Tesla: Model S News
05-24-2010, 11:10 PM
#41
Race Director
The point is, fossil fuels have incredible energy density -- 45 MJ/kg for gasoline. It is going to take some serious infrastructure, possibly involving at-station energy storage using fuel cells or megacapacitors or something... For now, we have don't have neither the energy grid, nor the charging stations to support wide spread adoption of rapid fueling EVs (if they're made available).
05-25-2010, 02:46 PM
#42
My only car is a Bus
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Electric vehicles just don't make sense right now. They don't save the planet as they are very toxic to produce, the power generated is still largely dirty stuff, and when the car is finished, unless it's lithium-ion, the batteries can't be recycled. The "jobs" in the green energy sector are all money losers and without soaking up huge amounts of tax dollars they wouldn't even exist hence electric cars are stupid.
06-21-2010, 03:26 PM
#43
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Breaking: Tesla shows future products, liquid cooled motor and electronics in IPO road show
by Sam Abuelsamid (RSS feed) on Jun 21st 2010 at 3:35PM
by Sam Abuelsamid (RSS feed) on Jun 21st 2010 at 3:35PM
<!-- sphereit start -->
<SMALL>Tesla future models – Click above for more slides from the road show</SMALL>
<SMALL>Tesla future models – Click above for more slides from the road show</SMALL>
The long-delayed initial public offering for Tesla Motors is expected to finally happen as soon as the beginning of next week. Naturally, then, company CEO Elon Musk now has to go out and really sell it. One of the last steps before the on-sale date for the stock is what's known as the road show, where executives go before the mavens of Wall Street to convince them of the value of the company.
Slide #19 of Musk's road show Powerpoint gives us the first glimpse of what might come after the Model S, which includes a cabriolet, van and crossover. All will be built on a common platform with the Model S and will mount the battery pack under the floor in a similar manner to the Nissan Leaf. The cabriolet in particular is quite the stunner and should provide a real competitor to the Fisker Karma Sunset.
Among the other changes that Musk revealed are liquid-cooled power electronics and motor starting with the Model S. While this will add to the cost and complexity of the powertrain, it should help improve the overall efficiency and overcome some of the limiting factors that were found late in the development of the Roadster. The full Tesla prospectus is available here and you can watch the road show here.
06-21-2010, 03:32 PM
#44
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Electric vehicles just don't make sense right now. They don't save the planet as they are very toxic to produce, the power generated is still largely dirty stuff, and when the car is finished, unless it's lithium-ion, the batteries can't be recycled. The "jobs" in the green energy sector are all money losers and without soaking up huge amounts of tax dollars they wouldn't even exist hence electric cars are stupid.
I love the instanta-torque feeling you get -it beats out most V-8s with similar output levels simply because of its torque being available from 0 rpm on up. I love that I can have the "powertrain" essentially mounted at the bottom of the car and in between the two axles, which is center of gravity win. I love that it's sexy outside and inside with cool touches. I love that it's unique and comes from a brand with a badge that leaves people going "what's that".
03-07-2011, 02:54 PM
#45
_____ like a rabbit
Tesla Model S pricing announced
A Quick Update on Model S
Over fifty Tesla Roadster owners and their guests joined us recently to celebrate the opening of the newest Tesla store in Milan, Italy. Elon and I held a “customer chat” just before the event. It was an incredible opportunity to spend time with current owners. I loved being in the same room with over 100 loyal and committed customers, spouses, and friends. It was great!
The most enjoyable part was the question & answer time we set aside to hear directly what was on our customers’ minds. We discussed everything from the potential of creating third party apps for Roadster and Model S to worldwide differences in charging infrastructure. It was very interesting to hear Tesla customers’ priorities for us as a company.
There were lots of questions about Model S. That was not a big surprise. It is clear that our customers would like to keep up with progress as we work towards first deliveries in 2012. So I’d like to take this opportunity to respond to the “customer requests” I heard in Milan and give the latest progress update about Model S.
