Tesla Q&A in "Winding Road"

[WorkingOnIt]

With usual disclaimer that, after their uninformed Atom story, Winding Road  has to be taken with a grain of salt.

http://www.nextautos.com/forums/ask-it- ... a-roadster?

The battery replacement arrangement was news to me.  They say that currently battery replacement cost would be around $36,000.  You can pay $12,000 up front to get a new battery pack after 7 years.  Replace earlier for a premium, later for a refund.  (Tesla estimates a 30% range reduction in 5 years or 50k miles on the original battery, so it may be down to 50-60% of the initial range after 7 years.)

[Heywood-Yablowme]

Does anyone else hate batteries as much as me? If you run out of power,it's not a simple thing to get a gallon of "electricity" to be on your way again.

I added up all the batteries in my current vehicles:   Thirty six, 12v batteries. Holy crap.

I play musical chairs with 6 different battery Tenders...

I do hope the Tesla pans out as it seems to be at least a performance oriented vehicle,unlike the Toyota Penis 

[bolus]

As Adam Corolla said on his podcast.  The Tesla is a $100K car that looks like a $30K lotus.  though I do want them to succeed

[apollyon25]

[quote="Curator"]
If you run out of power,it's not a simple thing to get a gallon of "electricity" to be on your way again.
[/quote]

Ah but you are comparing 'state of infrastructure' not the actual process.

Because actually, the processes involved in obtaining electricity are an order of magnitude more readily available than the refining of crude to petrol.
Bring on MrFusion.

However if you run out of gas in the middle of the highway in the middle of nowhere... you gotta go walking with that can...
With electric, you can just get out a solar panel...

[Driver]

Solar panel? You must be kidding! It would take hours (if not days) unless you have a semi following you with extra panels to set out. And what happens if you run out of juice on a rainy day or after dark? I'd takemy chance with the gas can. leave the electric cars for running around town CLOSE to home.

[bolus]

To expand on that... 

The technology is here.  One of my former patients has converted his BMW to electric.  he has 330 hp now (and gobs of torque) and the car has solar panels on just the roof.  The batteries should last 10 years.  And for his daily driving he is completely off the grid....  in oregon....  yep, just solar power.    Yeah, it cost him $80,000 for the conversion but all the technology is here.  For some reason (oil) the car companies cant "figure it out"


BS

[bolus]

I found some of the old pics he emailed me.  That would fit in the Atom with tons of room to spare

[Driver]

[quote="bolus"]
I found some of the old pics he emailed me.  That would fit in the Atom with tons of room to spare[/quote]

It's been done before. Some wacko named Wright....

[apollyon25]

[quote="Driver"]
Solar panel? You must be kidding! It would take hours (if not days) unless you have a semi following you with extra panels to set out. And what happens if you run out of juice on a rainy day or after dark? I'd takemy chance with the gas can. leave the electric cars for running around town CLOSE to home.
[/quote]

Depends on the panel used. Modern panels are upwards of 70% efficient at conversion (compared with 25% efficient petrol)... Of course, it would also be possible to augment the battery supply with the solar supply during the journey. You could do things like lens the suns energy into a smaller panel, or use expanding reflectors like shuttle/spacestation/satellites; you also wouldnt have to walk to a service station - just to the first home... And passing cars would be able to top-up charge yours very quickly and could share solar output...

Though the system could probably predict to the metre when the battery would be depleted, not like that shite petrol gauge.

And of course R&D dollars are being spent on improving energy density of batteries which would extend the range and reduce the size/weight.

Loads more flexibility!

[Karl]

At a BMWCCA AutoX today in Marina, there were two Tesla Roadsters brought in by employees for their own enjoyment and also for use as demonstrators.  The fastest time any driver had in the Tesla was around 44.5 seconds.  A stock-ish Lotus Elise was in the 41's.  The weight penalty is very significant.  One of the Teslas had to be taken out of use as a demo car because it still had to make it back to home base in Menlo Park under its own power!

[Bruce Fielding]

[quote="Driver"]
[quote="bolus"]
I found some of the old pics he emailed me.  That would fit in the Atom with tons of room to spare[/quote]

It's been done before. Some wacko named Wright....
[/quote]


...who used to work for...?


Anyone?


Begins with a T and ends with an A?

[WorkingOnIt]

First lease customer of BMW's electric Mini takes delivery.

Here is his blog:
http://www.petersminie.blogspot.com/

and some media publicity
http://content.usatoday.com/communities ... 67236897/1

[fiestycolumbian]

I was actually invited to the Mini E trial as well. Will post a seperate thread about this.

fiesty

[WorkingOnIt]

Press Releases

Tesla Motors Delivers 500th Roadster

Strategic partnership: Daimler acquires stake in Tesla

Tesla surpasses 1,000 reservations for Model S
$5000 refundable reservation fee

[Bruce Fielding]

One that probably isn't yet in the press...

Tesla to open showroom in Knightsbrige, London on June 26th