2021 Tesla Model Y on 2040-cars

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First Tesla Model S P85D owner says it's 'night and day' improvement

The first public owner of a Tesla Model S P85D says the model's autonomous-driving feature that more-or-less allows for the all-electric sedan drive itself hasn't been activated yet. We should all have such troubles. Southern California resident Kevin Babineau was indeed the first customer to take delivery of a Tesla Model S P85D, which features a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup. Babineau is a longtime car collector, with Humvees and a '69 Chevy Impala in his garage. He previously owned a Tesla Roadster, as well, according to an account he gives to Business Insider. Compared to a standard Tesla Model S and its already-impressive performance standards, the P85D is "night and day" different, Babineau said. The souped-up version is said to go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in a tidy 3.2 seconds. Babineau paid about $130,000 for the quickness privilege, but as you can read in the article, it sounds like it was money well spent. "The emotions that come out of that kind of speed, in that short a distance, your body's not used to it," he said. Tesla unveiled the P85D in October. As you can see in the video below, it can be fun. A P85D driver (no, it doesn't look like Babineau) goes up against Ferraris and Lamborghinis in drag races, and takes them all down. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Recharge Wrap-up: liquid-cooled Tesla Supercharger, Acenta+ Leaf

A new video offers a close look at Tesla's updated Supercharger. Recently, Elon Musk spoke about the new charging station with a thinner, suppler liquid-cooled cable that is not only easier to manage, but has the potential to handle larger loads and offer quicker recharging. The first examples have been installed in Mountain View, CA, which we can see in this video. Besides the new cable, the new Supercharger also features a solid "button" on the charging handle as well as vents around the bottom of the unit. The video even shows thermal imaging of the new Supercharger, which shows the cable to be cooler than the cameraman usually records. See for yourself in the video above, and read more at Treehugger. Nissan has added a new trim level to the Leaf in the UK. The Acenta+ slots above the Acenta and just below the range-topping Tekna. It comes standard with the 6.6-kW onboard charger and Mode-3 32-amp (EVSE) cable. Using a fast charger, the Acenta+ Leaf can charge to 100 percent in just four hours. "We're delighted to add a new member to the Leaf family in the UK," says Nissan Motor GB Managing Director James Wright. "More than 9,500 Leafs have already been sold here and Nissan is the undisputed leader in the EV market. This new model delivers exceptional value and showcases the Leaf's incredible technology and engineering." Read more at Next Green Car. Mercedes-Benz Malaysia says its vehicles are compatible with B10 biodiesel blend. Malaysia recently announced a mandate for diesel to be sold blended with 10 percent palm-oil based biodiesel, after which, carmakers like BMW and Mercedes-Benz came forward with concerns over compatibility with their vehicles. "We have evaluated carefully the influence of B10 Biodiesel blends on our current diesel vehicles for the Malaysian market and we are now able to confirm its compatibility," says Mercedes-Benz Malaysia President and CEO Roland Folger. "We have service intervals of 12,000 km to ensure that our customers are not affected by the diesel quality. Our diesel-powered vehicles currently sold in Malaysia were seen to have run both smoothly and safely with the use of the B10 biodiesel blend." Read more from Paul Tan's Automotive News. Renault has honored its leading electric vehicle dealers with the 2015 Renault EV Awards.

Recharge Wrap-up: NADA chairman keeps 'Get The Facts,' Teslarati improves at Buttonwillow

Zap and Jonway Autos will sell their electric minivan under the Dongfeng brand. Dongfeng will sell 5,000 units of the EV minivan as a cargo delivery van. Based on the passenger version, the extra seats will be removed to make room for whatever you'd like to carry, as well as a battery large enough to offer over 300 kilometers (184 miles) of driving range per charge. Zap/Jonway expects to have the van ready for delivery by June of this year, with subsequent sales handled by Donfeng's partner, Shi Kong. Dongfeng is one of China's top four government-owned automakers, and is in partnerships with Honda and Nissan, among other automakers. Read more in the press release below. The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) will continue its "Get The Facts" campaign under its new chairman. "Get The Facts" tries to explain to the public the benefits of the dealership franchise system – a campaign that also serves as an anti-Tesla platform. In an interview with Ward's Auto, Nada Chairman William Fox says he'll continue those efforts. Fox says that a direct-to-consumer sales method (like Tesla's) could "entice a niche auto manufacturer with lower volume serving a small market," but that "the dealer franchise model is proven to work best." Green Car Reports points out that Fox provides no real-world studies to support this. Check out the interview at Ward's Auto and read more at Green Car Reports. The Teslarati 48 clocked its best time of 2:12 at Buttonwillow Raceway. The folks at Teslarati have taken the Tesla Model S to various racetracks around California and Nevada to test the sporting chops of their beloved EV. This year's time is an improvement over last year's best lap by the Teslarati 48 of 2:19. They give a nice rundown of the track and their experience driving it, including setup, difficulties, charging and power consumption-great reading material for anybody thinking about taking their Model S out for some hot laps. See the 2:12 run in the video above and read more at Teslarati. ZAP and Jonway Auto's EV Minivan will be OEM by Dong Feng Motor Corporation, one of the four China's Largest Auto Group through Shi Kong, Zhejiang SANTA ROSA, Calif., Feb.