Archive for the ‘Technology’ Category

Why I Desperately Want a Tesla Model S and Why You Should Too

Posted: June 4, 2013 in Environment, Fuel Economy, Hybrids, Electrics and other "Green" Technology, Technology, Tesla Motors
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If you’re like me, you’ve been following the rapid ascent of the Tesla Model S in the Los Angeles market.  On my daily commutes and errands, I’m sure to see at least one, and sometimes several Teslas slinking through traffic with those sexy reverse-angled signature LED daytime running lights.

The 2013 Tesla Model S in Blue. Tesla likes to keep the color names simple: Black, White, Silver, Green, Blue, Grey and Brown.

The 2013 Tesla Model S in Blue. Tesla likes to keep the color names simple: Black, White, Silver, Green, Blue, Grey and Brown.

More than any other alternative fuel vehicle, the Tesla is the first all-electric car that has real-world appeal to me. I drive to Palm Springs most weekends and I need cargo space for our family which includes two demanding dachshunds who travel in luxury crates.

The rear of the Model S is beautifully-balanced, understated and elegant.

The rear of the Model S is beautifully-balanced, understated and elegant.

The Tesla Model S, with its large battery pack sandwiched under the floor of the car, achieves a real-world 200+ mile driving range. The base 60 kWh battery pack carries a 208 mile EPA Certified Driving Range while the more popular 85 kWh pack option has a Certified Range of 265 miles.

The 4-door coupe styling is familiar from rivals like the Mercedes CLS and Audi A7. I like the frameless windows.

The 4-door coupe styling is familiar from rivals like the Mercedes CLS and Audi A7. I like the frameless windows.

With electrons to burn, you can zip to San Diego, Santa Barbara, Lake Arrowhead, Big Bear or Palm Springs without any range anxiety. Sure, go ahead, burn extra electrons with the AC blasting, Google Maps navigating and wireless devices charging.  As long as you can plug the Model S in somewhere at your destination, you should have no trouble driving around for the weekend and returning home in complete zero-emission bliss.

Here’s a rundown of the other pure electric vehicles on the market and their EPA certified driving range.

  • Chevrolet Spark EV – 82 miles
  • Honda Fit EV – 82 miles
  • Fiat 500e  – 87 miles
  • Ford Focus Electric – 76 miles
  • Nissan Leaf – 75 miles
  • Mitsubishi i-MiEV – 62 miles
  • Toyota RAV4 EV – 103 miles

None of them could make a 120 mile trip to Palm Springs (or any other So Cal destination city) and, with the exception of the $50,000 Toyota RAV4, they are all too small for my needs.

Charging a Tesla is much faster than you’d think. Using a 240 volt charger, the battery replenishes at the rate of 31 miles per hour. Opt for the Tesla Twin Charger (installed in the car itself) and using the same 240 volt hookup, the battery absorbs enough electrons for 62 mile in one hour. Essentially, a nearly depleted 85 kWh battery can be fully charged in only 4 hours. That’s damn fast for such a large, powerful battery.

The rear doors are slim and attractive. The windows are frameless. Although it was a bit of a squeeze to get in due to the heavily-raked roof line, there was plenty of room due to the flat floors and lack of a transmission tunnel.

The rear doors are slim and attractive. The windows are frameless. Although it was a bit of a squeeze to get in due to the heavily-raked roof line, there was plenty of room due to the flat floors and lack of a transmission tunnel.

Around town, there are very few people who drive more than 200 miles a day. For most people, a 200+ mile range on one charge would be sufficient for 3-5 days of ordinary commuting. And if you can afford a Model S, it’s highly likely that you have a home and/or parking accommodations convenient enough for your own home charging station.

What cars compete with the Tesla Model S? It’s a stylish, luxury, 4-door sports “coupe” design, similar in size to and highly competitive with the Audi A7/S7, the BMW 6-series Gran Coupé, Mercedes-Benz CLS and the Porsche Panamera.

Tesla Model S $69,900 -$94,900 (before federal tax credit of $7,500 and any state credits)
Audi A7/S7 $60,100 – $78,800
BMW 6-series Gran Coupé $77,600 – $91,400
Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class $72,100 – $107,425
Porsche Panamera $78,600 – $161,100

Why would I want to be a pioneer, an early adopter of this new breed of electric vehicle? Why would I give up on my life-long love affair with the internal combustion engine (ICE)?

The Model S in Red. The daytime running lights are very distinctive. Of course, LED DRLs are nearly mandatory on any new luxury vehicle, thanks to manufacturers like Audi and Mercedes-Benz.

