Tesla

I've had my P85 Model S since Feb. I spec'd it with all the options except dual chargers. It's my daily driver and I have 3500 miles on it so far without a single problem. I love the instantaneous acceleration. I just rotated my tires as the car is prone to eating rear tires from all the 0-60 demo runs I have been giving friends and family. On ramps and merging into traffic are a blast.
No problems with the car at all. People love the look and stance of the car. Several folks have asked me if it's an Aston Martin of all things.
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Nice S and very nice garage!

Kai

 

They are quite nice looking in person. I saw my first yesterday and had to get right up behind it to read what it was.

 

Jim says he would bet against Tesla, in favor of economy diesel hybrids from companies such as VW, who recently introduced their 250mpg diesel hybrid.

Some things to consider as Tesla attempts to grow its sales worldwide. Tesla is a full size, seven passenger vehicle. Mine uses about 300 watt-hours to travel a mile, which works out out to a cost of about 3 cents per mile here in the US, with my local electric rates of 10 cents per kwh. In the UK, however, electricity is about double the price, at 20 cents per kwh. So, the cost of electricity is about six cents per mile driven in the UK, and so it would seem the Tesla is less attractive there.

However, both gas and diesel in the UK are about 8 dollars per US (not Imperial) gallon at today's exchange rates. About 140 pence per liter.

Lets assume an efficient seven passenger vehicle in the UK gets 25 mpg overall. It uses four gallons per 100 miles, or 32 dollars worth of fuel. The Tesla uses six dollars worth of electricity to drive the same distance in the UK. Assuming the lifespan of both cars (and in particular the Tesla battery pack) is 150,000 miles, then the conventional car would burn $48,000 worth of fuel and the Tesla would use $9,000 worth of electricity. The $39,000 dollars can buy a lot of batteries! And, at 150,000 miles many internal combustion engines and their accessory turbos, etc can be pretty worn out and may need repair or replacement.

Even one had a really efficient, seven passenger conventional car or hybrid that achieved 33 mpg, then the lifetime cost of fuel would still be $36,000.

The Tesla is a real car, available right now, and its cost per mile is unbeatable. If the batteries last, and the car is reliable, they will succeed.

Scott

 

I'll have a test drive on Friday! Never thought I would ever like an electric car, so I am kind of excited!

 

handouts and subsidies are really not accurate terms -- a tax credit just lessens the burden an individual will pay in taxes so NO outlay by the govt. also the california green credit things are paid by other private entities, not the taxpayer.

Plus these laws were passed long before a Model S was sold or reviewed by anyone including a consumer reports. They were seen as necessary to help incubate a new industry whose success will payoff for the whole entire society. So everyone will benefit, by the work of a few gifted people.

We really need to pass a tax credit for the adoption of LNG by OTR long haul trucking. That would also benefit everyone in the US. There has been a total lack of leadership, outright failure by our govt. on energy. We are entering a period of incredible energy abundance here in the US all done by private initiative in spite of govt. stupidity.



One subsidy program that should be cut is the retarded ethanol program that wastes FOOD and increases energy and food costs at the same time.

 

Here is a little energy summary that I think goes along with Tesla electric cars and that everyone will enjoy. Energy runs the economy and always has. Even though most of this stuff is happening, it is happening slowly and haphazardly. So while we don't need subsidies, we do need a national energy policy, like XL passage, which will create jobs and good times.


North American Assets--


(bridge fuels)
800 years supply of coal
100 years supply of natural gas
180 billion barrels of oil sands in northern canada
700 billion barrels of oil shale in central US (not shale oil) (3XSaudi oil reserves)
Increasing yields of oil by fracking et al to the point of self sufficiency by 2020 on current mix

(permanent renewables)
thorium based nuclear
solar


Best national strategies;

Use coal gasification for electric generation, which powers electric cars , LNG for trucking, and CO2 by-product thru joule to produce jet fuel and diesel for planes and ships, CLEAN energy from coal

Export nat gas as LNG and Export all excess oil products as refined products in an opec manner to preserve price/profit with a $10/barrel tax to pay for national thorium nuke network.


Coal gasification in practice
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNtBn3kmRno]Sasol additional Mark IV Fixed Bed Gasifier Project - Video - YouTube[/ame]

CO2 into diesel in practice, remarkable new tech
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrbXxyM8c-g]Joule Plant Overview - YouTube[/ame]

Oil sands in alberta
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTM_-9zdplg]Shell's Athabasca Oil Sands Project Expansion -- Meeting the world's growing energy needs - YouTube[/ame]


interesting facts;
flaring - I have seen reported that an amount equal to 50% of US daily electric generation nat gas is being flared in these new US fields
US refineries are now exporting 3 million barrels per day of refined petroleum products, that's right exporting gasoline

 

The VW is better because it uses fossil fuel? Wha???

What is the 0-60 time on a VW diesel? I suspect it's nowhere close to 3 seconds...

 

nice

http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=234152&stc=1&d=1366406910

 

enjoyable review (his road testers are a little off)

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUW0l7bZn1s]Tesla Model S takes on the Aston Martin Rapide S in the ultimate luxury saloon battle - YouTube[/ame]

 

no one has mentioned the sound...is there any?

 

just the extra coin jingling in your pocket. They said in Britain to go the same distance, energy cost;

Tesla $4.50
Rapide $120.00

 

I don't so much mind the tax breaks that Electric Vehicle owners get, but it must be noted that the primary reason for Tesla's profitability claims is that they receive fees from other auto manufacturers who do not make electric cars, which Tesla in-turn appears to be reporting as operational income. Based on my understanding, CA law is written so that any manufacturer who wants to sell cars in CA must either have a % of electric cars on offer, or pay Tesla for the credits.

Here, it seems to me that Toyota made the smarter move by investing and licensing a drive train. At curent stock prices, they've basically stuck it to all the other manufacturers.

 

I have a P85+ and I love the car. Not a CS but fun as hell to drive with all the tech to go with it......

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z87U8qVxNio&list=PLA97180860447EE6A]2014 Tesla Model S vs 2014 Mercedes-Benz S550! - Head 2 Head Ep. 54 - YouTube[/ame]

 

I almost bought a Toyota Rav4 Ev with Tesla power train this weekend, but now I see that Toyota is not building another run of them after they sell the 1000 or so they have left, and not renewing their supply agreement with Tesla.

It's been said the Rav4 EV didn't sell well, and after doing the math on one, I can see why - they are just too expensive for what you get. The only way it makes economic sense is if you have a 50+ mile daily commute, and you lease one with unlimited-use miles.

As to the articles which point out that it was a poor seller outside of CA, I will just say "Duhhh. . . well researched, idiot."

 

It must also be noted then that the vast majority is reinvested back into the business to make production of Tesla's cheaper, more efficient and more reliable.

If other companies choose to buy credits because they won't embrace the future themselves and Tesla uses that money to build the company to the point that it can live without selling them one day whilst those other companies are royally screwed due to their fossil fuel reliance, then good for Tesla.

Tesla are taking advantage of a severe lack of vision from much larger companies and soon they will be incredibly profitable as a result.

 

ginge82, Question: 1) Have you studied ANY financials for Tesla? 2) Other companies don't "CHOOSE" to buy credits, they are forced to buy credits by politicians, most that have NEVER run a business. I could go on, I'll leave it at that....

 

If they embraced new technologies they wouldn't have to buy anything.

They don't. In fact many that buy these credits still thinks 14 mpg for their newest SUV is groundbreaking efficiency.

If Tesla take this opportunity to build their company, good for them.