Gigafactory

Quote: reno

Hey wouldn't it be cool to spend $35,000 on a car as fast as a $200,000 Lamborghini?

I could build you one faster than a Lambo for <$15k =p

Quote: reno

But here's the thing: what really separates the Tesla Model S from a Prius is that the Tesla is incredibly sexy.

Looks like a smoothed out Porsche Panamera, and said Jeremy Clarkson on the Panamera, "It's as ugly as an inside-out monkey".



I happen to think it looks like a station wagon, and I'm all for restocking the livery of future demo cars =)

It looks like a poorly design BMW, to me.

I'm not a big fan of the new BMW silhouettes either.

Quote: TheCesspit

It looks like a poorly design BMW, to me.

I'm not a big fan of the new BMW silhouettes either.

You almost got me started...

I'm gonna exercise a little self control. Not gonna hijack and turn this into a car thread. Carry on ;)

I worked for Amway in the early 70's
and they already had a huge
building complex, hundreds of
acres. Walking was impossible if you
were management, they got around
on electric carts and scooters. Even
doing that it took awhile.

Tesla sounds like cart before the
horse to me, wouldn't be the first
time a car co did that.

9/14/2011 Forbes: Electric Cars Are An Extraordinarily Bad Idea is an old article, but emphasizes the basic idea.

"On Wednesday, Jan. 26 a major snowstorm hit Washington D.C. Ten-mile homeward commutes took four hours. If there had been a million electric cars on American roads at the time, every single one of them in the DC area would have ended up stranded on the side of the road, dead. And, before they ran out of power, their drivers would have been forced to turn off the heat and the headlights in a desperate effort to eek out a few more miles of range. No doubt some conventional cars ran out of gas while trapped in the massive traffic jams that occurred in and around the nation’s capital the night of January 26. However, a two-gallon can of gasoline can get a stalled conventional car moving again in a few minutes. In contrast, every dead BEV would have had to be loaded on flatbed tow truck and taken somewhere for many hours of recharging before it could be driven again."

Quote: Pacomartin

9/14/2011 Forbes: Electric Cars Are An Extraordinarily Bad Idea is an old article, but emphasizes the basic idea.

Isn't this the same argument they used for
keeping horses and not allowing cars? Sure
it is..

Quote: Pacomartin

9/14/2011 Forbes: Electric Cars Are An Extraordinarily Bad Idea is an old article, but emphasizes the basic idea.

"On Wednesday, Jan. 26 a major snowstorm hit Washington D.C. Ten-mile homeward commutes took four hours. If there had been a million electric cars on American roads at the time, every single one of them in the DC area would have ended up stranded on the side of the road, dead. And, before they ran out of power, their drivers would have been forced to turn off the heat and the headlights in a desperate effort to eek out a few more miles of range. No doubt some conventional cars ran out of gas while trapped in the massive traffic jams that occurred in and around the nation’s capital the night of January 26. However, a two-gallon can of gasoline can get a stalled conventional car moving again in a few minutes. In contrast, every dead BEV would have had to be loaded on flatbed tow truck and taken somewhere for many hours of recharging before it could be driven again."

What's funny about this argument is the number of New Jersey gas stations that were closed for several days after hurricane Sandy. No electricity to operate the gas pumps.

Ironically, the leading argument for buying Tesla's Powerwall battery is to keep the lights on in a storm.

Quote: reno

What's funny about this argument is the number of New Jersey gas stations that were closed for several days after hurricane Sandy. No electricity to operate the gas pumps.

Ironically, the leading argument for buying Tesla's Powerwall battery is to keep the lights on in a storm.

True, but you probably have more gas in your tank for range than the electrics. Might have some gas at home for an emergency, as I try to do. I've been saying electrics and winter don't mix well.

Quote: reno

Ironically, the leading argument for buying Tesla's Powerwall battery is to keep the lights on in a storm.

I don't know if that is true. They are selling a $3.5K 10kWh version to keep the lights on, and a $3K 7kWh version for daily use. I wonder which one is more popular?

An 11Kwh generator with whole house switch costs $3K. That saves you all the difficulties of working with gasoline, and unlike a battery the generator only stops working when you run out of propane.

The Powerwall is much thinner and half the weight, so it would be much easier to install in an apartment, but for most homeowners the generator is a better buy.
51” x 34” x 7” & 220 lbs Powerwall
48" x 25" x 29" & 407 lbs Generator

Quote: Face

I could build you one faster than a Lambo for <$15k =p

According to Musk, the Model S gets roughly 20 engineering changes each week--most of them very minor--to reduce weight, improve durability, and ease manufacturing. Which brings us to today's big news: in a nod to Mel Brooks fans, Tesla has upped the ante, and the slowpoke 691 horsepower Insane Mode (0-60 in 3.1 seconds) has now been replaced with 762 horsepower Ludicrous Mode (0-60 in 2.8 seconds). Their top of the line model will have a bigger battery: 90 kwh instead of 85 kwh. The company also upgraded the main battery contacts from steel to a more advanced metal, resulting in a maximum power delivery from 1300 amps to 1500 amps. The cell chemistry for the new battery includes a new anode that adds silicon to the graphite, permitting the increase in performance.