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Tesla Adds An All-Glass Roof Option For Its Model S (fortune.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the electric-vehicles dept.

Elon Musk has had roofs on his mind lately. Last week, Musk unveiled the residential "solar roof," consisting of glass roof tiles with integrated solar panels. Today, he announced that customers will be able to add a glass roof to the Model S sedan for an extra $1,500. Tesla said that the glass roof can give passengers the feeling of "an open expansive cabin" that makes the Model S interior "feel amazing." Fortune reports: The move is another example of how Tesla continues to add new features and technology to its four-year-old vehicle, the second to debut in its growing lineup. In particular, Tesla has routinely updated the Model S with technology that has also been available in more recent car models. For example, the company's upcoming fourth car, the Model 3, will come with a glass roof. The new glass roof option also shows off Tesl'a new investment in automotive glass technology. Earlier this week Musk revealed that the company had created an automotive glass division. In the tweet on Friday, Musk said that the Model S glass roof was "very hard to develop."

76 comments

  1. glass houses...stones...all that by turkeydance · · Score: 1

    "all the better to see you my dear"

  2. Greenhouse Effect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    the company's upcoming fourth car, the Model 3, will come with a glass roof

    Wouldn't this result in the car interior becoming really hot when parked outside on a sunny day for a significant amount of time?

    1. Re: Greenhouse Effect by corychristison · · Score: 1

      Yes. And that's why they also include a vinyl/fabric shade that you can slide to cover the sun from coming in if you would like.

      At least, that's how my Kia Sorento is. Full glass roof with separate shades for the front and the back sets of seats.

    2. Re: Greenhouse Effect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Art her like leather seats. Hot when it is hot outside. Cold when. Is cold outside. A pointless thing that we have come to delude ourselves is luxurious.

    3. Re:Greenhouse Effect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wouldn't this result in the car interior becoming really hot when parked outside on a sunny day for a significant amount of time?

      Only if you exhale carbon dioxide.

  3. Elon Musk modelling himself on a SF character? by felixrising · · Score: 1

    I swear either Stephen Baxter modelled the character Reid Malenfant from Manifold: Time on Elon Musk, or Elon Musk is modelling himself on the fictional character and head of Bootstrap from Manifold: Time. Given Time was published in 1999... it must be the later. Because it looks like Tesla/SpaceX is just Bootstrap in real life, developing new technologies to bootstrap mankind off this pale blue dot and into space.

    1. Re:Elon Musk modelling himself on a SF character? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's very much his declared intent "to bootstrap mankind off this pale blue dot", not much left to wonder... The man names his rockets after the ships in Iain M. Banks' Culture series, how much more obviously SciFi can you get?

    2. Re:Elon Musk modelling himself on a SF character? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He can develop as much technology as he wants, no one is "bootstrapping" off this planet. What a childish fantasy for weak minds.

  4. This is news? by Knuckles · · Score: 1

    It may be new for Tesla, but a glass roof is an option for every other car model, at least here in Europe. TFS says nothing about any new technologies compared to those, e.g., to save weight. Their solution for sun shielding would also be interesting as insufficient shielding often dampens the fun.

    --
    "When I first heard Daydream Nation it quite frankly scared the living shit out of me." -- Matthew Stearns
    1. Re:This is news? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They don't exist here in USA. You can get sunroofs which are small rectangles near the front of the roof, but this is the entire roof made out of glass (except the support beams). I imagine it could be really annoying on a sunny day and really awesome for kids (and adults) to watch the rain and snow.

    2. Re: This is news? by felixrising · · Score: 1

      Especially in the Australian market!!! Cannot imagine how hot it works get when it's 45 degrees C in summer and the car is parked in the sun...

    3. Re: This is news? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Same here in southern Spain, glass roof was an option for the last new car I bought, and that was back in 2007.
      That's the option I ran away from. I did select several other options like BlueTooth for hand free phone calls, folding mirrors because streets are very narrow and rear side sensors to help with parking, among others. But a glass roof, no way.
      And white paint, on the previous car my wife insisted on dark green and now she regrets it (1998, car still running great, a bit thirsty but doing less than 10000km per year).

    4. Re:This is news? by Knuckles · · Score: 1

      They don't exist here in USA. You can get sunroofs which are small rectangles near the front of the roof, but this is the entire roof made out of glass (except the support beams). I imagine it could be really annoying on a sunny day and really awesome for kids (and adults) to watch the rain and snow.

