Toyota, Tesla, Hyundai, Phoenix Contact, Cenntro Automotive.

Prius preview: Just before its debut at the New York Autoshow later today, pictures of Toyota’s Prius plug-in hybrid appeared on a Japanese website. As a previous teaser image suggested, the latest member of the best-selling hybrid family comes with a fresh new look.
sport-car.akakagemaru.info (in Japanese) via insideevs.com

Ludicrous retrofit: Tesla is now offering an aftermarket retrofit for the Model S P90D for those wishing to upgrade from insane to ludicrous mode. Costs are at 5,000 dollars plus labour. The upgrade involves the replacement of a fuse and a contactor to allow for the increase of max. power output.
electrek.co

Real range is relative: Confusion circumscribed the Hyundai Ioniq’s range which was sometimes given at 155, and sometimes with 110 miles only. The Korean carmaker now made clear that the difference is due to differing test cycles with the European NEFZ being more generous than the American.
autoblog.com

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Tesla Vice President Diarmuid O’Connell shares his vision for electric mobility during the Avere E-Mobility Conference on 13 April 2016 in Amsterdam.
www.aec.amsterdam

China connection: Phoenix Contact sets up a Chinese subsidiary to plug into the electric transport segment. Phoenix (Nanjing) E-Mobility Technology now operates with a team of 20 product and project managers as well as developers who will adapt the offerings of the plug specialist to China’s demand.
innovations-report.de (in German)

Metro truck: U.S. Cenntro Automotive brings a commercial vehicle concept to the New York show. Designed in a modular manner, it allows for different uses, including an open truck bed and van box. Payload is given at 635 kg and range as up to 75 miles but only at a top speed of 25 mph.
carscoops.com

Why did Porsche get 6m euros for its EV? Asks the German taxpayer association in its annual budget review, in which it also complains about more than 16m euros being paid to carmakers to built charging infrastructure, or about half a million for the ‘My eDrive’ platform that aims to connect potential buyers with suitable electric cars. It is not the policy alone the association criticises but the idea of the State chipping in for firms unwilling to take the risk in the first place but willing to profit in the end.
dw.com