Our recent Model S blog posts have focused on our advanced electric powertrain and the ingenuity of our vehicle engineering. The majority of questions in Milan concerned delivery timing, battery option availability and pricing. Although we have not yet finalized the information on all those fronts, here are a few progress updates that hopefully will answer some of the questions:
-Alpha testing is in full swing. The first Alpha hit the road in December 2010, and we continue to test as planned. Final assembly of the production-intent Beta vehicles will be done at the Tesla Factory this year and provide us with further testing and development opportunities.
-Deliveries for North America begin in mid-2012.
-The first 1000 cars off the line will be the North American Model S Signature Series. Those vehicles will be equipped with a 300 mile range battery. In the tradition of a limited-edition series, they will feature unique badging and an extensive complement of options.
-After the Model S Signature Series, deliveries for North America will continue with the 300 mile batteries, followed by 230 and 160 options later in 2012.
-Delivery of the European left-hand drive Model S is scheduled to begin in late 2012. In mid-2013 we plan to begin delivering the right-hand drive Model S for Europe and Asia. Each launch will begin with a limited edition Signature Series.
-We expect to produce approximately 5,000 units in 2012 as we ramp to full single shift production capacity of 20,000 units per year in 2013.
-The price of the US base Model S with a 160-mile battery is $49,900 after the $7,500 federal tax credit. The 230-mile range option is expected to price at about $10,000 more and the 300-mile option at about $20,000 more than the base.
-We are currently working on final pricing and options for Model S, including the Signature Series. We expect to have updates on Model S pricing worldwide this summer.
-We are very enthusiastic about how Model S is developing, and we appreciate the support we’ve felt from our reservation holders and community. We will continue to share Model S updates as we get closer to production, so everyone can share in these exciting times.
More information can be found in our Model S FAQ.
I hope this information helps answer many of the questions from our customer chat. Thanks to everyone who joined us in Milan for the grand opening. You made it a very special event!
Over fifty Tesla Roadster owners and their guests joined us recently to celebrate the opening of the newest Tesla store in Milan, Italy. Elon and I held a “customer chat” just before the event. It was an incredible opportunity to spend time with current owners. I loved being in the same room with over 100 loyal and committed customers, spouses, and friends. It was great!
The most enjoyable part was the question & answer time we set aside to hear directly what was on our customers’ minds. We discussed everything from the potential of creating third party apps for Roadster and Model S to worldwide differences in charging infrastructure. It was very interesting to hear Tesla customers’ priorities for us as a company.
There were lots of questions about Model S. That was not a big surprise. It is clear that our customers would like to keep up with progress as we work towards first deliveries in 2012. So I’d like to take this opportunity to respond to the “customer requests” I heard in Milan and give the latest progress update about Model S.
Our recent Model S blog posts have focused on our advanced electric powertrain and the ingenuity of our vehicle engineering. The majority of questions in Milan concerned delivery timing, battery option availability and pricing. Although we have not yet finalized the information on all those fronts, here are a few progress updates that hopefully will answer some of the questions:
-Alpha testing is in full swing. The first Alpha hit the road in December 2010, and we continue to test as planned. Final assembly of the production-intent Beta vehicles will be done at the Tesla Factory this year and provide us with further testing and development opportunities.
-Deliveries for North America begin in mid-2012.
-The first 1000 cars off the line will be the North American Model S Signature Series. Those vehicles will be equipped with a 300 mile range battery. In the tradition of a limited-edition series, they will feature unique badging and an extensive complement of options.
-After the Model S Signature Series, deliveries for North America will continue with the 300 mile batteries, followed by 230 and 160 options later in 2012.
-Delivery of the European left-hand drive Model S is scheduled to begin in late 2012. In mid-2013 we plan to begin delivering the right-hand drive Model S for Europe and Asia. Each launch will begin with a limited edition Signature Series.
