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Recharge Wrap-up: Fisker EMotion rear end, Faraday Future drag race teaser

Fisker has unveiled the rear end of its EMotion EV. This latest image in a series of slow reveals shows us the strip of lighting across the back, the lines of the trunk opening, and a good look at the rear diffuser. The car appears significantly wider at the fenders than at the roofline, which gives it a planted and muscular look. It's a shape that fits the car's stated performance; Fisker says the EMotion will have a top speed of 161 miles per hour. And, of course, there are no tailpipes. Read more from TechCrunch. Check out the off-road prowess of the Tesla Model X in an icy ditch. Thanks to a sophisticated traction control and torque distribution system, the electric SUV is able to keep its composure even when a wheel leaves the ground over the uneven terrain. Of course, the grippy winter tires help too. The video could also help ease concerns about the vehicles torsional rigidity, though there was a slight creak when opening one of the falcon wing doors while the Model X was suspended over the ditch. See the video and read more at Teslarati. Faraday Future is teasing a video of drag races against the Tesla Model X, Bentley Bentayga, and Ferrari 488 GTB. It shows the camouflaged FF prototype lining up next to the competitors individually, and taking off down the drag strip before cutting the video short. The video then instructs viewers to "stay connected" for the results. Presumably, the prototype will perform impressively. Outrunning a Model X P100D with Ludicrous mode means doing 0-60 in less than 2.9 seconds. Faraday Future is slated to unveil its production electric vehicle at CES 2017 in early January. Check out the video and read more at Teslarati.

Tesla adds free titanium underbody shields to Model S to prevent fires

Following a garage fire incident with a Model S EV last year, Tesla Motors quickly sent out an over-the-air software update to adjust how the car charges. Following two on-road fires caused by road debris that struck the underside of different Model S EVs (one in Washington State and the other in Tennessee), Tesla basically said, that it was a random thing, and the car is perfectly safe. The company later sent out a software update to have the car ride a bit higher at highway speeds. Today, Tesla is offering a more substantial solution. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced that all Model S EVs built since March 6 have a stronger triple underbody shield that should "bring this [fire] risk down to virtually zero." The company conducted 152 tests using, "every worst case debris impact we can think of, including hardened steel structures set in the ideal position for a piking event, essentially equivalent to driving a car at highway speed into a steel spear braced on the tarmac" and is now confident that there's basically nothing that can break through the new barriers. As you can see here, the shields prevent a concrete block, a three ball tow hitch and a steel alternator from puncturing the car's underside. The new shields should "bring this [fire] risk down to virtually zero." Any Model S owner who wants the new triple shield can ask for it, and even if they don't ask, the structure will be installed whenever the car is next in for service. The three layers of the shield include a rounded, hollow aluminum bar, a titanium plate and "a shallow angle, solid aluminum extrusion." The new shields, "only have a 0.1 percent impact on range and don't affect ride or handling," Musk writes, which means there's no reason for Model S owners not to get the upgrade. You can read all of Musk's explanation below. Tesla Adds Titanium Underbody Shield and Aluminum Deflector Plates to Model S By Elon Musk, Chairman, Product Architect & CEO In 2013, two extremely unusual Model S collisions resulted in underbody damage that led to car fires. These incidents, unfortunately, received more national headlines than the other 200,000 gasoline car fires that happened last year in North America alone. In both cases, the occupants walked away unharmed, thanks to the car's safety features. The onboard computer warned the occupants to exit the vehicles, which they did well before any fire was noticeable.

Tesla Model X spotted testing in motion for first time

What we've got here appears to be the first spy video of the Tesla Model X testing in the real world – we think. The vehicle's lines match up with the Model X EV prototypes we've seen before, but the car is wearing camo and the video was shot from a distance on a zoomed-in cell phone. Sadly, no one gets out to show off the falcon-wing doors, but we're 99-percent sure this is the highly-anticipated all-electric crossover that's due later this year (especially since the vehicle can be seen better in this Instagram picture, which also says there was a Model S nearby and that the towing vehicle was marked at belonging to Tesla). So, what do we have in the video? There's (understandably) no engine noise and lots of squealing tires to be heard. The driver seems to be testing acceleration and turning maneuvers on an unoccupied airstrip in Alameda, CA, near some docks, and the CUV appears to handle the tests with aplomb. Granted, that may be wishful thinking and conflated with our experience in the Model S, but watch for yourself and tell us what you think.