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Recharge Wrap-up: Road-tripping in a Tesla Model S, Big Oil's tax advantage

Zap is poising itself to take advantage of China's extension of its electric vehicle incentive program. The government will be offering rebates on EVs, forgiving sales taxes and licensing fees, installing EV charging infrastructure and other measures to encourage adoption of zero-emission vehicles beyond 2015, through the year 2020. In response, electric vehicle company Zap and its partner Jonway Autos are decreasing production of gasoline-powered vehicles to make more EVs. It plans to increase production of its two EV production lines from 50 to 100 vehicles per day each, as well as positioning certain models for larger-scale production. Zap hopes customers will make use of rebates of up to $20,000 from the central government, plus local EV incentives. In October, Zap and Jonway will unveil new SUV and minivans that they intend to offer as less-than-gasoline- and zero-ownership-cost and vehicles under the umbrella of China's incentives. Read more in the press release below. Tesla Model S owner David Zygmont shares tips for taking cross-country road trips in an electric vehicle in a two-part podcast. David talks about his two-week road trip in his Tesla, and how he managed to make the most of charging his vehicle. One of his tools is the site EV Trip Planner. He also shares advice on overnight charging while staying at hotels. If you're thinking of going on an adventure in your EV, you should check this out to gain some valuable insights into the experience. Listen to part one of the podcast at EV Parade, and part two at Teslarati. Oil companies paid federal income taxes of just 11.7 percent over the last five years, according to a new report from Taxpayers for Common Sense. Oil companies reported a pre-tax income of $133.3 billion, and paid just $15.6 billion in federal income taxes. Some of the smaller oil companies paid much less than average, or about 3.7 percent. Oil companies enjoy many tax provisions that aren't available to other taxpayers, and the companies are able to defer taxes year after year, without paying any interest on it. Read more in the press release from Americans United for Change below.

Tesla in talks with BMW about batteries, charging collaborations

With Toyota and Daimler no longer holding Tesla shares, the electric vehicle company might be looking for a new partner – possibly a Bavarian one. In a new interview with Germany's Der Spiegel, CEO Elon Musk confirmed that he has had talks with BMW execs about future collaboration. "We are talking about whether we can collaborate in battery technology or charging stations," Musk said in the interview, according to Reuters. However, a Tesla spokesperson has tempered things by saying no formal agreements are in place at the moment. In the same interview, Musk reportedly praised BMW's use of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic in its i sub-brand offerings, and said he would like to have a battery factory in Germany in the next five or six years. The possibility of technological cooperation between Tesla and BMW has been a hot topic this year. In June, Musk reportedly met with BMW execs, and the two companies were also rumored to have met with Nissan to discuss charging technology. When Daimler sold off its shares, there was talk of it opening the way for possible collaboration between the two automakers, as well.

Elon Musk promises $1 million, Supercharger for New York's Nikola Tesla Museum

Earlier this year, Matthew Inman, the creator of The Oatmeal, penned a gushing review of his Tesla Model S, and followed it up with a request to Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk for $8 million to help build a museum dedicated to the achievements of the company's namesake because "any less than $8M would pretty much leave us in the same boat we're in now." Musk Tweeted a response that said, "I would be happy to help." So, the news that Musk will donate $1 million to the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe towards the construction of the museum, which will be built on a 16-acre site in honor of scientist Nikola Tesla, is a mixed blessing. A million bucks is a million bucks, but it's not the amount Inman was hoping for. The museum says, "[Musk] has challenged us at the Center to use our resources wisely, find additional resources, and reach our goal of creating this museum." In other words, anyone have $7 million? The plan is to locate the museum in Shoreham, New York, on Long Island's north shore, about 65 miles northeast of New York City. It's also the site of Nikola Tesla's last laboratory. He started working there in 1901 on an unfinished project that would have essentially been a precursor to e-mail. Thursday marked the 158th anniversary of Nikola Tesla's birth. The scientist died in 1943. On top of the cool million, Musk says he will also build a Supercharger fast-charging station on site for those making the trip out to the museum in a Model S. So the Science Center will be just like Lusk, WY. You can check out the Tesla Science Center's press release below. Musk Funds Tesla Science Center in Shoreham Shoreham, New York – July 10, 2014 A birthday party was held for famous inventor Nikola Tesla at the site of his last laboratory, in Shoreham, NY, where Jane Alcorn, president of the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe announced that Elon Musk, owner of Tesla Motors, had pledged $1 million to the Tesla Science Center, plus a Tesla supercharging station to the Tesla Science Center saying, "He has challenged us at the Center to use our resources wisely, find additional resources, and reach our goal of creating this museum." A donation had been suggested by Matthew Inman of theOatmeal.com, who will comment via his website. "We are excited and extremely grateful for Mr. Musk's generous gift to Tesla Science Center, and also to Matthew Inman for arranging the opportunity," she said.