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Recharge Wrap-up: Storm Pulse EV touring motorcycle, Elio COO launches YoYo car subscription service

The Eindhoven University of Technology in The Netherlands has created the Storm Pulse electric touring motorcycle. Its 28.5-kWh modular battery pack provides 236 miles of riding on a single charge. The batteries can be charged on a standard household outlet, and can be swapped out in a matter of minutes. The Storm Eindhoven team is raising money to take the prototype bike on a world tour this summer, covering 40,000 kilometers (24,855 miles) in 80 days, not just to show off the Pulse, but also to demonstrate the feasibility of electric mobility. Check it out in the video above, and read more at Technologic Vehicles. Chile is generating so much solar power that it is giving it away for free. Thanks to its well-developed solar infrastructure – which includes 29 solar farms with 15 more in the works – feeding its central grid (as well as problems distributing it to other parts of the country), the surplus means energy prices have dropped to zero in certain locales for well over a hundred days of the year. Chile is now trying to improve its transmission networks, though lack of revenue could slow future investment in solar power. Read more at Green Car Reports. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is reportedly talking to Uber Technologies about a possible partnership regarding driverless cars. Anonymous sources close to the matter have said that a venture could be announced by the end of 2016. Uber is also in talks with other automakers, according to one source. Having access to Uber's massive fleet of vehicles around the world provides large opportunities for gathering data and improving systems. Sources say Fiat has also been in contact with Amazon about autonomous delivery vehicles. Read more at Automotive News Europe. Former Elio Motors COO Hari Iyer is launching the YoYo car subscription service as its CEO. YoYo will offer cars on-demand with a concierge service, using a pay-per-mile model. Iyer will maintain a relationship with Elio as a member of its Board of Directors, and as a strategic advisor to CEO Paul Elio. "I am proud of our team's accomplishments [at Elio] and the progress we've made to date and will look on with pride when I see an Elio on the road," says Iyer. He adds, "My work at YoYo is continuing our shared mission to usher in a new era of affordable access to cars." Read more in the press release below.

Chrysler Recalling Nearly 907,000 Cars, SUVs

Nearly 907,000 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep SUVs and cars are being recalled for alternators that can fail and heated power mirror wiring that can short and cause minor fires. The recalls, posted Thursday by U.S. safety regulators, push the total number of recalls so far this year 544, totaling a record of more than 52 million vehicles. The largest of Thursday's recalls covers nearly 470,000 Jeep Grand Cherokees, Chrysler 300s, and Dodge Chargers, Challengers and Durangos from the 2011 through 2014 model years. The alternators can fail, causing the 3.6-liter V6 engines to stall unexpectedly. The problem also can cause the electrical system to fail, as well as knock out power-assisted steering, antilock brakes and electronic stability control. It can even cause fire or smoke, according to documents Chrysler filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA opened an investigation into the problem in July, and Chrysler began its own probe in August. The company analyzed warranty complaints and alternators that had failed. The alternator generates electricity to recharge the battery and run other devices. Chrysler investigators traced the problem to heat fatigue in an alternator diode. Chrysler said it received 322 complaints about the problem, while 55 people complained to NHTSA. The company said it knows of one crash related to the problem, but no injuries or fires. The company will replace the alternators with upgraded versions for free. Owners will be notified in November. The company says customers who see warning lights or suspect a problem should contact their dealers. The recall affects cars and SUVs sold mainly in the U.S. and Canada, but some were sold in Mexico and overseas markets. The second recall covers almost 437,000 Jeep Wranglers from 2011 through 2013. Water can find its way into the heated power mirror wiring harness and cause corrosion. That can cause a short and could cause a minor fire and smoke, as well as cause loss of function of the mirror. The problem was discovered in February after three Wranglers in Canada were damaged. Chrysler says it has 26 complaints about the problem, but it knows of no fires, crashes or injuries. Dealers will move the wiring and install a protective shield to keep water out at no cost to owners, starting in December. Most of the Wranglers are in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, but more than 78,000 were sold overseas.

Fiat Chrysler Australia executive in trouble over misuse of company funds

While the merger to create FCA was coming together, its managing director for Australia, Clyde Campbell, was allegedly racking up 30 million Australian dollars ($23.1 million) in spending for himself, family, and friends. Now, the former boss is facing a court case from the automaker's legal team for the purported misappropriation. Among the more opulent expenses that Campbell allegedly put on Chrysler's tab included a 40-foot yacht worth the equivalent of $308,000 and lavish Christmas parties for workers, according to The Age. Despite being required to only travel in economy class and get permission for international travel, he also reportedly racked up the equivalent of over $413,000 travel expenses. "The more we dug, the more we found," said an unnamed source to The Age. Campbell came to power in Australia as a general manager for DaimlerChrysler, and became managing director in October 2010. He was reportedly a close friend with former Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Ernst Lieb. After Lieb lost his wrongful dismissal lawsuit, Campbell allegedly helped his friend's partnership in an Aussie auto dealer by using FCA funds for financial support totaling the equivalent of about $3 million. All of this came to light when Pat Dougherty came over from the US to be president and CEO of FCA Australia in December 2014. The staff spilled the full story on Dougherty's first day. "I walked into his office and let it all out. I don't think he knew what hit him," another source said to The Age. A team of forensic accountants was brought in to investigate. The reason that this took so long to discover was that no one was paying attention. First, sales in Australia were growing under Campbell. Also, "in my opinion, back in Michigan, head office didn't have its eyes on the road. They only had eyes on the Fiat deal," an insider said to The Age. That confluence essentially provided the perfect storm for this huge spending. News Source: The AgeImage Credit: Giuseppe Cacace / AFP / Getty Images Government/Legal Chrysler Fiat lawsuit FCA