-We expect to produce approximately 5,000 units in 2012 as we ramp to full single shift production capacity of 20,000 units per year in 2013.
-The price of the US base Model S with a 160-mile battery is $49,900 after the $7,500 federal tax credit. The 230-mile range option is expected to price at about $10,000 more and the 300-mile option at about $20,000 more than the base.
-We are currently working on final pricing and options for Model S, including the Signature Series. We expect to have updates on Model S pricing worldwide this summer.
-We are very enthusiastic about how Model S is developing, and we appreciate the support we’ve felt from our reservation holders and community. We will continue to share Model S updates as we get closer to production, so everyone can share in these exciting times.
More information can be found in our Model S FAQ.
I hope this information helps answer many of the questions from our customer chat. Thanks to everyone who joined us in Milan for the grand opening. You made it a very special event!
Last edited by stangg172004; 03-07-2011 at 02:56 PM.
03-07-2011, 03:34 PM
#46
Safety Car
lots of silly questions on this thread. some blanket answers:
1. Design is not for the masses. Acura or any other brand could easily come up with such styling. Wont.
2. Major car companies wont put out such well performing electric vehicles - why? it's not profitable. Tesla hasnt turned a positive profit yet doing it, and thats with 100% focus, and loads of federal incentives offsetting their balance sheet.
3. electric cars have proven to not be profitable in a subsidized market, and will obviously be bigger loser in a free market. taxes, costs, and usage aside, they have very little environmental benefits when considering the build and future waste.
4. electric cars, in a better sense of the word, are "stupid," as someone else has mentioned. many economists debunk the "good doing" of electric vehicles. consider electric cars a waste of tax dollars to fund a dead dog. it's purpose is only to open up the eyes of the general public towards alternative sources of energy to jump start the bandwagon towards hybrids (not electric).
1. Design is not for the masses. Acura or any other brand could easily come up with such styling. Wont.
2. Major car companies wont put out such well performing electric vehicles - why? it's not profitable. Tesla hasnt turned a positive profit yet doing it, and thats with 100% focus, and loads of federal incentives offsetting their balance sheet.
3. electric cars have proven to not be profitable in a subsidized market, and will obviously be bigger loser in a free market. taxes, costs, and usage aside, they have very little environmental benefits when considering the build and future waste.
4. electric cars, in a better sense of the word, are "stupid," as someone else has mentioned. many economists debunk the "good doing" of electric vehicles. consider electric cars a waste of tax dollars to fund a dead dog. it's purpose is only to open up the eyes of the general public towards alternative sources of energy to jump start the bandwagon towards hybrids (not electric).
Last edited by ThermonMermon; 03-07-2011 at 03:49 PM.
03-07-2011, 04:00 PM
#47
The sizzle in the Steak
In 2011 and perhaps for some years to come
Electric automobiles = coal powered toys for the "rich".
...and "rich" is relative...as in you could get a comparable gasoline or diesel powered vehicle for tens of thousands less, but you decide you have enough coin to pay more for less....because you want said coal powered vehicle so badly.
From the Leaf, to the Volt, to the Tesla......"equivalent" vehicles can be had for much, much less.
......as for the "cost saving" of electricity versus gasoline or diesel over the ownership of said coal powered vehicles......
.......you know what the answer is
Electric automobiles = coal powered toys for the "rich".
...and "rich" is relative...as in you could get a comparable gasoline or diesel powered vehicle for tens of thousands less, but you decide you have enough coin to pay more for less....because you want said coal powered vehicle so badly.
From the Leaf, to the Volt, to the Tesla......"equivalent" vehicles can be had for much, much less.
......as for the "cost saving" of electricity versus gasoline or diesel over the ownership of said coal powered vehicles......
.......you know what the answer is
03-07-2011, 06:12 PM
#48
I'm the Firestarter
^ OK. But you seem to portray these cars as stupid, while in reality it's no different from getting the sport package on your BMW, or getting a V8 so that you can drive to work in bumper to bumper traffic. None of us here would judge people for doing that.
