<![CDATA[Jalopnik: Valleywag]]> http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/jalopnik.com.png <![CDATA[Jalopnik: Valleywag]]> http://jalopnik.com/tag/valleywag http://jalopnik.com/tag/valleywag <![CDATA[Google Self-Driving Car Driver Breaks Law]]> Although California bans hand-held cell phone use by drivers, and testers of Google self-driving vehicles are legally considered to be "drivers," one Google engineer is still illegally and dangerously reaching out to touch somebody. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5702550&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[How GM "Lied" About The Electric Car]]> The Chevy Volt has been hailed as General Motors' electric savior. Now, as GM officially rolls out the Volt this week for public consumption, we're told the much-touted fuel economy was misstated and GM "lied" about the car being all-electric. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5661051&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Ten Ways Tesla Could Lose Its Juice]]> Tesla Motors "founder" Elon Musk has a propensity for boasting about his electric car business, but the company's latest SEC filing shares the risks he doesn't like to talk about, including having the Roadster's advertised range cut 30%. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5613906&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Tesla, Toyota Partner To Build Electric Cars]]> Tesla will announce a deal with Toyota to build electric cars at a press conference later this afternoon. Although it's not yet clear what the specifics of the deal will entail, we can speculate all sorts of fun things. UPDATE More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5543922&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[How A Web Nerd Scammed Twitter With An Imaginary Tesla Sedan]]> On January 1st, Autoblog/Engadget/Mahalo founder Jason Calacanis announced he'd give away one still-imaginary Tesla sedan if his newly-created Twitter account got more followers than Ashton Kutcher. He failed miserably. Also, he probably never planned to give the car away. Update! More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5493817&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Don't Bury Kevin Rose's Custom Moped]]> Digg founder Kevin Rose is so rich he can have any vehicle he wants. He chose this chromed-out 1977 Puch Maxi moped, but he hasn't even seen it yet. So Kevin, here it is, your sweet new ride. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5481416&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Pakistani Taxi Drivers Have Mad Google Skills, All The Good Drugs]]> Go ahead: Search for "Asif Hussain Shah." Can't resist, can you? His plan is working, but that's nothing — wait 'til you see the interior. We're stone sober, and it freaked us the hell out. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5477855&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[3 Tesla Execs Dead In Palo Alto Plane Crash]]> A twin-engine Cessna piloted by a Tesla manager crashed into an East Palo Alto neighborhood today killing the pilot and two other Tesla employees on board. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5473942&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Tesla To Kill Electric Roadster In 2011]]> Who killed the electric car? Well, a closer evaluation of today's Tesla's IPO filing with the SEC reveals Tesla will. They plan to kill the Tesla Roadster after 2011. No, seriously. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5460062&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Tesla Files IPO Paperwork, Plans To Go Public]]> Tesla Motors filed paperwork Friday with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed initial public offering hoping to raise as much as $100 million. Oh, good, because they lost $31.5 million in the first nine months of 2009. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5460033&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[GM Aborts Buick Crossover After Negative Twitter Response]]> News today Buick will kill the planned Saturn Vue-platformed plug-in-hybrid-electric crossover comes as no surprise to the consumers and journalists who saw it in person. The "Vue-ick" was horrifyingly atrocious. Now we've uncovered news GM killed it because of Twitter. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5340996&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[GM Partners With EBay To Auction New Cars]]> We always hear complaints about the new car buying process being antiquated and "old n' busted." GM's apparently seeking to change that as it emerges from bankruptcy by partnering with eBay for new car auctions. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5311738&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Tesla CEO Elon Musk Wants $10 Gas, To Build A Kabillion Cars]]> Tesla CEO Elon Musk is speaking right now at Wired Live. What's he saying? For starters, he wants to buy a car factory from a Detroit automaker so he can produce 100,000 cars per year. More craziness below. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5291277&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Tesla Co-Founder Eberhard Sues Elon Musk, Tesla]]> Tesla Motors co-founder Martin Eberhard, ousted from the company in November 2007 by then-chairman Elon Musk, has now filed suit in Califonria Superior Court against both Musk and Tesla Motors alleging slander, libel and breach of contract. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5286654&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[No Chevys For Old Men: Lutz Vs. Letterman]]> After Tesla fan-boy Dave Letterman brought Tesla's Elon Musk on the Late Show and both of them ripped into GM, CBS called Letterman, saying, "Hey, jackass, don't you know GM advertises with us?" The result: outgoing product czar Bob Lutz brought the Chevy Volt to last night's show. Blow-by-blow below. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5264165&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Tesla Now Worth Less Than Twitter]]> Daimler's 10% stake in Tesla for "double digit millions" pegs Tesla's value at less than a billion dollars and probably closer to $100 million. That means Tesla's likely worth less than Twitter! More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5260866&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Tesla's Elon Musk Continues War Of Aggression Against Volt, REVs]]> We thought Tesla's Elon Musk decided to give up anti-Detroit not-so-Big-Three rhetoric, but he's gone on the attack again against GM's Chevy Volt and Range-Extended Vehicles. Oh, that rapscallion! More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5200209&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Obama Drives Past Tesla Showroom, Doesn't Crack Automaker Special Olympics Joke]]> Yes, that is "Cadillac One" driving past Tesla's West Los Angeles showroom yesterday and no, President Obama did not stop in for a test drive. [Green Car Advisor] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5176685&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Tesla To Supply Battery Packs For The Smart EV]]> We've just learned Tesla will support its troubled business by building 1,000 Smart EV battery packs and chargers for Mercedes. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5130390&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[ForbesAutos.com Staff Laid Off, I Start Saying Nicer Things To Ray Wert, Nick Denton]]> Rumors have flown all week about Forbes planning to axe their Forbes Autos division. Those rumors look to be confirmed by Alley Insider, though a spokesperson refused to confirm or deny those rumors to us. Though the Forbes auto site has never been a major player in the automotive news business, it illustrates a reality: less automaker revenue means less ad revenue means less automotive outlets. This is especially true for an operation like Forbes.com, which sought to squeeze out more luxo-advertising bucks by creating their own custom content channels and putting themselves in a bad position come a down cycle. Oh, yeah, and it also serves as a reminder of how the Financiapocalypse could affect me, personally. Therefore, I've decided to say some nice things about my employers before I end up getting canned or made to feed the hamsters in our server farm for a salary of wooden nickels and all the sawdust I can eat. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5087619&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[BRABUS Creates First Tuner Tesla Roadster, Mates Star Trek Sound Effects To Electric Car]]> When a customizer like BRABUS "tunes" a car, we expect more power, better handling, unfortunate chintzy gadgets and gimmicky styling. In the case of the BRABUS-tuned Tesla Roadster, a car they claim is the first ever tuned electric car, it's just the chintzy gadgets and gimmicky styling. The German tuner shop may be the first to take on the Tesla Roadster, but with no added power, no added acceleration and no changes to the suspension, we're unfortunately left with merely taking in the breathtaking addition of a "space sound generator." That's right, press the pedal and instead of a quiet whoosh of power, you get a simulated V8, simulated race car, and "two futuristic soundscapes named ‘Beam’ and ‘Warp.'" What? Yes, seriously. Hit the jump for more. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5085473&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Rumor: GM To NOT Put Chevy Volt Program On Hold, Cut Engineering Staff Tomorrow]]> Rumors of tomorrow's "important changes" at GM have approached a fevered pace, but the latest one we've heard is coming directly from someone who's directly related to someone who could be directly affected if the rumor is true. So, it must be true, right? Anyway, we've just been told by the family of a Chevy Volt engineering team member that not only is the untouchable Volt program on hold, GM's even letting some of the engineering team, aka "the chosen people," go. Hit the jump for the full rumor. UPDATE: One PR source is telling us this morning that the Volt program is definitely not on hold and another is telling us all options are still on the table. We guess we'll find out later today. UPDATE #2: We're now being told, more vigorously this time, that there's no plan to cut the program. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5078988&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[All-Electric Mini E Gets One Year Lease Priced At $820 Per Month]]> According to Luxevelocity, the new and very limited production all-electric MINI E will be offered up to interested customers with a one year lease at a monthly price of $820, but that's not all. To qualify for the lease you have to have a garage of some sort with a locking door and be able to supply a high-voltage hookup for the dedicated charging system. In return you get a two-seat Mini (the back is reserved for its 28 kWh lithium ion battery pack) with a 150-mile range, though considering you have to charge up via the wall outlet, it's really a maximum travel radius of 75 miles. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5078642&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Tesla Roadster Has Fastest Crash Yet In France]]> Here we have pictures from WreckedExotics of a Tesla Roadster that got stuffed by one of the company’s executives during a demo drive in Southern France. It’s looks like the sales director was taking a potential customer for a bit of a hooning session, then, whilst attempting to navigate a wet turn in excess of 100 MPH, lost control of the vehicle and spun off the road. The ex-potential customer was thrown clear of the car, and neither person suffered serious injuries. Think the director will get fired by a blog post? Thanks for the tip, Francesco! More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5076096&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Tesla Motors Loses Arbitration Hearing To Fisker Over Stolen Model S Designs]]> According to Fisker Automotive, the company has emerged the victor in a lawsuit that pitted the niche hybrid automaker against Tesla Motors, the niche electric car automaker. The original lawsuit, brought by Tesla, alleged that Henrik Fisker stole designs for the Tesla Model S for his Fisker Karma Hybrid. Fisker claimed this was false and, using a clause in his contract with Tesla, sought arbitration. The arbitrator agreed with Fisker, essentially piling on more bad news for Tesla, which has had to cut staff, close an office and panhandle from investors. Fisker's statement below the jump. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5075108&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Ford SmartGauge LCD Instrument Panel Brings Futuristic Look, Green Leaves To 2010 Hybrids]]> UPDATE: We got a first-hand look at the new SmartGauge — here's our a video of the gauge in use! Ford's making no small secret of their upcoming 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and 2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid (not the just-revealed 2010 Ford Fusion), but it may be the stellar high-tech SmartGauge LCD instrument panels feature that makes these cars stand out in the crowd. Billed as a way for drivers to maximize fuel economy, SmartGauge with "EcoGuide" uses an all-digital, LCD screen instrument cluster with lively animations to prompt drivers on good driving habits by displaying a heavily stylized greenery for good behavior. The gauges can be customized to display whatever real time data the driver wishes to see. Shades of the 80's era digital dashes aside, this looks impossibly nifty and we can't wait to take a closer look later today. Hit the jump for the press release and the cool video of the screen changing and updating before your very eyes. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5070371&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[The Tesla Model S Sedan: What Could Have Been]]> More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5068604&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[A Peek Inside The Soon-To-Be-Dead Tesla Motors Detroit Office]]> Given the situation with Tesla Motors lately, you know, Ze'ev Drori getting the boot and Elon Musk taking the reins as CEO, word of firings of "25-30% of their total staff of 300 employees and contractors" and the closing of the Detroit location (more accurately, the Metro Detroit suburb of Rochester Hills, MI) via blog post, it's no wonder an anonymous reader decided to head out to their Rochester Hills office and take a look. The Rochester Hills facility was opened at the end of January 2007, and was to be the development facility for the Tesla Model S electric sedan, so the closing is a foreboding indicator of the future direction Tesla is heading on that project. Let's take a look inside this essentially doomed location... More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5065982&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Electric MINI E Officially Revealed, Bringing 204-HP Li-Ion Battery Pack To LA Auto Show]]> Five hundred Mini aficionados in New York, New Jersey and California will soon have the chance to lease the first all-electric Mini E following its official introduction at the LA Auto Show at the end of November. The little 'lectric Verne Troyer tribute will feature a 204 HP electric motor sending 162 lb-ft of torque through a single-speed gearbox to the front wheels. Mini claims a 0-to-62 sprint of 8.5 seconds — nothing spectacular, but when you consider the lack of shifts and the electric's full torque production at 0 RPM, it's gotta feel like a jet plane taking off. The lithium-ion battery pack is good for 150 miles between refills, facilitated by a charger included in the as-yet-unannounced lease price. Check out the full release below the jump. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5065786&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Tesla To Finally Notify Detroit Workers Today They Were Laid Off Two Days Ago]]> Tesla Motors' Rochester Hills, MI employees, after discovering via blog post yesterday that they were to be laid off, will today get the official word via bulletin board — the old-fashioned, stick-pin type. According to a source, employees will show up to either find their name posted on a board or not. If it's on the board, they're laid off. If it's not, they get to meet with management and find out how long they get to wrap things up in Detroit and high-tail it out to southern California. With no moving assistance, extra pay or help selling their house, of course. Rumor report after the jump. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5064966&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Automaker Lays Off Detroit Office With Blog Post]]> UPDATE: Tesla notifies Detroit workers already-in-the-know they were laid off two days ago...today! In a sign of what this new Financiapocalypse might bring, employees in the Metro Detroit branch of electric car maker Tesla Motors were laid off via a blog post. Yesterday, we reported that Tesla would be cutting back and reorganizing, which included shutting down the office in Rochester Hills, near Detroit. Unfortunately, no one told the employees in Rochester Hills. Some of them logged on to find that they were now, according to their own website, obsolete. But it gets worse. We're hearing that approximately 90 Tesla employees, or 90% of the Detroit office, was simply let go, and the remaining employees have to make their way to the San Carlos headquarters with no moving costs covered, no increase in salary and no help getting rid of their old homes. Fortunately, the real estate market in Detroit is red-hot, and the cost of living is about the same in San Carlos.... right? The relevant section from the Tesla pink slip blog-post-of-death below:
There will also be some headcount reduction due to consolidation of operations. In anticipation of moving vehicle engineering to our new HQ in San Carlos, we are ramping down and will close our Rochester Hills office near Detroit. Good communication, tightly knit engineering and a common company culture are of paramount importance as Tesla grows.
That's right folks, "good communication" is key. [Photo: James Nielsen/Getty Images] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5064700&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[2010 Toyota Prius Versus Old Toyota Prius]]> It turns out those photos we thought could be the 2010 Toyota Prius are the new Prius, as we were the first to confirm. Now that we know, mostly, what it looks like, we thought we'd take the first chance to compare the two vehicles to see what the designers were thinking. Overall, our impression is that they've certainly moved it in a more aggressive and distinct direction. A full comparison below the jump.

At The Front

 One: The most obvious change from generation to generation is at the front, and the first sign that this is something new comes from the headlights. The previous generation said "aerodynamic" while the new, feathered lights say "sporty" more than anything. Two: The new grille is also far more aggressive, shifting the logo into the middle with a pointed, almost F1-esque nose crease. Three: Like the 2009 Toyota Matrix, the new Prius' nose features a lower front airdam with a dual-foglight package. Four: Compared to the previous generation, the cab appears slightly further forward. It is hard to say if this is just an illusion created by the lower placement of the mirror and angle of the beltline or an actual change. Either way, the effect is to create a more forward leaning stance. FIve: The little crease at the edge of the bumper could be an aerodynamic touch or purely aesthetic.

Mid Section

 One: The line running along the center of the doors in the previous generation has been moved down further along the wheel wells, which makes the new Prius look tall-and-squat as opposed to long-and-lean. This appears to be an answer to the charge that the previous generation looked like a wedge or a jellybean. Two: As mentioned, the beltline is raked towards the A-pillar, giving it a runner's stance. Three: The rocker panels are now larger and more enhanced, appearing to flare a bit at the rear wheel well. Four: The blacked-out B-pillar look has been transferred from generation to generation and the overall shape of the greenhouse hasn't been significantly altered. FIve: The slab-slided Prius is no more. The doors angle further in towards the greenhouse with a line that carries from the front quarter panel back toward the shoulders.

