http://bizbeatblog.dallasnews.com/2013/08/tesla-lobbying-feds-to-eliminate-cars-sideview-mirrors.html/ Tesla lobbying feds to eliminate cars’ sideview mirrors By Terry Box August 15, 2013
[image http://bizbeatblog.dallasnews.com/files/2013/08/Tesla-Model-X-Side-View-in-motion.jpg Tesla Model X concept (scaleogy.com) ] Electric-car manufacturer Tesla, the company that is trying to reinvent the car, is pushing to eliminate conventional side-view mirrors on vehicles. The California company wants to substitute cameras for the old-school mirrors. Getting rid of the mirrors would improve a vehicle’s appearance, lower its aerodynamic drag and probably improve fuel economy slightly, proponents say. And when Tesla introduced a concept of its next electric vehicle, the Model X, it lacked side-view mirrors. But, of course, the federal government has rules requiring them. Undaunted, Tesla has been lobbying the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to eliminate the requirement, according to Automotive News. Earlier this year, Tesla tried to persuade the Texas Legislature to change state law to allow automakers to sell new vehicles directly to consumers. Texas law requires new vehicles to be sold through dealers licensed by the state. Tesla lost the fight in Texas, but Automotive News says there is precedent for an automaker convincing a government to agree to small changes. Volkswagen ultimately was able to get the German government to let it use cameras instead of mirrors on VW’s ultra-efficient XL1. [©2013, The Dallas Morning News] For all EVLN posts use: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/template/NamlServlet.jtp?macro=search_page&node=413529&query=evln&sort=date Here are today's archive-only EV posts: EVLN: Armadillo-T foldable in-wheel-motor nEV r:100km ts:65kph EVLN: Rugby's Healy chids Ross about fitting in his Citroën C-Zero EV EVLN: Victoria taxi drivers burned over free Electric-shuttles rides EVLN: GOe3 EVSE to charge Tesla EVs, National Plug In Day 9/28-29/2013 EVLN: Fiat 500e Takes All-Time “First Month” Scorecard Lead r:87mi + EVLN: Murray Micro EV Set For 2016 Debut {brucedp.150m.com} -- View this message in context: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/EVLN-Tesla-lobbying-feds-to-eliminate-side-mirror-requirement-tp4664845.html Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at Nabble.com. _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