I say whatever floats your boat... If you like buying a more expensive car just so you can burn less gas while driving, so be it.
And there is the argument that if someone solves the coal problem, the gas cars will still pollute the air, but electric cars won't. What's wrong with solving one problem at a time? FYI Ontario's on track to phase out ALL of our coal generation from 25% to 0% in a few years.
I say whatever floats your boat... If you like buying a more expensive car just so you can burn less gas while driving, so be it.
And there is the argument that if someone solves the coal problem, the gas cars will still pollute the air, but electric cars won't. What's wrong with solving one problem at a time? FYI Ontario's on track to phase out ALL of our coal generation from 25% to 0% in a few years.
03-07-2011, 06:51 PM
#49
The sizzle in the Steak
^ OK. But you seem to portray these cars as stupid, while in reality it's no different from getting the sport package on your BMW, or getting a V8 so that you can drive to work in bumper to bumper traffic. None of us here would judge people for doing that.
I say whatever floats your boat... If you like buying a more expensive car just so you can burn less gas while driving, so be it.
And there is the argument that if someone solves the coal problem, the gas cars will still pollute the air, but electric cars won't. What's wrong with solving one problem at a time? FYI Ontario's on track to phase out ALL of our coal generation from 25% to 0% in a few years.
I say whatever floats your boat... If you like buying a more expensive car just so you can burn less gas while driving, so be it.
And there is the argument that if someone solves the coal problem, the gas cars will still pollute the air, but electric cars won't. What's wrong with solving one problem at a time? FYI Ontario's on track to phase out ALL of our coal generation from 25% to 0% in a few years.
Solve the coal problem eh? Can I have unicorns with my rainbows too? :wink:
However, the idea that electric cars are "clean and green" is nonsense.
In the USA, they are powered by coal.
Coal is not disappearing from the USA for a very, very, very, long time.
Why you ask? Because it is so incredibly cheap and efficient for the energy/cost.
Sure nuclear power is the best option, but the same tree hugging, global warming religious fanatics who hate evil coal, hate nuclear as well.
Well people, you are not going to get the same amount of energy/cost from wind, solar, geo-thermal....as you can from coal.....or nuclear power.
The appetite and market is not there for "green" energy costing people 5x's or more.
So coal is here to stay, and electric vehicles are polluters.
Interesting technology, however but nowhere near the internal combustion engine in terms of reliability, longevity, range, & power (in some instances).
....and if we are talking green.....when it comes time to putting these electric cars and their batteries in the landfill.....oh boy.....talk about hurting the environment.
....and FWIW the national power grid cannot handle a mass amount of electric vehicles either......that's going to be another nightmare.
03-07-2011, 09:13 PM
#50
Safety Car
Only you brought up the "stupid" part.
Solve the coal problem eh? Can I have unicorns with my rainbows too? :wink:
However, the idea that electric cars are "clean and green" is nonsense.
In the USA, they are powered by coal.
Coal is not disappearing from the USA for a very, very, very, long time.
Why you ask? Because it is so incredibly cheap and efficient for the energy/cost.
Sure nuclear power is the best option, but the same tree hugging, global warming religious fanatics who hate evil coal, hate nuclear as well.
Well people, you are not going to get the same amount of energy/cost from wind, solar, geo-thermal....as you can from coal.....or nuclear power.
The appetite and market is not there for "green" energy costing people 5x's or more.
So coal is here to stay, and electric vehicles are polluters.
Interesting technology, however but nowhere near the internal combustion engine in terms of reliability, longevity, range, & power (in some instances).
....and if we are talking green.....when it comes time to putting these electric cars and their batteries in the landfill.....oh boy.....talk about hurting the environment.
....and FWIW the national power grid cannot handle a mass amount of electric vehicles either......that's going to be another nightmare.
Solve the coal problem eh? Can I have unicorns with my rainbows too? :wink:
However, the idea that electric cars are "clean and green" is nonsense.
