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Showing posts from October, 2016

The Flawed Volkswagen Dieselgate Settlement & How to Fix it

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While I typically keep a narrow focus on the content of this blog, that being to obsessively cover the BMW i3 electric car, occasionally I'll post something if I feel it has particular importance to the electric vehicle industry as a whole. Such is the case with this entry. For those of you unfamiliar with the Volkswagen "Clean Diesel" scandal, it basically amounts to the fact that Volkswagen cheated the emission testing in place and flooded the market with highly-polluting vehicles that were improperly called "Clean Diesel". As a result, the Volkswagen Group was fined a record amount of money and forced to buy back or fix nearly half a million cars in the US which were operating in conflict with US emission laws. As part of the penalty, Volkswagen was ordered to pay a 2 billion dollar penalty, which would be used to fund zero emission infrastructure, and improve access to ZEVs. On face value, the proposed Dieselgate settlement initially seemed like it might pro

BMW i3 Mods: Sport Springs & LED High Beams

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Side by side comparison clearly demonstrates the difference the sport springs by H&R make. In the bottom (after) picture, the front is lowered by 1.2" and the rear by .8". I've always loved modifying my cars. From subtle aesthetic improvements to serious performance upgrades, I've done it all. Modification isn't usually thought of with regards to electric cars though, but that's changing, and will continue to as more and more EVs come into the marketplace.   Many car enthusiasts share my desire to personalize their cars also. BMWs in particular have become synonymous with performance upgrades and that's going to continue with BMWs that plug in, it's just going to take a little time for aftermarket manufacturers to realize there's a market for EV modifications. Granted it won't be as easy as it's been in the past; but where's a demand, the market will create a supply. One company that didn't wait long was H&R, makers of perfo