In Gear offers a fresh look at the world of cars – its technology, economics, and future – through the eyes of Monitor staffers and other automobile writers from around the world.
The body of a Tesla Model S is transported by an automated crane at the Tesla factory in Fremont, Calif., in this October 2011 file photo. News that Tesla Motors was cash flow positive last week is music to the ears of Tesla fans, Ingram writes. (Stephen Lam/Reuters/File)
Tesla Motors in the black, tweets CEO Musk
Some of the biggest news of the year has been broken on social networking site, Twitter.
For Tesla CEO Elon Musk, that includes regular tweets about the company.
On Tuesday, he tweeted that Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] was in the black.
"Am happy to report that Tesla was narrowly cash flow positive last week. Continued improvement expected through year end", he announced.
No doubt the news is music to the ears of Tesla fans, not to mention Musk himself--but at the same time, it's important to put things in context.
While Musk expects things to improve further, this is still only one week. As such, it's a minor success, rather than a major one--and Musk no doubt knows that there's still a lot of hard work to come. ( Continue… )
Nissan Motor Co. employee Kazuhiro Fujibayashi demonstrates the electric recharge plug-in process of the company's latest Leaf in Tokyo last month. The upgraded Leaf electric car from Nissan can travel further without recharging, comes in a cheaper model, and tells drivers how much battery life is left. (Junji Kurokawa/AP/File)
My Nissan Leaf life: Perks of driving gasoline-free
– Sixth installment in an occasional series
One month after my wife and I ordered our Nissan Leaf, it arrived.
The ride home was blissfully quiet – and it was fun accelerating away from gasoline-powered cars when the lights turned green. I passed a few Priuses along the way and discovered a new-to-me phenomenon: my very own Leaf-superiority complex. I'm sure Prius owners will say I'm nuts. But I felt faster and cleaner and smarter than a Prius owner.
Even though we got home with plenty of miles on the battery – about 75 remaining – I flicked the release lever on the plug-in port on the nose of the car, jumped out of the driver seat, and grabbed the pistol-grip charger out of its slot on our new 240-volt charging station at the front end of the garage.
After clicking the charger into the Leaf's receptacle, the car chirped twice – happy to be slurping electricity. We were happy, too, at the prospect of an end to regular gas station visits. What would it be like not plunking down $50 three times a month for the privilege of driving?
Nine months later, I can report back that it's a great feeling. Gas stations are becoming a distant memory.
The Leaf’s lease was a big stretch for us, so we're probably not saving money overall – at least not until gas goes to $4 to $5 per gallon (see my earlier blog post for a cost-breakdown). Those who held out for a better deal may come out ahead with a Leaf, since Nissan has lowered the monthly lease substantially to move inventory. For us, we were getting the trade-off we had paid for upfront: very low-cost fuel and operating costs.
The cost of electricity to drive our Leaf 1,000 miles each month is about $36 (15 cents per kilowatt hour multiplied by 240) a month, basically equal to filling up the battery 10 times during the month. Driving our van at 22 miles per gallon would have cost us about $160 for the same miles – a big savings.
There's comfort, too, in knowing that the New England power grid is relatively clean – roughly 20 percent natural gas, 20 percent nuclear, and 40 percent coal – in terms of emissions. We know, too, that over time that grid will be getting cleaner as renewable energy becomes a bigger percentage of generation.
There’s another perk to owning an all-electric plug-in: extra range at no cost. We got a taste of that on our very first day of Leaf ownership.
Now that we had an electric car, we wanted to drive it. We spent a few minutes on the computer looking up a site called chargepoint.com that lists charging stations across the nation. We already knew there were a number of charging stations in the area; we soon discovered we could charge up and eat out at the same time.
So that evening, we hopped into the Leaf to go to a Chili's restaurant about 10 miles away. We pulled into a parking spot with a charging station and discovered we didn't know how to get the plug off the charging unit and plug in. So I called the toll-free number from my cellphone and the call center unlocked the charging station, promising to send a little tag for my key chain to swipe next time.
We came out of the restaurant an hour later. Our Leaf's battery had received nearly 4 kilowatt hours – about 60 cents worth of electricity. The food was good. But the free electricity was even better.
A participant in a Toyota Motor Corp. press event puts a quick charger plug into the newly-developed compact electric vehicle "eQ" in this September 2012 file photo. A new center funded by the US Department of Energy aims to develop better electric car batteries and other energy storage systems. (Koji Sasahara/AP/File)
Energy Department pushes for electric car battery research
If you want to know how advanced cars might be in the next hundred years, just take a look at how far the car has come along in the last hundred.
