Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

The Tesla Roadster - Electric Car

124

Comments

  • michael2003michael2003 Member Posts: 144
    However the sedan doesn't seem to be like it should be considered a toy. Hopefully it will have much faster recharge capability so that it can be considered as a family car for local and long trips.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I do not think you will see an EV that is practical for long trips. The target will be commuter and local drivers. Even if your car has the means to be fast charged and a 300 mile range. What are the odds of there being a fast charge station where you plan to be? The fast charge home units that were available for the old EV-1 were about $4k and you had have new service run to your home. The all in one EV may never be built. At least in our lifetime. Too many logistical problems to overcome.
  • tpetpe Member Posts: 2,342
    Have you ever taken a 300 mile trip that didn't involve passing rest stops? I don't think it would be all that an ambitious undertaking to equip rest stops with these fast-charge stations. I also think it could be a money maker. Selling the electricity for 20 cents per kWh would be a 100% markup but still vastly cheaper than gas. For your typical day to day driving that involved shorter distances the slower, overnight charge would be adequate.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I avoid the Interstates when ever possible. That is the only place you see many rest stops. I just do not see it happening. I believe all the charging stations for the EV-1 in CA were paid for or subsidized by the state. My local Costco had two. Now they are gone. Money down the old toilet so to speak.

    Think of all the trips you have taken. I like the back roads of America. I like taking the trail of "49" etc etc. To cover all the areas that people might drive would be a huge investment. With many places never being used. I could be wrong. Something new in storage will have to emerge before we see much to be happy about. If I could justify a small errand electric vehicle I would. At this point it would just be to satisfy my desire for something different. Anything over $15k would be frivolous as a runabout.

    Another thing to consider with a cross country charging system. Compatibility would have to be established. I don't think all the EVs built during the CA ZEV fiasco were able to use the EV-1 charging stations.
  • fordenvyfordenvy Member Posts: 72
    I meant in the way distant future it would be nice, not with what we have now, or in the next few years, rather 20 years from now. I can not see it happening at all in the next decade, except for commuters. The Tesla of course in not a family car and not for the average citizen. But just the idea being thrown around is exciting and I thought I would, so I didn't mean tommorrow rather in the next 2 decades for those that misunderstood me.
  • michael2003michael2003 Member Posts: 144
    I would strongly agree that without a standard being established for quick recharging, the EV will never be more than a local commuter.

    I believe that existing gas stations will be around for quite awhile. I think that it would be very worthwhile for this existing infrastructure to include providing electric recharging service, at least at those stations that are primary stops for interstate travelers. While the initial expense in providing the service won't be recovered immediately, it has the long term potential of being very profitable with minimal upkeep.
  • tpetpe Member Posts: 2,342
    it has the long term potential of being very profitable with minimal upkeep.

    That's for sure. It's a lot simpler and cheaper to transmit electricity than it is to transport gasoline. I also agree that it could be very profitable. It will be one of those chicken and egg situations at first. No one will want to build re-charging stations until there are EVs and people won't want to buy EVs until there are charging stations.

    I believe that Phoenix Motorcars is delivering their first vehicle in the next couple of months. So we should soon be getting some real world feedback on how the newest generation of EVs performs.
  • sunray1sunray1 Member Posts: 3
    I saw a video the other day featuring the head guy at Tesla, and he was saying that his vision was to start with a more expensive car, then work his way down to something most people can afford....

    Here's the thing. I'll bet you dollars-to-donuts that when the price of a Tesla vehicle comes down to, say, $30 grand or so, so will the relative attractiveness of the vehicle.....

    I want the Tesla roadster for $30 grand....or 40, not some Hyundai-looking sedan....Maybe I'm paranoid, but if that actor from Oceans 11 bought one, he may be upset if Tesla offers the same cool vehicle to the masses......

    Maybe I need a better-paying job.....
  • tpetpe Member Posts: 2,342
    I don't think that he was ever talking about making the Tesla Roadster affordable for the masses. I've read several interviews with this guy and I believe what he is saying is this. The nature of EV technology right now necessitates that they will be expensive, very expensive. That being the case he started out building an exotic car aimed at people that aren't all that concerned with practicality or cost. As EV technology matures and gets more affordable he will build completely different vehicles targeting different markets.

