Tesla is first and foremost an electric car company, but the brand has always had its eye on the big picture. In 2012, the automaker began building a network of Supercharger stations so its customers would never run out of juice, and three years later, Tesla debuted the Powerwall home battery unit. The brand has taken yet another step toward end-to-end energy dominance by offering to buy SolarCity, one of the largest solar technology providers in the world.
If the all-stock offer is accepted, Tesla hopes to become a vertically-integrated energy company, a one-stop shop if you will.
“I think most of our customers have an interest in solar; I’d be shocked if they don’t,” Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in a conference call. “But only a small percentage of them actually have it. I think there will be a large number of customers where we can provide them with a complete solution.”
Musk’s vision of a comprehensive energy solution is not unrealistic. If SolarCity is acquired, customers could theoretically walk into a Tesla store and buy solar panels to power their home, a Powerwall to store energy, and an electric car to get them around. Those solar panels could charge their vehicle as well, which means Tesla would offer utility services from the sun to the streets.
“That’s what people want,” Musk said.
The relationship between Tesla and SolarCity is not a new one — Elon Musk serves as the company’s Chairman and Tesla has provided battery packs for various solar projects in the past. If accepted, the automaker promises to advance solar panel technology, which includes creating units that “add to the look of your home.”
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For a closer look at the deal itself, check out Tesla’s blog, where a copy of the offer has been posted.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?
Update (October 22 23:54 PT): In response to our query, GM clarified that offline recording support is already available on eligible vehicles. Like Tesla's Sentry Mode, it requires owners to connect a USB drive to save incident recordings, which can be viewed on the vehicle's infotainment screen. The upcoming Connected Cameras feature will build on this by giving owners remote access to these recordings via the revamped OnStar app, allowing them to check footage without walking out to their car.
General Motors has announced plans to add a new Connected Cameras feature to its OnStar service starting next year, giving drivers a way to monitor parked vehicles remotely and capture footage of certain incidents.