Tesla Model S
$400 million in government low cost loans...
$100,000 for EACH car
Where do you think this will end?
And why are taxpayers subsidizing expensive cars for the wealthy?
Sure. At a mere 80K per copy.
I don’t see how electric cars use less energy than gasoline-powered cars. So is this about emissions? I suppose that’s an advantage. But are emissions a problem, outside LA?
We saw all the same hype with the first Tesla model
released not too long ago. And that’s what it was....
HYPE. Battery technology has not improved significantly
in the last decade. Till it does battery powered vehicles
will be oddities that are expensive, limited in range
and usefulness and slow to recharge.
The key is the battery technology....till we get past
that limitation it’s all more smoke and mirrors, more
hype, more tax dollars flushed down the drain.
My Lady friend has an Altima with the constant velocity transmission in it. It never changes gears, the engine sounds like a wind up toy in a Go-Cart and it get less gas mileage then my 96 Firebird V-6 does going 80 mph with the AC on.
They can have my "exhaust noise" when they pry it from my cold, dead tail pipe!
I suspect our govt. will buy fleets of them and then brag about how many were sold .
Tesla Model S
The text, totally unexpectedly, omits such unimportant details as longevity of batteries; effects of A/C and heaters on their charge; how long does the charge take, what type of a charger is required and whether they are available anywhere. I would even want to know how the mass of cargo (or passengers) affects the range.
It's definitely true that with 250+ miles of range an EV is a pretty safe bet practically anywhere. The problem with Leaf was that in many places the distance between gas stations (let alone chargers!) is comparable to the range of the car. So if you miss one you have to call the tow truck. With a large range you have certain freedom. But still this car is not a good option for longer trips, unless 200-250 miles is your daily endurance limit. It depends on how long the charge takes. But fast charge is bad for the battery. What is the cost of 7,500 Li-Ion cells? What is the chance that ONE of them fails - and what happens then?
The country is not at its peak, and there are not too many people out there who have the dough for this car. Many earn less in the whole year than the car costs. In the end a $2K car and a $100K car do the same thing - they deliver you from point A to point B. Of course cheaper cars are scary on a long trip, but even at the level of $5K you are perfectly safe. Anything above that is either luxury or special requirements (such as a large diesel for towing, etc.)
I think this car will make an impact. But the impact will be felt by only two cars on the market: the Volt and the Leaf. Everyone else will not even notice - their market is completely distinct. But EV manufacturers are doomed to be at each other's throats in fight for a handful of remaining rich EV aficionados - who probably already have invested into a few cars. Leaf and Volt already skimmed that market and, by some indications, exhausted it. The offer of this new EV is not very timely.
This car would be a good one if only it could enter the price range of traditional cars - say, $20K to $25K. But I think the costs of production do not allow that to happen even if Tesla Motors assembles cars for free. Given the situation, I don't expect this car to be very common. It's just too expensive, regardless of how good it is. It is so expensive that it will never become profitable to own one, even if your electric meter is stuck at zero.
From the article,
“On the road, the Model S rewires what you expect when your foot touches the pedals. Unlike gas engines, electric cars generate their maximum power at start”.
An electric dragster, who would have thought?
The boys over at the NHRA must be poopin’ their pants about this !! Heh ...heh ...heh.
Justin, you idiot, electric cars do NOT generate their maximum power at start. If you’ve got zero RPMs, you’ve got zero power. But they DO have maximum torque at start. But you’re probably a political journalist and maybe took science back in fourth grade, so we forgive you. But you should look for a new career if you are an automotive journalist.
gasoline has yet to be bested.
The car needs to be $20k or below without government subsidies and recharge need to be MUCH QUICKER than 8+ hrs (1-3hrs) before I would ever consider buying such a car
Just don’t plan on taking any long distance trips.
also - knowing electric motors and electrical storage systems, I know that when you step on the accelerator at first you will most likely get a great (quick) response.
As you drive, that response continues to drop off on in the last 50 or so miles it is going to be VERY sluggish indeed.
THAT is what is known about the limiting facts and the physics of electric transportation - and until you find a way to quickly recharge said batteries, you are going to experience first (very fast responses) and gradually degenerate to (very sluggish performance).
The quiet ride, fast acceleration, immense power, and relatively extended range, are all well and good, but at some cost.
I wonder how it performs in cold temperatures when battery performance drops significantly, when electric power requirements increase substantially just to stay warm. In inclement weather when you have your defroster and windshield wipers on, what happens to the range? What happens to the range when you are using your air conditioner?
I wonder what kind of safety hazards exist with 7,000 lithium ion batteries? What about the time it takes to charge the batteries? What does it cost to replace the battery pack? Can you go to Walmart and purchase 7,000 AA batteries in an emergency?
Are there extraordinary electrical fire hazards in a crash? Much momentum would be created by the sheer weight of 7,000 batteries.
The batteries were said to store 85 KWh, about the same as about 10 cups of gasoline - 2/3 of a gallon. The article didn’t mention what happens when you have to use up a few of those cups of gas to heat, or cool the car.
I drove their concept racer in a parking lot at an investor conference. Scared the bleep out of me and I thought “That’s great but it can’t go far”.
Met Elon and he explained his long term vision with a sedan.
Great idea, very limited market and I ain’t buying.
I drove their concept racer in a parking lot at an investor conference. Scared the bleep out of me and I thought “That’s great but it can’t go far”.
Met Elon and he explained his long term vision with a sedan.
Great idea, very limited market and I ain’t buying.
“It makes a fossil fuel-powered car seem to be working so much harder than necessary.”
Electric cars are fossil fueled. And with much less efficiency if you view the big picture.