    I've said this before and people have disagreed. I personally feel that Tesla will be bought out in the next few years by someone like Ford or Chrysler. We'll see.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Has the Tesla really broken any new ground? It seems like off the shelf pieces in a cool body. We had 150 MPH electric race cars competing in the late 1990s. I agree the electronics and motors are ready for prime time. Battery technology is still in the dark ages. I see it the same as hydrogen fuel cells. Lots of promises and little progress after decades of R&D.

    I am hopeful someone will find the solution. I think the EV is the only way we can become somewhat free from fossil fuels.

    http://www.roadtripamerica.com/wheels/flc.htm
  • tpetpe Member Posts: 2,342
    Has the Tesla really broken any new ground?

    I don't know if it represents any new technology, maybe just the refinement and repackaging of existing technology. Totally new technologies don't come along too often anymore. More often than not when people talk new technology they are primarily referring to just a new application. However, there are some proprietary aspects involved in Tesla's Roadster. I know that they are actually selling their battery packs to Think Nordic. If it was really off the shelf pieces why would they buy from Tesla?

    I've stated numerous times that I actually think battery progress has been pretty significant and steady. I was just pricing a Dell laptop. You can get a spare 9 cell, 85 watt-hour battery for $79. That's $20 cheaper than a couple years ago and about 15% more energy per cell. In fact it's about 25% more energy per cell than what's being used in the Tesla Roadster.

    I'm also starting to re-think my negative position on fuel cells. The actual fuel cells have advanced tremendously. The main roadblock has always been hydrogen storage. I never believed that storing hydrogen in big tanks under enormous pressure had much potential. A lot of promising work is being done towards storing hydrogen in a solid state. This could potentially allow for home production and refueling, using grid or solar/wind electricity as your original power source. Essentially hydrogen is nothing more than the battery and stored the right way it might prove better than Li-ion.
  • knightskyeknightskye Member Posts: 9
    [quote]The all in one EV may never be built. At least in our lifetime. Too many logistical problems to overcome.[/quote]

    Fast-charging stations can be added onto gas stations. If there's no gas station on the way to where you're going, you're doomed no matter what kind of car you're driving.

    We have cars now that can go over 200 miles on a charge. Who's to say we won't have one that can go 300 soon? EESTOR, that Texas-based company that doesn't have a website or release a lot of information, is working on an energy storage system that can be recharged millions of times without degradation (more than the life of the car). If it has that many life cycles, it's sure to have an awesome range. I wonder how much it'll boost the price of Zenn's cars, though.
  • tpetpe Member Posts: 2,342
    I wonder how much it'll boost the price of Zenn's cars, though.

    I've read that EEStor's energy storage device is not supposed to cost much more than lead acid batteries. And since it wouldn't need to be replaced the lifetime cost will actually be much cheaper. The big question is whether or not they can actually deliver. My guess is no. Certainly not this year, which is when ZENN's website previously stated this energy storage device would be available in their neighborhood electric vehicles.

    I'm a big EV proponent so I hope that I'm wrong but EEStor has been hyped for some time now and have provided no product for testing/demonstrating their claims. The companies that I take more seriously are the ones with actual working prototypes being tested in the field.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I was just pricing a Dell laptop. You can get a spare 9 cell, 85 watt-hour battery for $79.

    I hope that is not some cheap knock-off you are considering for your laptop. The 9 cell 85 WH I am looking is now $159. That is $16 more than last year.

    Dell Battery
  • tpetpe Member Posts: 2,342
    I hope that is not some cheap knock-off you are considering for your laptop

    No, it was for a new laptop from Dell's website. If you go to the battery option for this laptop you can see here this it comes with a 6 cell battery. An additional 9 cell battery is a $79 option.

    http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&oc=DNDWEA3&s=dhs

    I do see that buying replacement batteries through Dell's website is pretty expensive. Maybe they are trying to steer you towards buying a new laptop, which skews the price.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    They want to sell you two batteries as they know you will still need a replacement a couple years down the road. A spare would be of little value to me as I usually have my laptops plugged in.
  • mr_hybridmr_hybrid Member Posts: 4
    Hey Sunray1,

    I hear that! Pricing such a nice car out of reach is a strange idea, but I'm hoping that the masses will eventually be able to afford such a car. It's great, however, to see such a fast car that is not gas powered. I mean, 0-60 is less than 4 seconds is pretty impressive. I've even seen videos where the Telsa has shamed many other powerful cars (gas powered, no less!!)...
  • knightskyeknightskye Member Posts: 9
    "Pricing such a nice car out of reach is a strange idea"

    Tell that to Toyota. It's not really Tesla's fault, it's because of the batteries and the other expensive equipment under the hood. Plus, it's not mass-produced like most cars.

