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Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla details factory expansion; Ford and SunPower raise money for Sierra Club

Tesla has revealed the details of the upgrade of its Fremont, CA factory. One major change is the addition of a dedicated production space for the dual-motor P85D version of the Model S. Robots will be doing the battery installation on the Model S to save some time, and new export docks allow Tesla to get the cars out the door and on the way to their new owners more quickly. The new robots that move the cars around the factory have been named after X-Men characters, which makes our inner geeks smile. Check out the factory upgrade in the time-lapse video below and read more at Teslarati or at the Tesla Motors Blog. A program in Beijing for privileged registrations for EVs hasn't had much success. Of the 1,424 lottery winners, only about 30 percent went on to register an electric car despite a two-month extension of the deadline to do so. Buyers are likely discouraged by the lack of charging infrastructure, which the city hopes to ameliorate with the addition of 1,000 new charging stations by the end of the year, and by requiring new and renovated developments to set aside parking specifically for EV charging. Read more at Green Car Reports. The UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies suggests that laws designed to protect dealers and consumers are stymieing the adoption of EVs. Laws like the ones certain states have in place that block or otherwise restrict Tesla's direct-to-consumer business model are not helpful for companies that want to introduce new products to the market. They prevent companies from passing on savings to customers for whom they would likely make the difference in a purchasing decision. One possible solution would be to allow exemptions to certain selling restrictions for a certain number of vehicles sold. "This could give automakers the degree of control needed to work out kinks with early customers, develop scalable processes for supporting PEVs, and ensure that effective dealer performance standards are in place before handing the reins over to wholly independent retailers," according to UC Davis ITS. Read more at the UC Davis website. Volkswagen says its environmental program, called "Think Blue. Factory," is meeting the automaker's own sustainability targets. The main purpose of the program is to move toward eco-friendlier carmaking at each of its plants worldwide.

Ford Claims Focus As World's Best-Selling Car For Second Year In A Row

Ford Motor Co. has claimed its Focus sedan beat out the Toyota Corolla for the title of 'best-selling car in the world' for the second year in a row. The declaration was based on independent sales figures from January to September of 2013, according to USA Today. Last year, Ford used data from the analysis firm Polk to support its claim of having the best-selling car of 2012. Toyota objected, stating the Corolla sold more units. The numbers eventually showed that the Ford Focus was the best selling nameplate of the year, but may have been second to the Toyota sedan overall since multiple variations of the Corolla are sold under different nameplates around the world. Data from the analysis firm R.L. Polk found Focus registrations from January through September 2013 reached 856,587. Ford can thank booming car sales in China, where the automaker sold 303,481 units, for a sizable chunk of that number, which was a 16 percent increase over 2012. "Our success with Focus is the result of Ford's connection to our customers all over the world," said Jim Farley, an executive vice president at Ford. The Focus and Corolla both compete in the popular small sedan segment, along with other hot-selling cars like the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra and Chevrolet Cruze. These vehicles make a up a large portion of sales for their respective automakers, as they tend to hit a sweet spot for many consumers, coming with a starting sticker price under $20,000, solid fuel economy, plenty of cargo and passenger room and, lately, sharp exterior design and sportier driving dynamics. Related Gallery 2013 Ford Focus ST Test Drive Ford focus

Ford could use Raptor name on Ranger in Australia

Ford might be flying the Raptor name into the market Down Under, but rather than on a high-performance F-150, the aggressive moniker could be used for a mean Ranger. The Australia-based site Car Advice recently spotted the Blue Oval testing a modified Ranger over some off-road terrain. The pickup was equipped with a snorkel over the roof for wading into deep water, a brush bar to protect the front, a higher ride height, and fender flares. The regular version of the truck launches Down Under later this year, including the somewhat rugged Wildtrak trim level (pictured above). So where does the Raptor name fit into this? Ford filed a trademark in Australia on June 5 for the Ranger Raptor. There's no guarantee for that as the truck's moniker, though. As of May 28, the Blue Oval also owns the right to the Ranger FX4 title. Although, don't start saving yet. With the Ranger remaining unavailable outside of the US for the latest generation, there's no chance of a Ranger Raptor coming here. Hopefully, Aussie off-roaders get plenty of enjoyment out of the truck, if it sees production. Related Video: