First batch of Tesla Motors electric cars sold out

[Defiant]

I told my wife I'd love to have one...she said we can't live in it...

Yes, honey, it would be cramped for two people....

 

[Defiant]

Anyways I think a little Elise is the missing ingredient in the Tesla Roadster.

I think the Tesla is as pretty as the Elise should be.

 

[LQAddict]

Yeah, It's a pretty good looking car. Probably was fun to design, engineer, and build too.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

Wired had an article on it an issue or two ago. Pretty damn impressive machine.
Ah here's the article
http://www.wired.com/news/wiredmag/0,71414-0.html
Enjoy.

 

[99gst_racer]

I wonder how much it's going to cost to replace 6,831 rechargeable lithium-ion batteries when they slowly lose their ability to hold a positive charge for very long....

And I wonder why they couldn't set up a large drive driven generator (alternator) to keep a charge sent to the batteries while the vehicle is in motion. It seems it would cut down on time spent plugging it into a charger (which would help make long road trips much easier and more practical).

 

[LQAddict]

I guess it all comes to weight vs power vs cost vs etc to make the car appealing to the targeted crowd.
Since it is one of the first attempts to mass produce electric cars that can travel in excess of 50 mph we will see improvements in the next generation designs. Look at Prius - first fgenerations were horrible, now it is a much improved model.

 

[joshohatesuall]

I wonder how much it's going to cost to replace 6,831 rechargeable lithium-ion batteries when they slowly lose their ability to hold a positive charge for very long....

And I wonder why they couldn't set up a large drive driven generator (alternator) to keep a charge sent to the batteries while the vehicle is in motion. It seems it would cut down on time spent plugging it into a charger (which would help make long road trips much easier and more practical).

Off of tesla's website:

Even with the demands of charging and discharging the battery pack on a daily basis, the batteries in the Tesla Roadster will give you more than 100,000 miles of peak performance driving. After that point, the battery will see only gradual drops in performance over time.

In theory, the batteries will last 100K miles before losing their battery performance... thats not tooooo shabby.

 

[99gst_racer]

Off of tesla's website:



In theory, the batteries will last 100K miles before losing their battery performance... thats not tooooo shabby.

Damn. I need to get me one of those for my iPod, my laptop, and my cell phone. Hell, my cell phone's battery lost charging performance after only 4 months.

 

[diablos991]

I am also pretty sure that you don't have to replace the 6,831 batteries 1 by 1. They are probably either 1 or a couple of unit(s) that would be replaced. Though replacing it may be a difficult task, I would imagine that it would be about the equivilent (in terms of time and money) of replacing the motor in a gasoline car.

But if you are spending $80k+ dollars on a car, I don't think that another couple of thousand after 100k miles is that big of deal. Especially with the money you would save on gasoline.

 

[joshohatesuall]

Hell, my cell phone's battery lost charging performance after only 4 months.

That's probably cause of the wonderful planned obsoletion they wouldn't want you to keep your cell phone for more than that 2 year upgrade period, now would they?

plus, selling batteries is a huge advantage to companies - they probably pay all of 15 cents for it and charge you what? 60 bucks.

MAD PROFITS

 

[MrBoxx]

Yeah. Perpetual motion is soooo 18th century.

Regenerative braking seems like it would be a good idea in this car, though, seeing as the Prius has used it for years, so the technology is definitely there.

 

[diablos991]

I hate to resurrect this old thread, however, I was checking up on the car to see how it was fairing and stumbled upon this article.

I found the statements from Jay Leno interesting to read and I generally trust in his opinions of vehicles.
Now, if only they could scheme a way to get this vehicle to charge faster.

 

[bling5tatus]

No, I made the old bastard blow me. Toothless FTW.

Hahahaha... .

Did you all know that an electric motor is capable of putting all it's torque to the wheels instantly? It has no torque curve like a gasoline car, it just performs as much as you put the throttle to the floor board.

 

[Blitzeclips]

Did you all know that an electric motor is capable of putting all it's torque to the wheels instantly? It has no torque curve like a gasoline car, it just performs as much as you put the throttle to the floor board.

I don't know if thats a good thing or a bad thing.

 

[Thomas91169]

"Not for everyone, it will only meet the needs of 90% of the population." Yes, I'm sure 90% of the population can afford to stop for hours at a time every 50 miles to recharge. Sorry to get off topic

it would make for a great commuter car. think about it, you unplug in the morning with a full charge. you drive to work and plug it back in, by the time its lunch, its almost or is fully charged, you grab lunch and come back, plug in again. when work is done at 5pm you unplug, head home, and stick the plug back in, and its charged again by morning.

however this brings about yet another dilemma. the energy grid is maxxed out as it is. even if half the number of households had one, think of the additional strain that would put on the system. one out of every two houses adds charging of a automobile to their monthly electric bill? it would skyrocket! people think spending 2-300$ a month on electricity is crazy, try 6-700$ a month! it just became apparent you might as well have bought a standard car, since, while you paid 200$ for gas for it a month, thats greatly less than the increase your energy bill would be. instead of the gas prices raping you at the pump, the energy company would start raping you at the socket. its all relative.

 

[myeagleneedmods]

The Tesla is built, if I remember correctly, at the building where the Lotus Elises are built and I believe it uses the same body desgin or frame as the Elise.

 

[Defiant]

No, they come from Silicon Valley. Lotus designed the frame, and provided the construction methodology. I've not heard who styled the body.
Pity the Elise isn't this pretty.
They had a Modern Marvels about batteries the other night, and included a good segment on the Tesla.
Double the range and cut the price by two-thirds, and it'd be worthwhile. But don't think it's saving any gasoline. Electric cars just displace pollution. Until this continent wakes up and exploits nuclear, we're stuck with dirty power. While we throw away water power.