G. David Felt

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G. David Felt Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer www.CheersandGears.com Tesla Model S Has YOU COVERED! REALLY? Tesla sent out the following email this week about how they have you covered with electric charging stations all over North America. Yet while the Email touts their Range assurance and Trip Planner to have a successful pure EV road trip, I was asking myself is this really true? Tesla Email The Tesla has you Covered web page tends to state the following numbers. 90% of owners are within 175 miles of a supercharger station. 96% of owners within 175 miles of a supercharger or destination charger. Tesla states that while most cars do not improve over time, their auto's actually do by getting faster, smarter and better due to Tesla's over the air software updates. While I will take no issue with the updates adding features, improving the over all performance of their electric system, or even their new applications that all Tesla Owners received on the pushed update being Range Assurance which works in the back ground while you drive communicating with the Supercharger and destination chargers and keep you aware of which ones are available as well as which ones are in heavy use or inactive so that you do not drive out of range and have no charge. Tesla says this is how they take care of their customers through innovation and intelligence. Tesla states the following: Over the next 12 months, all of Europe and North America (excluding northern Alaska) will be covered, as well as China (apart from low population areas far inland), the Japan main islands and southern Australia. They believe it is their responsibility to guide you to the closest available charging station relative to your trip route which is where their new Trip Planner comes in telling you the best route to take to make sure you have charging capability even if it is not the most direct or fastest route. Tesla does go onto state that Supercharger stations take 20 to 30 min to full charge which goes well when you have driven 3 to 4 hrs and want to use the restroom, get a bite to eat or take a break and stretch your legs. Destination chargers take 4 to 12 hrs depending on type. Yet I found when reviewing their live map that many of the so called charging stations are either private slow chargers for customers only or expected future chargers by states or fed programs. This brings up how far do we let a company push their marketing agenda to sells auto's over reality of what is really available? Should Tesla also state which ones are a charge for fee versus just stating a charging system is available? Seems some resorts and businesses will let you charge for free while others you have to pay. Another question I have is people willing to go to small places they would usually not stop at only due to not having a charging system in a major city? Example of this is that Spokane Washington and Coeur d'Alene Idaho have charging systems in place at resorts for guests only and yet if you want a charge you have to stop in Ritzville to charge first before you make your Spokane destination if you are not staying at the lone single resort that has a charging system. A stop that is 61 miles before Spokane clearly reducing your EV Range or 93 miles before reaching Coeur d'Alene Idaho giving you about 50% battery left and very much minimizing the ability to sight see. What are your thoughts? Is Tesla right in marketing a charging map with various degrees of accuracy?

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Interesting marketing gimmick. Guess those are rear cables to an overhead safety cable?

I wish this came in AWD!

Heel

MKC? Just saw my first in the wild Ram EcoDiesel. Nice looking truck.

Sounds like every luxury maker is trying to fill in the void between standard and performance with a v-sport.

Lovely looking car. So the dealerships are not open on Sunday? WOW, that is weird as I am used to everything open 7 days a week.

So how much of the CT6 will be electric motor driven inside the auto? Will there be anything that is manually manipulated?

SDC YAWN a tale for the Elite wealthy and not common sense or around for everyone in my life time.

As reliable as any Jeep is. They are not perfect, but my son has been very happy with his patriot. Like the decent gas mileage and the ease of driving it in the city.

Very Cool to hear, glad you love the New Generation of this truck.

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Saw my first MB EV Class B auto brand new still had a paper in the window no plates yet. Did not realize they had actually started to sell them here yet. 85 mile range same as but better looking than the Nissan leaf that was next to it. Starting at $33,950 guess MB is truly no longer a luxury car maker but a competitor to Chevy, Nissan, Ford, etc. While better looking than allot of EV's out there. has a cheap look to the nose and general over all view. My wife was surprised to see it and brought up the I thought they were luxury only maker.

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Stop trying to compare all of the world MB SUV sales to USA sales. My numbers are from each company Only for USA and here Escalade beats them hands down. Escalade BLOWS OUT MB SUV's. I even considered going North America as the Canada market shows that Escalade beats MB SUV's. MB only wins when you compare Global MB SUV sales to US Sales.

Welcome Esh, Glad to have another car nerd in our forum. Look forward to your input and debates on the auto industry.

One I DOUBT V12's will be put into those Auto's. Europe has moved to more stringent emissions just as most of the rest of the world and even these high end luxury makers cannot continue to put out low mileage, heavy polluting v12's. I suspect Twin Turbo V8's or V6 Hybrid systems. As so many have stated, people buying these auto's do not care or really know what is under the hood. They are just going after a badge. You have stated many times MB and others that sold 4000 units to have blown out Cadillac, so why is this not considered a blow out? Now since I felt something weird about your figures I actually spent the time going through each companies records to actually compare. So I added up ALL Mercedes-Benze SUV sales from their over priced G-Wagon on down and the numbers are a true BLOW OUT! These are Escalade Sales only which means standard, ESV and EXT. NO SRX included. But for MB I included all their SUV versions. 2014 Sales Escalade - 30,522 SUV's - 13,325 2013 Sales Escalade - 22,514 SUV's - 9927 2012 Sales Escalade - 22,632 SUV's - 10,524 2011 Sales Escalade - 25,503 SUV's - 25,701 2010 Sales Escalade - 26874 SUV's - 20,946 2009 Sales Escalade - 25,884 SUV's - 21,944 2008 Sales Escalade - 39,710 GL - 58,579 So except for 2008, MB has NOT led sales over Escalade. So this is not a flip flop back and forth of who has the better Luxury SUV. Cadillac has clearly led the way since 2008. Prior to this it was a flip flop since Cadillac started the Luxury SUV market and MB came out, due to the Jurassic park movies and out sold it and then dropped behind and then picked back up but then as we hit our DEPRESSION Peak of 2009 dropped and never recovered.

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Jeep better be ready to truly change the body style as the Fiat Panda is one ugly little subcompact.

I also remember this HOT LITTLE NUMBER. Shelby Rampage 1984 More interesting and also covered in the story above was that 1983 Chrysler released 248 Special Order Rampages for the Canadian Market.

Did not realize that Dodge had a 2015 Rampage Concept that they showed off last year. Did anyone see this truck? I have to say I actually like it. http://suvntrucks.com/2015-dodge-rampage-concept/

You need to go back to your Koolaid drinking MB Forums. You bust Cadillac for not having powerful motors and then when they do build and use them you bust them for not being refined. Your AMG MB crap is just that then, Crap since they have loud unrefined motors that are beat by GM motors. If you cannot compare Apple to Apple and accept that MB is not the best or Hallmark for everyone due to other companies willing to compete, you will never be able to make a fair argument to win people over. Lets look at what you do, Cadillac delivers a competent auto and you move the goal post, Cadillac delivers a winning solution and you change the focus to be Apples to Orange comparison. Cadillac starts to change to beat your beloved MB point for Point and you throw it all out and turn 180 degrees the opposite way. You need to ask yourself, what is it really you HATE SO MUCH about Cadillac that you cannot see that some of their products truly beat MB? Yes Cadillac as well as MB has built garbage auto's through out their history. There are good times and bad times. No one will ever be perfect. If you cannot seem to accept that MB is not the perfect be all for the world and that they will never win over everyone and yes other companies even BMW, Audi and even Cadillac or an Asian brand can build products that can beat MB you will never know peace. It is truly sad that you can never be happy for others cause you are not happy with yourself.

Some of these are just mind boggling.