    They plan to release another car in a couple years with a price of $50,000, about twice the price of a Prius, half the price of the Roadster. They said they'll have the $50,000 one be a weaker version and a better version for $65,000.

    They raised the price of the car, from $92,000 to $98,000.

    I hope Phoenix will have a car around $25,000 to $30,000.
  • tpetpe Member Posts: 2,342
    I hope Phoenix will have a car around $25,000 to $30,000

    Phoenix announced recently that they've begun work on a plug-in hybrid. I don't know if that's something that interests you but my guess is it will have a better chance of being in the $25-30k price range than a pure BEV, at least in the near term.
  • michael2003michael2003 Member Posts: 144
    It will be nice to have more options available in the form of plug in hybrids. Personally, although I think BEVS will be the long term solution, I think that PHEV's will be the best short term solution. All we need is the price of the batteries that have a large number of recharge cycles available to be affordable/available (I'm thinking Altair, A123, or EEStor).
  • tpetpe Member Posts: 2,342
    The first Teslas should be delivered in a few months. It will be interesting to see what kind of reduction in charge capacity these owners experience after a year. IMO, it needs to be under 5% for those battery packs to have much of a future.

    While I hope that I'm wrong I have serious doubts that we'll see anything from EEStor in the near future.
  • knightskyeknightskye Member Posts: 9
    "It will be interesting to see what kind of reduction in charge capacity these owners experience after a year. "

    Well, assuming they don't drive their Roadster 100,000 miles the first year, none. They said 500 recharges, and at 200 miles, that's 100,000 miles of no reduction in charge capacity. After that, they said reduction would be minimal. What I'm wondering is the average period of time when owners have to replace the battery, since it currently costs about, what, $20,000? Whatever. If they can afford the car, they can afford to buy another battery after 7-8 years of use.

    I think we will see something from EEStor. They're keeping a low profile. So low there's only like, three articles about them, heh. They just don't want people going nuts about them until there's something to go nuts about. We have other options if they don't deliver.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    If you plug your Tesla in every night that is not even a year and a half of recharges. If you go from a full charge to dead you get 200+ miles. Most will not try to run it out to the max. I also was under the impression the Li-Ion batteries in the Tesla were $50K plus. Batteries for the ancient RAV4 EV were right at $30k and they are the much cheaper NiMH.
  • michael2003michael2003 Member Posts: 144
    Tesla has stated that the battery system currently runs about 20k and they estimate that a replacement system with a larger range capacity should be around 12k by the time a replacement is needed. Of course, we need to acknowledge that the future is speculative and it could be either much better or worse and we just won't know for sure until we get there. If the PHEV and BEV market takes off, I believe it will greatly increase the likelihood that the future will be much better price/capacity wise.
  • tpetpe Member Posts: 2,342
    If you plug your Tesla in every night that is not even a year and a half of recharges

