$5,000 rebate for buying or leasing an EV in N.J. is in effect now, official announces

SOLAR CHARGING: I often draw the energy to charge my Tesla Model S from the 60-plus solar panels on the roof of my home. I bought a used 2016 Model S 75D (all-wheel drive) from Tesla last November, below, to replace my first Tesla, a Model S 60, above.

FIRST WASH: My Tesla Model S 75D at Always Clean Detailing Services in Fair Lawn, N.J.

All-electric cars, plug-in hybrids must have MSRP below $55,000

Editor's note: The first rebate program ended in December 2020, but a new program is set to launch on July 1, 2021. See the news release in the Comments section below.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

HACKENSACK, N.J. -- Governor Murphy made it official today, announcing that the electric-vehicle incentive law he signed on Jan. 17 became effective that day.

There was lots of confusion about the vehicles covered and whether the rebates would go to buyers as well as those who lease, thanks to sloppy news media coverage.

Some reports suggested the law wouldn't go into effect for 3 months.

Today, the governor announced that plug-in gas-electric hybrids, as well as all-electric cars, are covered, whether you buy or lease.

The MSRP must be below $55,000, and the rebate is figured based on the EPA-rated electric-only range -- $25 per mile -- up to a maximum of $5,000 per vehicle.

Electric cars from Tesla, Chevrolet, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia and other manufacturers cost less than $55,000 and qualify. 

"A fully electric car with 200 miles of range will qualify for a $5,000 rebate," Murphy said. "A hybrid electric car with 20 miles of electric range will qualify for a $500 rebate."

The New Jersey incentive is especially welcome after the expiration of the $7,500 federal tax credit when a company has sold more than 200,000 of a certain model.

In December, Tesla's website listed EV incentives in other states, and all of them are lower than New Jersey's rebate:

• California offers a $2,500 state rebate, and PG&E offers an additional $800 rebate for applications submitted on or after January 1, 2019.
• Connecticut customers are eligible for a $2,000 rebate for new Model 3 RWD vehicles, as well as exemption from state emissions testing and a reduced vehicle registration fee.
• Massachusetts offers rebates up to $2,500 for new EV purchases.
• New York offers rebates up to $2,000.
• Colorado offers tax credits up to $5,000.
• Pennsylvania offers rebates up to $1,750.

Read: Governor's statement
 on electric vehicle rebates

Automakers bribe writers with yet another play date at a private race track in Catskills

ONLY EV AT TEST DAYS: GM improved the Chevy Bolt EV for the 2019 model year, but sent a 2018 model to Test Days, the year's premier event for auto writers and publicists who belong to the International Motor Press Association. 

EDITOR'S NOTE: Scotty Reiss, president emeritus of the International Motor Press Association, reacted strongly to this post, claiming "your story was negative, biased and factually incorrect." Her complete email appears in the comments section at the end of the post.

By VICTOR E. SASSON

EDITOR

MONTICELLO, N.Y. -- If you doubt traditional carmakers like Nissan are trying to slow the transition to electric cars, consider the vehicles the Japanese company brought to the year's premier event for the automotive press.

Most prominent was a monstrous, gas-guzzling SUV from Nissan's luxury division, Infiniti, with a sticker price north of $91,000.

The owner of this ungainly Infiniti QX80 Limited would spend $8,000 more on gasoline over 5 years than someone who drives the average new vehicle, according to the government-mandated sticker.

Not to mention all of the extra tailpipe emissions, said to cause a total of 58,000 premature deaths in the United States every year.

QX80 Limited

The word "Limited" in the model number is undoubtedly a reference to the intelligence of anyone who would spend so much on such a wasteful vehicle, which appears to seat only 6.

If that vehicle wasn't bad enough -- representing as it does Nissan's royal F.U. to the environment -- the company's Northeast Region public relations chief didn't bother to provide the vastly improved second-generation Nissan Leaf or the longer-range version of the EV with active battery cooling.

"Just didn't bring it," shrugged Steven Oldham, when asked why he wasn't providing an all-electric Leaf for members of the International Motor Press Association to drive silently over beautiful two-lane country roads around the Monticello Motor Club, the private race track for the wealthy that was one of the sponsors.

TRICK OR TREAT: Total MSRP for the Infiniti QX80 Limited is $91,450, including an all-season package for $355 and destination charges of $1,295.

Sponsors cut back

In response to an email, Dan Bedore, director of Nissan Division Communications in Franklin, Tenn., said:

"We generally bring our newest in-launch products to these events as well as crowd pleasers like GT-R [a high-performance sports car with 565 horsepower to 600 horsepower that starts at $99,990].