The Model S in Red. The daytime running lights are very distinctive. Of course, LED DRLs are nearly mandatory on any new luxury vehicle, thanks to manufacturers like Audi and Mercedes-Benz.

I’ll try to answer the question with another one. I used to own a BlackBerry “smartphone” with a physical keyboard. When Apple introduced the first generation iPhone, I said that “no one would choose that horrible touchscreen over this great physical keyboard,” despite the BlackBerry being such a comparably clunky design.

The instrument panel is a large, horizontal thin film transistor (TFT) full-color display. Lovely stuff.

The instrument panel is a large, horizontal thin film transistor (TFT) full-color display. Lovely stuff. The gear shift and steering wheel control stalks, as well as the switchgear come from Tesla investor Mercedes-Benz. One thing you won’t find in the Model S is a “start” button. The car knows the key is present and it’s ready to go as soon as you sit down in the driver’s seat.

Today, the answer to that question is self-evident. Touchscreens are far and above the preferred keyboard.  But at the time of the iPhone’s introduction, touchscreens were small and not responsive and people weren’t used to them. That is why a hybrid phone made sense until touchscreen technology became so good that a physical keyboard was useless dead weight.  The exception at the time, of course, was the iPhone, which worked well as a pure touchscreen.

The interior of the Model S is a study in simplicity. The instrument panel is a large TFT video display and the gargantuan 17 inch center console tablet controls almost all the functions without physical knobs. Usually I like physical knobs, but in the Tesla, it's iPad-like touchscreen interface proves it can be done and done well.

The interior of the Model S is a study in simplicity. The instrument panel is a large TFT video display and the gargantuan 17 inch center console tablet controls almost all the functions without physical knobs. Usually I like physical knobs, but in the Tesla, it’s iPad-like touchscreen interface proves it can be done and done well.

The Tesla Model S is like the iPhone of the car world.  While it’s not perfect in its initial offering — the original iPhone had trouble with email and was too slow to be a useful computing device; likewise, the Model S is inferior to ICE cars for long trips.

Nice details: The door handles are nestle flush into the body for better aerodynamics. When the driver approaches the door, the car senses the key and the handles extend automatically. Slick touch and it worked perfectly for me.

Nice details: The door handles are nestle flush into the body for better aerodynamics. When the driver approaches the door, the car senses the key and the handles extend automatically. Slick touch and it worked perfectly for me.

The iPhone committed so completely to touchscreen tech that it was able to make something functionally superior to old phone designs, thus proving the future of phone design has arrived. Similarly, the Model S committed so completely to EV tech that it was able to make what Motor Trend, Automobile Magazine, Consumer Reports, and many others have declared is the best car ever made — despite its current limitations on long road trips.

Here are some concrete examples of how Tesla’s commitment to a pure EV allows it to make a car better than anything else on the road:

Design

A lack of ICE components allows a clean slate and every opportunity to take advantage of a singularly electric car. Many find the Model S to be beautiful; the designers were freed from the constraints of the need for air intakes, radiator, exhaust and other “complications” associated with ICE and/or hybrid technology.

Safety

Not having an engine, transmission, gas tank, exhaust system, and countless other drivetrain components allowed Tesla to put crumple zones and reinforcement bars in ideal places, often where an engine component would have been. The result is that the Tesla is one of the safest car on the road, at one point a testing machine was broken by the car!

Interior

Lack of an ICE drivetrain allows the Model S to fit up to 7 people and have more cargo space (58.1 cubic feet, with the rear seats folded) than many SUVs. No plug-in hybrid comes close to that.

Lift the "hood" of the Model S and you will find a large cargo space, like a much larger version of what you'd find on a mid-engine Porsche Boxster.

Lift the “hood” of the Model S and you will find a large cargo space, like a much larger version of what you’d find on a mid-engine Porsche Boxster.

Like the Porsche Panamera and Audi A7, the Model S is a 4-door hatchback design. However, unlike its competitors, the lack of mechanical and exhaust systems permit a cavernous space. Optional rear-facing seating for two small people increases the Model S's passenger capacity from 5 to 7.

Like the Porsche Panamera and Audi A7, the Model S is a 4-door hatchback design. However, unlike its competitors, the lack of mechanical and exhaust systems permit a cavernous space. Optional rear-facing seating for two small people increases the Model S’s passenger capacity from 5 to 7.