    A charge cycle is defined by a complete discharge/charge. If you plug it in at night and the battery pack still had 4/5ths of its charge left then you would have only used up 1/5 of a cycle that night. With Li-ion I don't think that number of charge cycles is the big question mark. It's calendar life.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    That would be my guess also. I doubt you would completely discharge the battery very often. You would have it floating at full charge most of the time if you plug it in whenever you are not driving it.
  • beast56r2beast56r2 Member Posts: 4
    Sure the Tesla Roadster is pricey, but what limited production, hand built auto isn't. I mean let's keep it in perspective. The Viper goes for $85,000.00 plus. Then if you get into the exotics, $98,000.00 will get you a test drive. Battery technology has jumped immensely in the last 5 years, just ask the guy who races electric R/C cars for a hobby. What will the next 5 years bring? The Tesla roadster is a quantum step in the right direction, and the approach they are taking makes sense. Proceeds from the roadster will be used to R&D a car for the masses, and might this just be the spark to light a fire under the Big Three's collective posteriors. I mean, would they really want to be shown up by some upstart new car company. As far as being bought out by someone else, at this point I kind of doubt it as Tesla Motors is getting the attention of all the right people, including the politicians in Washington D.C. There are definetely some people that believe in the project, if not why would the guy responsible for creating Paypal have invested $37 million of his own money. I have to be optimistic, after all I am sick and tired of being raped and gouged by the oil companies for over 30 years, and having a government that won't do anything about it. I applaud Tesla Motors for their efforts.
  • tpetpe Member Posts: 2,342
    I like what Tesla is doing but I think they've made a few missteps along the way. First the timing of their PR/hype was based upon them delivering the first Roadsters last Spring. Now it won't be until next Spring, which will make it a little anti-climatic. Their previous CEO, Martin Eberhard, stepped down a few months ago. I've been reading a lot about this company for the last 2 1/2 years and I really got the sense he was definitely the driving force that was going to bring this car to the market. If you read his most recent interviews you get the sense that he's been somewhat beaten down. I think primarily by all the regulatory hurdles that you must jump through. Hopefully who's ever running the company now posesses his same level of energy and enthusiasm. Finally, I think they chose the wrong battery technology. They're using the Li-ion Cobalt batteries, the same type found in laptops. These do posess the highest energy density but they have drawbacks. They put off a lot of heat, making a substantial cooling system a must. They cost more per kWh. They have the potential for thermal runaway. They do not last as long. This is why Toyota has delayed putting Li-ion batteries in the Prius because this was the chemistry that they were pursuing. They've since changed course and are now looking at the type of Li-ion battery GM will be using in the Volt. No cobalt, less heat, cheaper, safer, longer lasting. I believe this is also why Think Nordic has reconsidered using Teslas battery packs and has instead chosen EnerDel to be their supplier.

    With all that said I believe that Tesla's best chance of long term survival is to be bought out by an established automanufacturer. I do really like the Roadster and no matter what happens they've done a great job at reviving interest in EVs and changing the "glorified golf cart" perception.
  • knightskyeknightskye Member Posts: 9
    With all that said I believe that Tesla's best chance of long term survival is to be bought out by an established automanufacturer.

    You mean an "established automaker" like Ford, which sold its electric car subsidiary to a Norwegian investment group? They tried electric cars, but didn't know how to market them. I'm going to have to disagree with you there. Their best bet is to stay as they are. They don't need to be bought out and shut down by one of the big players.

    I don't think the battery thing is an issue. Is Schwartzenegger or Clooney complaining about their batteries? If they changed the battery before they release the car, it's not a problem. That's a benefit of the development stage. You get to correct problems before you start selling the product.

    Nintendo released Zelda: Twilight Princess more than a year after they announced to (correct me if I'm wrong). When it came out, it wasn't anti-climactic. They did great. And it's still doing great. So just because the release is delayed doesn't mean the product will do poorly.

    Is GM, Ford, Toyota, Chrysler, or any other automaker's CEO better or more qualified to handle the Roadster or any future projects? And why are you being so negative about someone who doesn't even exist? We don't know who's taking Eberhard's place, so we shouldn't insult him by saying he's not qualified.
  • beast56r2beast56r2 Member Posts: 4
    Exactly, development is just that development. Teething problems are bound to crop up with anything that is new to the market, from autos to the very Operating System on the PC you are using right now. In fact, do you realize there are hundreds of auto recalls are ongoing daily for both new, and older domestic vehicles now on the road that no-one but the dealerships know about, and that these problems are corrected on the sly when the vehicles are brought in for service. The majority of people don't know about them because they don't get any press unless a problem arises as a result. If you don't believe me you need to become good friends with the service manager at your local dealership, like me. When he shows you the service recall binder that is 10 inches thick you will be amazed. So technical issues are a moot point.

    The main point is that if Tesla succeeds, whether it be sooner or later, it will force the hand of the Big Three in Detroit to stop dragging their feet. If a small fledgling company like Tesla can do something like this, what could GM, Ford, or Chrysler with all their worldwide resources do if they really wanted to.
  • tpetpe Member Posts: 2,342
    And why are you being so negative about someone who doesn't even exist?