      Interesting but weird. Yeah, I know it is entirely glass except the beams. I had more or less this in my Audi A2 15 years ago and it was an option for my Mini 10 years ago. Like I said, it's commonplace.

      And yeah, it can be annoying in the sun and is great otherwise. Especially for Tesla I would have thought the weight would be a problem

      --
      "When I first heard Daydream Nation it quite frankly scared the living shit out of me." -- Matthew Stearns
    5. Re:This is news? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe, but those makers are not selling Tesla glass roofs, so they are not nearly as cool or newsworthy. Only Musk approved old tech can be re-branded as cool and mentioned here on /.

    6. Re:This is news? by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      Introduced in 1955 by Ford. Market failure (rare as fuck, worth good $ now). As you say, sucks in the sun.

      No substitute for a convertible.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
  5. Sounds great for Northern California by bheerssen · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I live in the Texas. This thing sounds like a solar oven to me. No, thanks.

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    (Score: -1, Stupid)
    1. Re: Sounds great for Northern California by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      I live in the Canadian Prairies.

      We get temps from -45ÂC (-49ÂF) in the winter to +45ÂC (+113ÂF) in the summer. I have a glass roof and it's fine in both situations.

      But of course, I'm not a little bitch like you.

    2. Re:Sounds great for Northern California by slashgordo. · · Score: 2

      Their original panoramic sunroof had 2 parts: one over the front seats that could open, and one over the rear seats that was fixed, and there was a separation between the two with an interior piece that went across. They still offer this option, and what is new is that there is an option for a single glass roof that covers both the front and rear seats. It does not open, and it looks like it gives you a more open feeling. And as a Tesla Model S owner in Texas with the original panoramic sunroof, it is not as bad as you think. They have some material in the sunroof & windshield & rear window that blocks out a large amount of the heat while still giving you a good amount of light. It does make garage door openers and toll tags trickier to operate inside the vehicle, but compared to other cars I've owned in Texas, I'll take the reduced heat!

    3. Re:Sounds great for Northern California by Greyfox · · Score: 1

      I live in Colorado and that thing would be broken before you drove it off the lot. You can't go 10,000 miles in this state without having your windshield shattered. It's in the constitution!

      --

      I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?

    4. Re:Sounds great for Northern California by Brett+Buck · · Score: 1

      It wouldn't work in Northern California, either. Most of the year it is cloudless and it is not uncommon to have the temperature go into the low 100s.

                  Brett

    5. Re: Sounds great for Northern California by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Don't mess with Texas!

      It's not nice to fuck with the retarded. Apologize Canadian.

  6. Car manufacturer... by rantrantrant · · Score: 1

    ...makes car with sunroof. How is that news?

    1. Re:Car manufacturer... by Anne+Thwacks · · Score: 1
      car with sunroof. How is that news?

      It doubles as an emergency escape hatch in case of fire!

      --
      Sent from my ASR33 using ASCII
  7. Glass ceilings by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm soooo sick of hearing about glass ceilings.

    Actually, I kind of hope Hillary wins just so I never have to hear about "glass ceilings" ever again. But I suppose even if that happens, the Democrats will just trot out some other novelty next time, and it will never...

    Oh, this is a literal glass ceiling... Well, then. As you were.

    1. Re:Glass ceilings by slashdice · · Score: 1

      If Hillary loses, you're a sexist once because she lost. If Hillary wins, you're going to spend the next 4 (or 8) years being a sexist. I know because I spent the last 8 years being a racist. You know, for racist stuff like opposing wall street bailouts.

      --
      Copyright (c) 1990 - 2014 Dice. All rights reserved. Use of this comment is subject to certain Terms and Conditions.
  8. good luck... by God+of+Lemmings · · Score: 3, Insightful

    just wait until the storm that drops hailstones.

    --
    Non sequitur: Your facts are uncoordinated.
    1. Re:good luck... by SeaFox · · Score: 2, Informative

      With my experiences with hail, the metal portions of the car get dinged up, usually permanently, while the glass portions are fine.
      And if the glass does get damaged? You insurance will get it replaced.
      Dinged metal? Well, they will cut you a check for lost value on your car (or not, if there's a lein on it still). But short of replacing the entire body of the car it's not getting fixed.

