Supercharger
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When the Tesla Model 3 arrives in Europe in early 2019, it will carry a special toolkit: the ability to charge—quickly—in more places than any other electric vehicle. Tesla revealed this week that Model 3 sedans sold in Europe will come with a CCS charge port (inlet). Full compatibility with the standard will be assured with the installation of a module behind the charging receptacle. DON’T MISS: Tesla expands Supercharger network as Model 3 rolls out Around the same time, a streamlined CCS adapter will become available in Europe as an option on all Model S and Model X on...
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Tesla Free Supercharger Network Now Officially Open, Ready To Use
Just under a month ago, Tesla Motors held a gala event at its Hawthorne, California design studio to mark the switching on of its proprietary Supercharger rapid charging network. On Friday, Tesla held official ribbon cutting ceremonies at four of its six initial Supercharger locations, making them...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Tesla’s Supercharger Network: How It Works In The Real World
Last week, Tesla Motors [NADAQ: TSLA] officially switched on the first six of its planned network of Supercharger charging stations. Designed to offer current -- and future -- Tesla models the ability to recharge at a rate of around 150 miles in just 30 minutes, Tesla’s Superchargers are the...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
2012 Tesla Model S To Get One-Hour Recharging Next Year?
With at least a dozen 2012 Tesla Model S all-electric sport sedans now in the hands of buyers--and, Tesla says, 5,000 more to follow by the end of the year--attention is likely to turn to the car's real-world range. The high-end Model S that makes up the bulk of early production is rated by the EPA...
John Voelcker -
Variable Supercharger Blends Fuel Economy, Performance: Video
A new prototype supercharger from Rotrak uses a CVT drive to vary compressor speed, optimizing boost across all throttle positions.
Kurt Ernst -
BMW Pairs Electric And Traditional Turbos To Boost Efficiency
To improve fuel efficiency, engines are gradually shedding accessory drives. Electric power steering is now commonplace, and electric air conditioning compressors are used on hybrid cars to keep them cool while the engine's off. Now, BMW has taken a new tack to electrifying ancillary equipment...
John Voelcker -
There’s no doubt new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations introduced by the federal government are hitting automakers hard, especially here in the U.S. where traditionally low gas prices have meant vehicle size, weight and efficiency have never been much of an issue. But thanks to CAFE regulations, which stipulate automakers raise their fleet-wide fuel economy to an average of 35.5 mpg by 2016, we’re starting to see a change in the types of vehicles being offered each year. On the way out are the fuel thirsty SUVs and V-8 sedans that dominated sales during the late...
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How Smaller Engines Offer More Power: Superchargers Vs Turbos
Turbochargers have been with us in volume production only since the Seventies, but superchargers have a long and honorable automotive history. They were used on the Blower Bentleys that won Le Mans 80 years ago, and have appeared ever since on high-performance engines, often larger ones. A boost...
John Voelcker -
Electric Supercharger Boosts Gasoline Engines To Diesel Efficiency
In the accelerating quest for greater fuel efficiency, boosting engines--with turbos or superchargers--is one way to pull more power out of a given displacement. Traditionally, superchargers have been driven by chain or belt powered from an engine's crankshaft. Now, a British engineering firm has...
John Voelcker