Posted on 02/22/2012 9:59:24 AM PST by fishtank
Tesla Motors’ lineup of all-electric vehicles — its existing Roadster, almost certainly its impending Model S, and possibly its future Model X — apparently suffer from a severe limitation that can largely destroy the value of the vehicle. If the battery is ever totally discharged, the owner is left with what Tesla describes as a “brick”: a completely immobile vehicle that cannot be started or even pushed down the street. The only known remedy is for the owner to pay Tesla approximately $40,000 to replace the entire battery. Unlike practically every other modern car problem, neither Tesla’s warranty nor typical car insurance policies provide any protection from this major financial loss.
More at link.......
Ha HA!
Ha HA!
I wonder what the cost of a Volt battery replacement is as well as the charging station. Correct me if I am wrong; but I think the Prius battery costs $4500 to replace. Battery is good for 100K miles. I don’t think it is part of any extended warranty.
Just a thought ... how about a warning light informing the driver that the battery is critically low; and then the battery disengaging while it still has a charge, and is capable of being re-charged.
It’s not rocket science, it’s not even very hard to do. In fact, it’s pretty basic.
But, what do I know ... perhaps they should consult with President Wiley E. Coyote (Super Genius).
An interesting thing about the Volt is GM will not let the battery go below half charge. That is supposed to double the life of the battery and avoid a lot of warranty issues.
So I guess you could be parked on the side of the row, with someone having a baby or dying in the back seat and a half full battery and not be able to drive to the hospital.
Without getting into a lengthy discussion like on a previous thread the 100+ year old Edison Battery used in the first electric cars has a life span of 100 years, can be fully discharged or highly overcharged without damage and with a top off of some distilled water away you go.
Unfortunately after a new method to increase energy density was developed Exide purchased the patent for that process and then shut down production. You can still buy the older technology though. Seems Exide did not want any competition from a 100+ year lifespan battery.
Too bad for Tesla it is a nice looking car and the motor is very well designed but like all electric vehicles the batteries suck and Super Caps are not the answer.
Battery protection apparently didn’t make it into the controller code. Maybe none of their engineers had never driven a car before? I mean, who would not know that it’s human nature to drive a vehicle in a low fuel situation until the last iota of oomph is expended?
???
Didn’t this company get tens of millions in the Stimulus?? Something like a half million for every car they ever sold?
Well, the Volt also has a gasoline engine.... which seems to miss the whole point of a Volt... lol
That is precisely what every other device with lithium ion batteries does. The deep-cycle issue has been known for a very long time.
Li batteries and lithium-ion in particular have very little current delivery capability once half discharged. The car might not have enough oomph to get up the slight grade on the way to the ER anyway.
That 1000 lb, $40K block of toxic chemicals is roughly equivalent to 8-10 gallons of gasoline.
And it allows the car to recharge off of coal in about 31/3 hours. Assuming you can find a connection...
And it has a life expectancy of ~7 years.
Brilliant.
I’ll take a old Ford Escort station wagon. Thanks.
Hey Leo:
Just plain NOT an option. NO driver, owner, user should EVER be exposed to this kind of liability. Tesla effed up BAD....very BAD..... If you have 2 or 3 vehicles, it is very easy to understand that one or more of them could go unused and untouched for up to 2-3 weeks...
I’ve got three....one is an older BMW that sits for 2-3 weeks sometimes. Recently, I’ve had to charge up the battery twice, even thinking about having to replace it. You think I should have to pay $40K for it? (In comparison, Interstate Batteries charges $105.95 for an MTP-91 for the 328i.)
This company is D-E-A-D, period if this is true.
Don’t you mean “side of the Rhode?”
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