Unfortunately, electric cars missed out on decades of development over the last century. Battery technology in particular still suffers many of the issues it always has.
In an effort to speed up development, the U.S. Department of Energy has set a goal to improve battery and energy storage technologies by five times that of today--in the next five years.
For technology which is often seemingly a decade away, that's quite a goal. ( Continue… )
A billboard that encourages people not to text while they drive is shown in the northside of Indianapolis in this September 2009 file photo. A new study finds that 26 percent of teen drivers surveyed said they read or sent a text message from a smartphone at least once every time they drive. (Michael Conroy/AP/File)
Teen drivers text more than parents think: study
A new study by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), sponsored by Toyota’s Collaborative SafetyResearch Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan shows that teen drivers do a lot more texting behind the wheel than their parents think they do.
The study found that 26 percent of teen drivers surveyed said they read or sent a text message from a smartphone at least one time every time they drive. But only one percent of the parents polled believed their teen engages in this risky driving behavior.
The bad news gets even worse with respect to texting and driving. Twenty percent, or one in five teens, admitted to multi-message text conversations while behind the wheel.
Other survey findings
- 69 percent of teens – more than two-thirds – drive with two to three teen passengers in the car and no adults, behavior proven to double the driver’s risk of being killed in a crash.
- 44 percent of teens drive with three or more teen passengers and no adults in the car, quadrupling the driver’s risk of being killed.
- 50 percent of teen drivers say they deal with passengers while driving, and 30 percent say they do so at least once every trip.
- More than half of teens search for music on a portable music device while driving, while only 12 percent of parents do this.
- One in 10 teens updates or checks social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter while behind the wheel. ( Continue… )
A plug is seen coming from the Chevrolet Volt electric car during the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Mich., in this January 2009 file photo. While winter brings cold weather and occasional travel chaos, it can still be a time of year to enjoy for electric car owners, Ingram writes. (Mark Blinch/Reuters/File)
The electric car winter weather survival guide
Winter is well and truly here for many of us now, particularly in more northerly regions.
It brings with it not just snow, cold weather and a little extra danger on the roads, but also an added dose of anxiety for electric car owners.
Cold weather can play havoc with range, particularly when using heaters, lights and other functions to fight off the cold. It's a subject we've covered on several occasions, so we've brought several of our winter articles together into a single guide.
Winter tips
However little or often you plan to drive over winter, it's always wise to be prepared. ( Continue… )
Nissan Motor Co.'s latest LEAF electric car is displayed for media in Tokyo, in this November 2012 file photo. Sales of the Nissan Leaf battery-electric car rose to 1,539 in November, almost matching last month's total of 1,579, Voelcker writes. (Junji Kurokawa/AP/File)
Chevy Volt sales drop in November, Nissan Leaf remains steady (+video)
Sales of plug-in electric cars fell slightly in November, with continued steady sales of the Nissan Leaf not enough to make up for a decline in Chevy Volt numbers.
This month's total may not quite equal last month's plug-in sales of 6,784. The big unknown, however, is deliveries of the Tesla Model S--which Tesla won't discuss.
With just a month left in the year, up to 50,000 electric cars are likely to find buyers during 2012--almost triple the 2011 total of about 17,500.
This year's sales leader, the Chevy Volt range-extended electric car, logged 1,519 sales.
That brings the Volt's total so far this year to 20,828, though the November number is barely more than half the October total of 2,961--a number helped bynow-expired sales incentives.
"Volt sales were modest in November due to availability in most key markets including California, our largest market," said GM spokesperson Michele Malcho. ( Continue… )
A 2012 Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle is parked at the solar-powered electric charging station at General Motors Co's assembly plant in Hamtramck, Mich., in this August 2011 file photo. Chevy Volt owners cover almost two-thirds of their total distance on electricity, Voelcker writes. (Rebecca Cook/Reuters/File)
Chevy Volt drivers top 100 million miles driven
Friday evening, when perhaps not a lot of people were watching, a virtual odometer ticked over on the Chevy Volt website.
At that hour--about 7 pm Eastern--it showed that Volt drivers had covered 100,000,000 miles on electricity in their range-extended electric cars.
(The actual total is about 25 percent higher, since the counter only logs miles from those 80 percent of owners who've agreed to let Chevy track their performance via the Onstar telematics system.)
That's out of the roughly 160,000,000 miles those tracked Volts have traveled in total.
