Tesla Motors
 

Ya know those little electric cars. I saw one yesterday. My husband went on a rant for like 15 minutes about how dumb they are. Actually, I am not sure how long it is because I stopped listening approximately 2.5 seconds into it.

So, clearly y'all must have an opinion. What is it?

GO!

They are heavier and more expensive than a regular Lotus Elise, but according to the mags they sure as hell have a lot of instant torque when the light turns green. If someone really wants it and they don't mind its limited range, more power to them. Most people who own cars like that don't go on long trips anyway. From what I've heard, going the distance in a Lotus Elise isn't any more comfortable than doing it on a sportbike.

Novelty toy for those with a lot of spare cash can go pose in.
As a commuter car it fails. 6 figure Lotus Elise sized package + suspension on prublic roads doesn't seem to be a good deal.
As a weekend toy...its ok.

I would rather a Lotus Exige\Elise for less money.

they fail as an environmentally friendly vehicle. those batteries they use WILL wear out, and I think they require special disposal methods, as opposed to conventional batteries, which means more pollution to produce said facilities, more money for NEW batteries, nevermind the polluting that went on to MAKE the batteries to begin with.

pretty much its like a motorcycle, its a novelty toy at best.

Top gear did a segment on them....

conclusion, is you have to buy 2 so you can drive one while the other is charging (after a 30 min hard run)

but at 3x the cost of a regular Lotus...well, I'll just take the lotus


http://jalopnik.com/5110385/top-gear...tesla-roadster

I've ridden in one. It's a cool feeling to have so much torque instantly. It's very quiet and you sit very low to the ground like a go-kart. It didn't feel like it accelerated any harder than a sportbike but that's still impressive for a car. Unfortunately I didn't get a feel for its handling although I'm sure it suffers due to the heavy batteries.

I am saving for a Fisker Karma. It's more practicle than the Tesla, 4 doors, 300 mile range, better than normal sedan handling acceleration.

The Tesla Roadster isn't much more than an expensive toy. The car could be great but has some serious issues. Obviously the top of that list is the range/recharge issue. Until those issues are effectively dealt with it is a niche vehicle and the niche is pretty limited.

Really cool concept, however the battery tech isnt up to what it needs to be

Heather, you're gonna hate me for saying...but it would appear that everyone agrees with your husband. Maybe you shouldn't tune him out. ;)

I know we are discussing the TESLA (full electric), but the new Hybrids coming from Japan have the battery and controller pack that weigh under 50lbs with the size of maybe 2 backpacks. The technology has come along way since the GM EV1.

Electricity is not clean energy.

Not since most of it come from burning coal.

It makes the eviro-douchebags feel smug though, and I guess that's important.

It could if you regulate it to be clean energy.

:lol:

But when he starts using all those big words, all I notice is all the shiny things around me and I can't focus. :D

LOL That's Heather alright..Oh look...a squirrel... ;)

Regulation is bad, M'kay?

Slap a bumper sticker on it saying, "Clean Energy" and we're good to go.

America's energy situation serves as a pretty effective demonstration that it isn't necessarily good.:shrug:

Sort of like smug Mac users. redflip

I like it.

James

Would you rather have a Tesla roadster or a 911 Turbo, since they cost about the same?

I'd have to beat him if he said yes... well, THEN he'd like it :lol:

I'd say it's not horrible if you have money to burn. Which, I don't recall anyone buying it to save the planet, just rather to have a fun go-cart toy. :idk:

I agree. Cool idea, motors are good, batteries need to catch up. Hot swappable batteries would be great, but completely kill the "enviro-friendliness." Where it is now, you can putt around town, or down to the beach (if you live in SoCal), or maybe do a trackday.

The price doesn't matter because I won't buy one. To answer you qurstion, 911 Turbo. But I like the car. I like the Lotus that they built it off of. I would like to take one for a rip.

If I needed or wanted an electric car that would be at the top of my list.

James

I would prefer the Lotus that it is based off of, and save the other $70K for insurance, gas and track days.

Oh regulation is mandatory in a lot of aspects in the energy world. Even in deregulated Texas, they are massively regulated.