    2. Re:good luck... by thegarbz · · Score: 0

      Indeed because that has been such a disaster with sunroofs or those Citroen's with glass roofs... Why is it that people dismiss everything out of hand when the technology or the features have existed for decades?

    3. Re:good luck... by berberine · · Score: 1

      I live in western Nebraska. We get hailstorms a few times a year. While I have been lucky and not had a window break, a five minute drive around town will reveal plenty of broken windows. It's only a matter of time before my car is sitting in the right place to get a broken window.

    4. Re:good luck... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      The car is perfectly functional with dents. Not so much with shattered glass.

    5. Re:good luck... by SeaFox · · Score: 1

      The car is perfectly functional with dents. Not so much with shattered glass.

      Really? My car still ran and drove fine with a missing window immediately after someone stole my stereo. You must have an interesting electrical system setup.

    6. Re:good luck... by SeaFox · · Score: 0

      I live in western Nebraska. We get hailstorms a few times a year. While I have been lucky and not had a window break, a five minute drive around town will reveal plenty of broken windows. It's only a matter of time before my car is sitting in the right place to get a broken window.

      I'm in NE Kansas. My car got hit with a minor hail storm when I didn't put it in the underground portion of my employer's parking garage. Lots of small dents. Many faded to almost imperceptible levels, some did not, even after years of heat and cold seasonal cycles. No damage at all to any windows. Then a couple years later my stereo was stolen -- passenger window smashed out. That was replaced within a week and no visible remnants.

      I'd like it if I could get a car with more body panels made of glass, but that would be much less safe in an accident.

    7. Re:good luck... by lsatenstein · · Score: 1

      just wait until the storm that drops hailstones.

      Can't have sex in the car without being spied upon. And don't forget your laptop or cellphone on the back seat.

      --
      Leslie Satenstein Montreal Quebec Canada
    8. Re:good luck... by JThundley · · Score: 1

      Most people that own Teslas live in California where it doesn't hail. They don't live in the flyover states.

  9. I envisioned something else by bjdevil66 · · Score: 1

    While it is impressive, it's not necessarily newsworthy. Based on the Musk quote about "an open expansive cabin", I was thinking closer to The Jetsons bubble car. Instead, it's just a bigger sunroof.

    1. Re:I envisioned something else by swb · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I think the Model S is really cramped in the interior. I'm 6'1 and have to scrunch down to sit in the back seat and even the front seat feels cramped, although my head doesn't touch the ceiling in the passenger seat.

      The seats are also some of the worst car seats I've sat in -- way too hard.

    2. Re:I envisioned something else by cellocgw · · Score: 1

      So... we've all forgotten the '70's Pacer? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMC_Pacer

      The roof was metal but there was a bleeping amount of glass everywhere else. Turned out it was very hot even in Northern climes if you didn't buy the A/C option.

      --
      https://app.box.com/WitthoftResume Code: https://github.com/cellocgw
    3. Re:I envisioned something else by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're sitting in it wrong.

  10. They don't exist by ishmaelflood · · Score: 1

    This amazingly lifelike video of a non existent phenomenon from 3 years ago needs to be investigated

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

    clearly somebody has invented a time machine and then faked up a video and posted it, and forgotten to include any mention of Elon Musk or Tesla, the bastards.

  11. You're missing the point.... by adjustinthings · · Score: 1

    This isn't about how a glass roof is new. This is about building on to the previous model of vehicle instead of throwing away the whole car for ''next years model'. This is the way vehicles SHOULD be made. To be upgradable instead of replaceable. Its like they are taking the computer approach to making vehicles. Bug patches and minor updates. This is way better for the environment and much cheaper in the R&D department. We need to enter a phase in humanity where we dont throw away our cars every couple years!

    1. Re:You're missing the point.... by mrchaotica · · Score: 2

      This is about building on to the previous model of vehicle instead of throwing away the whole car for ''next years model'. This is the way vehicles SHOULD be made.

      No shit. That is the way vehicles ARE made! The only thing different about Tesla versus every other car manufacturer is the hype and marketing.

      --

      "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

    2. Re: You're missing the point.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How true about hype and marketing. Tesla spends $6/car on hype &marketing, while the closest to them spends more than $300.

