by Gabrielle DeSantis

Tesla is the talk of the town here in the states, thanks to their charismatic CEO Elon Musk. And over the past seven years, they’ve been turning quite a profit thanks to bitcoin and emissions credits. But breaking into China, home to 44% of the global electric car market, is much more difficult than making an impression here. The Teslas we all know and love aren’t quite as popular, or even as good, across the pond.

Tesla’s reputation in China isn’t all that great

When Tesla first made the jump to China in 2019, it only took them a year to put the factory together and get cars off the production line. The original goal wasn’t to export the cars from China, as then the company would have to pay hefty tariffs. Instead, these Chinese-built Teslas would only be sold in China. But a CNN report in April of this year claimed that 14,174 Teslas made in China were exported. That’s more than half of the Chinese Teslas made in that period.

There are also complications with Tesla camera systems, which track the driver and monitors the road. Teslas have been banned from Chinese military bases in case these American cars are spying on top-secret operations. While a reasonable concern, since tensions between the US and China have never been higher, Elon himself denied the claim.

But the problem isn’t just interpersonal relations, the cars that come out of Teslas two Chinese factories aren’t always up to par. At the 2021 Shanghai Auto Show, owners showed up and complained about Tesla brakes failing right at their booth. Not only was this a fatal blow for Tesla’s publicity, but it only bolstered Chinese brand EVs, which have stronger roots in China than Tesla ever will.

The electric car competition is much stronger

Just like America supports American-made electric cars, China supports Chinese-made electric cars. Tesla’s main competitor, NIO, is publicly traded and incredibly popular. But NIO isn’t just popular because they’re on the home team. Their battery swapping technology allows NIOs to be luxurious, while also being granted tax credits. To understand what I mean, we have to learn about China’s tax incentives.

Just like America, tax incentives are being used to convince consumers to go electric. However, in China, there’s a cap on how much an electric car can cost before those credits are null and void. The logic is that if you can afford an expensive car, you don’t need tax credits. The cap is set at $46,600, but there’s an exception for vehicles using battery swap technologies.

Battery swapping is exactly what it sounds like: a dead battery is swapped for a fresh one. This means NIO can make cars priced lower than Teslas, while still maintaining that level of luxury one would expect. The swaps are also much faster than fully charging a car, taking three to five minutes on average.

Because of this, Tesla can’t jack up the price of their Chinese cars. But because demand is higher in America, or at least they claim it is, Tesla can charge more over here.

Teslas cost more in the states than they do in China

Rather than selling every car for the same amount of money, they’re having America pay more so that China can pay less. Tesla has already won over the American market, so raising the price is a non-issue, and lowering the price in China incentivizes that market to grow as well.

Provided, the price hikes aren’t massive, ranging from $500 to $1000 according to Car and Driver. The issue is that they’re frequent. Buying a Model Y Long Range today costs $53,190, up by about $3000 since February. And it’s the same story for Tesla’s base model, the Model 3, which starts at $41,190. Tesla claims this increase in price has to do with supply chain issues, as the chip shortage is taking a toll on some automakers more than others.

But because the price of Teslas sold in China hasn’t changed. In fact, Teslas are three times more expensive anywhere else than they are in China just so the company can keep up. And according to WHBL, the price of Chinese Teslas will likely be lower than any other Tesla for the foreseeable future.

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The post Tesla May Be Popular in America but Struggles in China appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Who hasn’t thought about going off the grid? Just climbing into your car, driving into the sunset, and leaving the world behind sounds wonderful in these stressful times. But if you don’t have the budget to go and buy an RV fear not, turning your car into a camper van isn’t all that tricky. All you need is some basic camping equipment and then, at the end of the day, you use your car as the tent. Just don’t complain if you get some dirt on the seats, because you will.

Sleeping accommodations, and a trunk big enough for them

While you could certainly sleep in the front seat of your car, it’s ideal to actually have a bed in the back. If you drive something like a Chevy Tahoe, you could fit an actual bed back there (likely a twin, but still). But if you lack cargo space, you may have to whip out some DIY camper van skills.

We’d suggest buying foam and cutting it up to fit your trunk’s dimensions since not all trunks are the same size and the wheel wells often get in the way. Use as many layers as you need to make your bed poofy enough, and then cover it with a sheet you don’t mind getting dirty. From there, all you need is a sleeping bag or some blankets, which most people have lying around anyways.

Sedans are at a severe disadvantage, as it’s hard to access and lie in the trunk if it’s not a hatch. For this, we’d suggest turning your backseat into the sleeping area. To do this, you’ll need to find a way to flatten the area, filling the footwells for the rear passengers, and then putting foam on top of that. The downside is that, at maximum, you could only bring one other person, and it’d be pretty cramped while you sleep in the car. But this does give you full access to your trunk, which can carry the rest of the equipment you need.

A power source for your camper gizmos and gadgets

Most cars are riddled with USBs and 12-volt outlets that you could use to power your phone chargers and other small electronics. Some cars even come with traditional power outlets, such as the 2021 Toyota Sienna. But always consult your owner manual, and never plug in more power than the battery can handle.

If your car lacks power outlets, however, we wouldn’t suggest using it as a generator. Doing so requires you to either a.) rely on the 12-volt battery, which could die if you use it too long, or b.) keep the engine idling for an extended period of time. This wears out the components and uses an excessive amount of oil, so it does more harm than good.

The easiest solution is an external power source. If you just need to charge your phones, just grab a cheap portable charger and you’re good to go. And while you’re grabbing gizmos, you may want a fan depending on where you live. If, however, the appliances you use require more power, look into purchasing a generator.

There are gas generators, but those are noisy and require constant upkeep. Personally, I’ve used the Goal Zero solar and electric generators in my own camper van, which provide noise and fume-free power. Depending on how much energy you need, you can purchase one for only $200.

Food storage and cooking supplies

While you could just run to some fast-food chain for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it feels a bit like cheating. Camping is all about adapting to your new environment, and this should include food. That being said, you don’t have to give up any of the amenities you’re used to even though you’re sleeping in a car.

Depending on how big of an electric generator you buy, you could also go all-electric with your stove as well. Those electric hot plates can be as low as 30 dollars, and make cooking easier and safer. However, if you’re comfortable with propane (and propane accessories), then a gas grill might be better. They cost a bit more, but are more thorough and don’t take as long to heat up.

But if you’re cooking meat, you have to find a way to keep it cool. The simplest solution is to just grab a cooler and fill it with ice, and stuff your food in there. But ice can melt and make everything wet, which is why, if you can swing it, we suggest investing in a 12-volt cooler/refrigerator. Most hatchbacks and SUVs have an outlet in the trunk, so you don’t even have to keep it upfront with you.

These are just baseline suggestions, and there’s obviously more you may want. Tables and chairs, entertainment, and the correct clothes just to name a few. But camping, whether you’re in a tent or a camper car, can be a great way to reconnect with nature, or just get away from the world.

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The post Everything You Need to Turn Any Car Into a Camper Van appeared first on MotorBiscuit.