Which reflects the fact that Volt owners cover almost two-thirds of their total distance on electricity--higher than General Motors had expected, we imagine, when it launched the Volt in December 2010. ( Continue… )
A sign is painted on a parking space for electric cars inside a car park in Hong Kong in this January 2012 file photo. Former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm has penned an op-ed arguing that embracing electric auto technology is essential for keeping high-end manufacturing jobs in the United States. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters/File)
Support US jobs? Then support electric cars, says governor.
Want to support American jobs? Then support electric cars.
That's the message from former Michigan governor, Jennifer M. Granholm.
Granholm was governor of the state when $1.35 billion in grants were offered, in order to develop and build electric vehicles and their batteries.
Writing in the Huffington Post, Granholm says that these grants didn't just mean parts, but jobs--63,000 of them, in fact.
"I know the only reason those jobs were even possible is because the federal government, led by our president, made a commitment to battery technology," she writes, "But as we've heard, there are huge challenges facing the industry. If we don't get this right, we'll lose a lot of those high paying, advanced manufacturing jobs. Forever."
She blames anti-Obama partisans and those bound to the oil industry for setting back progress, and holding back growth of an industry in which America could be a true global leader.
Many criticize the tax breaks granted to electric vehicles, but Granholm describes them simply as a glide path to energy independence, jobs, national security and reducing climate change--not a permanent commitment.
Granholm goes on to say, "The progress in electric cars is a true American success story," adding that those wanting General Motors and other electric car makers to fail are motivated by nothing but partisan politics.
The naysayers need to support innovation, manufacturing and clean energy jobs, she explains--and says she feels real pride for the Chevrolet Volt, built in the heart of Michigan.
And her overriding message to electric vehicle naysayers?
"Get over it".
Want to support American jobs? Then support electric cars.
That's the message from former Michigan governor, Jennifer M. Granholm.
Granholm was governor of the state when $1.35 billion in grants were offered, in order to develop and build electric vehicles and their batteries.
Writing in the Huffington Post, Granholm says that these grants didn't just mean parts, but jobs--63,000 of them, in fact.
"I know the only reason those jobs were even possible is because the federal government, led by our president, made a commitment to battery technology," she writes, "But as we've heard, there are huge challenges facing the industry. If we don't get this right, we'll lose a lot of those high paying, advanced manufacturing jobs. Forever."
She blames anti-Obama partisans and those bound to the oil industry for setting back progress, and holding back growth of an industry in which America could be a true global leader.
Many criticize the tax breaks granted to electric vehicles, but Granholm describes them simply as a glide path to energy independence, jobs, national security and reducing climate change--not a permanent commitment.
Granholm goes on to say, "The progress in electric cars is a true American success story," adding that those wanting General Motors and other electric car makers to fail are motivated by nothing but partisan politics.
The naysayers need to support innovation, manufacturing and clean energy jobs, she explains--and says she feels real pride for the Chevrolet Volt, built in the heart of Michigan.
And her overriding message to electric vehicle naysayers?
"Get over it".
The 2013 Ford Escape sits on display outside the Louisville Assembly Plant in Louisville, Ky., in this June file photo. A Ford recall is under way involving 89,000 new Escapes and Fusions with a 1.6-liter engine linked to a dozen fires. (Brian Bohannon/AP/File)
Ford recalls 89,000 Escapes, Fusions for fire risk
Ford is recalling 89,000 Escape SUVs and Fusions because of a 1.6-liter engine that keeps posing a fire risk.
Prompting the latest Ford recall, a dozen engine fires for which the automaker is trying to figure out the cause. Although Ford is unaware of any injuries caused by the fires, the threat is serious enough that it's urging owners affected by the recall to contact a Ford dealer quickly to arrange for a free loaner car.
“It is important that affected customers not ignore this recall and contact their dealer as soon as possible," Steve Kenner, director of Ford’s automotive safety office, said in a statement. "While we recognize the inconvenience recalls cause our customers, we are taking these actions on their behalf to help ensure their safety.”
The Ford recall involves Escapes and Fusions from the 2013 model year and equipped with the turbocharged 1.6-liter engine. Escapes and Fusions with other engines are not affected by the recall.
To see if your Escape or Fusion is involved, get your 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN) from your vehicle registration or off the car itself at the base of the windshield of the label on the driver door opening. If your Escape has the 1.6-liter engine, the eighth character of the VIN will be an "X" (or an "R" if you own a Fusion equipped with the suspect engine).
Or you can log onto Ford's website at its View Notices and Recalls page and type in your VIN. Owners can also call Ford at 866-436-7332 (888-222-7814 in Canada) or contact a Ford dealer.
This is the third time the all-new 2013 Escape SUV has fallen victim to a recall involving the 1.6-liter engine and a fire risk.
In July, a month after the Escape's introduction, 11,500 models were recalled to fix crack-prone fuel lines that could leak and cause fires. In September, 7,600 Escapes were recalled because of coolant leaks that could lead to leaks and fire.
The Ford Escape and Fusion are big sellers for the automaker, so the new Ford recall could set back sales in key auto segments if the company doesn't get its arms around the problem engine quickly.
This commercial file photo courtesy of BMW Group shows the 2012 MINI Cooper SD Coupe. MINI gets high marks in customer sales satisfaction, getting the top spot in J.D. Power and Associates' rankings for the third year in a row. (BMW Group/AP/File)
MINI, Lexus get top marks in sales satisfaction
Earlier, we discussed how a range of factors affect customer satisfaction with new automobiles. Included in that mix is the sales process, which begins with shoppers researching possible purchases, and ends with buyers driving their new cars home.
J.D. Power's 2012 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index Study reveals that, once again, Lexus and MINI are masters of the sales process and of making customers happy.
Methodology
To rank automakers for its latest Sales Satisfaction Index, J.D. Power surveyed 31,386 consumers who bought or leased a new vehicle in May 2012. Power polled those consumers between August and October.
As in previous years, Power divided dealerships into two groups: those where customers shopped but didn't buy, and those where customers ultimately bought or leased their new vehicles.
The former were evaluated on five criteria, each of which carried a slightly different weight in Power's final score: "salesperson (20%); fairness of price (12%); facility (6%); inventory (6%); and experience negotiating (5%)". The latter were evaluated on four criteria: "working out the deal (17%); salesperson (13%); delivery process (11%); and facility (10%)".
On each criteria, dealers were assigned scores ranging from 0 to 1,000.
Luxury rankings
For the second year in a row, Lexus landed at the top of J.D. Power's Sales Satisfaction Index for luxury brands. The automaker received an average score of 737 -- up from 715 last year.
Lexus was followed by Infiniti, Cadillac, Lincoln, Porsche, and Mercedes-Benz, all of which scored above the luxury average of 716. For reference, Infiniti and Lincoln landed below that line in 2011, which implies that both have invested time and energy in improving the sales process.
Faring not so well: BMW, Land Rover, Acura, and Audi. Like last year, Volvo finished at the back of the pack, with a score of 678. Still, that's an improvement over 2011, when Volvo received an average score of 666.
(Note: Jaguar wasn't included in J.D. Power's rankings because its sample size was too small.)
Mass-market rankings
In the mass-market segment, MINI maintained its spot at the top of the Sales Satisfaction Index for the third year running. The brand known for pint-sized rides earned a not-so-pint-sized score of 712. That is, however, down from 723, MINI's score last year.
Buick held onto the #2 rung with a score of 706 -- far better than last year's 682. Also faring well were GMC, Fiat, Chevrolet, Subaru, Ford, Honda, and Volkswagen, all of which scored higher than the industry average of 657.
In the below-average group, we find Toyota, Hyundai, Scion, Mazda, Nissan, Chrysler, Kia, Ram, Mitsubishi, and Dodge. For the second year in a row, Jeep had the dubious distinction of coming in at the bottom of Power's list -- though the brand's score of 618 was an improvement over last year's 606.
Other key findings
During the course of its survey, J.D. Power uncovered quite a few trends. Among the most interesting:
- In choosing a dealer, more shoppers use third-party ratings sites than social networks like Facebook. Men are especially prone to rely on third-party sites, while women marginally prefer social networks.
- That said, those who do select a dealer using social sites are significantly more satisfied with their purchasing experience than those who rely solely on third-party sites.
- Among dealerships where customers actually purchased or leased their vehicles, satisfaction has improved from 771 in 2011 to 776 this year.
- Among dealerships that customers visited but from which they didn't buy or lease, satisfaction is up even more significantly: from 525 in 2011 to 553 in 2012.
- On the whole, satisfaction with all dealers improved four points, from an average of 648 in 2011 to 664 this year.
Our take
Today's auto market is a crowded one, with many vehicles and brands clamoring for attention. Customer loyalty has fallen largely by the wayside, and Americans' predisposition toward U.S. brands has dissipated. Competing models are so similar that often the only thing separating them is the dealership experience. Making customers feel happy and welcome can make or break a sale.
For us, the biggest takeaway of J.D. Power's 2012 Sales Satisfaction Index is that dealers are increasingly aware of these facts, and many are going the extra distance to improve the shopping experience.
Previous
Become part of the Monitor community