Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Elon Musk: We Could’ve Made A 600-Mile Tesla Model S 12 Months Ago...It would be some 100 miles more than in the case of the Lucid Air.
https://insideevs.com ^ | Mar 02, 2022 at 3:11pm ET | By: Mark Kane

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.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Outdoors; Society; Travel
KEYWORDS: electriccars; elon; ev; lucidair; lucidairs; tesla
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 121-133 next last
To: BiglyCommentary

“Why not have standardized batteries that you just swap out like you do with bbq grill propane tanks?”

I think I said that in post #45....or are you just making fun of my idea?


61 posted on 03/02/2022 2:11:25 PM PST by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: newfreep
Well the Lucid’s cost much more and very few have been made or sold as compared to Tesla which sold over 70% of all EVs sold in America last year.
Lucid simply doesn't have the manufacturing capacity right now. Plus Tesla is the # 1 EV seller in China with a huge gigafactory in Shanghai with another factory on the way. I doubt if Lucid has even sold any cars in China.
62 posted on 03/02/2022 2:16:24 PM PST by SmokingJoe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: V_TWIN

No, I saw that and was just giving an example of a widely used/implemented exchange system.


63 posted on 03/02/2022 2:16:27 PM PST by BiglyCommentary
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: BiglyCommentary

OK.

Like I said, even that would have many issues.

First of which would be making manufacturers standardize the batteries and connection design.

Good luck with that one.


64 posted on 03/02/2022 2:20:03 PM PST by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: V_TWIN

Aren’t all external charging ports standarized? So it may not be as much cat herding as you think.


65 posted on 03/02/2022 2:29:05 PM PST by BiglyCommentary
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: TexasGator

Then why anyone brag about 600 mile range?


66 posted on 03/02/2022 2:36:03 PM PST by norwaypinesavage (Capitalism is what happens when you leave people alone.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: BiglyCommentary

Not sure I follow.

I thought the idea was to exchange a flat battery for a fully charged one in a short period of time to alleviate the charging turn around time.

Are you going down a different road?


67 posted on 03/02/2022 2:37:36 PM PST by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: V_TWIN

Yes, I’m just pointing out that the different makers already agreed to a standardized eternal connector so its not like that is some very foreign concept for them grasp and agree to for an internal connector.


68 posted on 03/02/2022 2:41:01 PM PST by BiglyCommentary
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 67 | View Replies]

To: Born in 1950

So, you think a renter is to do what exactly to get around? Dumb thought, really.


69 posted on 03/02/2022 2:46:38 PM PST by CodeToad (Arm up! They Have!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: BiglyCommentary

Yeah but even the size of, and where the battery lives in the car varies from make to make.

Although battery exchange would alleviate the battery replacement cost.

And another thing I’m not sure anyone has mentioned is how much does musks S 12 model cost?

Got a neighbor that just bought a Y model.

I suspect it was around $60k. A bit out of the working man’s reach I would suspect...it is mine anyway.


70 posted on 03/02/2022 2:48:12 PM PST by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

To: CodeToad
Lol @ so-ers!
71 posted on 03/02/2022 2:51:59 PM PST by Born in 1950 (Courts are trains and needles are ovens. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: George from New England

An ISA standard boost battery would fix the cross country trip thingy but not the mass evac thing. 40ish LB ea. Trunk or under hood connectors. Drop in. Pokeyoked so no possibility of user error. Car can have 4 or 5 installed at once. Up to 200 LB of quick swap battery. Car comes with 1. There is a core charge on any additional ones you want to install. It is a drop in cradle thing. Full core charge refund if you bring them back fully charged to the gas station. Just a cycle cost. Kind of like rewinding video tapes. Think Rino propane tanks at gas stations, but that have recharge capability and act as vending machines. Same business model. I should sell this idea... but too late... posted it.


72 posted on 03/02/2022 2:52:12 PM PST by LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Lucid is hiring in my area (Pinal County, AZ) and I’d love to apply. However, they require you to be fully vaccinated so I’ll pass. So dumb.


73 posted on 03/02/2022 2:53:01 PM PST by Prince of Space ( Let’s go, Brandon! )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SmokingJoe

Good grief....Lucid is a NEW start-up company.

Their new car is light years better than Tesla in terms of quality & luxury...and competes against “S” class vehicles more than Tesla’s junk in comparison.

That Lucid has superior battery technology speaks volumes of its engineering level.

You Tesla fanboys are somethin’ else....


74 posted on 03/02/2022 2:57:32 PM PST by newfreep (“Leftism, under all of its brand names, is a severe, violent & evil mental disorder.”)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

My wife just got a tesla. She does a lot of short local driving between her businesses. Pros and cons to them, but since gas hit $4 a gallon here today, it is saving her a ton of money. A supercharger stop is costing $12 for a “fill up” with a range of about 300 miles. I am adding plugs next week at her stores, that should lower the cost to about $9.


75 posted on 03/02/2022 3:13:51 PM PST by Aut Pax Aut Bellum (What did Socialists use before candles? Electricity)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger
I am not an EV fan, but I am a tech geek.

Looking at the current interest in the tech industry with EV's and some of the advances in the pipeline, I will bet, right now, that 20 years from now this thread will look kind of silly.

There will be plentiful charging stations and they will work in a time frame comparable to filling your tank with gas. EV range will commonly be greater than 500 miles with some vehicles offering 1000+ mile range.

The real bottleneck will be the electrical grid and power generation. Again, looking at what is being researched now, I would say that a decentralized power grid with various power generating sources - including updated nuclear - will provide enough power to push all those golf carts.

20 years? Remember, this was the number one selling cell phone in 2002...

And your computer probably had 512K of ram...

76 posted on 03/02/2022 3:34:08 PM PST by Crusher138 ("Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: newfreep
Good grief....Lucid is a NEW start-up company.

Except Lucid is 15 years old. Tesla is only a bit older. Check your facts before you post will ya?

77 posted on 03/02/2022 3:48:35 PM PST by SmokingJoe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: norwaypinesavage

“Then why anyone brag about 600 mile range?”

Article is about NOT bragging about 600 mile range.


78 posted on 03/02/2022 3:52:00 PM PST by TexasGator (UF)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: CarmichaelPatriot

“What if I want to drive for 12 hours straight, “

What if I want to go 0-60 in less than 2 seconds.


79 posted on 03/02/2022 3:53:01 PM PST by TexasGator (UF)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: SmokingJoe

Uhhhhh, Lucid just introduced their FIRST car...and it’s superior to ALL of Tesla’s models introduced throughout the years.

Tesla is infamous for their VERY poor construction quality and cheap materials used in the interior.

Lucid is in “S” class in terms of luxury and construction quality....and battery technology superior to Tesla.

Check your facts, fan boy.


80 posted on 03/02/2022 3:54:25 PM PST by newfreep (“Leftism, under all of its brand names, is a severe, violent & evil mental disorder.”)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 77 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 121-133 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson