Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla Model X crash, Model S vs. Mustang, Camaro, Z06

Watch the Tesla Model S take on a Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, and Chevrolet Corvette Z06 in the quarter-mile. You may already know how the Model S P90D with Ludicrous mode would fare against its muscular, internal-combustion rivals, but it's always fun to see numbers we usually read on paper come to life on the drag strip. While the Corvette and Camaro have clearly met their match, the Mustang actually hangs in there in one race. As for times, the Tesla did the quarter-mile in 11.03, 11.04, and 11.05. See the video above.

A Model X owner credits Tesla for his safety after a nasty crash. Orthopedic surgeon Jonathan Braman and his family — even the family dog — walked away intact after a GMC Yukon hit the Model X after running a red light at over 45 mph. The airbags deployed, quickly enveloping the occupants. The Model X stayed upright, which Braman credits to its low center of gravity. He took to Facebook to thank Tesla for his family's "lives and safety," and tells Electrek, "I want my family back in a Tesla." Read more and see the aftermath at Electrek.

Tesla's JB Straubel is skeptical of vehicle-to-grid technology and second-life batteries for grid storage. The electric automaker's cofounder, Chief Technology Officer, and resident battery know-it-all doesn't have as rosy a view on either technology as other EV fans, and he explained himself at the International Transport Forum in Leipzig. The complications of sending energy back to the grid from a car's battery make it less likely to be economically viable, especially for the near future. As for using retired batteries for stationary grid storage, the lifespan of the battery makes the technology old by the time it's pulled from the vehicle. Also, the degradation of batteries is a little unpredictable. Better to just recycle the materials, he says. Read more at Clean Technica, or watch the video (relevant comments begin at about 23:20) on YouTube.

Clean Technica talks solar trucks with the head of eNow. The company makes mobile solar systems that provide auxiliary power to shipping and delivery trucks. Especially when a truck uses a power liftgate in the rear, the truck needs to be idling in order to provide energy to the battery that powers such electrical systems. Mounting solar panels on trucks allows drivers to turn off the engine when making deliveries or loading or unloading, which saves on fuel and reduces harmful emissions. According to eNow founder, President, and CEO Jeffrey Flath, the fuel and roadside assistance savings add up (especially if a dead battery would mean a loss of inventory in a refrigerated truck). Also, eNow's panels are thin and lightweight, and can be attached to a truck by Velcro. Read the interview at Clean Technica.