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See the Tesla S at the Detroit International Auto Show (Video)
The weather in Detroit was frightful and Slashdot editor Timothy Lord was nine hours away. No problem! He loaded his camcorder and a bunch of other stuff in his car and drove to Detroit for the 2012 International Auto Show. In today's video he looks at the Tesla Model S. Next week we'll have more video highlights of the auto show for you, so stay tuned...
Slashdot has reporters who do on-site video pieces now?
Insert quip about how they can do that but can't hire editors to make sure the summary blurb is accurate. ;-)
10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
Every day I drive pass my local Tesla dealership and see all those rows of beautiful cars and think of just stopping in and buying one right on the spot. And then I remember that Tesla cars aren't actually real, there are no Tesla dealerships, and the company stays pretty much on the verge of bankruptcy, with models that always seem to be on backorder or are "coming out sometime next year...we hope." Then I notice that Natalie Portman is my girlfriend sitting in the seat next to me, and realize that I'm dreaming.
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
Other than the hot chick in the boot, that was a worthless video.
No sig for you. YOU GET NO SIG!
I saw it there, and it's one of the few cars on the floor that shows you all of the mechanicals (Ford did it with their trucks, which was also really cool). The mechanics of this car are incredibly simple. This should significantly reduce ongoing maintenance costs and make car ownership easier for the majority of people.
Easy Online Role Playing Campaign Management
Often times the first generations of new technology are so extremely expensive, that only the rich can afford them. Then slowly, with iterations and perfections, the prices come down to normal consumer prices. Almost every breakthrough technology has been that way, car's, computers, tv's, home entertainment. The thing is, unless there's the initial generation of very expensive technology, there's usually no starting point for engineers to slowly develop improved and cheaper ways to build. It's rare a technology goes from non-existent to every consumer can afford it. Also keep in mind Tesla isn't trying to compete with Toyota sedans, it's trying to compete with high-end BMW, Audi, Infiniti sedans. As in other automobile technologies, the cheaper sedans benefit from all the R&D that goes into the more expensive sedans, as their features slowly trickle into the cheaper sedans.
I kinda like these video features, but *wow* is that 1960s era robotic voice obnoxious. It's incredibly grating to listen to.
Comment forecast: Bits of genius surrounded by a sea of mediocrity.
If you haven't sat in the Model S then you're opinion is pointless. Its an AMAZING machine and a beautiful piece of engineering.
Judging by the pictures (can't see the video) it is a pretty standard 4-door sedan. I assume the optional rear facing seat are to allow kids to sit in the trunk area or something. In fact, on their website it says seating up to 7 - that would be 5 normal seats plus two kids in the trunk I guess.
I know trickle-down economics sorta works in cutting-edge technology, but Nissan already has an electric sedan for $20,000 less.
One third the price, one third the range.
The market for luxury sedans is pretty significant, and it's possible that the existence of the Model S will drive the costs of battery packs with ranges large enough for the masses to feel comfortable down enough that maybe the next generation of $20,000 electric sedan will be something everyone will want.
I just don't see why Tesla deserves our adulation.
Hey, I get your point and it's a fair one. There are other reasons to adulate the company other than them being a champion of the masses. For some of us, just making cool tech is enough. :)
The enemies of Democracy are
Optional rear facing mini-seats? This isn't a family car, this is just a roadster that can transport a family in a pinch.
Right, just like most other luxury sports sedans. It's for well-off folks who like fast cars but need something practical enough to justify owning when you have a family.
Guessing by the number of these kinds of cars by BMW, Lexus, etc I see as I drive around, this is not a tiny market.
The enemies of Democracy are
"Do you really think the Nissan Leaf or Chevy Volt would exist if Tesla did not?"
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Of course they would. No one looked at a struggling boutique electric car manufacturer with a single car priced over $100k and said "let's be like them". If you want the inspiration for other manufacturers stepping up their efforts just look at the Toyota Prius. Yes, it's a hybrid, but full electric is just the obvious evolution of what was done there and a way to avoid being just "another Prius". The success of that car showed the big makers that there was a market. These big automakers don't want to sell 2000 cars a year, they want to sell millions
Now as for the battery packs, Toyota and Daimler probably want to remain flexible and avoid the expensive tooling that producing in house would entail. Better to just have someone else supply as needed like any other component. If someone else comes up with a better battery pack, you just have to get one made to fit your cars, not overhaul your battery making factory.
