Posted on 09/14/2014 11:17:43 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Where is the automobile headed in our gradually warming world? Fully electric like the Chevy Spark, Nissan Leaf, or Mercedes SLS AMG Electric Drive? Plug-in hybrid like the Chevy Volt, Ford Energi models, or Porsche 918? Flying cars like the Terrafugia Transition? Something else entirely? One thing's for sure: Wherever it's headed, folks buying at the pointy end of the price pyramid will get there first and help field-test the tech for the rest of us. If you have both the means and the inclination to live your automotive life on the green-tech bleeding edge -- or if you need the world to think that's how you roll—allow us to present the two most compelling options available today.
The reigning green-car champ is the surprisingly high-performance, fully electric Tesla Model S P85+. The car world's lone successful Silicon Valley startup earned Motor Trend's 2013 Car of the Year calipers on the strength of its M5-like driving dynamics, giant iPad-esque user interface, innovative optional 5+2 seating, front and rear trunks, and epic 265-mile EPA-rated battery range. And during the year we've spent driving a long-term Model S, the expanding network of Superchargers has made long-distance electric travel (at least in our bottom half of California) a surprising reality....
(Excerpt) Read more at motortrend.com ...
Why would China put themselves in the thrall of Russia when they are often hostile towards one another?
Because Putin is a moron who is not only supplying China but doing so on the cheap so he can credibly threaten Europe with cutting them off for the Winter without destroying his own budget and economy.
The threat from Chinese immigrants in the Russian East is far greater than any threat from NATO but there we are.
And China is on a Nuclear power plant building boom too.
When a seller is as desperate to sell as a buyer is desperate to buy neither has a huge advantage.
With increased sales to China my guess is Russia will become dependent on that extra income as well.
You know what? A 60s 427 corvette. Is a hell of a bunch more. Fun cheaper to maintain and has WAY less impact. On the environment. See you weenies on the road. You’ll. Know me by my tail lights,
A 60’s 427 Vette does 0-60 in less than 4.2 seconds?
BMW looks to be trying too hard by comparison. It’s nice, but the interior seems a little derivative of the Tesla. And it really didn’t outperform the Tesla in a single category.
It doesn’t require recharging, it has a motor. It’s a BMW, which has been around for ages and is a known value. Motor Trend says the BMW won in Performance and Driving Dynamics. Plus BMW has the money to fix any problems the car might have, improve it in the future and not rely on governments for hand-outs.
Do you realize the scale of the incentives given to BMW to build that plant in South Carolina? I wouldn’t get too enthused about their lack of reliance upon handouts.
They could’ve built it without those. That’s on South Carolina. Can you truly claim that Tesla would be here today without the handouts?
What's next in Mars Rovers?
(Earth isn't warming)
Sheesh.
We use diesel to drill for the oil which can be distilled to make diesel.
No thanks.
That 20-25 miles is at the low end of the scale (i.e. luxury vehicles). The vast majority of Diesels available in this country will easily do 30-40 mpg.
30 minutes if you happen to be first in line.
What happens on a rainy holiday weekend and Tesla drivers are lined up at the solar-powered supercharger, especially once cheaper Teslas start to proliferate?
How many hours will you be willing to wait?
The 170 miles you mention is a 50% charge. What if you want or need a full charge to get to a destination that is off the supercharger corridor?
What do you tell the angry Tesla owner who is waiting for your charger port to free up?
when comparing energy delivered to the wheels.
liquid fuel(diesel or gasoline) costs five to ten times as
much as electricity
coal powered cars are great
no Arabs
no Exxon
everybody wins
“Where is the automobile headed in our gradually warming world?”
No where at $112,000 a pop for the tested Tesla.
Not really.
Quoth King Barry:
"Under my plan, electricity rates will necessarily skyrocket"
coal powered cars are great
In King Barry's perfect world, there will be NO coal powered cars.
And how do you put a dollar value on your convenience?
What is the cost of buying, insuring, and maintaining two cars for the luxury of having a super-efficient electric car for local travel to supplement the gas powered car you would need for long distance travel?
“In California we generated 201 Gigawatts...”
And imported more than twice that amount from neighboring states.
Hydro comes from the Bonneville Power Administration up north, coal comes from Wyoming. There are many other sources, but California should produce MORE.
After reading this article, and especially the comments here, I kept waiting to see a “Willie Green Happy Choo-Choo Thread” graphic pop up.
Electric cars may (note “may”) be workable at some point in the future. But right now they are just not usable in most of the country for most of the year.
In the Indiana part of this “warming world” we live in, I’m already running the car’s heater. In an electric that would cut my mileage to the point where I couldn’t make it to and from work on one charge.
As to California producing so much power, I understand that they still buy LOTS of electricity from other states, much of which is produced by burning coal. (Summer rolling brown outs anyone?)
Bound to happen.
Welcome to Obama’s 3rd world.
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