Reliability

Lack of moving components allows unprecedented reliability. Several Model S vehicles have gone over 500,000 miles and counting on the original batteries with no issues and less than 20% battery degradation. I’m not aware of a single drivetrain (battery or motor) breakdown in any of the 10,000 plus Model S vehicles on the road.

Service

Much of the Model S is controlled by software. Having a problem with the HD radio? Tesla can fix it through the car’s standard wireless internet connection. The car’s giant center console 17 inch touchscreen is essentially a sophisticated tablet computer. Like your smartphone, it can be updated by remote technicians using on-board diagnostics and downloading software updates and fixes. The Tesla Model S is essentially the first car that can be serviced online.

The brilliant, high-definition Tesla 17 inch touch screen is just amazing in person. Like a tablet computer, it's internet-connected and technical service can be rendered online. Updates are downloaded and installed overnight while you sleep!

The brilliant, high-definition Tesla 17 inch touch screen is just amazing in person. Like a tablet computer, it’s internet-connected and technical service can be rendered online. Updates are downloaded and installed overnight while you sleep!

Cost

Although the Tesla is expensive, it is very comparably priced with other ICE cars in its class (see chart above). Meanwhile every plug-in hybrid is at least $8,000 more than comparable cars in their class. Instead of making two compromised drivetrains, like with hybrid plug-ins, the Tesla just has a single, uncompromised one.

Performance

The lack of ICE components allows for a clean undercarriage and minimal air induction. This translates into a drag coefficient of .24 — currently the lowest on the road! Incredible for a car this size. A MINI Cooper, by comparison, is .35 despite being less than half the size! A Ferrari 458 Italia has a drag coefficient of .33. The fastest production car in the world, a Bugatti Veyron Supersport, has a drag coefficient of .41.

The Model S, like any proper sports sedan, is rear wheel drive. It’s three-phase, four pole AC induction motor is mounted directly between the rear wheels. It uses a single-speed fixed gear transmission.

EV components can be mounted much lower to the ground than ICE components, allowing a sports car like low center of gravity, and therefore sports car like handling, despite being a big, heavy (4,647 lb), full-sized sedan.  Motor Trend clocked the Model S 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds. The instant torque of a pure EV is compromised by the ICE engine weight and integration of a plug-in hybrid

Tesla Supercharger Stations

Tesla isn’t waiting for governments or third-parties to build a nationwide EV charging network. It has begun building its own Tesla Superchargers to allow Model S (and future Teslas) to drive all over California and even coast-to-coast. It’s even more exciting because use of the Superchargers is free forever to every Tesla Models S owner.  Non-Tesla owners can use the stations, but they must pay.

A rendering of a Tesla Supercharger station.

A rendering of a Tesla Supercharger station.

The 120 kw Supercharger can charge a Model S equipped with the on-board supercharger by 50% in 20 minutes.  According to Tesla, it’s 20x faster and delivers 16x more electricity than other public charging stations.

The Supercharge module is standard on both Model Ses with the 85 kWh battery pack and it’s a $2,000 option on the 60 kWh base models.

According to Tesla’s website, here is the current information on the status of its Supercharger network:

  • Today – 8 stations
  • Summer 2013 – 27 stations
  • Winter 2013 – Coast-to-coast travel
  • 2014 – 80% of the US and Canada
  • 2015 – 98% of the US and Canada

Many owners may still prefer the Tesla on long trips because the fuel is free, the ride is fun, and taking a 45 minute break every 200 hundred miles or so is something they would do anyway.

The Best Car in the World

It may sound like hyperbole, but the Models S has been met with near universal acclaim from the men and women who live and breathe ICE for a living.  It’s a stunning accomplishment given Tesla’s status as a startup company and that the Model S is its freshman entry into a very cutthroat worldwide automotive marketplace.  And as a California native, I can’t help but be proud that Tesla is a Silicon Valley-based company and the Model S is made in an old GM-Toyota joint venture factory in Freemont, CA.

Consumer Reports – never the go-to source for automotive enthusiasts – proclaimed the Model S to be the best car they have EVER tested. It scored an eye-popping rating of 99 out of 100.

If enthusiasts can agree with Consumer Reports about the Tesla Model S, it really must be the Best Car in the World and I want to drive the Best Car in the World. Who wouldn’t?

The 2013 Dodge Dart is, Uh, Right On Target (I had to say it)

Posted: September 15, 2012 in Dodge, Fiat, Technology
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I’m old enough to remember the original Dodge Dart that “graced” the American roads from 1960 to 1976. Aside from the first generation 1960 – 1961 model years, the Dodge Dart was a platform twin with the decidedly un-sexy Plymouth Valiant.

