” 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.
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”
Riiiiiiiiiight.
So, in other words, this whole cockamamie battery-swapping scheme is nothing but a sick joke and a ridiculous publicity stunt.
At a half mil per station, I can only assume that Elon is expecting uncle sugar daddy Obama to “loan” him the money to build the stations.
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.
That's less than the cost of a typical, automated self-serve carwash. Those are all over the place. Unsubsidized.
Nope just have the new battery capacity tested. If it's worse that your original. pay $50 to swap again. Keep doing this unitl you get a good one.
It'll be cheaper than eventually buying a replacement battery.