"Placing vehicles [at events like IMPA's Test Days] includes a per-vehicle cost from the organizers and a shipping cost and we have budgets to operate within."

If Nissan withheld the Leaf for budgetary reasons, that was only one of the cutbacks evident this week to IMPA members like me who have attended Test Days stretching back decades, when they were held at two other tracks, Pocono Raceway and Lime Rock Park in Connecticut.

Fewer food choices

At lunch on Tuesday at the Monticello Motor Club, I asked a server if there were veggie burgers available like the ones I enjoyed last year.

"Not today," he said, so as a non-meat eater I had a choice of three salads -- tuna, edamame and couscous.

The main items on the buffet were hamburgers and chicken with pesto.

Pastas and salads -- but no fish -- were available to non-meat eaters at Tuesday night's banquet in the Resorts World Casino.

Test Days coordinator Paul Licata said in response to an email that cost doesn't allow "us to have every option for everyone."

Track time

This year, in another cost-cutting move, the Monticello Motor Club also declined to provide the race instructors who were available on the first morning of the two-day event.

An instructor would sit in the front passenger seat, and give IMPA members like me tips as they drove the 469-horsepower Mercedes-Benz AMG C 63 and other performance cars around the challenging 3.5-mile track.

On Wednesday, IMPA members had a wide choice of vehicles from among the 70-plus in the paddock to drive unaccompanied on the track, and pretend they are Lewis Hamilton, who is on the cusp of his 5th Formula 1 World Championship.  

Test Days sponsors included Fiat Chrysler, Ford, Mazda, Nissan, Toyota/Lexus, Acura, BMW, Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz and Subaru, among other automakers; American Ethanol, a tire company and a public relations firm.

No ethics policy

IMPA is the nation's oldest organization of automotive journalists and public relations professionals, but the group is only now starting to discuss adopting an ethics policy to govern members' relationship with automakers and dealers.

That has allowed carmakers to essentially bribe members with all-expenses-paid travel to see the unveiling of new models; free loans of new vehicles for up to a week to write road-test reports or just to provide them with a ride during their vacations; and free trips to the big auto shows in New York, Detroit, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere.

Revenue from dealer advertising, meanwhile, keeps many of the writers' publications, websites, blogs and YouTube channels afloat. 

Thank sponsors

In an email, IMPA President Bill Howard reminded members:

"Sponsors make the event affordable: $100 for the ticket, not $400. Say thank you as you relieve them of their coffee, bottled water, doughnuts and candy in the paddock."

Tesla doesn't advertise or provide cars for IMPA events, and that may be one factor behind all of the negative stories about the world's premier maker of all-electric cars.

And in recent years, traditional automakers like the ones that sponsor IMPA events have restricted loans of new vehicles to writers whose reports have such a large exposure that there is a good likelihood they will translate into sales.

That prompted one long-time IMPA member to say he'd like to see a return to "equal opportunity bribery." 

MSRP of $166,795: The 2019 BMW i8 Roadster is a plug-in hybrid with a total of 369 horsepower from a turbo 3-cylinder gasoline engine and an electric motor. The easiest way to get into the low-slung sports car is to plant your tush on the wide sill and swing your legs in, below.

EVs, hybrids

As the owner of a Tesla Model S, I tried to drive only EVs and hybrids on Tuesday.

I had a lot of fun in a 2018 Chevy Bolt EV, which is everything you'd want in a small car and more. 

By shifting the transmission into "L," you can operate the all-electric hatchback with one pedal: 

When you take your foot off of the accelerator, the Bolt EV will come to a stop at a light or stop sign, and lifting off partially slows the car for corners.

That same one-pedal operation is available in another all-electric car, the BMW i3, which wasn't brought to the event.

Instead, BMW provided a 2019 i8 Roadster, a low-slung gas-electric hybrid that is the open-top version of the 2018 BMW i8.

The sports car was fast and fun to drive, but noisy and impractical. Total suggested retail price is $166,795.

Toyota and Lexus brought no gas-electric hybrids to the event, and Jaguar's first all-electric car, the 2019 I-Pace, also was missing.

Read: When writers get a free ride,

 can they be objective?

Read: Feds may question cozy relationship among writers, automakers and dealers

ONE OF FORD'S LAST SEDANS: The 2018 Fusion Platinum Energi is a 5-passenger gas-electric hybrid, one of only 3 sedans the company still sells.

