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2014 BMW i8 vs. 2013 Tesla Model S P85 Comparison Test | Edmunds.com
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2014 BMW i8 vs. 2013 Tesla Model S P85 Comparison Test | Edmunds.com
Edmunds takes a closer look at two new of the most intriguing alternative-power cars on the road, the 2014 BMW i8 and the 2013 Tesla Model S.
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Where did you get the numbers for the tesla track test results? The first set of acceleration numbers appear to come from a non-performance version of the model S.
What really gets me are the handling numbers. If BMW had seen fit to equip the cars with at least 20mm wider front tires (particularly as it's supposed to be AWD) it would be phenomenal. Really, they should be squared up especially as the car has a 49/51 weight distribution split, but it looks like BMW made the conscious decision in pursuit of better FE numbers. I don't really get it, they should play up the sportiness of this car particularly against the Model S.
100k golf carts..Fiat 500e does the job and good looking.
@kcai just don't crash. The Fiat 500's crash test results are pretty dismal.
It might be more accurate to say you tested a 2014 BMW i8 vs. 2014 Tesla Model S. It would be even more accurate to say you tested the 2014 BMW i8 against a Tesla Model S. Tesla doesn't use model years. It's a model S. There's no difference between a "2014 Model S" and a "2013 Model S." The government requires a "model year" but Tesla actually uses a build year instead of a model year, and that's only for the purpose of the VIN. There's no magical change that happens on January 1st that makes the Model S turn into a different version.
It is possible to get a Model S with different options, and it might be possible at some point to get it with options that weren't available for earlier customers. And in all likelihood they will be options, so somebody buying a new car could end up with the same model and options as somebody who bought one in 2013 or 2014.
People will have to get used to not playing the game where one person bought a 2014 car in March 2013 and another person bought the same car new in January 2015, while the same company started selling a 2015 in May of 2014. For those, nobody is going to care when the "2014" was built, but will care more about how many miles it has on it. A 2014 with 20,000 miles is the same as another 2014 with 20,000 miles in the same condition, even if they were produced 11 months apart. Likewise, with Tesla, if you get a Model S, what matters is which features it has, what condition it's in, and how many miles it has on it. The warranty goes by the date of sale, so a 2014 might have one more day or 364 more days of warranty than a 2013. Getting one that's a day newer doesn't make it a different car.
If you want a different model, consider waiting for the Model X or the Model 3. Then you will get different models, but the year will still have little relevance unless they stop making them arbitrarily after a year.
Model year is relevant to the general reader who does not know or care if Tesla uses model years or if the government requires them. Knowing it is a car built in 2014 vs 2013 is generally helpful, particularly since the average reader likely has no idea what changes Tesla has or has not made and so can assume that a 2014 built car is as current as one can get.
Tesla is too bland and ugly. It reminds me of a Buick just with better headlights. Rear and sides look so bloated, tail lights barely line up correctly, and looks even worse when the "low" setting of the brake lights illuminate. First time I saw one I thought it wasn't production ready.
The i8 looks amazing, but it's in super car territory. The majority of owners will barely drive it so hybrid/plug-in/MPG's don't matter at all especially in that price point. A buyer would compare Audi R8 E-tron vs. i8. That's when buyers shelling out $150 grand rather get a hybrid/electric than a regular gas engine.
I drive a P85 and I drive an M5. I'd like the interior of the M5 put in to the P85, it would be perfect for me then. My Tesla is super fast and rides great. the M5 is slow off the line but at 90 you feel like you are going 50. The Tesla feels like it is going as fast as it is. I'm not one for planning a long trip in the P85 that requires charging in transit, that type of trip is M5 time. I think that comparing the BMW I8 and the P85 is apples and oranges. Fully electric vs 20 miles electric?
The Tesla is just SO good. It's above and beyond every other car in the category, and relatively cheap for what it is. BMW looks like it's trying too hard, and it doesn't deliver to match its looks. AND THE PRICE??? Ugh. I'm surprised they fell SO far short. The automotive press loves BMW so much, but this is kind of a turd. Makes the ELR look very desirable.
HAGRINAS- trust me, some things won't be easy "upgrades" - If Tesla changes the brakes on the model, there isn't going to be a download that swaps in new rotors. :-) I love technology and all, but even a Tesla is made of lots of metal that isn't easily "upgraded" once it is built.
To be fair, the Tesla Model S didn't actually go through the IIHS small overlap test, which is where the Fiat 500 fell down.>
@hagrinas: True, but model year designations are still important because the Model S, like most everything else that's engineered, undergoes continuous improvements under the hood, even without the customer realizing it. That includes quality changes. Considering the issues that Edmund's car had, a model year designation is a great way to avoid first year models.
"The B-class electric is indeed a great small car. It is as quiet as a Tesla Model S; it drives with comfort and elegance. And it is relatively economical. The real competitor to the B-class is likely to be the BMW i3—and a slew of other luxury cars to be released over the next couple of years."
What happens when a Tesla fanboy meets the Mercedes-Benz electric car (Washington Post)