These cars are absolutely gorgeous. But then I'm a big exotic fan. We have a couple running around town and if I could in anyway justify it I'd order one.
Posted on 07/07/2013 9:36:14 AM PDT by ckilmer
Tesla Motors unveiled a system that will let drivers swap out the battery in a Model S in about 90 seconds,
(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...
What happens when everybody is charging their cars from wherever the electricity is coming from?
This is a very good idea, and improves the viability of this brand of electric car. Obviously, because the Teslas get relatively-few miles on a charge, it will be necessary to build a very large number of stations where one can swap out a battery. But this is the right path.
“It cost $99.83 to fill up the car’s 23 gallon tank at an L.A. gas station.”
Entirely stupid comparison. I’m not sure to what car they’re referring, but a car with a 23 gallon that even gets only 20 mpg will go over 450 miles on a tank. I don’t think anyone claims that for a Tesla. From what I understand, real-world experience in a Tesla tops out at close to 200 miles on a full charge.
On the other hand, I usually pump 19 gallons or thereabouts of diesel into my car, and it typically runs me about $75, but I usually get 600 miles to the tank, give or take. That’d be the equivalent of about three $50 Tesla battery swaps, but only half the cost of those three swaps.
This whole electric car thing is a bunch of BS. I can’t imagine anyone being dumb enough to put themselves - not even to mention their family - in jeopardy with a vehicle that might, or might not, make it to the next battery station. This kind of thing works well on the golf course but nowhere else.
Well the ELR wouldn’t fit all my needs, so I agree a truck is a necessity too. As for the batteries, you can always trade the thing back in before you have to face the batter replacement.
My hybrid faces that problem, but it’s seven years old right now, and the resale on it is fairly decent.
NO fan of electric cars here but power outages shut down gas stations too....no power no pump.
Oh come on! If you can afford a Tesla you definitely don’t care how much gas costs.
I think it comes out of a unicorn’s arse.
You can’t even change the battery in a Chevy Uplander in less than 60 minutes. Have to remove the fuse box and a fender to grill brace first.
That would make sense.
You’re right on several counts.
Right now the infrastructure is not ready for prime time.
Its expensive.
The electric car, like natural gas trucks and buses, is best used for local runs in your home neighborhood.
I wouldn’t recommend anyone buy an electric for it to be their only car. In fact, I don’t think an electric is for everyone. If it fits in your lifestyle, then go for it. If not, then stick with what works for you.
The issue you touch on with common batteries, is compounded by the infrastructure they’ll need to swap, recharge, then rotate out to be place in another vehicle too.
Imaging how much space it will take to keep those battery packs, exchanged, moved, stored, recharged then cycled back out for the for next vehicle that needs one.
Drivers who opt for the swap will have to eventually return to the station to get their original battery back, and they'll have to pay for the service once again.
So you have to take the same road back from Jellystone Park as you took on the way there, and stop at the same stations?
Not going to happen.
If they don't return, they can pay to have the 1,000-pound battery shipped back to the service center nearest their home, or they can keep the new battery they've had installed, a battery's efficiency varies depending on its age.
Sorry, but if I drive to Jellystone Park (about 2000 miles), I'm NOT going to drive the exact same route back, and I'm NOT going to pay to ship a few half-ton bricks back to my neighborhood station. So I'm going to trade in my new battery for whatever I get at station 1, and then trade THAT in at station 2, and then trade THAT in at station 3...
There's where the logistics comes in. You don't know what you're getting: Is this a new battery, or has it been charged a hundred times?
So there are no negative environmental consequences of mining for the materials used to make batteries?
Highly inefficient short-lived batteries, I might add.
yeah, you’re right. the stuff is expensive. I’ll keep my car for now.
but its a good idea to always keep an eye on trends.
This is a big one.
eventually prices will go down and performance will rise.
The Tesla batter probably holds about 100 miles minimum. Correct me if I’m wrong. That would work out to at least three gallons, perhaps four.
I still think you’ve got a valid point.
It’s still uncertain to me how much it will cost to fully charge one of these batter packs.
That's less than the cost of a typical, automated self-serve carwash. Those are all over the place. Unsubsidized.
I wasn’t aware of that, but it’s a great feature. To be honest, I haven’t noticed one vehicle next to me do that. I’ll have to pay close attention to see if they are, but so far I all I’ve heard is the engine of the vehicle next to me.
If you can afford a Tesla, it's quite likely that you got that way in part because you cared about things like, “How much does it cost me per mile?”
I drive a Mercedes-Benz. I also shop for the best price for diesel fuel when I need to fill it up.
sitetest
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