    3. Re:You're missing the point.... by Knuckles · · Score: 1

      Every successful model in Europe goes through typically two larger updates in its life span. Tesla makes updates available in smaller pieces and gets some hype out of it, but that's not revolutionary.

      --
      "When I first heard Daydream Nation it quite frankly scared the living shit out of me." -- Matthew Stearns
    4. Re: You're missing the point.... by macmurph · · Score: 1

      Is anyone else shipping a car or SUV that resembles a Tesla in specifications? (Even in small production numbers?) I'm not aware of any.

    5. Re: You're missing the point.... by Knuckles · · Score: 1

      Fully electric? No, and they deserve all the hype they get for this. I'm just talking about the updates. Often it seems that much of the hype comes from nerds developing an interest in cars for the first time and believing that anything they encounter in Teslas must be a novelty. Lke the guy I replied to apparently thought when seeing an older Tesla model being updated. When actually much of it has been done and is well known in the automotive industry and at far larger numbers.

      --
      "When I first heard Daydream Nation it quite frankly scared the living shit out of me." -- Matthew Stearns
  12. Rock chips by Tony+Isaac · · Score: 1

    For those who commute or drive long distances, rock chips are always a threat. It's just a matter of time before you have to replace your windshield. For a windshield, you can shop around and find reasonable deals on replacements. Those fancy roofs are going to cost a LOT more to replace. But I suppose if you're buying a Tesla, money is probably not your most important concern when it comes to car buying.

  13. Re:Texas by Tony+Isaac · · Score: 1

    I live in Houston. My car has a sunroof, and I almost never open it for this very reason. Even while driving, with the air conditioner on, it's really uncomfortable to have that sun beating down on your head.

  14. Re: Texas by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Get to it then. The fall peak sunroof weather in Houston started 2-3 weeks ago. It will be gone soon.

  15. If someone would've told me by Xenna · · Score: 1

    Slashdot would be posting stories about some automaker putting a glass roof in their car I would've called them crazy...

  16. Wow by nospam007 · · Score: 1

    "Tesla said that the glass roof can give passengers the feeling of "an open expansive cabin" that makes the Model S interior "feel amazing."

    Wow, my Smart Car has one without any additional cost.

    Worked great during the last hailstorm too.

    1. Re: Wow by macmurph · · Score: 1

      I have nothing against Smart cars but I've never heard anyone argue that they are 'open and expansive' before. Again, I might even own a smart car someday, but they ain't the most 'expansive' experience.

    2. Re: Wow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe it feels expansive because he doesn't really feel like he's inside a car rather than wearing a car costume with a motor.

  17. Not a fan by MMC+Monster · · Score: 1

    I'm not a fan. Been in the Model X a number of times. The glass roof looks wonderful from the inside.

    But when it's really sunny out you're constantly moving your visor around to block the sunlight.

    Guess this is for those that like convertibles. Luckily a classic hardtop is still an option.

    --
    Help! I'm a slashdot refugee.
    1. Re:Not a fan by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      Convertibles are for those that like convertibles. This is a terrible substitute.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
  18. More than just a sunroof ? by Monoman · · Score: 1

    In his twitter comments he suggests they will be able to use their new solar glass tech - https://twitter.com/elonmusk/s...

    --
    Keep the Classic Slashdot.
  19. Useful for child killers... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ... you know, the ones who "forget" they left their baby in the back seat on a sunny day and then went to work while their child was cooked to death. And then they get LET OFF because of assholes who just can't believe that a parent would do such a thing on purpose (because parents never kill their children, of course), and they SAID they "forgot" so it must be true! And if we repeat over and over, in every single news report, that "they forgot", then it must be based on FACT and not on what the MURDERER SAID.

  20. And yet crickets on / by stabiesoft · · Score: 3, Interesting

    So Tesla adds a roof and /. runs a story. Meanwhile GM starts an assembly line up to make a semi-affordable all electric and crickets on /. http://abcnews.go.com/Business...

    1. Re:And yet crickets on / by MattskEE · · Score: 1

      Why would people get excited about GM? The last time GM tried selling an electric car (EV1), people loved it. But they only leased the car, and when the leases were up GM took them back and crushed them, didn't give people an option to buy. So I think people will believe what GM is saying when they see it, not before.

