Tesla Model S Electric Car


vcoleiro1

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What does everyone think of the Tesla Model S EV?.

I think it's the first EV I have seen that looks like it will actually tick most of the boxes EV's have failed to in the past.

300 mile range

0-60 in 4.4 seconds

Big good looking car.

Can be charged at home or 1hr at a super charger for free.

I'm thinking its the beginning of something, a change is on the way (IMO)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/1kCG-WqpVnI?feature=oembed
 
Their business model is to sell this luxury model first to build up profit. They will then build an affordable model in the next few years
 
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I dont think the Roadster did that well. In any event , it really was an elise turned into an EV.  Tesla has now built the most technologically advanced manufacturing plant to build the Model S which is totally designed from scratch.  

Really it's their first car in a number of ways
 
Even accounting for the price, it's still pretty good.

aside from price and infrastructure, its darn good...
The price is actually perfect. It's marketed as a luxury vehicle, with features that just can't be found anywhere else, at a price that is comparable to other luxury vehicles. It'd be just like if the 1Ghz Pandora were priced at $550 in direct competition with the phones out right now.Infrastructure is only a problem if you're going far with it. I'd get one for around town, maybe buy an extra charging station for my parents so I could make the drive to visit them without worrying about running out of "gas", otherwise the infrastructure seems to be rapidly growing. It's far from perfect, but it's definitely a start, and if they can keep reporters from lying about stuff then no doubt we're on the road to somewhere good.
 
IIRC tesla had serious financial problems last year, the business model might not be so good.

As long as batteries are so expensive, short-lived and potentially harmful to nature, how will electric cars ever take off?
 
Meh. Unfortunately, electric cars produce two times as much particulate matter compared to regular gasoline cars, so we would have less CO2 but we would still have acid rain and poor air if everyone drove one. 
 
Those chargers are sponsored by the gov't. I do not support them because of this. I almost did invest in Tesla but the market is a bit small.
 
The whole battery business is too opaque (not just from Tesla, in general) - resale values will depend on the age/condition of the battery rather than the car. Still a plaything for the rich.

My dream is of a comparable generic powerplant/motor setup that could be sold for Kit Car builders! Efficient electric replicas...
 
Well they must be doing something right, they are sold out for the remaining of the year with over 15,000 vehicle to deliver.

They are projecting a profit for the next quarter and on.

A lot of people who have them also have solar power at there house and charge of that for true 0 emmissions.  As for the grid, I think coal is only 45%.

As for the batteries the recycle them.
 
Well they must be doing something right, they are sold out for the remaining of the year with over 15,000 vehicle to deliver.

They are projecting a profit for the next quarter and on.

A lot of people who have them also have solar power at there house and charge of that for true 0 emmissions.  As for the grid, I think coal is only 45%.

As for the batteries the recycle them.
Producing solar cells generates waste and uses lots of energy, too. It's not that straight-forward.
 
^ That's stretching it a little, although it does produce a little waste to produce the solar cells, the 10 years of clean energy you get pales that waste into insignificance.
 
As long as batteries are so expensive, short-lived and potentially harmful to nature, how will electric cars ever take off?
If they had asked that question when the combustion engine was invented we wouldn't be driving around right now. Fact is that it is new technology, there is a lot of room to grow, it has the potential to be great, but unless someone takes the risk to invest and try to improve it, it will always be "not quite there".
 
^ But you dont burn your battery when you use it once. One should actually consider the carbon footprint of making the battery compared to burning fuel for the >200 000km of travel (eight years and unlimited miles....) the battery allows (plus energy for charging, but if you assume solar you can skip that...) - I'm not actually sure how big of a win the battery is, did not calculate.

But as a disclaimer and return to the actual topic of the Model S. It is my dream car - if I ever boy a new car it would currently be a Model S - this might change given time - I actually would like a version of Model S with the Model X AWD system :p .
 
Li-ions are more like having an incredibly heavy fuel tank but fuel that weighs nothing.

That way your fuel store weighs as much empty as full (not good)
 
EVs are obviously part of the future of transport but there is a disturbing campaign against them, in part funded by big oil, but in part fueled by general ignorance of the science behind them.

I don't really care, I enjoy driving my Leaf & using the free fast charging network we have here in the north east. I've genuinely driven almost 35,000miles for next to nothing in fuel costs and I love the elegance and efficiency of the way they work. It's like X86 vs. ARM.

If I can afford it I will certainly be getting a base ModelS when they are available in RHD (2014).
 
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