In the USA, they are powered by coal.
Coal is not disappearing from the USA for a very, very, very, long time.
Why you ask? Because it is so incredibly cheap and efficient for the energy/cost.
Sure nuclear power is the best option, but the same tree hugging, global warming religious fanatics who hate evil coal, hate nuclear as well.
Well people, you are not going to get the same amount of energy/cost from wind, solar, geo-thermal....as you can from coal.....or nuclear power.
The appetite and market is not there for "green" energy costing people 5x's or more.
So coal is here to stay, and electric vehicles are polluters.
Interesting technology, however but nowhere near the internal combustion engine in terms of reliability, longevity, range, & power (in some instances).
....and if we are talking green.....when it comes time to putting these electric cars and their batteries in the landfill.....oh boy.....talk about hurting the environment.
....and FWIW the national power grid cannot handle a mass amount of electric vehicles either......that's going to be another nightmare.
enough could be argued against electric cars...while still disregarding the biggest problem: the amount of power required to "fuel" them on a mass level. ultimately, the use of electric cars on a high volume basis is far from the solution to our dilemma.
03-08-2011, 08:29 AM
#51
I'm the Firestarter
Well you seem to poo-poo every hybrid and electric car out there... Like buying it because it just "feels good" is stupid, like it HAS to be motivated by some rational practical reason or else these cars should not have the right to exist. Cutting edge stuff is always expensive, that's why there are always few early adopters. These people's appetite for new stuff makes it cheaper and viable in the long run for the rest of us. That's why today plasma TVs cost $500 instead of $20000.
Newsflash: SOME jurisdictions are solving that problem right now. So it's not a unicorn thing, it's already being done today. Some places don't have the political will to do it, fine then, ask people not to buy electric cars in those places, but they'll just make the argument that "well, we bought the cars, now clean up the power generation in order to solve the problem".
PS. claiming that everyone who's against coal power is against nuclear is a red herring, just as claiming that everyone who buys a hybrid expects to save money. Be weary of making sweeping claims.
Solve the coal problem eh? Can I have unicorns with my rainbows too? :wink:
PS. claiming that everyone who's against coal power is against nuclear is a red herring, just as claiming that everyone who buys a hybrid expects to save money. Be weary of making sweeping claims.
03-08-2011, 10:45 AM
#52
The sizzle in the Steak
Well you seem to poo-poo every hybrid and electric car out there... Like buying it because it just "feels good" is stupid, like it HAS to be motivated by some rational practical reason or else these cars should not have the right to exist. Cutting edge stuff is always expensive, that's why there are always few early adopters. These people's appetite for new stuff makes it cheaper and viable in the long run for the rest of us. That's why today plasma TVs cost $500 instead of $20000.
Newsflash: SOME jurisdictions are solving that problem right now. So it's not a unicorn thing, it's already being done today. Some places don't have the political will to do it, fine then, ask people not to buy electric cars in those places, but they'll just make the argument that "well, we bought the cars, now clean up the power generation in order to solve the problem".
PS. claiming that everyone who's against coal power is against nuclear is a red herring, just as claiming that everyone who buys a hybrid expects to save money. Be weary of making sweeping claims.
Newsflash: SOME jurisdictions are solving that problem right now. So it's not a unicorn thing, it's already being done today. Some places don't have the political will to do it, fine then, ask people not to buy electric cars in those places, but they'll just make the argument that "well, we bought the cars, now clean up the power generation in order to solve the problem".
PS. claiming that everyone who's against coal power is against nuclear is a red herring, just as claiming that everyone who buys a hybrid expects to save money. Be weary of making sweeping claims.
Anyone who thinks buying an electric car will somehow "clean up power generation to solve the problem" is greatly mistaken.
Hybrids and Electric vehicles are only feel good toys.
They don't save anyone any coin....unless you own them well past ten years.