The original Dart sold well, but the vast majority were soporific, entry-level “compact” (by contemporary standards) family cars. Some performance variants came and went. Remember the Swinger or the Demon? And after some Christian groups complained about the name “Demon” and the use of a devil with a pitchfork in ads, it was renamed the Sport. Gosh, that was original.

The Dart soldiered on until is was quietly laid to rest at the end of the 1976 model year. Of course, there was the obligatory “Spirit of ’76” edition — I think all the Detroit automakers introduced some tedious bicentennial models, some complete with red, white and blue theme, stickers and badges.

After decades in the dustbin of history, the rejuvenated Chrysler Group, now controlled by Italy’s Fiat (Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino) Automobiles S.p.A., dusted off the venerable nameplate for what is arguably its most important post-bankruptcy product.

The 2013 Dodge Dart

Based on the well-received European market Alfa Romeo (also a Fiat company) Giulietta, the 2013 Dodge Dart put on some weight and size for the bigger North American market. In fact, Dodge boasts that the Dart has interior capacities more in line with mid-size sedans than its compact class.

Styling is a mostly successful pinched version of the much bigger Dodge Charger. It’s a fresh design, replete with Dodge styling cues, that once and for all drives the final nails in the coffins of past Dodge compact disappointments; namely the Neon and the Caliber.

The rear of the 2013 Dodge Dart. In this case, it’s the Limited model with the 1.4L turbo engine with Fiat’s MultiAir technology.

I had the opportunity to briefly test the base Dart SE with the 2.0L 160 hp 148 lb-ft of torque “Tigershark” 4-cylinder engine mated to a new 6-speed automatic. In addition, I drove the 6-speed manual Dart SXT fitted with Fiat’s 1.4L turbo 4-cylinder engine making 160 hp 184 lb-ft of torque with valve induction and timing managed by the company’s MultiAir ™ technology This is the same engine and transmission combo found in the Fiat 500 Abarth.

The base Dart SE starts at $16,790 including destination; but needs at least $2,390 of options to give it a minimum level of kit, some of which should be standard, like Bluetooth and air conditioning. The 6-speed automatic is a $1,100 option that will be fitted to the vast majority of Darts sold in the U.S. I can’t imagine a Dart SE sold in California without the $995 “Value Group” which includes air conditioning, keyless entry and speed-sensitive power locking doors.

A nice vanity shot of the new 2013 Dodge Dart, courtesy of Dodge.

The Dart’s class-leading 106.4 inch wheelbase and front struts combined with an independent rear multi-link suspension did an admirable job of soaking up bumps and rough roads. The electric power steering was light and precise, although I think the Focus has a more driver-focused feeling.

The 2.0 L Tigershark (stupid name for a new family of engines, considering this one doesn’t have much of a bite) engine with variable valve timing bolted to the 6-speed automatic will be the volume drivetrain. People like me would like some more bite to our Tigershark and that will be available later this year in the R/T model with a 2.4L Tigershark 4-cylinder engine sporting “enhanced” MultiAir II ™ technology making 184 hp and 171 lb-ft of torque. The R/T will be available with either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic.

There are lots of transmission choices for the Dart. All models have a close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission as standard. A 6-speed automatic is also available on all models and a 6-speed dual dry clutch transmission is available on the 1.4L MultiAir turbo engine that won the Best New Engine of 2010 award.

Dodge is certainly not willing to admit it, but it blew the introduction of the Dart in July because it didn’t have the 6-speed automatic transmission available. Since 90+ percent of the Darts sold will be equipped with the automatic, dealers couldn’t convince many customers to buy the manual version. That’s bad planning.

Since I keep throwing around the term MultiAir, it might be a good idea to define it. It’s an electro-hydraulic variable valve actuation system that delivers “optimum combustion at any speed under all driving conditions by allowing direct and dynamic control of air intake and combustion.” Basically, it helps the the engine breathe better resulting in increased fuel economy.

My Dart SE was the basic model that you’ll find in the rental fleets. The cabin was sort of a dreary cave, all covered in black plastic and cloth; however, the plastics were as good or better than the competition (Chevy Cruze, Ford Focus, VW Jetta, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, etc.). Hard plastics were reserved for lower panels, not the ones in your direct line of site or touch.

This is the interior of the basic Dart SE. If you do opt for an SE, get a lighter interior as the all black looks a bit somber. The two-tone tan interior looks much richer, even if it isn’t.