    2. Re:And yet crickets on / by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Obviously, they should get excited about the technology leader, Tesla, who was the first to bring electric ... oh go fuck yourself, you ignorant sheep.

    3. Re:And yet crickets on / by MattskEE · · Score: 1

      Tesla made the first good electric luxury car. GM looks poised to beat Tesla to market with the first good electric consumer car, but Tesla has brought quality electric vehicles into the public consciousness and into public acceptance in a way that GM would have struggled to do so. The EV1, despite its cult popularity was not a very good car, and was never widely popular because of its limited range.

    4. Re: And yet crickets on / by macmurph · · Score: 1

      One difference is that GM intends to sell EVs into the California market in order to apply their own carbon credits towards the gas guzzlers they sell everywhere else. That's somewhat disingenuous if you ask me. Sure they may sell some elsewhere, but it's all about California for them.

      Meanwhile Tesla is selling cars where ever they can and has no internal use for their carbon credits. So Tesla sells the credits for pennies on the dollar.

      GM can use their own credits for the full dollar for dollar. This highlights that carbon credits are really a subsidy for big automotive companies to keep building gas guzzlers.

      If Tesla could sell their credits for full value, then it would be a fair subsidy.

    5. Re: And yet crickets on / by stabiesoft · · Score: 1

      Of course they will use the credits, who wouldn't. They might even get in the biz of selling excess credits themselves if the have enough demand for Bolts. The value of the credit is whatever someone is willing to pay for them. They have no intrinsic value so I have no idea what you mean by pennies on the dollar.

      But I can tell you did not read the linked article. GM plans on selling the cars in california & oregon THIS year, and selling them nationwide next year. Are you saying if someone in North Dakota wants to buy a Bolt next year, GM will not sell it to them? Now you are talking crazy.

    6. Re:And yet crickets on / by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Tesla doesn't make luxury cars, it makes expensive cars.

      Compare the Tesla to an equivalently priced Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, or Audi and the Tesla comes out looking like an expensive Toyota Camry, but without the quality fit and reliability.

      The only reason Teslas get called 'luxury' is because the cost of all those batteries bumps the price up to 'luxury' car levels. The car itself isn't luxury, and Tesla itself is trying to stop people using the term (despite using it themselves in their financial filings...).

    7. Re: And yet crickets on / by macmurph · · Score: 1

      GM can sell the carbon credit they get for the Bolt back to themselves dollar for dollar effectively subsidizing ICE car production. They will never (in the near future) need to sell them in the open market at a loss because their ICE production is in the millions of cars.

      Meanwhile, Tesla cannot apply carbon credits to their own product line because they don't manufacture ICE cars. So this means they sell/unload them to ICE manufactures at a steep discount.

      The point is that the carbon credit system favors large manufactures of ICE cars.

      As for Oregon and North Dakota sales of the Bolt, that's fine but they don't represent a large market and they don't have the air quality requirements of California. So GM is going to focus on the California market in order to scoop up the carbon credits. Also keep in mind, you don't get any carbon credits for selling cars abroad. That's why Tesla is focusing on China and Noreay as markets and GM probably doesn't care much about those places at this time. If they were to produces millions of Bolts then that might change.

      Almost everything I said above came out of Musk's mouth on the last quarterly conference call. So I'm only echoing what I heard there but I believe it to be true based on my own understanding of the market.

    8. Re: And yet crickets on / by stabiesoft · · Score: 1

      No GM is going to focus on making an all electric car that makes money, including R&D costs. So its ok to sell them in places that do not offer carbon credits. GM will get a benefit in the CAFE calculation no matter where the car is sold in the US. So I don't expect GM cares if the Bolt is only barely profitable. I still wonder how viable electrics are. A corolla gets 40 Hwy, has a 13 gal tank (call it 500 mile range) for less than 20K. Gonna be hard to beat.

    9. Re: And yet crickets on / by macmurph · · Score: 1

      Funny, I question how viable ICE cars are. They only get 40mpg and the embodied energy to make that gallon is likely pretty inefficient and subsidized.

      Meanwhile, EVs get 100mpge no problem. Safer, more spacious, 7x more reliable, soon cheaper, and soon with more range than an ICE car.

      Makes you wonder how the ICE will survive... Especially when the closure of gas stations will dramatically limit their range.