They don't "save the planet" either. They run on coal power, or if not, they will contribute more pollution when they hit the landfill than their gasoline/diesel engine counterparts.
03-08-2011, 01:41 PM
#53
Race Director
We expect to produce approximately 5,000 units in 2012 as we ramp to full single shift production capacity of 20,000 units per year in 2013.
03-08-2011, 08:38 PM
#54
I'm the Firestarter
I stand by my claim...sure there are minor exceptions to any rule, but saying the religious environmental zealots who are against coal are somehow magically for nuclear power is laughable.
Anyone who thinks buying an electric car will somehow "clean up power generation to solve the problem" is greatly mistaken.
Hybrids and Electric vehicles are only feel good toys.
They don't save anyone any coin....unless you own them well past ten years.
They don't "save the planet" either. They run on coal power, or if not, they will contribute more pollution when they hit the landfill than their gasoline/diesel engine counterparts.
Anyone who thinks buying an electric car will somehow "clean up power generation to solve the problem" is greatly mistaken.
Hybrids and Electric vehicles are only feel good toys.
They don't save anyone any coin....unless you own them well past ten years.
They don't "save the planet" either. They run on coal power, or if not, they will contribute more pollution when they hit the landfill than their gasoline/diesel engine counterparts.
I'd be driving a Mazda 5 right now if I didn't care about feeling good in my car. I don't "need" AWD and 19" 235 wheels. I'm not going to judge someone who wants to feel good by burning less gas while driving.
03-09-2011, 12:05 PM
#55
The sizzle in the Steak
The issue is that people are lead to believe that electric/hybrid cars are saving the planet. Clearly they are not. It's all a ruse.
Hey...if holding your breath a few times a day makes you think you are combating CO2 emissions....go right on ahead and turn blue if it makes you feel better...right?...but it isn't doing squat.
03-30-2011, 05:01 PM
#58
The sizzle in the Steak
Tesla = a bunch of clowns. 
03-30-2011, 08:49 PM
#59
Trolling Canuckistan
I dunno.....who ever said there was anything wrong with it
The issue is that people are lead to believe that electric/hybrid cars are saving the planet. Clearly they are not. It's all a ruse.
Hey...if holding your breath a few times a day makes you think you are combating CO2 emissions....go right on ahead and turn blue if it makes you feel better...right?...but it isn't doing squat.
The issue is that people are lead to believe that electric/hybrid cars are saving the planet. Clearly they are not. It's all a ruse.
Hey...if holding your breath a few times a day makes you think you are combating CO2 emissions....go right on ahead and turn blue if it makes you feel better...right?...but it isn't doing squat.
Plus what are you gonna do when the Mad Max apocalypse happens in 2012? Buy a portable Honda generator that you strap to the roof of you electric car to charge it while racing to find more fuel? It just doesn't make sense in the long term.
04-01-2011, 10:28 AM
#61
The sizzle in the Steak
On the other hand....how will anyone get gasoline in a Mad Max apocalypse anyway?.....it's not like gasoline grows on trees.
We will all be looking for a horse to ride.
04-04-2011, 06:46 PM
#62
The sizzle in the Steak
Top Gear rebuttal to the Tesla Clownz
he following is Top Gear’s public rebuttal to the claims made by Tesla, as per their own blog, in their own words:
“1. We never said that the Tesla’s true range is only 55 miles, as opposed to their own claim of 211, or that it had actually ran out of charge. In the film our actual words were: “We calculated that on our track it would run out after 55 miles”. The first point here is that the track is where we do our tests of sports cars and supercars, as has happened ever since Top Gear existed. This is where cars are driven fast and hard, and since Tesla calls its roadster “The Supercar. Redefined.” it seemed pretty logical to us that the right test was a track test. The second point is that the figure of 55 miles came not from our heads, but from Tesla’s boffins in California. They looked at the data from that car and calculated that, driven hard on our track, it would have a range of 55 miles.
2. We never said that the Tesla was completely immobilized as a result of the motor overheating. We said the car had “reduced power”. This was true.
3. Tesla claims we were lying when we said the brakes were “broken”. They now say that all that had happened was that the fuse to the vacuum pump had failed, which meant that the brake just had to be pushed down much harder than usual. Well – to my mind, if the brakes are broken, then they’re broken, and if this happened to your car, you’d take it to the garage to get it fixed. Odd it seems so trivial to Tesla now, because on the day of filming they insisted on repairing the fuse before we could carry on driving the car.
The above points will be argued over in the near future by brainy people wearing wigs, but in a layman’s nutshell, this is where we stand on the matter. Before I finish though, I must clear up one important issue: scripting. It’s alleged by Tesla that on the day of filming one of their employees caught sight of a script that had been written, before the car had even been driven, already containing the verdict that in the “real world” the Tesla doesn’t work. This, they say, proves our guilt, because we’d condemned the car in advance. May I just say in reply:
a) The truth is, Top Gear had already driven the car prior to filming, to enable us to form a view on it in advance
b) Our primary reasoning behind the verdict had nothing to do with how the Tesla performed; our conclusion was based mainly on the fact that it costs three times more than the petrol sports car upon which it’s based. It takes a long time to recharge, so you can’t use it as easily for the carefree motoring journeys that are a prerequisite of sports car driving. You can actually reach that conclusion without driving the car. As it happens, when it did come to the subjective area of how the car drove on the track, we were full of praise for its performance and handling.
c) Just so you understand there’s nothing devious going on, you need to know how this filming business works. When you film a car review, the reviewer is only the tip of the iceberg. Behind the lens is a film crew, and only a day’s worth of light to shoot the eight minute film. This means we have to prepare in advance a treatment – a rough draft of a script so that the director and film crew can get to work right away, knowing what shots they will need to capture. It will contain the facts about a car, and what we think of its looks and so on, but how well the car actually drives is added on the day. If we’ve driven it ahead of filming, as we do with most cars, we will also have an idea how it feels to drive. But, and this is crucial, as we uncover fresh information about a car whilst filming it, it is entirely normal for the treatment to be modified as the day unfolds. Jeremy is always tweaking the scripts to reflect what his driving experience has actually been on the day.”
“1. We never said that the Tesla’s true range is only 55 miles, as opposed to their own claim of 211, or that it had actually ran out of charge. In the film our actual words were: “We calculated that on our track it would run out after 55 miles”. The first point here is that the track is where we do our tests of sports cars and supercars, as has happened ever since Top Gear existed. This is where cars are driven fast and hard, and since Tesla calls its roadster “The Supercar. Redefined.” it seemed pretty logical to us that the right test was a track test. The second point is that the figure of 55 miles came not from our heads, but from Tesla’s boffins in California. They looked at the data from that car and calculated that, driven hard on our track, it would have a range of 55 miles.
2. We never said that the Tesla was completely immobilized as a result of the motor overheating. We said the car had “reduced power”. This was true.
3. Tesla claims we were lying when we said the brakes were “broken”. They now say that all that had happened was that the fuse to the vacuum pump had failed, which meant that the brake just had to be pushed down much harder than usual. Well – to my mind, if the brakes are broken, then they’re broken, and if this happened to your car, you’d take it to the garage to get it fixed. Odd it seems so trivial to Tesla now, because on the day of filming they insisted on repairing the fuse before we could carry on driving the car.
