Posted on 03/02/2022 12:56:32 PM PST by Red Badger
Tesla CEO Elon Musk responded today to a tweet from one of his prominent supporters - Whole Mars Catalog - related to the range of electric cars.
Whole Mars Catalog wrote that Lucid delivered the first series-produced electric car with a range of roughly 500 miles (EPA range), but Tesla "will be the first to mass-produce one."
The longest-range version of the Lucid Air has an EPA Combined range of 520 miles (837 km). The longest range Tesla Model S has an EPA Combined range of 405 miles (652 km).
Well, Elon Musk responded that a 600-mile (965 km) Tesla Model S could've been made 12 months ago (let's assume February 2021), but "that would’ve made the product worse."
Elon Musk pointed out that it would essentially require a higher battery capacity, which would mean a bigger, heavier, and more expensive battery pack. This battery would be "unneeded" on a daily basis, as even the current 400+ mile range is more than enough. Handling and efficiency would be substantially affected too with a bigger battery.
It's not the first time when Elon Musk cooled down expectations, which exceeds rationality and we fully agree with that.
Electric cars are already quite heavy (usually heavier than internal combustion engine counterparts) and expensive, so the right way to do this is to address those issues first, instead of increasing the range to such high values. Especially since the fast-charging networks are growing nicely.
Tesla appears to be on the right path in terms of range balance and weight-reduction approaches through the introduction of a structural battery pack (the weight of the remaining structure of the car would be lowered).
This is one of the most important directions for the mainstream electric car market, in terms of costs, performance, and also the environment.
After crossing 400 miles (300 miles in many cases), the race to extend the range is not the priority. It might be in some niche segments, including luxury cars like the Lucid Air, but even in the case of Lucid, many customers preferred the Performance version of the car (with about 50 miles less EPA range) instead of the Range version of the car.
Some range race probably is ahead of us in the case of vehicles that have to tow - they really need bigger batteries to work in challenging conditions.
Talkin’ thru his ass wouldn’t you say?
Batteries are the limiting factor. Sure, Tesla could have made a 600 mile range car, but instead chose to put the same amount of batteries into two 300 mile range cars.
Uh-huh, 600-mile range. How much faster would it have caught fire than the current Tesla deathtraps?
At least with internal combustion power, one can estimate just what the actual range would be by fuel levels and traffic conditions.
“Talkin’ thru his ass wouldn’t you say?”
Nope!
He’s probably right, but the 600 mile range would come at a cost to price, weight and handling........................
Eff the EPA. Give us the real world figures, night and day, winter and summer using heat and AC, and the likelihood of stranding.
” How much faster would it have caught fire than the current Tesla deathtraps?”
Everyday over 500 ICE cars spontaneously ignite!
“At least with internal combustion power, one can estimate just what the actual range would be by fuel levels and traffic conditions.”
EV’s have a computerized display.
We have Teslas all over the place here.....NW Florida.................
Is that with the AC running while going through the desert or the heater running while traveling through the snow?
Here’s an opportunity for a clever entrepreneur. Design a collapsible bicycle in the trunk that can generate electricity while being pumped, that can double as a tire jack, and can be converted into a regular bike. If your EV runs out of battery power, you can pump away on your generator bike and recharge your vehicle.
EVs Rule! Because only the rich and elite should be allowed to drive!
Unless I can charge the battery in the same or less time it takes me to fill a 20 to 25 gallon gas tank it’s a non starter....with me anyway.
“Unless I can charge the battery in the same or less time it takes me to fill a 20 to 25 gallon gas tank it’s a non starter....with me anyway.”
You can charge an Ev while you are sleeping.
I don’t think you will survive long enough to get a charge.
hook your charger port to a long cable and a kite during a thunder storm.
Like an Airplane you can refuel while on the move.
That’s a great idea unless you live on the coast and are trying to bug out because a hurricane is bearing down on you....not to mention the accompanying probability of tornadoes.
“It’s not how hard the wind is blowin’....it’s WHAT the wind is blowin’.
I don’t care how many sit-ups you did this morning.....if you get hit with a VOLVO it ain’t gonna matter”
___ Ron White
Stuck in the same place too. When they hit 600, preferably 1000 mile range with a 15 minute recharge at every gas station they will have my attention.
And how many hours would THAT take to charge up? No thanks!
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