesla. Calling the California car company "the one concrete thing that all responsible people should be rooting for," the popular Fox Network host is asking everyone to ignore the green lobby, the politics of global warming and dim opinions of alternative energy, declaring, "If Tesla can make a clean car, the entire automotive industry can. Therefore the air would be cleaner everywhere, and our wallets thicker. So let's get on it, people."
O'Reilly's Tesla-backing Talking Points Commentary came after 60 Minutes' recent piece on the electric car maker, but was occasioned by a new UN report on global warming. As usual, he isn't shy about sharing his real feelings, and you'll find a lot more of them where that came from in the two-minute video below.