Are electric cars really the future? Tesla is innovating not only the electric vehicle, but the way we think about energy. They're working to revolutionize the automotive industry and reduce the country's reliance on fossil fuels.
In this episode, THNKR talks to Pamela Fletcher, Executive Chief Engineer for Electrified Vehicles at GM, Jerome Guillen, Model S Director at Tesla, and Franz von Holzhausen, Chief Designer at Tesla.
Subscribe to THNKR: http://goo.gl/EB0HM
SEE MORE TESLA: http://youtu.be/cuekx8erU3Y
Like THNKR on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thnkrtv
Follow THNKR on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/thnkr
Or check out our favorite Internet things on Tumblr: http://thnkrtv.tumblr.com
EPIPHANY is a series that invites impassioned thought leaders across all disciplines to reveal the innovative, the improbable, and the unexpected of their worlds.
The views expressed in this video only represent those of the participants. They do not necessarily represent the views or endorsement of @radical.media LLC or any other party involved in the production and distribution of THNKR.
New research from Carfax suggests that millions of people may be driving, buying, or selling potentially dangerous cars due to an unfixed recall. The company’s annual research on the issue shows more than 46 million cars nationwide have at least one safety recall that’s never been fixed. In fact, five million of them were bought and sold by potentially unsuspecting consumers in 2014.
One of the most alarming discoveries is that people driving or buying family-oriented vehicles – specifically minivans and SUVs – are most at risk. One in three minivans and one in five SUVs has an unfixed recall, according to Carfax.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7385551-carfax-unfixed-recall-data/
The 2018 Niro Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) brings an exciting new dimension to Kia's alternative fuel car line-up. As Kia's third plug-in model, and anticipated in retailer showrooms by the end of this year, the Niro PHEV offers the same crossover utility, fun-driving and winning design of the Niro hybrid, but with an estimated 26-miles of All-Electric Range.1
“The Niro Plug-in is the exciting next step in Kia's progression toward offering more alternative fuel vehicles by 2020,” said Orth Hedrick, vice president, product planning, Kia Motors America (KMA). “Consumers who are intrigued by the Niro hybrid's fantastic versatility and design, but want even more EcoDynamics technology and the ability to drive only using electric power, will find more to love in the Niro Plug-in Hybrid.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8016958-kia-niro-plug-in-hybrid-crossover-laas/
Today at the North American International Auto Show, Kia Motors America (KMA) hosted the global debut of the all-new 2019 Forte which enters its third generation with a more sophisticated design and desirable features that transforms one of Kia’s best-selling vehicles into something more than a compact car meant for getting people from one point to another. Thanks to a number of improvements, Forte now offers drivers a higher level of comfort, fuel efficiency and advanced driver assistance technologies that are aimed to make the journey – whether a short commute or long haul – a more rewarding and decidedly upscale experience.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8246051-kia-2019-forte-north-american-international-auto-show/
Adults have gotten the message that it’s safer for kids to ride in the back seat properly restrained, but when it comes to their own safety, there is a common misperception that buckling up is optional. Among adults who admit to not always using safety belts in the back seat, 4 out of 5 surveyed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety say short trips or traveling by taxi or ride-hailing service are times they don’t bother to use the belt.
The new survey reveals that many rear-seat passengers don’t think belts are necessary because they perceive the back seat to be safer than the front. This shows a clear misunderstanding about why belts are important, no matter where a person sits in a vehicle.
Before the majority of Americans got into the habit of buckling up, the back seat was the safest place to sit, and the center rear seat was the safest place of all in 1960-70s’ era vehicles. In recent decades, high levels of restraint use, the advent of belt pretensioners, load limiters and airbags, plus crashworthy vehicle designs have narrowed the safety advantages of riding in the rear seat for teens and adults.
Buckling precious cargo into a late-model vehicle has gotten a bit easier in the past year, the Institute’s LATCH ease-of-use ratings show.
IIHS launched its ratings of child seat installation hardware in vehicles in June 2015. Out of 102 vehicles rated at that time, the majority were poor or marginal. Today, a total of 170 current models have been evaluated, and most are good or acceptable. Three models — the Audi Q7, Lexus RX and Toyota Prius — earn the top rating of good+, a distinction that no vehicle achieved last year.
A properly installed, age-appropriate child restraint can protect a child much better in a crash than a safety belt alone. LATCH, which stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children, is intended to make it easier for caregivers to install child restraints properly. Child restraints installed with LATCH are more likely to be put in correctly than restraints installed using the vehicle safety belt, IIHS research has shown.
Even with LATCH, installation errors are common. The Institute’s ratings are based on key ease-of-use criteria that have been shown to minimize mistakes.
Thirteen out of 16 new booster seats for 2017 earn the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's highest rating of BEST BET, bringing the total number of boosters on the market with that designation to 118.
The BEST BET rating means a booster provides good safety belt fit for typical 4 to 8 year-olds in almost any car, minivan or SUV. Boosters that are rated GOOD BETs provide acceptable belt fit in almost any vehicle, while those rated Check Fit could work for some children in some vehicles. Seats designated "Not Recommended" don’t provide good belt fit and should be avoided.
A group of four minivans recently tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for protection in small overlap front crashes shows some of the worst possible outcomes for this type of crash, with only one vehicle performing acceptably.
The Nissan Quest, the Chrysler Town & Country and its twin, the Dodge Grand Caravan, all earn poor ratings. The exception to the disappointing pattern is the 2015 Toyota Sienna, which earns an acceptable rating. It joins the Honda Odyssey, which last year earned a good rating in the test, in the ranks of TOP SAFETY PICK+ winners.
The 2014 Chicago Auto Show is now open to the public. Held in the McCormick Place complex, the Chicago Auto Show is the largest auto show in North America and has been held more times than any other auto exposition on the continent. Exhibitions include: multiple world and North American introductions; a complete range of domestic and imported passenger cars and trucks; sport utility vehicles; and experimental or concept cars. In total, nearly 1,000 different vehicles will be on display.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/65459-kelley-blue-book-chicago-auto-show
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are hybrids with high-capacity batteries that can be charged by plugging them in. Although PHEVs do not have to be plugged in to be driven, they will not achieve optimal fuel consumption or maximum driving range without charging.
For an accessible version of this video, please visit:
http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy/efficiency/transportation/cars-light-trucks/buying/16221
Luxury transportation is now more attainable than the days of “Daddy Warbucks.” In the midst of the holiday season, new-car shoppers can step up into a luxury car without breaking the bank by checking the expert recommended list of 10 Best Luxury Cars Under $40,000 from Kelley Blue Book www.kbb.com, the leading provider of new and used car information.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/65119-kelley-blue-book-kbb-10-best-luxury-cars-under-40k-of-2014
The 2014 model-year brand and category winners of the annual Best Resale Value Awards, recognizing vehicles for their projected retained value through the initial five-year ownership period, were announced today by Kelley Blue Book, www.kbb.com, the leading provider of new and used car information. Both Toyota and Lexus earned top honors for best brand and best luxury brand, and each of those top brands had six segment winners from a total of 22 different segments. Honda earned three segment awards, while Chevrolet captured two segment awards and placed an impressive three vehicles in the overall top 10 list.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/63131-kelley-blue-book-kbb-2014-best-resale-value-awards/