DESTINATION CHARGER: I was able to plug in my Model S at a Tesla Destination Charger in front of the clubhouse at the Monticello Motor Club in Monticello, N.Y.

Choking on internal-combustion engines, but yearning for simplicity, quiet of EVs

A NEW LEAF: Inside the second-generation, all-electric Nissan Leaf. Switching on "e-Pedal" brings the four-door hatchback to a stop at red lights and in traffic when the driver lifts off of the accelerator pedal.

IT'S COMPLICATED: The pricy, all-electric BMW i3s also has a busy interior that emphasizes style over function. Can you find the shift lever?

TESLA MODEL 3: The interior of Tesla's affordable Model 3 is even simpler and less cluttered than the bigger Model S and Model X, with most controls accessible from a 15-inch touch screen.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

BEAR MOUNTAIN, N.Y. -- The annual spring driving event staged by the country's oldest organization of auto writers and publicists still is dominated by noisy, polluting internal-combustion engines.

As the owner of an all-electric Tesla Model S, I'm struck by the contradiction of inviting lead-footed members of the International Motor Press Association to foul the air of the beautiful, 5,025-acre Bear Mountain State Park.

The event is dubbed "Spring Brake" -- despite all the high-speed driving on public roads, and a cat-and-mouse game with park police.

Among dozens of luxury and performance vehicles available last Thursday, I found three zero-emission EVs -- a second-generation Nissan Leaf SL, Chevrolet Bolt and BMW i3s -- and a handful of plug-in and other gas-electric hybrids.

I got a chance to drive the Leaf and i3s over winding park roads overlooking the Hudson River, and on the highway, and both delivered strong acceleration and the quiet, calming experience battery electric cars are known for.

I also drove luxury performance cars from Lexus, Mercedes-Benz and Cadillac, but no boring Volvos, and came away still believing they are an incredible waste of money.

With every purchase, owners are buying into further destruction of the environment, premature deaths from tailpipe emissions, and noise pollution in our already noisy world.

Click on the following link: 

Driving the new Nissan Leaf 

FOUR-DOOR HATCHBACK: The redesigned Nissan Leaf is a vast improvement over the original, but this all-electric vehicle could be mistaken for any manufacturers' four-door hatchback with a gasoline engine.

ZERO EMISSION OR EMISSIONS? Should this badge say "Zero Emissions"? TV ads for the new Leaf don't even mention the all-electric powertrain.

QUIRKY: The interior and exterior design of the BMW i3s, a sportier version of the all-electric i3 with a range of 114 miles on a full charge, certainly stands out, but with models starting at $44,450, sales of the i3 have lagged.

DASHBOARD FOR TREE HUGGERS: A wood dashboard is one of the interior options on the i3.

HYUNDAI THREE WAYS: The Hyundai Ioniq is available as a gas-electric hybrid, a plug-in hybrid, below; and with an all-electric powertrain and a range of 124 miles (sold only in California).

PLUG IN, FILL UP: On the way home to northern New Jersey, me and my son stopped at Cosimo's Ristorante & Bar on Route 300 in Newburgh, N.Y.; plugged in my Model S at a free Tesla Supercharger; and stuffed ourselves with a couple of oversized slices of wood-fired pizza and a salad, both made with plenty of great cheese.

SHRIMP SCAMPI: A slice of the Shrimp Scampi Pizza with large shrimp, baby arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic and three cheeses -- provolone, mozzarella and shaved parmigiano ($15 for the pie).

HAIL CAESAR: We also split a large Caesar Salad covered with shaved Parmesan ($10).

World carmakers still are betting the bank on improving mileage of deadly gas engine

TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF: The long-awaited second-generation Nissan Leaf, a stylish all-electric four-door hatchback, was only a sideshow for the press at the New York International Auto Show in the Javits Center. The show opens to the public on Friday.

ZERO EMISSIONS: Hundreds of auto writers, publicists and advertising executives ignored the zero-emissions 2018 Nissan Leaf, which has a range of 151 miles, as they pushed toward a stage to see the unveiling of a new Nissan Altima with a more efficient internal-combustion engine.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Any hope I had that the global auto industry is quickly developing electric vehicles to ease climate change and cut premature deaths from auto emissions was dashed on Wednesday at the New York International Auto Show.

As a Tesla owner and member of the International Motor Press Association, I skipped last year's two-day preview for auto writers and others.

But on Wednesday, I took mass transit to the show and walked through the exhibits at the Javits Center, looking for all-electric production models. 

