Please Help keep FR Independent!!
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 ...
Beachin !
That makes Tesla an easier decision.
Still have to be very conscious about driving and plan for recharging but, you are metro to metro then totally doable .
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.
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the tesla electric s class car gets about 280 miles per charge.it expensive. and still best for just local driving.
the big news is the fast growing number of people buying these cars. every electric car on the road takes another internal combustion engine car off the highway and lowers the demand for gasoline.
BTW: It’s obvious to you and I that an electric isn’t going to fulfill everyone’s needs. If you are into boating, travel trailers, using your truck for construction and the like, you’re obviously not in the market for an electric. No problem. I’m not here to hawk electrics to anyone.
For many years I thought the 350-450 mile range demand was a flawed business model. Sure it would be nice if that range could be obtained, but there are plenty of people who put less than 35 miles on their car each day.
For a second car, an electric can be a great idea. I’m sure there are plenty of reasons not to use them, but if you like gadgets and want to go for it, I say go for it.
You can’t even change the battery in a Chevy Uplander in less than 60 minutes.
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likely that’s a design issue the next tesla car will address head on.
At the present time, the swap out feature wouldn’t be something I would pursue. You’ve just explained the reason why. In time it may be an active feature, but I’m not holding my breath. It will be a considerable amount of time before an electric gets highway distance type mileage.
mmm I drive a Mercedes too. Brand new, just bought it. Also still have my 2006 Jag S Type. But I didn’t feel the need to tell you that until you tried to look down your nose at me because....YOU drive a Mercedes. lol
When you pull up at alight and you sit there for several minutes, and your car is off and everyone else is sitting there burning gas, it puts a smile on your face.
I rented a Hybrid last year. I was sitting at a light and a big dump truck came up behind me just before the light changed. It freaked me out until the engine kicked in. I thought I was going to be rear ended. After I got used to it, it was okay.
I put an average of 1500 miles a week on my car, Mostly down 2 lane county roads. I drive a 2008 Ford Taurus Station wagon that gets 26 miles a gallon. It has 350,000 miles on it and runs perfect. It costs me 21 cents a mile to drive at this point, that includes, cost of car, gas, oil changes(Castrol Centec), insurance and all maintenance. I write off about $40,000.00 a year against my taxes. I don’t see anyway there will be an electric car that can beat these stats until after I die and I am 58 years old.
That may be true where you live, but here all gas stations are required to have generator backup.
It’s the latest shade of pig lipstick.
I know what you mean. It did take some time for me too.
When departing a stop, I like to use the battery as much as I can. Building speed is when the vehicle uses the most gas. I figure if I can get the car up to 25-30 MPH before the motor kicking in, I’ve saved a fair amount of gas.
The vehicle doesn’t jump off the line in battery mode, so I have to be careful how I’m impacting people behind me.
You’d be surprised how many times I go ahead and kick in the gas motor so as not to hinder the person behind me, only to look back and seem them trailing me by a long distance. I could have easily used my battery and not held them back.
You have to check the person behind you out, and act accordingly.
I live in the L. A. Southland Foothills. When I go up to see my parents it’s uphill most of the way. I pick the routes that have the best gradual inclines, and it makes a difference. When I come home, I coast for the better part of ten miles, using electric also. This car coasts better than any vehicle I’ve owned too.
Coming down on the (2) from La Crescenta towards Glendale, I can coast for over a mile and lose less than 3 MPH at freeway speeds. It is a decline, but I’ve tried that in our Mountaineer and it lost 5 MPH within a quarter of a mile, probably considerably less.
How does the car know if you're at a light or just stopping at a stop sign? Do you save enough on gas to pay for a replacement starter?
This whole idea bothers me, probably since I've had cars where you were never sure if it would start the next time.
I don’t know what the future holds so for now, I’m not sure that I disagree with you.
The good thing about electric cars is that if their growth rate continues—in a couple years they’ll start to put pressure on the cost of oil/gasoline because they’ll lower demand for oil.
You infer what was not implied. I was just pointing that folks often can afford expensive things because they've been practical in other ways. I used my own experience as an example.
Enjoy your new car. I've mostly enjoyed my Mercedes over the years, although there were real quality problems from about the mid-1990s until I guess about the mid-2000s. As well, the dealer service experience has declined considerably over the last 20 years. Because of that, I'm not sure my next car will be a Benz.
sitetest
I like the looks of it too.
My comment isn't really about whether or not electric vehicles are a good idea generally, whether by “good” we mean “good for the environment” or “efficient in use of energy,” or any other meaning or definition.
Rather, I'm commenting on the company's business model. I'm thinking about what they need to do to survive and thrive in the long term. At this point, I'm not at all persuaded that absent heavy subsidies that Tesla is a viable company in the long-term.
I've thought for some time that electric cars that go 50, 100, or even 200+ miles on a charge and then need hours to re-charge, or even 20 minutes for a partial re-charge, are a serious flaw in their business model. A 90-second battery swap available widely dramatically improves the practicality of the vehicle, which will significantly improve its appeal.
sitetest
...you're probably in a Chevy Volt.
You infer what was not implied.
Then I am sorry. I was trying to point out (apparently not very well) that most people who are in the Tesla range of income see the Tesla as a status symbol, that buying one has nothing to do with the price of gas.
It’s not B. S. to drive a vehicle you know you’re not going to put more than 30 miles on during your daily commute. Nobody here is suggesting these vehicles should replace all other cars on the road.
If you’re smart enough to know better than to start a long trip in one of these, don’t you think other people will be too?
Some of these electrics now run on gas too. Should you need to, you can get to your destination with gas.
If I can see the need for a large powerful truck for folks who need them, can’t you folks see the need for a commuter car too?
This doesn’t have to be an issue of other people being stupid here.
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