The above points will be argued over in the near future by brainy people wearing wigs, but in a layman’s nutshell, this is where we stand on the matter. Before I finish though, I must clear up one important issue: scripting. It’s alleged by Tesla that on the day of filming one of their employees caught sight of a script that had been written, before the car had even been driven, already containing the verdict that in the “real world” the Tesla doesn’t work. This, they say, proves our guilt, because we’d condemned the car in advance. May I just say in reply:
a) The truth is, Top Gear had already driven the car prior to filming, to enable us to form a view on it in advance
b) Our primary reasoning behind the verdict had nothing to do with how the Tesla performed; our conclusion was based mainly on the fact that it costs three times more than the petrol sports car upon which it’s based. It takes a long time to recharge, so you can’t use it as easily for the carefree motoring journeys that are a prerequisite of sports car driving. You can actually reach that conclusion without driving the car. As it happens, when it did come to the subjective area of how the car drove on the track, we were full of praise for its performance and handling.
c) Just so you understand there’s nothing devious going on, you need to know how this filming business works. When you film a car review, the reviewer is only the tip of the iceberg. Behind the lens is a film crew, and only a day’s worth of light to shoot the eight minute film. This means we have to prepare in advance a treatment – a rough draft of a script so that the director and film crew can get to work right away, knowing what shots they will need to capture. It will contain the facts about a car, and what we think of its looks and so on, but how well the car actually drives is added on the day. If we’ve driven it ahead of filming, as we do with most cars, we will also have an idea how it feels to drive. But, and this is crucial, as we uncover fresh information about a car whilst filming it, it is entirely normal for the treatment to be modified as the day unfolds. Jeremy is always tweaking the scripts to reflect what his driving experience has actually been on the day.”
04-05-2011, 06:50 AM
#63
Race Director
The above points will be argued over in the near future by brainy people wearing wigs
06-17-2011, 04:02 PM
#64
Senior Moderator
a few new photos
http://www.teslamotors.com/models/gallery
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/18614767?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/18614767">Model S Alpha Hits the Road</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/teslamotors">Tesla Motors</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
http://www.teslamotors.com/models/gallery
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/18614767?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/18614767">Model S Alpha Hits the Road</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/teslamotors">Tesla Motors</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
06-17-2011, 04:23 PM
#66
Senior Moderator
Oh...hello! 
06-23-2011, 08:48 AM
#68
Rich and Famous
Bye Bye Tesla Roadster ...
If you want to buy a Tesla Roadster, you have two months.
http://autos.yahoo.com/news/tesla-ro...-the-line.html
http://autos.yahoo.com/news/tesla-ro...-the-line.html
10-04-2011, 03:58 PM
#71
Senior Moderator
the Model S Betas close up and inside out in these photos from the Model S Beta Reveal this past weekend Oct. 1-2.
WTF, aren't the kids heads gonna be right next to the glass?
WTF, aren't the kids heads gonna be right next to the glass?
10-04-2011, 04:06 PM
#72
Moderator
10-04-2011, 04:10 PM
#73
The sizzle in the Steak
Rear facing seats
10-04-2011, 04:14 PM
#74
Senior Moderator
10-04-2011, 04:17 PM
#75
Senior Moderator
You know what though, the problem here is that this is their first such vehicle. And, all the other manufacturers have been doing it for decades and decades. So in regard to the interior designs and such, the other manufacturers have all "been there and done that" (like in the 70's, in this case). I think it would have been wise to recruit another company to outfit the interior for Tesla. Aren't they affiliated with Toyota? They should have brought them in to help with the creature-comfort and other physical aesthetics of the car.
10-04-2011, 04:52 PM
#76
Moderator
You know what though, the problem here is that this is their first such vehicle. And, all the other manufacturers have been doing it for decades and decades. So in regard to the interior designs and such, the other manufacturers have all "been there and done that" (like in the 70's, in this case). I think it would have been wise to recruit another company to outfit the interior for Tesla. Aren't they affiliated with Toyota? They should have brought them in to help with the creature-comfort and other physical aesthetics of the car.
10-04-2011, 04:54 PM
#77
Senior Moderator
yeah, I know they had limited involvement, I'm saying they should have had more. well he's surely hearing it today.
10-04-2011, 05:02 PM
#78
Senior Moderator
another problem: here is their tagline for it:
not so premium, gents.
The Tesla Model S - the first premium electric sedan, available 2012. Reserve yours today.
