Tesla Model S: First drive of the electric sedan that will change the world or die trying

autos.yahoo.com ^ | June 22, 2012 | Justin Hyde

[grundle]

Of all the new cars unveiled this year, none will be as hotly anticipated as the Model S from Tesla Motors, a luxury sedan doubling as a brash, billion-dollar bet that the era of the electric car has arrived. As the first journalist to test-drive one, I can report the Tesla Model S successfully challenges a century of assumptions about what a great car can be.

Unlike gas engines, electric cars generate their maximum power at start -- and no electric car has ever had as much power as the Model S, whose Performance edition is good for 417 hp. The zero-to-60 mph run ticks by in an impressive 4.4 seconds (5.9 seconds for the 362 hp edition)

the Model S can even do long drives — up to 285 miles in the edition launching today

The revelation of what Tesla has accomplished sunk in when I returned to a gas-powered vehicle. Other luxury cars will keep pace with the Tesla, but after driving the Model S, suddenly you notice the lag between accelerator and power, the exhaust noise, all the energy necessary to keep those parts hurtling forward. It makes a fossil fuel-powered car seem to be working so much harder than necessary. Which is the point.

[2banana]

$400 million in government low cost loans...

$100,000 for EACH car

Where do you think this will end?

And why are taxpayers subsidizing expensive cars for the wealthy?

[hinckley buzzard]

GEORGE JETSON, YOUR RIDE HAS ARRIVED

Sure. At a mere 80K per copy.

[EGPWS]

And why are taxpayers subsidizing expensive cars for the wealthy?

Because stupid people are allowed to vote too.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

I don’t see how electric cars use less energy than gasoline-powered cars. So is this about emissions? I suppose that’s an advantage. But are emissions a problem, outside LA?

[nvscanman]

We saw all the same hype with the first Tesla model
released not too long ago. And that’s what it was....
HYPE. Battery technology has not improved significantly
in the last decade. Till it does battery powered vehicles
will be oddities that are expensive, limited in range
and usefulness and slow to recharge.

The key is the battery technology....till we get past
that limitation it’s all more smoke and mirrors, more
hype, more tax dollars flushed down the drain.

[Las Vegas Ron]

the exhaust noise

My Lady friend has an Altima with the constant velocity transmission in it. It never changes gears, the engine sounds like a wind up toy in a Go-Cart and it get less gas mileage then my 96 Firebird V-6 does going 80 mph with the AC on.

They can have my "exhaust noise" when they pry it from my cold, dead tail pipe!

[Lionheartusa1]

I suspect our govt. will buy fleets of them and then brag about how many were sold .

[Rudder]

Tesla Model S

[Olog-hai]

Wait until those seven thousand AA-sized lithium ion batteries discharge without warning.

For the price of that thing, there are internal-combustion-engined cars that will brutally decimate the Model S in terms of acceleration anyhow . . . and be way superior inside and out in terms of pure luxury and appointments.

[Windcatcher]

Never mind that the electricity comes from coal plants, which is why some people describe electric cars as “coal-fired”. They increase pollution, but don’t say that to a lefty who wants to feel good about himself.

[refermech]

Pretty ugly from that vantage point...

[NavVet]

Electric cars use less energy because electric motors are extremely efficient at converting stored energy into forward motion. Around 90 percent compared to a gasoline engine that may only be around 25 percent efficient.

[I see my hands]

"why are taxpayers subsidizing expensive cars for the wealthy"

It's the wealthy who pay the taxes, Fidel.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

the era of the electric car has arrived

Right, right - the era of cars which receive massive taxpayer subsidies and yet must be sold in a price range which spans a well-equipped BMW 5 Series at the low end and a well-equipped Porsche 911 Turbo on the high end. The era of cars which can travel almost 300 miles before becoming completely unusable for several hours. The era of cars which discard the enormous advances in efficiency and cleanliness made to the internal combustion engine over the last 4 decades and instead burn coal.

Truly a golden age. I drive to work past the Tesla HQ in Palo Alto every day - have to remember to thank these visionaries for the magnificent work they're doing taking billions in taxpayer dollars to produce dirty, frivolous cars for dilettantes.

[Greysard]

The article focuses on how smooth "the lines" are and how nice the seats might be. For $50K I'd expect nothing less.

The text, totally unexpectedly, omits such unimportant details as longevity of batteries; effects of A/C and heaters on their charge; how long does the charge take, what type of a charger is required and whether they are available anywhere. I would even want to know how the mass of cargo (or passengers) affects the range.

It's definitely true that with 250+ miles of range an EV is a pretty safe bet practically anywhere. The problem with Leaf was that in many places the distance between gas stations (let alone chargers!) is comparable to the range of the car. So if you miss one you have to call the tow truck. With a large range you have certain freedom. But still this car is not a good option for longer trips, unless 200-250 miles is your daily endurance limit. It depends on how long the charge takes. But fast charge is bad for the battery. What is the cost of 7,500 Li-Ion cells? What is the chance that ONE of them fails - and what happens then?

The country is not at its peak, and there are not too many people out there who have the dough for this car. Many earn less in the whole year than the car costs. In the end a $2K car and a $100K car do the same thing - they deliver you from point A to point B. Of course cheaper cars are scary on a long trip, but even at the level of $5K you are perfectly safe. Anything above that is either luxury or special requirements (such as a large diesel for towing, etc.)

I think this car will make an impact. But the impact will be felt by only two cars on the market: the Volt and the Leaf. Everyone else will not even notice - their market is completely distinct. But EV manufacturers are doomed to be at each other's throats in fight for a handful of remaining rich EV aficionados - who probably already have invested into a few cars. Leaf and Volt already skimmed that market and, by some indications, exhausted it. The offer of this new EV is not very timely.

This car would be a good one if only it could enter the price range of traditional cars - say, $20K to $25K. But I think the costs of production do not allow that to happen even if Tesla Motors assembles cars for free. Given the situation, I don't expect this car to be very common. It's just too expensive, regardless of how good it is. It is so expensive that it will never become profitable to own one, even if your electric meter is stuck at zero.

[jonrick46]

$100K could buy a lot of gasoline. I wonder what the savings in fuel would pay for the extra cost of the car? What is the battery life? What is the cost of a battery replacement? When you sell the car, do they deduct from your selling price the life left in the battery?

[NavVet]

Actually battery technology has improved considerably over the last decade and several advancements now in the testing phase promise a significant leap in the next several years. But admittedly, the cost still needs to drop 50 percent to make EV’s a viable option.

http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4370061/World-on-cusp-of-EV-tipping-point—says-Tesla-CTO

[Dartman]

From the article,
“On the road, the Model S rewires what you expect when your foot touches the pedals. Unlike gas engines, electric cars generate their maximum power at start”.

An electric dragster, who would have thought?
The boys over at the NHRA must be poopin’ their pants about this !! Heh ...heh ...heh.

[NavVet]

Name one?