Tesla's long-delayed Model X SUV is testing in California

[BoredSysAdmin]

Good looks is one selling point of the Tesla Model S, however, it is a large, heavy car. Nearly 200 inches long and about 4900lbs. Oh yeah, and it costs $70K-125K. Contraptions like the i3, the Leaf, and the Bolt are trying to achieve decent range at a low cost, which implies as little battery provisioning as possible, which implies low weight, which implies small size. So you end up with a small stubby thing. It does seem like with current battery technology there is a convenient intersection in the size and cost range of the Tesla. I doubt anyone knows how to do it better right now.

I suspect the old-line automakers also style electric cars differently because surveys show that their prospective owners want their cars to look obviously different than hydrocarbon-powered cars.

Tesla is already broken tons of rules and they preparing to break another one. Great looking ev with about 200 miles range costs under 40k.

Tesla 3:

 

[Irvrobinson]

Which rules has Tesla broken?

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Which rules has Tesla broken?

Plenty : first mass production long range ev, First direct sales car, First ev to shame supercars on performance, First free refill station network.... I could go on

 

[Irvrobinson]

I forgot about the direct sales network, I'll give you that one. High time too; car dealers in the US have a cynical view of customers, so I wouldn't miss them. The rest of list aren't rules, they're just firsts. Frankly, other than the electric drive the Tesla is a pretty conventional car. It even looks like a car with a front-mounted gasoline or diesel engine when it doesn't have to. I suspect that's why you and I think it's good looking, because it looks how we think a large sedan should look.

 

[haraldo]

I recommend this strongly!
http://bcove.me/31dlrhwf

 

[haraldo]

The one thing about Tesla is that it's really the only car of some size that you can utilize as the #1 car, maybe except for the Nisan Leaf, but Leaf looks like a disaster ....

Quite many families around here sold their regular cars and rely on Tesla as their only car ..... there really is no competition on this market.

For this to work you also need some infrastructure, so Elon Musk been working quite hard to make specific Tesla charging stations in strategic places. I believe if more governments around (Read USA, UK, Germany, Russia, China, France, Australia, India, Ukriane) would make initiatives so that you save money by using an electrical car, things would start changing on a global basis, and Tesla would get competition too.....

Guys ..... Why do you need a 5.7litre V8 or a V10 diesel to drive safely to work?

 

[KEW]

The one thing about Tesla is that it's really the only car of some size that you can utilize as the #1 car, maybe except for the Nisan Leaf, but Leaf looks like a disaster ....

The Leaf gets about 40 miles on a charge. Some people have a place to charge at work others don't. It can be the #1 car if your circumstances are good for it. Most anyone would want to have another car available for trips, but many could live with it for normal work day.

 

[haraldo]

It's claimed that the Leaf sold in Europe has 199 km range, this is 123 miles
I guess this is in ideal conditions where everything is off, probably around 80 to 100 miles then .... for daily use it's ok, but for long trips it's a tough stretch (read: you need to plan your breaks very well)

 

[haraldo]

I forgot about the direct sales network, I'll give you that one. High time too; car dealers in the US have a cynical view of customers, so I wouldn't miss them. The rest of list aren't rules, they're just firsts. Frankly, other than the electric drive the Tesla is a pretty conventional car. It even looks like a car with a front-mounted gasoline or diesel engine when it doesn't have to. I suspect that's why you and I think it's good looking, because it looks how we think a large sedan should look.

I don't really think it's good looking ..... maybe it's just because it's so bl%¤¤# darn many of them .... they're all over .....

 

[haraldo]

Tesla have a break ..... this is much better looking car
http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/Alfa-lops-the-4Cs-roof-off-2014-01-12

 

[KEW]

It's claimed that the Leaf sold in Europe has 199 km range, this is 123 miles
I guess this is in ideal conditions where everything is off, probably around 80 to 100 miles then .... for daily use it's ok, but for long trips it's a tough stretch (read: you need to plan your breaks very well)

Nissan says:

The Nissan LEAF® can get you 84 miles on a single charge. [*] Speed, topography, load, and accessory use can significantly affect the estimated range.

I have a friend with one, and he uses 40 miles in this foothills region as his limit.

Because the US is so spread out, it is usually the approach here that you must have another car. My friend's commute is 28 miles round trip, so this is his everyday driver. His wife's car is the back-up for travel. He did not pay extra for the fast charge options so has to have it plugged in to a standard 120V outlet 8-10 hours every night.

He is actually leasing his. After the incentives, it costs him $125 month to lease! Plus Georgia Power gives him reduced rates on his home electricity because he has an electric vehicle! Once he crunched the numbers he really had to do it despite it being a numb-nutz car!!! I tried to figure a way to make it fit my life, but I couldn't manage the 40 mile range in my driving patterns.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Recently i went from 1.8l 4 cylinders to 3.6v6 (outback). I finally feeling safe driving on highways.
Leaf is just plain fugly. Volt looks sort of ok. I wish I could afford tesla s

 

[KEW]

Leaf is just plain fugly.

The BMW i3's are starting to show up on the roads, and I think they used the same designer. They really share way to much of the same shape to allow the BMW any street cred!

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

The BMW i3's are starting to show up on the roads, and I think they used the same designer. They really share way to much of the same shape to allow the BMW any street cred!

Agree, but at same time i8 is both proper pretty and fast. Even top gear loved it. Only one small detail : actual mpg reported is about 31mpg which is of course in line with regular cars

 

[Rickster71]

Which rules has Tesla broken?

Plenty : first mass production long range ev, First direct sales car, First ev to shame supercars on performance, First free refill station network.... I could go on

Plenty?

1. First mass production long range ev.
What's considered long range for an ev isn't necessarily the definition of "long range."
Freezing cold temps will greatly affect the range of any ev. Range tests are made under ideal temps and conditions.

While this car may fulfill the needs of a millionaire movie star in SoCal driving a few miles to their agent's office, then sushi for lunch. It won't be practical during the winter similar the last four we've experienced.
EVs are not practical to use as 'Car Number One' for the average family.

2. First direct sales car.
This isn't necessarily a good thing. Local dealerships and warranties, along with factory trained mechanics and an original parts network. Were all reasons local dealership laws were established.
Cars didn't have to be towed back to the factory in Detroit.

3. First ev to shame super cars.
The 'instant on' power & torque curve is nothing new with Tesla, it's simply a characteristic inherent to electric motors.

4. First free refill station network
That will help things..... when they are built.
Many don't realize Fast Charging any battery will shorten its life. So with the battery swap stations, it will be like playing Musical Chairs.
What's the real history / life expectancy of my swapped battery and when will it fail?

And number 5.
Tesla isn't the first company to receive Government Welfare to build a product for the 1%.
Can't imagine what it would cost without the welfare.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Can't imagine what it would cost without the welfare.

That's an interesting question.

The CA zero emission credits it sold to other automakers in 2014 were worth on the order of 10% of total revenue (the final numbers haven't been released), though CARB has tweaked the credit allocation system to be less favorable to Tesla. Nissan actually got more revenue from these credits than Tesla did. So, assuming an average sales price of $90K, about $9K of that is effectively subsidized by forcing IC engine car manufacturers to pay for the credits. Then there's the federal income tax credit of $7500, and in CA you also get a $2500 state tax credit, for a total of $10K in its target market. Several other states also give tax credits, though CA's is biggest. So if you're in CA the total subsidy is on the order of $19K, or perhaps 20% of the average MSRP.

 

[haraldo]

Simple upgrade

0 - 60 mph in 2.8 seconds

I wonder ... what will Tesla call it when there's a mode, even faster than Insane and Ludicrous?