    What are you talking about. My comment was that I hope Eberhard's successor has the same level of enthusiasm. How is that interpreted as negative.

    A lot of Tesla's engineering has gone into designing this battery pack. I don't see them suddenly changing to a different Li-ion chemistry with significantly different characteristic. And if they chose to do this it would not be as trivial as you make it sound. A lot of new testing would have to take place. So I believe Tesla will stick with what they've got even though, IMO, it is not the best for an automotive application.

    I don't know if you've noticed but Tesla is seriously dragging their feet on opening a manufacturing facility in Albuquerque, NM for their White Star sedan. This was supposed to happen some time ago. Their excuse is that they are still in the design phase. My guess is that they're in the need cash phase. I applaud Tesla for what they're trying to do and I sincerely hope for their success but I'm starting to see it as a long shot. Their best chance would have been to get out of the gate early. That's slipping away.
  • tpetpe Member Posts: 2,342
    it will force the hand of the Big Three in Detroit to stop dragging their feet

    GM's program to produce the Chevy Volt definitely seems to be on the fast track, no feet dragging. This is an EV and in many ways more significant than the Tesla since it will be affordable to a far bigger segment of the population. The Tesla Roadsters significance is primarily as a high profile showpiece that generates a lot of awareness for EVs and what they are capable of.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I'm with you on this one. Tesla has a lot more to worry about than the Big 3 buying and burying them. The EPA will put them through financial hell with expensive crash tests etc. A small car company will have a hard time making it in this country. That ZENN company in Canada is a good example. They are being blocked by the Canadian government at every step. I think that is why Eberhard got out. He spent a lot of money, time and energy and it was going no where. The batteries he chose were doomed from the start. You cannot take a chance on batteries that can explode under charge. Ask Sony that recalled a million of their laptop batteries of that same design. EPA, NHTSA and CARB will do more to stop the advent of an Electric vehicle than the Big 3 and oil companies combined. They will regulate them into oblivion.
  • knightskyeknightskye Member Posts: 9
    What are you talking about. My comment was that I hope Eberhard's successor has the same level of enthusiasm. How is that interpreted as negative.

    You had it listed as a "misstep" in your post. I figure if something is a misstep, it couldn't be positive.
  • tpetpe Member Posts: 2,342
    Well Tesla's finally found a new CEO, his name is Ze'ev Drori. Eberhard has removed himself from the board of directors and given up his executive management duties. I just see it as a bad sign when the founder of a company decides to jump ship. Tesla's website states that he will still have a role in an advisory capacity but as far as I'm concerned that's just spin.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I think his heart was in the right place. I just do not see how anyone would take the Tesla seriously. With its 6000 AA batteries or whatever the huge count was. It would be a maintenance nightmare. Battery cells go bad individually. Keeping track of which ones need to be replaced sent my mind into overload. For some no brains actor it would be NO problem. They drive it and when it stops they get AAA to tow it back to the shop. I look for a company like Mitsubishi or Nissan to give us a practical EV in the next 5 years. No one else has the deep pockets to R&D the batteries. Toyota is disallusioned with hybrids.
  • tpetpe Member Posts: 2,342
    Apparently Eberhard didn't quit, he was basically fired.
    tesla
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Wow, that is not good news for Tesla. It reminds me of Apple, when they forced Steve Jobs out. They headed right for the toilet and stayed there till he came back and gave them a second chance. I think that Eberhard could go to several places and be productive. Maybe Lutz will hire him to head up the Volt program.
  • tpetpe Member Posts: 2,342
    One of the biggest delays Tesla has encountered has been due to it's two-speed transmission. They've already gone through a couple suppliers and still haven't found one that's reliable. I'm reading reports that Tesla may consider just offering the Roadster with a single speed transmission. The impact on performance will be that instead of a 4 sec. 0-60 time it will be 5.7 sec. Still very fast but not the Ferrari like number that helped justify the $98k price tag.

    tesla delays
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    More electric vehicle news on the Alternate Route

