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Recharge Wrap-up: 'Racing Extinction' Tesla, Wards praises 3 hybrids

The makers of Racing Extinction used a tricked out Tesla Model S for their movie. The artists and activists used the electric car as a platform to project images from nature in various cities to raise awareness about imperiled wildlife. In addition to a the high-powered projector, the Model S features a electroluminescent paint job that emits light to mimic creatures found in the wild, such as bioluminescent sea life. It also has a thermal imaging camera in the front of the car with a filter to view CO2 emissions. Check it out in the video above, and read more at Ecomento. WardsAuto has named the 2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-In Hybrid's powertrain to its list of 10 Best Engines. As the first plug-in hybrid to make the list, WardsAuto World Editor-in-Chief Drew Winter praises Hyundai engineers for their "impeccable job blending fuel efficiency with refinement and daily usability." Wards notes the car's smooth transitions between electric and hybrid modes, and a well-connected six-speed automatic transmission. Other electrified vehicles to make the list are the 2016 Chevrolet Volt and 2016 Toyota Prius. Read more from Hyundai, at Green Car Reports. FEV's plug-in hybrid battery pack has gone into vehicle series production. The 10-kWh battery pack, developed by the German development services provider, offers an all-electric range of about 30 miles. FEV says its battery management algorithms are just as important as choosing the right battery hardware. "The core system for the battery development is our own mature battery management system (BMS), now in its third generation, that together with optimized algorithms allows a very reliable and stable control of the battery," says FEV's Dr. Michael Stapelbroek. Read more at Green Car Congress, or in the press release from FEV below. Hybrid Vehicle Goes Into Series Production FEV development competence consists of batteries, controls, as well as complete drive systems FEV has demonstrated competence in the development of alternative drive concepts for almost twenty years. Most recently, yet another plug-in hybrid vehicle has gone into series production with technology provided by the Aachen-based developer. In addition to using an innovative transmission concept which is based on a FEV patent, FEV also developed the battery technology of the plug-in hybrid vehicle to series production readiness.

Tesla says Chris Christie's move is 'affront to the very concept of a free market'

Tesla has a special history with the state of New Jersey, having delivered the 500th Roadster there in 2009. Fast forward to 2014, though, and the electric vehicle company is having a decidedly less-positive experience in the Garden State. In short, Tesla's ongoing dealer fight has turned sour, and thing are potentially going from bad to worse today. Tesla says it has been working "constructively" with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJMVC) and Governor Chris Christie's administration "to defend against the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers' (NJ CAR) attacks on Tesla's business model and the rights of New Jersey consumers." In other words, the right for Tesla to open its own stores and not use the traditional dealer model. The legislative process on the fate of Proposal PRN 2013-138 (PDF) has been continuing and Tesla says it thought everyone was acting in good faith, but now it's not so sure. In a new official blog post, Tesla says: Unfortunately, Monday we received news that Governor Christie's administration has gone back on its word to delay a proposed anti-Tesla regulation so that the matter could be handled through a fair process in the Legislature. The Administration has decided to go outside the legislative process by expediting a rule proposal that would completely change the law in New Jersey. This new rule, if adopted, would curtail Tesla's sales operations and jeopardize our existing retail licenses in the state. ... This is an affront to the very concept of a free market. A meeting on the proposal is scheduled to take place this afternoon, and Tesla is not happy about it. In Ohio last year, Tesla asked for immediate help to stop a similar bill, which ended up working. For a while. Last year, New Jersey started considering an EV-only tax that would cost EV drivers about $100 a year, but that appears to have been scrapped.

Tesla Wins Technology Of The Year Award

The winner of AOL Auto's second annual Technology Of The Year award ran away with the votes for the award, clearly surpassing all of the other contenders. We're giving it to Tesla's Supercharger Network, which today is made up of 54 charging stations in the U.S. that can provide about half an electric car's full charge in just 20 minutes, compared with the 8-hour charges from conventional outlets. The editorial staff agreed that the Tesla Supercharger is a game changer, and easily deserves to be called the Technology Of The Year. "Tesla is showing, again, that there are amazing technological breakthroughs to be made in the EV game, and are kind of making the rest of the industry look bad," said Sebastian Blanco, editor of Autoblog Green. AOL Autos' Multimedia Director Adam Morath agreed that the Supercharger is a game changer. "With the Supercharger, Tesla is tackling the tired arguments against the electrification of the automobile head on by addressing range, charge times, charger accessibility and clean energy production (the Supercharger is powered by solar energy, not coal) all in one stroke," he said. The panel reviewed more than 40 qualified submissions from readers, editorial staff and industry, the panel of judges named the following as finalists: Chevrolet MyLink Valet Mode; Infiniti Backup Collision Intervention; Tesla Supercharger Network; Volvo Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection with Full Auto Brake; Mopar In-Vehicle Wireless Charging for Portable Devices; and Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive. Superchargers are located across the U.S., making it possible for an electric car driver to take a coast-to-coast trip. They're strategically placed near amenities like roadside diners, cafes, and shopping centers so drivers can stop, eat, and come back to a charged electric car. Most of the staff did not get to test the Supercharger network firsthand, but have been following it closely. A former TRANSLOGIC reporter tested it, and said it works as promised. And Blanco has been following the Supercharger's development quite closely, and said he hasn't heard a single complaint from users in the U.S. or Europe. Jeremy Korzeniewski, Managing Editor of Autoblog, said the Supercharger levels the playing ground, making electric cars almost as convenient as gas-powered cars. "There's simply no way the average consumer is going to consider putting an electric vehicle in their garage if there's no way to refuel it on the go," he said.