Rear

 One: We're waiting for a better picture of the rear, but in the meantime it appears the larger presence of the rocker panels has created a line that moves around the rear of the car that's picked up the sheet metal. The purpose of the black wings along the edge of the previous model was primarily aerodynamic and it looks better with body-matching paint. Two: Though there is a new look for the shoulders, with new definition, the car retains a similar, if slightly less angled, C-Pillar. Three: More fanny? Hard to say, but it looks like there is more junk in that trunk. Four: Wheel design for the Prius has always been of the "appliance" variety. These sporty, flared five-spokes clearly point to a new direction. FIve: The gas tank now appears to be on the other side — just kidding. These are opposite sides of the car. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5064471&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[This IS The New Toyota Prius]]> UPDATE: We sat down with Toyota PR this morning, showed them the pictures and they've confirmed that yes, this is the new 2010 Toyota Prius set to be revealed officially at the Detroit Auto Show in January. And yeah, that's all they're willing to tell us at this time. Someone over at PriusChat dropped images of what appears to be the next generation Prius or at least a really fantastic photochop of what the new Prius mule looks like. Toyota has no comment on the image according to PriusChat, which is something that we're going to have to weigh. What do you all think? Is this the next generation 2010 Prius that we've all been waiting to see after seeing the really underwhelming teasers of the new Prius? More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5064250&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Tesla Spokesman Takes Swipe At Dodge EV]]> A spokesman for Tesla today confirms that they knew "something" about Chrysler's surprise reveal of a Lotus-based electric vehicle and essentially calls it vaporware. Darryl Siry, Tesla's VP of Global Sales, Marketing And Service responded to a question today about the Dodge EV, revealed last month, by saying "I think what it is its something for showcasing. More of a public relations thing to support their application for their share of a 25 billion loan guarantee." Siry is of course referring to the possibly delayed automaker loan package. Why this is so hilariously ironic below the jump. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5064115&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Tesla Motors Plans To Slow Down Production Plans For Model S Sedan]]> Tesla has announced the company will be slowing down production plans for the Tesla Model S sedan project until the government forks over some dough. This is just part of the news coming out of Tesla Motors, which also announced that they've demoted their CEO (and replaced him with main benefactor Elon Musk) and will be making serious cutbacks to their staff. In a blog post Musk said: More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5064073&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[New Toyota Prius Photo Is The Worst Teaser Shot We've Ever Seen]]> More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5062663&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Tazzari Zero Electric Car Recharges In 45 Minutes, Offers 93-Mile Range]]> New Italian company Tazzari aims to address one of the key shortcomings of electric cars — recharge time — by offering a vehicle capable of taking a full charge in just 45 minutes. Tazzari hasn’t clarified what kind of outlet is required for this compressed recharge time, but as it’s an Italian company, we’ll assume at least a 220v is needed, but likely not a commercial-grade three-phase unit like the one required by the Lightning GT supercar. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5059968&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[2010 Toyota Prius First Shot Leaked By Toyota, Totally Lame]]> More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5059495&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Venturi Volage Concept Debuts At Paris Auto Show, Sets Standard For Electric Car Wackiness]]> Venturi has debuted an all-new concept here at the 2008 Paris Motor Show: the Venturi Volage. The Volage takes the electric sports car concept and really runs with it — the all carbon-fiber car is equipped with the first application we've seen of the Michelin Active Wheel, the compact unit using in-wheel electric drive motors is installed at all four corners with a suspension driven by a second set of e-motors. The whole thing can be configured for any desired ride at the touch of a... uh, touch screen. According to Venturi, the Volage is actually expected to be produced in limited numbers in the 2012 model year, assembled by hand at its shops in Monaco. If this is true, it'll totally make the Tesla Roadster look like last decade's model (cause it will be by then). Press release and more images below. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5058501&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Pininfarina B0 Electric Car: 153 Mile Range, 80 MPH Top Speed!]]> Design house Pininfarina, still mourning the loss of CEO Andrea Pininfarina, showed a stiff upper lip and brought their Pininfarina B0 to the Paris Auto Show. In the process, they created quite the stir — and almost eclipsing the buzz surrounding the Honda Insight Hybrid. The B0, pronounced B Zero, is four-seat, four-door electric hatchback created in partnership with Bolloré and is not, repeat, not, a concept car. According to Pininfarina, the B0will be a mass production model, with the first units coming off the production line at the end of 2009, after which production will be ramped up gradually based on the availability of the batteries. What about the range and power? Well, we're told the car has a range of 153 miles and a top speed of 80 MPH. How's that sound? Pretty good, right? You know what doesn't sound good? The double digit 0-to-60 time. Hit the jump for the full press release.
More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5058132&view=rss&microfeed=true