You can hate on "government motors" all ya want - They did a great job on this one, and unlike the haters, I'm getting that bailout money back in the form of something pretty darn cool. Could it just be sour grapes? Or is it all astroturfing by people with errrm, illiquid investments in the oil patch who are desperate?
More here: http://www.coultersmithing.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=48
Don't get me wrong - I admire Elon and his projects quite a bit. They're just behind. A big company might take longer to get the word, but once they get in motion, look out - I couldn't get a Tesla, or afford one, but this is in my driveway now. And I promise to exit the car within the three weeks it takes to catch on fire after being total lossed sideways into a pole. I'd rather not starve to death before burning.
Why guess when you can know? Measure!
The Roadster was not an Elise with a different nameplate. Yes, the chassis was made at the same factory for both vehicles, but that is pretty much where the similarity ended.
Anything with more than two seats...is not a sports car, it is a family car.
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
The planes you fly are modified bombers funded by decades of investment by the US government. The computer you use is based on technology that progressed under enormous investment by the US government. The internet, which is probably the source of all of your entertainment and possibly your income was invented, funded, and developed by the US government.
It's one of the few things we do well, and it does our society a tremendous amount of good to invest in new technologies, even if they don't immediately produce profitable outcomes. That's why we were the world's number one economy, and it's shortsighted nonsense like demanding that everything be developed by private industry -- most of which can't see past their next quarterly report -- which is going to continue our slide to last place in the western world.
It is also a HORRIBLE airplane!
So the reason why Toyota decided to make a major cash investment into Tesla Motors and had the CEO come to California to meet with Elon Musk was because they already were the world leader in electric vehicle transportation and didn't need to copy or learn anything from Tesla?
Seriously, please explain that one.
BTW, it was the CEO of General Motors who met with Martin Eberhardt when Tesla was in Detroit (doing a sales demo in that city) that was the clinching case to build the Chevy Volt. The Roadster really was the inspiration for getting the Volt built. The Volt was also the only new vehicle project that survived the GM bankruptcy as well. I think that says Tesla was a bit more than a "boutique electric car manufacturer".
I could get into more details, and certainly the inspiration to use standard Li-ion cells was something that neither Toyota nor Daimler ever got the gumption to try out. Keep in mind the EV-1 used ordinary Lead-acid batteries, and until Tesla came out with their battery packs it was not even considered something possible to try Lithium technology for automobiles.
Um, 3000 GT VR4 twin turbo? (okay, okay, the rear seats are only useful for children and beer... But it has over 400 HP, and has been on the track.)
I feel fantastic, and I'm still alive.
Yes, great comment. Let's wait until Clarkson and company do another hatchet job on it because they don't like electric cars...or American cars.....why Tesla even loaned them cars to review is beyond me.
Top Gear is a great show, very entertaining. A LOT of people (and I am not saying either one of you are one of these people) do not realize that it is pretty much completely staged. Outside of the stig's track times...and the star in a reasonably priced car....you have to take anything on that show with a grain of salt.
Top Gear is over the top on lots of stuff, and I think that's blatantly obvious (disclaimer: I love the show). But to call it a "hatchet job" is also overly exaggerated.
Sure, they staged the filming of the Tesla running out of battery, but the point that it would have run out very quickly was absolutely true. Sure, they were driving it like maniacs, and that's part of the point. Driving any car like that will result in far higher fuel consumption than the advertised average mpg (or miles per charge). But that's what they were saying... for a sports car, it sure doesn't last long on its available fuel capacity, and recharges take a LONG time.
I'm also looking forward to a Top Gear review of this car. Personally, I'm hoping it's one of their challenges and it pits it against a few other electric cars.... that could be fun. Maybe a sort of cannonball run in all electrics across ?somewhere?, so they have to make sure they pitstop at places that can charge them and deal with the charge times, and a Robin Reliant as the emergency car that they are forced to use if their car is stranded (which would probably win the "race").
There was a time when electric, steam and gasoline competed against each other with no clear winner. That was until gasoline engines got better. If something changes in the equation, another mode of generating motive power may be more competitive.