    Perfect Storm?
  • coolrunningcoolrunning Member Posts: 117
    The motors are not actually on the wheels. Instead, they are tucked up into the frame and have drivelines extending out to the wheels for the AWD to work. Teh weight of the cars is actually less than gasoline powered equivilents, and the weight is distributed almost 50/50 front to rear. Technology is great, but much like Tucker and DeLorean found out, a small company with great ideas will always be fighting to survive from day one. I hope Tesla shows the rest of the industry the path to our future vehicles soon enough to make a difference in our lifetimes. We need changes like this now, more than ever, and cannot wait 25 years for it to happen! ;)
  • knightskyeknightskye Member Posts: 9
    The impact on performance will be that instead of a 4 sec. 0-60 time it will be 5.7 sec. Still very fast but not the Ferrari like number that helped justify the $98k price tag.

    Is it that important? Is there any practical use to have a car that can go 0-60 in four seconds? The only thing I can think of is drag racing.
  • tpetpe Member Posts: 2,342
    Is it that important? Is there any practical use to have a car that can go 0-60 in four seconds?

    I agree, there is no practical use for having a car that goes 0-60 in four seconds. Obviously anyone thinking about plunking down $98k for a roadster is making a decision that isn't driven by practicality. If I paid this much for a Tesla and the average pimply faced high school kid with his Mustang GT could wax me off the line I'd be a little embarrassed. I'm not a big fan of cars who's design implies better performance than they can deliver. An exotic looking car with an exotic price tag should be capable of performance that matches regardless of whether there is any practical use for it.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I think the idea was that the roadster would be the "halo car" for the company, attracting the $$$ necessary to keep a car company afloat (translation: a mind-boggling amount of money) so that it might create more affordable mainstream products.

    After reading the Fortune article, I'm starting to get a queasy feeling about the Tesla company because it's exhibiting the danger signs we are all familiar with -- big personnel shake-ups, delays in launch, and perhaps a diminished final product in order to "get something" to market.

    Preston Tucker might have had the last laugh (his cars sell for ten times the price of a 1948 Buick) but he didn't die happy.

    From a historical point of view, it seems that if a car company starts humbly and then builds more sophisticated machines, this works better than starting out on the expensive end and working down. Consider the first humble Benz, the BMW micro car, the VW bug, the Model T. Pioneers into new territory seem to end up with arrows in their backs.
  • tpetpe Member Posts: 2,342
    From a historical point of view, it seems that if a car company starts humbly and then builds more sophisticated machines,

    I also have my doubts about Tesla's survival. However I'm not sure it's possible to start humbly with an EV. The people buying $15k cars are typically looking for maximum value out of their their vehicles. Just due to the cost of the battery pack there's no way an EV today can be competitive in terms of price and utility with something like a Honda Fit or Toyota Yaris. People buying $100k roadsters are clearly not too concerned with value. I look at EVs like flat panel TVs. The early adopters will be the more affluent and hopefully the price will work it's way down to where the mainstream can afford it.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Looks like further delays on the Tesla. I thought they were already being delivered?

    Tesla sales begin in UK, Damon Hill to drive Roadster through London
    Posted July 28 2008 12:19 PM

    While most enthusiast car owners face a hefty congestion charge when driving into certain areas of London, owners of the all-electric Tesla Roadster will not have that problem. European customers can now make their reservation for one of 250 Signature Edition Tesla Roadsters, which the automaker says will be delivered in May 2009 (unless more delays set that date back). These 250 cars, priced at 99,000 euros (currently about $156,000) will come fully loaded, while standard Tesla Roadsters will be available in 2010.

    Formula One World Champion Damon Hill will drive the first Euro-spec Tesla Roadster at the GreenFleet Capital Arrive 'N' Drive 08 event, which promotes various technologies that may help reduce emissions and improve air quality in London.