    10. Re: And yet crickets on / by stabiesoft · · Score: 1

      Time will tell. If they get batteries to do 500+ miles on a run then you'll be correct. Although Toyota is betting on hydrogen. I think way too soon to predict a winner. Audi is doing experiments with making gas. If you can get water+carbon+energy=gas to work well enough, ICE's are carbon neutral. For now, I am sticking with ICE as it is the most economical option.

    11. Re: And yet crickets on / by tlhIngan · · Score: 1

      Funny, I question how viable ICE cars are. They only get 40mpg and the embodied energy to make that gallon is likely pretty inefficient and subsidized.

      Meanwhile, EVs get 100mpge no problem. Safer, more spacious, 7x more reliable, soon cheaper, and soon with more range than an ICE car.

      Makes you wonder how the ICE will survive... Especially when the closure of gas stations will dramatically limit their range.

      Easy, energy density. The fuel itself had a super high energy density compared to stored electrical energy. (or even fuels like hydrogen).

      So the only saving grace for ICE Is the ability to carry a lot of energy in a small space.

      That's what's keeping ICE alive.

    12. Re: And yet crickets on / by macmurph · · Score: 1

      EVs will have 500 mile range in about 6 years, perhaps a bit sooner. That is calculated at the average annual improvement of lithium batteries, not accounting for any dramatic breakthroughs. With the introduction of silicon into the electrodes (which is already happening at Tesla) we could see the 500 mile range more rapidly. Keep in mind that 500 miles is the approximate range that consumers think that they need but actually will almost never need.

      Hydrogen is dead on arrival. You can't make hydrogen without electricity. It's a very energy intensive process. Toyota has something like 27 cars in California that run hydrogen and they require biannual tank inspections because if that tank ruptures, you are heading to the moon. And didn't anyone mention that the car's performance is abominable? Makes an EV look like a formula one car. Where are you going to refuel? There is EV charging in many thousands of locations in California (and major cities elsewhere) and I'm guessing about 10 hydrogen stations. Hydrogen ain't gonna happen, let go of that Bush era fantasy.

      Synthesizing gasoline from other fuels like natural gas may make it cleaner than it is today but they would have to keep the prices below $2.50 a gallon and they would need an unprecedented production ramp up to make a dent in the oil industry. If gas is above $2.50 then EVs have won the game. (I'm not sure how burning carbon can ever be carbon neutral btw)

      You have only affirmed my point by saying you are sticking with ICE because it's the most economical choice. Most consumers would agree with you. Therefore, EVs are on a trajectory to win you over as they will be, by far, the most economical choice. The Tesla drive train will last 1,000,000 miles and the battery should last 500,000 miles at 90% of the original capacity. ICE cars don't do that.

    13. Re: And yet crickets on / by macmurph · · Score: 1

      I agree that gas is hugely energy dense, but only 18% of that energy goes into moving the car. The rest is waste heat. So gasoline would have to actually get more energy dense to compete with EVs. ICE car efficiency is at a practical optimization limit (hence the move to hybrid). There may be good engineering and safety reasons not to improve the energy density of gasoline. Total speculation, but in my mind, a more energy dense gasoline could actually break or wear out existing IC engines.

      One big difference between gasoline and batteries is the access to that energy. While a gallon of gas may have more energy than the equivalent volume of battery cells, you cannot burn that gallon all at once. Likewise, you can't consume all of the energy in the battery all at once, but it's conceivable (if not already possible) to draw down that energy more rapidly. So a battery can *deliver* more energy where it is needed, when it is needed, with less waste.

    14. Re: And yet crickets on / by macmurph · · Score: 1

      BTW this video illustrates my last point. The all wheel drive Tesla can deliver energy to the motors in millisecond pulses enabling it to maintain traction in the rain in a way no other car can.

      http://youtu.be/iyXSJAICaBc

      In the comments, @Somnium Sky sums it up:

      "Being able to dynamically shift power from the front to the rear at the millisecond level allows it to adjust torque extremely quickly for the AWD system more than is possible with a mechanically linked system."

    15. Re: And yet crickets on / by macmurph · · Score: 1

      Stop the presses! Toyota to jump into the EV market.

      http://www.forbes.com/sites/be...

  21. Roof rack by ChrisMaple · · Score: 1

    People who drive glass Teslas shouldn't stow thrones.

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