Last year Elon Musk was famously rebuffed by Texas politicians who stood by the protectionist laws that prevent Tesla Motors from selling its vehicles there. CBS DFW reports that Tesla executives are planning to woo Texas politicians ahead of the new legislative session to allow sales of the Model S in the Lone Star state.

Tesla currently operates three galleries in Texas, but salespeople not only can’t offer test drives, they can’t discuss pricing or features or a lot of other pertinent information. All they can do is direct customers to the website, and even then the Model S has to be delivered via an out-of-state transportation service using non-descript trucks. For a state that prides itself on being “open for business” Texas has shut the door tight on Tesla sales.

Not that Tesla doesn’t have allies. Outgoing Texas governor Rick Perry cuddled up to Tesla in an attempt to bring the Gigafactory to his state, and at least one former Texas car dealer thinks the electric automaker should be allowed to operate its direct sales model. But the embedded dealership lobby still has a tight hold on the leashes of a lot of local politicians.

So how can Tesla turn the tides in their favor? That will most likely hinge on the promise of building future production facilities in Texas, perhaps the next Gigafactory or a second assembly plant for vehicles once production at the Fremont factory is maxxed out. Toyota recently made the decision to move its U.S. headquarters from California to Texas in part because of the more business-friendly laws, and though Tesla may remain “committed” to California, business is business and Musk has proven he can get what he wants from states when the chips are down.

Texas is a critical market for Tesla, as after California it’s the biggest new car market in America with an estimated 1.5 million sales expected in 2015. That would be about 10% of total U.S. new car sales, and if Tesla could get direct sales approved in Texas, it would bolster their argument in places like New Jersey and Michigan, which have also banned direct sales.

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Tags: Elon Musk, gigafactory, Tesla Model S, Tesla Motors, texas

About the Author

Christopher DeMorro A writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to HEMIs, Chris can be found wrenching or writing- or esle, he’s running, because he’s one of those crazy people who gets enjoyment from running insane distances.

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Last July, BMW introduced a DC charger that weighs only 100 lbs, is just 24″ high and 17″ wide and can deliver an 80% charge in 30 minutes. It’s low weight and small size mean it can be conveniently mounted almost anywhere. Other DC chargers are as large as a refrigerator and can cost more than $50,000.

Jacob Harb, the head of electric vehicle sales and strategy for BMW of North America, called the new charger a “game changer” in a recent interview with AutoGuide and adds, “2015 is the year of infrastructure.”  He says next year BMW will “proliferate those charging stations everywhere.”

BMW is naturally interested in expanding the EV charging infrastructure, so customers considering a BMW i3 or i8 will feel they can drive their cars anywhere. It is possible to drive a Tesla coast to coast today, but only via a limited number of routes. BMW wants its owners to be able to take a detour through Pocatello or South Succotash if they want to.

Infrastructure is the key to the battle between EVs and fuel cell vehicles. Right now, hydrogen seems to have an advantage because an FCEV can go 300 miles or more on a tankful as opposed to 80 miles or so for a typical EV. But there are so few hydrogen refueling stations, most of them in southern California, that an FCEV owner dare not drive more than 150 miles away from the nearest one.

There is a tug of war going on between established auto makers and upstart Tesla. Even though Tesla says anyone can use its patented recharging technology, no one has accepted the offer. The issue is not getting the electricity from the charger to the battery. The issue is the shape of the plug and standardizing the low voltage control network that prevents the car from being moved while connected and keeps the charger informed about the status of the battery.

The BMW charger uses an SAE standard plug that fits every other electric car except for Tesla and Nissan. Resolving this conflict is critical. Just imagine how chaotic the auto industry would be if you could only fill up your Ford F-150 at a Ford sponsored gas station?

Ultimately, one system will prevail and rule the marketplace. BMW thinks its system will be the winner, but it may still work with Telsa down the road…you know, just in case.

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Tags: BMW, BMW carging station, BMW DC charger, BMW i3, bmw i8, EV Charging Infrastructure, hydrogen refueling infrastructure, supercharger, Tesla, Tesla supercharger

About the Author

Steve Hanley I have been a car nut since the days when articles by John R. Bond and Henry N. Manney, III graced the pages of Road Track. I know every nut, bolt and bullet connector on an MGB from 20 years of ownership. I now drive a 94 Miata for fun and the occasional HPDE track day. If it moves on wheels, I am interested in it. Please follow me on Google + and Twitter.

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Automakers around the world are employing aluminum to lower the weight of their vehicles, and aluminum manufacturers are readying new products to meet their needs. Alcoa has announced the new Micromill process, which gives automotive-grade aluminum more strength and better formability for car design.

One of the most difficult parts of using aluminum in car designs is the ability to form the metal into desired shapes. Alcoa’s Micromill process increases formability by some 40%, allowing for far more leeway in the shape of individual panels. The new aluminum is also 30% stronger, making it more resistant to dents, dings, and scratches than the current grade of automotive aluminum, and the manufacturing process is faster too. This is accomplished by tweaking the microstructure of the aluminum itself, which is explained in more detail in the video below.

Though more expensive than traditional steel, aluminum can shave hundreds of pounds in weight off of larger vehicles. The 2015 Ford F-150 for example shed as much as 700 pounds by switching to aluminum, and aluminum helps keep the weight of the Tesla Model S under the 5,000 pound threshold (albeit barely in certain trims). But aluminum isn’t the only weight-saving contender on the market.

BMW has invested hundreds of millions into carbon fiber for the i3 and i8 plug-in vehicles, and has machinations of reducing production costs by some 90%. The steel industry is also scrambling to introduce newer, lighter, and stronger alloys that can still undercut the cost of aluminum while providing weight savings. There’s also the spectre of 3D printing looming over the entire manufacturing industry, which could change everything we know about automotive manufacturing.

For the immediate future though the prospects for aluminum are looking good, and Alcoa’s new Micromill process should only increase the appeal of aluminum to the auto industry.

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Tags: 2015 Ford F-150, Alcoa, aluminum, BMW, BMW i3, bmw i8, Micromill

About the Author

Christopher DeMorro A writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to HEMIs, Chris can be found wrenching or writing- or esle, he’s running, because he’s one of those crazy people who gets enjoyment from running insane distances.

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