That was my point. Energy is one of, if not the most, heavily regulated industries in America. This has been the case pretty much since The New Deal era. I believe America's energy policy is messed up, but it certainly didn't get that way due to a lack of regulation.

I notice more smugness from PC users than the other way around :shrug:

From what I've seen, Apple users don't start insulting PC products unless the PC fanboyz throw insults first.

My pc needs its own nuclear power reactor. I'm about to add another graphics card to make the tree huggers cry some smore.

Wrong normally they insult PC when saying why they went to the Mac. All this while wearing a Kool aid stash.

James

They might insult PC products, maybe due to crashing or catching viruses more often, but you don't often hear them insulting PC users.

For PC users it's the other way around....They insult Apple users more often than they insult Apple products.

I don't know why people compare the Telsa to a gas car. If you are looking at a Telsa you want an electric car to be green to for an electric car to beat around the city when not using your gas ride. If you want to compare it to something, compare it to other electric cars or maybe even hybirds.

James

That is part of the debate. Just how "green" is the Tesla? Nobody really knows other than it isn't as "green" as people like to think. I don't believe anybody would really care about that (or that the same statement applies to hybrids), except a portion of those who buy these cars (or hybrids) base a large part of the purchasing decision on the questionable ability to feel superior to anyone driving a conventional car. Since owners of these vehicles generally insist on comparing the morality of their car to that of conventional internal combustion vehicles they can expect their car's practicality and expense to be compared similarly.

No way.

That car wasn't built for it's "green" possibilities. No way. It is a car first - built with a different option on the motor. So, it will be compared to other cars in the class that it was built. Comparing it directly to other Lotus options is more than fair.

Agreed...
However sticking the "green" label on it allowed Tesla to tickle the grapes of congress and get some big fat federal funds last year.

I was just goading 101. Sometimes, when things impact people in a critical way, regulation is a must. You can't always have unchecked and unbridled capitalism over democracy.

Because electric cars won't be marketable to the masses until they are on par with gas cars. To really gain a foothold they have to convince the general public that they are a value (or cheap enough to be fashionable for the upper middle class) to buy. Everyone I know that has a hybrid bought it as a second car or is trying to convince me that they save money on gas, which is true, until you factor in the extra 10k cost of the car vs a comparable gas model.

And if the car company and people really wanted to save on gas, VW sells a diesle in europe that gets 75mpg on a regular diesle engine. The tech is there, but car companies don't think thats what we really want.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/blog...s/4219904.html

I disagree. If Lotus built it then I could agree. It was built by a company that wanted to build an electric car that was still fun to drive and be a performance machine. They liked the Lotus and used that as the body/frame work for their car.

James

It has to be developed and be used by more people before the price comes down. It has to start somewhere.

The people buying the cars now with the higher prices are kinda investing in this technology. Just like the people that bought some of the first tvs.

James

I know there are diesels out there. The US doesn't seem to want to go that way.

I would like to get a diesel...under the hood of a Peterbilt.

James

BTW the reason I like the car because they are trying to do something other companies are doing but do it a bit different.

To win over gas lovers they need a fun ride. Yes they need to work on the range but they all need to do that.

People seem to think that I love this car because its going to save the world. I have an suv sitting in my driveway. I just think its a cool little car. I wouldn't mind owning a Lotus.

James

I disagree with this. Look at the vehicles that sell the largest volume. They are trucks, Accords, Camrys, etc.. The majority of vehicles sold in America are boring as shit. To win over internal combustion buyers it needs to be practical and comparably priced. The Tesla is neither.

I disagree. BTW I love trucks. But I think they need something exciting to make some people change their minds. Not that it will sell millions but it can help make electric exciting.

James

Make that 4 cylinder\automatic transmission Camry and Accords and contractor white, base engine\lowest end V8 trucks.

I knew you fuggers would have opinions. :lol:

I will have to say that I have skipped over 90% of the posts. :D

So if as you say, you pay as much attention to us, as you do your husband...then why bother asking?

Good point...however I only tune my husband out when he starts talking about boring things. I can't remember what his rant was about, but it didn't have anything to do with the actual car, so I lost interest.

