“It’s A Brick” – Tesla Motors’ Devastating Design Problem ($40K battery replacement)

The understatement. ^ | 2-21-2012 | Michael DeGusta

[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.......

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Don’t you mean “side of the Rhode?”

[Bob]

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...

Could you please post the thread title or a link to that thread?

[from occupied ga]

There were a bunch of FR suckers posters singing the praises of this vehicle a couple of months ago. I hope they read this thread.

[Myrddin]

My F150 goes weeks without driving. I use my Kawasaki Versys for most of my travel. The truck is for big grocery runs, trips to Fry's for delicate electronics or long drives home from San Diego to Pocatello. I did have to replace the battery after a couple years of sitting through subzero winters with no operation. When I worked at my home office, I could go weeks without needing to start my car.

I have 5 motorcycles sitting idle in the garage in Idaho while the 6th is with me in San Diego. All vehicles have a Battery Tender Jr "pigtail" connected to the battery. My wife rotates the two chargers across the bikes every other week to keep the batteries in good shape.

[cynwoody]

Try Google. (I think it's the Feeling Lucky.)

[SueRae]

He’d send stimulus dollars to “ACME Batteries” to come up with a solution. (And we know how those ACME solutions always worked for the Coyote.. ;-))

[saminfl]

I work on Eglin AFB and there was one in our parking lot the other day. It looked just like the one pictured.

[GOP Poet]

bookmark

[Jonty30]

Here you go.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel–iron_battery

[rolling_stone]

a large piece of useless metal is sometimes affectionately referred to as a “boat anchor” this would probably be classified as a “ship anchor”.

Maybe Government motors can take over Tesla and throw a few billion dollars at the problem and put a battery condition gauge/monitor on it.

[Moonman62]

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.

Chevy should offer a Volt with no battery.

[GOPJ]

Now THAT’S a serious design issue...

[Publius6961]

I'm sure glad these engineers didn't work on the design of my "cheapie" Prius (93,000 miles and keeps on going)! I will no longer complain about the replacement of the $160 auxilliary battery!

The irony is that this $120k car could be protected with $50 worth of electronics to physically prevent that $40k battery from going fully discharged while it is not running.

What are the subsystems that parasitically are always "on?" What sort of current draw are we talking about? If the LiIon battery self-discharges without parasitic draws, how long can it just sit? No explanation. Crummy reporting.

Fundamentally, anyone who can afford to buy this beast (and get a taxpayer-funded "green" rebate) can afford the $40k to replace the battery due to neglect. Perhaps prospective owners should pass an IQ test before being allowed to buy one. How difficult is it to understand that 100 ft. extension cords should not be used? or that it should not be stored for weeks without specific precautions? Has Tesla even devised a way to allow long term storage of a fully charged battery (zero current draw)?

I will state the obvious. People who are drawn to the status aspect of this car are for the most part dumb as tree stumps, when it comes to science or technical knowledge, so we can all enjoy an application of cosmic justice, or Schadenfreude.

I will look forward for more thorough technical analyses of the fundamental problem, and the obvious beartrap created and technical design neglect that the Tesla designers and engineers exercised.

[zeugma]

My wife rotates the two chargers across the bikes every other week to keep the batteries in good shape.

Nice wife. 

Don't have to worry about charging my bike since it's my only one, and I ride it every day. :-)

[The Duke]

I’m thinking maybe Al Gore finally *did* invent something! :)

[Wurlitzer]

Sure Bob, I made a handful of posts regarding the Edison (or nickle/iron) battery which has many positive attributes but like everything else it is not perfect. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2848984/posts

Given its longevity and low toxicity it would seem a great starting point for at bare minimum an interim method until something better came along.

If other issues with electric cars and their power source are addressed, removing a larger battery and replacing it with a smaller one would not be a game changer. Right now we are experiencing politician induced technological grid lock.

[Publius6961]

Without getting into a lengthy discussion like on a previous thread the 100+ year old Edison Battery

Can you give us a link or a clue of the name of the thread for those who missed it?

[Western Phil]

Li batteries and lithium-ion in particular have very little current delivery capability once half discharged

Sounds like a basic fallacy in the definition of half discharged.

[Publius6961]

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.

I suspect you've oversimplified to the point of meaninglessness.

I suspect the battery can't fall below 50% (gross overcaution, I think) but only if the gasoline engine and/or charging system malfunctions.

[Wurlitzer]

I had just responded to Bob with this link then saw your post:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2848984/posts