    On Thursday, July 31, Hill's Tesla Roadster will join other public and private sector drivers in the 33-mile course. The Tesla Roadster will have a tracking device allowing interested onlookers to keep track of the car as it makes its way through London's streets.
  • larsblarsb Member Posts: 8,204
    They ARE being delivered and ARE on the road:

    more than a dozen on the road now

    Tesla Delivers More Than a Dozen Roadsters
    The startup says it's delivered more than a dozen of the sporty electric cars and has 15 awaiting batteries and powertrains.
    by: Jennifer Kho
    Bullet Arrow August 21, 2008

    Tesla Motors has now delivered more than a dozen of its sporty electric Roadsters, the company said in a newsletter this week.
    Advertisement

    It also is accelerating production. According to the newsletter released Wednesday night, 15 so-called "gliders" - cars equipped with everything but the battery and powertrain - have been completed at the Lotus assembly plant in Hethel, England, and are ready to be shipped to the Tesla offices in Menlo Park, Calif., where they will be finished.

    The company in May said its production had been slower than expected, with only five of the $100,000 Roadsters completed in two months, instead of the one per week initially expected (see Tesla Production Slower Than Expected). The company said then that it planned to ramp up to 100 cars per month by November.

    In July, after the company announced plans to build its second model in California, CEO Ze'ev Drori wrote in Tesla's blog that nine Roadsters had already arrived in the state, with another three expected within a few days, and added that 27 Roadsters were in various stages of assembly.

    "In large measure we deliberately limit the production until we install our own born-and-bred final transmission by mid-September, at which time production will start to ramp up leading toward a monthly rate of over 100 cars in December," he wrote.
  • larsblarsb Member Posts: 8,204
    more on the battery. Still looking for specific info on how easy it will be (or how necessary) to replace individual failed cells.

    Tesla Roadster Battery System
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    DId you notice that your [non-permissible content removed] buddies at CARB are pulling the same kind of crap that got the EV-1 scrapped in the late 1990s. Further evidence in my mind they are a bunch of worthless worms.

    On March 27th, the Board met in Sacramento to consider CARB Staff recommendations for changes to the Mandate. During the open hearing, the Board directed the staff to lower the minimum number of pure ZEV’s that the six largest automotive manufacturers are required to deliver in the period from 2012 to 2015 (known as Phase III) by 70% – from 25,000 to a mere 7,500! This is an absurdly low number given the emerging developments in the EV space, not to mention the progress we’ve demonstrated at Tesla Motors specifically.

    They also cut funding that was needed by Tesla to get the EV sedan going. Tesla was not happy with the way they get people excited about ZEVs then pull the rug out.

    In stark contrast, the proposed modification will unfairly and severely discriminate against Tesla, the only car maker based in California and the world’s only car maker that actually develops and is committed exclusively to zero emission vehicles. How? Since Telsa makes only zero emission vehicles we sell our gold ZEV credits to LVMs. The monies received defray in part some of the large R &D costs incurred in pioneering the development of the zero emission electric cars

    http://www.teslamotors.com/blog2/?p=63
  • coolrunningcoolrunning Member Posts: 117
    I agree, you are correct. It makes no sense to "upgrade" a computer when you can do a total replacement instead for under $1000.00, and have the latest hardware, software and have the reliability of new equipment. Since the bottom fell out of the computer market, due mostly to overproduction and the off-shore (cheap) production of silicon chips, the only ones who still bother to tinker with PC upgrades are those self-proclaimed "gamers".

    By the way, gamers are not the same geeky nerds that used to build PC's from the ground up back in the 80's, because they couldn't buy computers as powerful as they could build. The gamers of today are making hot rods out of the computers they use, just for playing games. It isn't uncommon for them to spend thousands of dollars in parts just to get the fastest or most HD view of the games they love to play. Are they the majority? Of course not! They think they are, but then again they live in a dark room with thousands of dollars worth of oversized computers and don't get out much. Dell recently released a marketing study in which they detailed the typical use of the personal computer in the home. A full 87% of PC's are family computers, used primarily by several members of the same family, for everything you can imagine (besides gaming), and have become more than a universal appliance that a computer. Gamers are a slim fragmented category of their own, and there even more studies expressing concern over their obsessive/compulsive behavior and the effect the violent and sometimes evil content of these games have on young developing teen minds. The whole connotation of "gamer" takes on a whole new meaning. You don't just play a few games. You ARE a member of the game. Very defensive and often aggressive, they limit their social skills to the internet with those of their kind. This is a very sad twisted spin-off resulting from a technology that has gradually replaced such social activities as "hanging out with friends" or "making new friends" outside on a bright sunny day.
Sign In or Register to comment.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles