Founder, Publisher, and Editorial Director of the 925, LLC publications.
Seth Weintraub is an award-winning engineer, journalist, and publisher who won back-to-back Neal Awards from 2007–2010 during his three-plus years covering Apple and Google at IDG’s Computerworld.
From 2010-2011, Weintraub covered all things Google for Fortune Magazine, amassing an impressive rolodex of Google contacts and a love for Silicon Valley tech culture.
It turns out that his hobby – the 9to5Mac news site – was always his favorite, and in 2011, he went full time adding his Fortune Google followers to 9to5Google, in addition to adding the style and commerce component of 9to5Toys gear and deals site. In 2013, Weintraub bought one of Tesla’s first Model S EVs off of the assembly line, which began his love affair with electric vehicles and green energy — this, in turn, became Electrek in 2014. To cover the burgeoning world of drones and UAVs led by China’s DJI, DroneDJ was born in 2018, and then more recently, Connectthewatts and SpaceExplored were launched to cover connected fitness and space.
From 1997-2007, Weintraub was a Global IT director and Web Developer for a number of companies, with stints at multimedia and branding agencies in Paris, Los Angeles, New York, Sydney, Hong Kong, Madrid, and London before becoming a publisher/writer.
Seth received a bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University of Southern California with a minor in Multimedia and Creative Technology in 1997. In 2004, he received a Master’s from NYU’s Tisch School of the Art’s ITP program.
Weintraub is a licensed single-engine private pilot and a certified open-water scuba diver, and he spent over a year backpacking to 60 cities in 23 countries. Whatever free time exists is now guaranteed to his wonderful girlfriend, Alana, and two amazing sons.
More: About.me. BI 2014 profile.
Tips: seth@925.co, or llsethj on Threads/BlueSky or link at top of page.
CBS talked to Tesla CEO Elon Musk about the Tesla’s record/testing machine breaking score on the NHTSB tests and discussed the mass market cars coming in 3-4 years.
Lookin good, Wall Street! (Thanks @NASDAQOMX!) pic.twitter.com/NubkUcOxAK
— Tesla (@Tesla) August 22, 2013
ABC’s video below
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n-xsEjq7pk&start=1110]
According to a recent trademark application, Tesla has applied for the name ‘Model E’. The name would seem to fit in its recent lineup of cars including the Model S Sedan and Model X SUV/Crossover.
This is a brand page for the MODEL E trademark by Tesla Motors, Inc. in Palo Alto, CA, 94304. Write a review about a product or service associated with this MODEL E trademark. Or, contact the owner Tesla Motors, Inc. of the MODEL Etrademark by filing a request to communicate with the Legal Correspondent for licensing, use, and/or questions related to the MODEL E trademark.
Status Update! On Tuesday, August 13, 2013, status on the MODEL E trademark changed to NEW APPLICATION – RECORD INITIALIZED NOT ASSIGNED TO EXAMINER.
On Monday, August 05, 2013, a U.S. federal trademark registration was filed for MODEL E by Tesla Motors, Inc., Palo Alto, CA 94304. The USPTO has given the MODEL E trademark serial number of 86029275. The current federal status of this trademark filing is NEW APPLICATION – RECORD INITIALIZED NOT ASSIGNED TO EXAMINER. The correspondent listed for MODEL E is JOHN W. CRITTENDEN of COOLEY LLP, 1299 PENNSYLVANIA AVE NW STE 700, WASHINGTON, DC 20004-2431 . The MODEL E trademark is filed in the category of Vehicles and Products for locomotion by land, air or water . The description provided to the USPTO for MODEL E is Automobiles and structural parts therefor.
Obviously this would seem to be for the $35,000 electric car ($25K after gas and tax subsidies) that CEO Elon Musk has promised. The vehicle is supposed to be smaller than the Model S (or X) and have a 200 mile range and be the size of a Mercedes C Class or BMW 3 series. Few other details exist on this car except its planned 2016-7 launch and its “Blue Star” codename.
‘E’ could stand for Electric or EV obviously but also economy, economic, everywhere, everyone, etc…or Elon?
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This NYTimes piece showcases something that’s been talked about for some time: Turning phone booths, which typically are adjacent to street parking, into charging stations.
“I think that perhaps 3,000 phones could be converted, with two to three parking spaces in front of each,” he said. In 10 years, he added, it could be difficult to find a gas station in New York.
Problem #1 is that the power lines going to phone stations are usually not able to carry the type of amps that a car would need. That means they have to be rewired and if you are rewiring, you might as well just run a fresh charging station at more strategic locations.
Problem #2 is that there are like 30 government agencies involved which means nothing will ever get done.
Mr. Johnston said that conflicting city interests would make E.V. charging stations a challenge, especially because different agencies were responsible for the public sidewalk and the parking spaces that would be involved.
“There are insurance questions, and questions about how long a car could park there,” he said. “It gets complicated very quickly.”
Rahul Merchant, chief information and innovation officer and commissioner in the city’s Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications, described the charger conversion as “a great idea we should absolutely entertain.”
“There is enough electric power in the conduits to turn the kiosks into charging stations for electric cars. If we proceed with that concept, we would have to work with our colleagues in the D.O.T. to ensure there are no conflicts on that side,” he said, referring to the Transportation Department.
Just listening to these guys talk convinces me that a fresh start is in order.
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The latest feather in the Tesla Model S’s cap? Safest car or SUV on US roads, according to the NHTSA.
Tesla today announced that it has achieved the highest rating ever in a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) safety test averaging better than 5 stars and achieving at least 5 stars (out of 5) in every test. Comically, the Model S even broke the roof-crushing test equipment before it could register a result past 4Gs meaning that 4 Model S’s could pile up on another without the cabin caving in.
Of all vehicles tested, including every major make and model approved for sale in the United States, the Model S set a new record for the lowest likelihood of injury to occupants. While the Model S is a sedan, it also exceeded the safety score of all SUVs and minivans. This score takes into account the probability of injury from front, side, rear and rollover accidents.
Video of the tests can be found here as well as a Tesla that recently crashed through a utility pole.
Tesla mentioned that no batteries have ever caught fire but the statistical likelihood of a fire in the future wreck is statistically likely.
The press release, below, is a thing of beauty.
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Over the weekend reports of a Tennessee Tesla driver who apparently drove THOUGH a utility pole (causing an electrical outage)…
A Murfreesboro Police arrest report states that officers arrived at the scene of the crash and witnessed the utility pole was down. The car was about 100-feet away from the pole. When police talked to the female about what caused the wreck she evidently told officers, “she was messing with the radio.” When Officer Martin asked for the suspects drivers license, she reportedly handed it to a fireman standing next to him, according to the report, instead of him…The young female driver possibly survived because this car has a 5-star safety rating for front, side or rollover crashes. In checking the Tesla website, they note the high-strength steel and aluminum frame contribute to its crash performance. It appeared that possibly all 8 airbags had opened, plus this is not a lightweight car–it weighs a little less than 5,000 pounds.
via Autoblog
Tesla CEO Elon Musk emphasized how important safety was when creating the Model S in a recent shareholder discussion. Some interesting crash test videos of the Model S, showing why it gets a 5-star NHTSA safety rating are below:
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With Tesla Superchargers popping up everywhere and even battery swap becoming a reality, this idea’s time may never come to Tesla…so perhaps it’s aimed at smaller battery EVs. The Ep Tender is a small trailer that rides behind an EV on long trips. The Tender is generating electricity via a gas powered generator (think what the Volt has internally already) while you drive so your battery never runs out of juice. When you go back to normal driving, the Tender stays in the garage.
One big problem that comes to mind immediately is that most EVs aren’t programmed to charge while driving. Even if you can over-ride that system, is it worth having a motor trailing behind or maybe spend a few extra minutes extra at the charging stations?
Tesla owners should be receiving a pretty huge over the air update in the coming days which will enable a bunch of new functionality in the car. A Flickr user has updated the release notes. The biggie here is Wifi which allows the Tesla to connect to either a stationary wifi access point or tether to a mobile phone that may have a better signal than the HSPA network the Tesla attaches itself to.
Other new features include: Tow Mode, which allows you to put your car in neutral (wonder if this works in automatic car washes?), Auto screen clearing mode and accessing radio presets from the steering wheel.
Model S owners will also see improvements in Maps, Creep mode performance, additional driver profiles and another biggie: Improved power management when not in use.
