EVs Sales For September, 2016

BP To Challenge State Oil Stations In India

Reuters, data points:

• India with rising demand for gasoil and gasoline in the world's fastest growing major economy
• BP will open 3,500 fuel stations in India
• BP will become the second overseas firm drawn to rising demand (the other: RoyalDutch Shell)
• only foreign firms allowed in India: RoyalDutch Shell and BP  
• India is replacing China as the driver of global oil demand growth
• IEA: India will account for one-fourth of global energy by 2040

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EV Sales -- September

We sort of reported the September automobile sales earlier; generally not so good. EVs sales numbers come out about a week later. Here they are for September (dynamic link):

• Tesla Model S had its best month ever, jumping from 3,125 in August, to 4,350 delivered in September
• Tesla Model X deliveries jumped from 1,850 in August, to 3,200, in September, it's best report this year
• Chevrolt Volt was flat at 2,031 vehicles sold; pretty strong considering the Bolt comes out this year with range well beyond what Tesla will offer
• Ford Fusion Energi was up a bit to 1,652
• Nissan Leaf was up a bit to 1,316
• the BMW i3 must be phasing out, coming to the end of a cycle: it plummed from 1,013 to 391
• nothing else was worth reporting, all other makes/models selling below 500 units with two exceptions: Ford C-Max Energi (689) and VW e-Golf (529)

Totals, all makes models, US only:

• July: 13,464
• August: 14,882
• September: 16,974

It looks like it will be a race between Tesla and Chevrolet Bolt in the US.  I give the edge to the Bolt: range, price, dealers, marketing, GM Chevrolet brand name.

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Popovich Takes Up Where Phil Jackson Left Off

After living thirteen years in San Antonio, my heart is still with the Spurs.

Today, of all things, there is a full page article on the "NBA's most thoughtful team."

Gregg Popovich came to San Antonio Spurs training camp this year prepared with some questions for his players. Such as: Who were the explorers pushing west in early America? What is the fourth holy city of Islam? And where is one in danger of being attacked by wombats?

This is not what most NBA teams talk about. It’s not what employees in a typical office talk about. But their boss is the one who demands the Spurs broach these topics and more serious ones at their place of work.

Popovich has been quizzing the Spurs on current events and world history for years. Now he wants them to engage more than ever. So this season, for the first time, he also plans to track which players know the most about everything other than basketball.

“What’s cool is that everybody looks at that person, like: How do you know that?” Popovich said. “Then you walk away and you watch and two or three guys are talking over here and two or three are talking over there. Or if I say something about Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump or the political system, they talk about it. It brings them together. There’s a purpose to it—and it’s fun for me.”