And I was hoping that I would care about this discussion, but as it turns out I really don't. :lol:

to the sheep masses it is because they don't "see" the processes for creating said energy.

As George Carlin said: "Not in my back yard" indeed.

People who know cars, the typical performance car buyer, aren't going to buy the Tesla (or a hybrid). I'm not saying I am indicative of every gearhead, but if I personally felt the need to be "green" and decided to go out and buy a guiltmobile it still wouldn't be a Tesla. For that kind of money I can get an Elise, trackdays for the next few years, and buy enough carbon credits to plant a forest the size of Al Gore's ego.

Ultimately I think the Tesla was designed for celebrities. The kind of person who parks it in between their Prius with 2k miles and their Escalade with 30k miles but is celebrated for their "awareness". It boils down to the fact that there is a pretty good chance my bike is more "green" than any of them, but is viewed as part of the "problem", not part of the "solution".

A lot of people drive cars that are not exciting while dreaming of a Lamborghini's and so on. Thats what makes cars exciting. With electric cars they need to start all over again. At least in North America they do because we like big engines.

When someone talks about electric or hybird what times to mind? For most its that ugly ass Prius. That isn't going get a lot of people into those cars. Having performance electrics will help with the rest of the image.

I don't think anyone on this site would buy one. And I'm not talking about winning over gearheads. Most people want some level of performance but they don't see it in a Prius. IMO the Telsa will help sell electrics.

And everyone keeps talking about the price. They are not main stream cars so they will be expensive. All hybirds/electrics are expensive.

James

http://www.teslamotors.com/learn_more/recycling.php

Recycling
Keeping an Eye on Tomorrow, Today

It probably comes as no surprise that a forward-thinking company like Tesla Motors thinks a lot about the future. We do.

That‘s why the tires and the battery of every Tesla Motors vehicle are recyclable. Reuse is such a key part of our philosophy that we‘ve already arranged to have our car batteries safely recycled — even before we‘ve sold our first car. The cost of recycling is built into the purchase price of the car, so there‘s never a reason “why not” to recycle.

James

No, they aren't.

This is the new Tesla that is expected to sell for 1/3 to a 1.4 of what the roadster sells for.

http://www.teslamotors.com/models/index.php

A fully loaded ZENN electric car cost about $20K. The insight that GM made was affordable too.

Tesla wanted to edge into the exotic market, and are charging alot of money for a car that does not warrant it.

And I will guarantee if you email them and ask them who the typical buyer of a roadster is, it will be mostly A list celebrities, because they want their green image more than anything.
If I was a movie star, I would buy a 1970 Chevelle and stuff in a 700hp/1200lb-ft smoke bellowing duramax diesel, because I am tired of the greenies holier than thou attitude that is totally undeserved.

I'll still take the Lotus.

I watched a show on them. From what I remember it was not all celebrities buying them. It wouldn't matter to me anyway. I like what I like. I don't care who likes or buys them if any.

One thing I will say is that car you posted is sexy as hell. :dribble: That I would buy. Thats why I like this company. Their shit looks nothing like a Pruis.

I want a 379 Peterbilt to haul a boat. I also want to build a 427 Cobra SC.

James

Wow that does look good. Wonder whose chassis it's based on.

I'm wondering the same thing.

James

[QUOTE=karl_1052;325546].
If I was a movie star, I would buy a 1970 Chevelle and stuff in a 700hp/1200lb-ft smoke bellowing duramax diesel, because I am tired of the greenies holier than thou attitude that is totally undeserved.

QUOTE]

Its Green....:rockwoot:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...g?t=1264657734

I used a similar argument when we were discussing electric sportbikes. It's a stop along the road and I don't see why people feel the need to shoot it down.
Every cool vehicle or device we have now started out as a concept, a prototype, perhaps a limited run small shop item that was developed into something that could be produced and marketed to the masses.
Rather than saying "Who the hell would pay that much?" or "That thing has no range!" or "It's so impractical!", we should be saying "When can we get it more practical and available to the average consumer?"
If more people showed an interest, it'd give the major manufacturers a reason to allocate more resources to the research and get it right.

Don't know, but at $50K, it is much more interesting to me than the roadster.