News Round-up: Jag Going Racing, Saab Has a Plan, Teslas Are Expensive

This is the new News Round-up where we cover all the things you should know that may or may not deserve a headline on their own (or we may have simply run out of time to cover them). It’s similar to the “While Your Were Sleeping” news coverage, but not the same, hence the name change.

This morning, Jaguar announced they are going racing again, the automaker formerly known as Saab has a business plan and the Tesla Model X has a price spread that would make Porsche blush.

A company that doesn’t sell a single electric vehicle is entering Formula E

Jaguar will be entering the Formula E series next year with the goal of testing “our advanced technologies under extreme performance conditions,” said Nick Rogers, Jaguar Land Rover’s Group Engineering Director.

To date, Jaguar has not marketed an electrified vehicle and only shown its C-X75 hybrid-electric vehicle as a concept. (Land Rover, however, does have a hybrid in the U.K.)

Jaguar will work with Williams Advanced Engineering to run the team. The new team will make its debut this fall as part of the third season of Formula E.

The company formerly known as Saab plans* to sell five vehicles by 2018

National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB, or NAMBLA, is planning to build no fewer than five different models by the time the Pirelli calendar features tires wrapped in bags.

NEVS, which once had the right to build vehicle under the Saab name, then barely built anything, then lost that right, isn’t sure if it will be able to sell these new models under the Saab moniker. However, NEVS does own all the technology developed by the former Saab and it’s planning to build four of these new cars on the shelved Phoenix platform.

According to SaabBlog.net, the first vehicle will be an electric version of the 9-3 sedan with sales beginning in Sweden and China.

* I also plan to get rich by writing about cars, but that isn’t likely to happen.

Companies that sell pickups could see sales growth slow, maybe

With the U.S. Federal Reserve meeting to discuss interest rates, the low price of oil may begin to turn a corner after 11-year lows.

According to Reuters, crude oil prices opened higher today in anticipation of a rate hike. If rates are increased, that could have a negative impact (eventually) at the pump and in lending markets.

A crossover made by an electric vehicle company, that’s owned by the same guy who owns a space company, can be optioned with a stratospheric MSRP

The Tesla Model X, which can (eventually, maybe) be had in its base form for $81,200, has a top-end price that would make Stuttgart blush.

According to Talking Tesla (via AutoBlog), the electric crossover egg Model X with all options checked has a sticker price north of $150,000.

Your move, Porsche.

Auto companies bailed out during the recession are still being used as a political football in Michigan because of course they are

The Detroit News is reporting this morning that the state’s Democratic Party is using the auto bailouts, and opposition of them at the time from Republicans, to attack Republican presidential candidates. Would you expect anything less in the Mitten State?

During a visit to Michigan by U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, Democrats Party made sure to highlight his opposition to the bailouts that kept the lights on at General Motors and Chrysler, which later became Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

From the Detroit News:

Democrats argue the survival and comeback of the two automakers is definitive proof the bailout worked; they view it as their defining issue for carrying Michigan next year for the seventh consecutive presidential election since 1992.

Workers at a company that produced a whole lotta dirty diesels have union vote certified

The National Labor Relations board has officially certified the unionization vote of 162 skilled trades workers at Volkswagen’s plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Volkswagen will challenge the ruling.

The workers, who were in favor of unionization in a 108-44 vote, will be represented by the United Auto Workers if the Volkswagen challenge falls flat.

Next up: the rest of Volkswagen’s 1,400 factory workers.