They were few and far between, as were the cocktail parties and lounges the industry once employed to capture the hearts, minds and stomachs of the auto writers who flock there every year, and write gushing articles about new models with antiquated gas engines.

No free lunch

In fact, manufacturers asked the New York region auto dealers who stage the annual show for more time to hold press conferences, eliminating the wildly popular box lunch that Subaru has provided in recent years.

As the owner of a Tesla Model S, I was disappointed none of the unveilings on Wednesday were specifically for a new all-electric vehicle that you can buy now.

Of course, Tesla doesn't advertise or take part in the New York show.

And Porsche didn't bother showing the Mission E, saying the all-electric performance sedan still is a prototype that won't go on sale until the end of next year.

Media applause

As a retired newspaper reporter who once covered the industry, I was shocked to hear auto writers from around the world cheering and applauding loudly after Nissan unveiled a new Altima sedan with another dirty engine.

Surely, they weren't cheering the millions of premature deaths from air pollution, including the 58,000 attributed to tailpipe emissions in the United States every year.

Pushing fuel economy

Manufacturers are innovating to produce engines with better fuel economy under government pressure, Consumer Reports says in its 2018 Auto Issue.

Yet, car companies also are seeking relief from even stricter standards, and the Trump administration "is openly skeptical of regulation," the magazine reports.

And Charles Morris, who writes for Tesla aftermarket supplier Evannex, argues:

"Big Oil, supported by its allies in the auto industry and numerous national governments, is fighting the nascent electromobility revolution on several fronts."

"...The media churn out 'EVs are a bust' articles on a daily basis, often employing quotes helpfully provided by auto industry trade groups and oil-friendly think tanks."

See:

When auto riders get a free ride...

 We'll be choking on these cars for years to come

An EV makes Top 10 list at Consumer Reports

CHEAP-LOOKING INTERIOR: Chevrolet displayed the homely Bolt EV (and Volt plug-in hybrid, rear), neither of which have been setting sales records. A Chevrolet spokesman wouldn't comment on why the Bolt EV doesn't appear in its own TV commercial.

THIS EV REALLY STINKS: BMW chose to show the i3s, a sportier version of its funky all-electric car, which has a range of 114 miles, but this one was equipped with a "range extender" -- a 2-cylinder gasoline engine.

Jaguar says the all-electric I-Pace, above and below, is expected to go on sale at the end of the year, and compete with Tesla's Model X. The I-Pace will have an MSRP of $69,500 and a range of 240 miles.

A Jaguar spokesman said the "I" in I-Pace stands for "ion" as in the lithium-ion batteries the four-door hatchback uses.

Hyundai showed the all-electric Kona, above and below, a crossover that also is expected to go on sale at the end of this year. 

The Kona EV will have a range of 250 miles, Hyundai said, a bit more than the Chevy Bolt EV. 

President Trump ignores tweet inviting him to attend The Washington Auto Show

The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, the first long-distance all-electric car from a major U.S. automaker, was available to members of the news media for a ride-and-drive on Wednesday and Thursday in Washington, D.C.

The Bolt EV, which is said to have a range of 238 miles on a full charge, is now on sale in California and Oregon, and is set to arrive on dealer lots in New Jersey and New York in March, with a starting price of $36,620.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- @RealDonaldTrump and @MichaelCohen212, the president's personal attorney, didn't respond to a tweet inviting them to The Washington Auto Show.

"Since the auto industry is on @RealDonaldTrump's mind we invite your admin to check out the latest in automotive @ #Was17," show organizers tweeted on Thursday.

The show opened to the public today in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

The organizers also sent an email to the White House, asking for a visit by Trump, but they haven't received a response, a spokeswoman said.

Auto policies

President Trump has urged American automakers to keep U.S. plants open, and not to move production to Mexico.

He has also threatened to slap German automakers with a 35% tariff on any car imported into the United States.

Both Cadillac and Global Automakers, the Washington-based lobbyist for international manufacturers, threw parties for members of the automotive media, about 30 of whom arrived here on Wednesday in a special Amtrak rail car from Manhattan.

At a media event on Thursday, Trump also was likely on the minds of Mercedes-Benz and Acura executives.

In their acceptance speeches for so-called Green Car Awards, they made it very clear the wining vehicles were made in the good old U.S.A.

Still, even U.S.-made cars often use engines, transmissions and other key components assembled in other countries.

For example, the all-electric 2017 Chevrolet Bolt is built in Michigan, but uses an electric motor and transmission made in South Korea.

More than 54% of the parts come from Korean or Canada.