The last one is huge because the Model S burns about 5 miles of charge per day in sleep mode, otherwise known as “Vampire mode”. Taking off a chunk of that will help it last a long time in storage without a recharge and stop the useless power drain.
Our Fremont Supercharger opened today! Stop by the Tesla factory and Supercharge, for free, forever. #GoElectric pic.twitter.com/lkuqahGGpT
— Tesla (@Tesla) August 16, 2013
Follows yesterday’s Texas news.
According to Mysanantonio.com, a Supercharger is coming to the San Marcos Premium outlets between Austin and San Antonio.
With only 17 other stations across the U.S., the Palo Alto, Calif.-based automker said Superchargers provide half of a full charge in 20 minutes and allow drivers to travel for about three hours. The company plans to open four more stations in the state before the end of 2013, with its second opening in two weeks in Waco, according to a spokesperson.
Tesla previously announced its first Supercharger in Texas would open in Dallas, but the spokesperson said the “unpredictable nature of permits and inspection” caused construction in San Marcos to finish earlier.
I’ve always wondered why this wasn’t a product. There are clearly liability issues with a bike that goes 50mph but it would seem to be popular in a better package.
Infographic provided by White House. 15 Million doubling every two years?
Wired’s coverage of Tesla lately has been great. This video is no different
Elon Musk has posted the PDF of the Hyperloop after months of speculation. Nothing seems to out of the realm of possibility here and there are some damn nice drawings.
So $6B for the passenger only version and $10B for the car transport version? Sign me up
From a hangout earlier. Lots of good advice from both men.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brziI9vBBvw
1. Viral Growth Engine (6:00)
2. Something special for Tesla Roadster owners in 2014. (15:15)
3. 3rd generation car $35,000 range. Effectively a $25,000 car with gas savings (and assuming some federal savings)(18:00)
4. Wants to build a Truck (32:20) and knows a lot about it
5. Safety (update Safest Car Ever award) is the biggest unknown focus of Model S.
6. Hiring is going way easier. 45:15
7. Still have razor thin margins 51:15
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Wired takes a look at Tesla’s assembly line and the strategic advantage of building most of the parts in-house.
Great editorial at Slate (did I just say that?) by Will Oremus on the BMW i3:
…at first glance: yeesh. It has the range of a Chevy Volt and the looks of a Pontiac Aztek. And those aren’t even the most disappointing things about it…
The major statement that Tesla made with the Model S was that an electric motor doesn’t have to mean compromise. With a range approaching 300 miles, knockout styling, seating for seven, and head-snapping acceleration, the Model S said to gas-guzzlers, “Anything you can do, I can do better.” BMW’s effort says just the opposite. Its range is 80 to 100 miles, commensurate with pre-Tesla efforts like the Volt and the Nissan Leaf. Its styling shouts “novelty vehicle.” It seats just four. And it goes zero to 60 in seven seconds—which, to be fair, is not bad for an electric car.
My feelings exactly. This is a pre-Tesla Model S electric Car. Tesla changed the game but BMW is still living in 2010. On one hand, I’m glad BMW is doing electric but on the other, I’m not feeling the revolution. In fact, why not get a Leaf for $15K less? It actually looks much better (something I also didn’t think I’d be saying.
http://vimeo.com/70643320
You don’t need a huge advertising budget when your product is this good
We gave you the details on the all-electric i3 over the weekend but BMW just released some press images in conjunction with their Announcement/live stream.
Full gallery and press release below:
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This looks like a cool way to get your electric motorcycle on if you don’t like what Mission, Zero and others are doing. Check the source for some really cool renders.
Others? Brammo Enertia, Brammo Enertia Plus. Brammo Empulse, CRP Energica, Zero X,Zero S, Yamaha EC-03, Vectrix VX-1, and the Lito Sora.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h746QIGIMOc#at=3345
The next step in lighting up the east cost is complete with the east and west side of Florida getting getting superchargers. The new addresses:
2 Supercharger stations in 2 days for Florida! Fort Myers opened today. Travel free between Miami, Tampa & Orlando! pic.twitter.com/Vm9VaSIEz1
— Tesla (@Tesla) July 25, 2013
Oh, and Norway just got put on the map.
One of the first Tesla Supercharger stations in Europe is being built in Cinderella, Norway #KatieWoodencloak
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 28, 2013