I think most Dart retail buyers will step up to the better-equipped and competitively-priced SXT models with more standard kit and a slew of high-tech optional equipment found in more costly Chrysler Group products. In fact, the Dart is another prime example of the democratization of technology.

The basic radio unit in the Dodge Dart.

How did it drive?

Well, it was definitely solid and fuss-free. It won’t win any speed contests, but the 6-speed automatic did a great job of downshifting when needed and kept the engine in the sweet spot to optimize fuel economy. The brakes felt capable and linear, not spongy. All four wheels get disc brakes as standard equipment. I was also impressed that I didn’t detect any torque steer in normal city driving.

The radio and climate controls were simple and well-placed. The AC strained to overcome the extreme triple-digit desert heat, but managed to cool the cabin by the end of the drive. The manual tilt-telescope steering wheel helped me find a good seating position so that my 6 foot 1 inch frame didn’t feel cramped at all.

The passenger in-seat storage system in the 2013 Dart.

The front passenger seat has a clever in-seat storage system. The cushion pulls forward to reveal a hidden compartment for small items like a wallet or digital camera. I’m not sure how comfortable it would be for the passenger as the seat cushion is thinner. The extra-large glove box can fit a laptop computer or tablet.

The SXT with the 1.4L turbo MultiAir engine had a completely different character. I loved the exhaust note when it was started and revved. I didn’t love the way it drove in traffic. It’s like the engine is dead between 2nd and 3rd gear. What happened to the turbo?

The only way to have fun with the turbo was to get it on open stretches with your right foot mashing the happy pedal. The 6-speed manual was good, but not compared to the amazingly silky unit in the Honda Civic Si. I can’t imagine driving this thing on a daily basis in LA — it would make me scream like a maniac in traffic. If you want the turbo, opt for the 6-speed automatic or the dual clutch unit.

The 6-speed manual transmission available on the 2013 Dodge Dart

Fuel economy is an important selling point for the new Dart. One of the benchmarks set by the U.S. Government was for Chrysler to make a high-volume, 40 mpg car at a factory in the U.S. The Dart, built in Toledo, Ohio at Chrysler’s Belvidere Assembly Plant, fulfills that metric and Fiat’s bonus was an additional 5% ownership stake in Chrysler.

The base Dart SE I drove was rated at 24/27/34 mpg. The Dart SXT, with the 1.4L MultiAir turbo and 6-speed stick was rated at 27/32/39. The base SE is slightly behind its class, but the little turbo equals or slightly beats its competitors.

Wait, wait – there’s more!

In a couple months, you will be able to buy the Dart Aero, a more aerodynamic variant of the 1.4L MultiAir turbo Dart that will get up to 41 mpg with the stick or 40 mpg with automatic. For no real reason, 40 mpg is the new “magic” number in the compact segment and now Dodge has similar bragging rights.

But that’s not all…!

This upgraded interior of the Dart Limited sports red accents, Nappa Leather seats and contrasting red French stitching.

For the enthusiast, you will have to wait a little bit longer to get your hands on the sporty R/T model with the new 16-valve 2.4L Tigershark MultiAir II 4-cylinder engine. It promises to be the really fun Dart. Yeah, it’s right on target (no review is complete without this cliché).

I love all the grown up features that Dodge is offering on the new Dart. In addition to the over 100,000 ways to color customize the Dart, Dodge offers features including automatic headlights, rain-sensing wipers, Xenon lamps with Smartbeam ™ headlamp control, heated seats and even a heated steering wheel. You can opt for high quality Nappa leather seats with contrasting French stitching.

The reconfigurable TFT instrument display is unique to the Dart in the compact class.

A class-exclusive feature is the optional, full-color TFT (thin film transistor) cluster display replacing the analog dash gauges. It’s totally customizable with countless variations as to how and what is displayed for the individual driver. The optional U-Connect navigation system has Dodge’s intuitive, dazzling 8.4 inch touch screen, nearly identical to the one in the top shelf Chrysler 300. The system incorporates Bluetooth, Satellite Radio, SiriusXM TravelLink, real-time traffic, climate control, and digital media functions.

Other democratized options include dual-zone automatic climate control, rear parking sensors, a rear-view back-up camera, blind spot monitors, keyless entry and start, remote start, HomeLink and voice command.

The optional 8.4 inch full-color touch screen controls many infotainment functions and navigation.

In short, the Dodge Dart may be the new kid on the block, but it’s ready for prime time and ready to grab its share of the multimillion unit, highly-competitive compact car segment.

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