Tesla

[DanC78]

The oil thread reminded me of this.

Not sure if any of you own, or have driven a Tesla. If you have not, I suggest you go down to the nearest dealer and pretend that you are in the market. They are freaking sweet.

My counterpart bought one a few months back. He let me take it for a ride and gave the sales pitch.

A couple things I learned.

They have no engine. When you open the hood there is storage, same with the trunk.
The motor is located on each tire. There is no transmission, which means no gears either. That makes the driving experience even better. When you floor it, the acceleration is constant; I kept waiting for the pause and shift like a normal care would do, but it never comes. It hits high RPMs for the begging and holds all the way up. Makes for an awesome feeling.

Of course there is no gas or oil changes. There is basically no maintenance at all. And, they are self driving, my buddy didn't demonstrate, but he said it's built in.

Anyhow....freaking phenomenal car. They are on back order now and supposedly there is a more practical 30kish one about to come out. They are the future for sure.

 

[ericram]

I want one! Just waiting for battery life to extend and the price to come down a bit. Also Auto Pilot!!

 

[F4Gary]

The oil thread reminded me of this.

Not sure if any of you own, or have driven a Tesla. If you have not, I suggest you go down to the nearest dealer and pretend that you are in the market. They are freaking sweet.

My counterpart bought one a few months back. He let me take it for a ride and gave the sales pitch.

A couple things I learned.

They have no engine. When you open the hood there is storage, same with the trunk.
The motor is located on each tire. There is no transmission, which means no gears either. That makes the driving experience even better. When you floor it, the acceleration is constant; I kept waiting for the pause and shift like a normal care would do, but it never comes. It hits high RPMs for the begging and holds all the way up. Makes for an awesome feeling.

Of course there is no gas or oil changes. There is basically no maintenance at all. And, they are self driving, my buddy didn't demonstrate, but he said it's built in.

Anyhow....freaking phenomenal car. They are on back order now and supposedly there is a more practical 30kish one about to come out. They are the future for sure.

You're not very mechanically inclined are you.

 

[DanC78]

I want one! Just waiting for battery life to extend and the price to come down a bit. Also Auto Pilot!!

That was the only down side. It only gets 250ish miles per charge and takes 30 minutes to recharge to 75%...something like that.

Great for city living though.

 

[DanC78]

You're not very mechanically inclined are you.

That's not true at all. Had a CJ7 for years. Replaces the engine, carburetor, radiator, did all the oil changes, and plenty more. It was never ending project.

Did I say something off in my post?

 

[seminole97]

Rode in one to lunch with a doc whose husband bought it but doesn't drive it.
I wasn't behind the wheel, so I can't compare it directly to the '03 Z06 I owned at the time, but it was a neat car.

I just wonder if the company will figure out how to make money before they run out of people willing to loan them money.

I might break my rule on not buying new cars for a genuine self driving car. But last I read Waymo was putting effort into retro fit kits that your could put on any newer car that has electric steering.

 

[F4Gary]

You thought there would be an engine under the hood, you thought it would shift like an IC engine, and best of all, you said the motors were on the tires.
I'm just funnin' with ya.

Good for you wrenchin' on your Jeep. I've got a carburetor that I'm ready to turn in to a very expensive boat anchor.

 

[DanC78]

You thought there would be an engine under the hood, you thought it would shift like an IC engine, and best of all, you said the motors were on the tires.
I'm just funnin' with ya.

Good for you wrenchin' on your Jeep. I've got a carburetor that I'm ready to turn in to a very expensive boat anchor.

I guess I never fully thought it through until I actually rode in one and started putting together how it worked.
And I guess "engine" and "motor" are one in the same, or is it a "wheel" or "tire" thing your busting me on???

And I should also mention it was an incredibly smooth and quiet ride.

And yeah..The Mopar parts Jeeps used in 1984 were complete crap. I ended up having to change the 'carburetor' yearly, would cash in before the warranty would expire.

 

[DanC78]

Rode in one to lunch with a doc whose husband bought it but doesn't drive it.
I wasn't behind the wheel, so I can't compare it directly to the '03 Z06 I owned at the time, but it was a neat car.

I just wonder if the company will figure out how to make money before they run out of people willing to loan them money.

I might break my rule on not buying new cars for a genuine self driving car. But last I read Waymo was putting effort into retro fit kits that your could put on any newer car that has electric steering.

I think they will turn it around; bought 10k worth of shares.

 

[seminole97]

I think they will turn it around; bought 10k worth of shares.

I realize they have a lot of room to grow, but the valuation seems extreme at this stage:

 

[TexSkills]

You thought there would be an engine under the hood, you thought it would shift like an IC engine, and best of all, you said the motors were on the tires.
I'm just funnin' with ya.

Good for you wrenchin' on your Jeep. I've got a carburetor that I'm ready to turn in to a very expensive boat anchor.

I guess I never fully thought it through until I actually rode in one and started putting together how it worked.
And I guess "engine" and "motor" are one in the same huh ???

And I should also mention it was an incredibly smooth and quiet ride.

And yeah..The Mopar parts Jeeps used in 1984 were complete crap. I ended up having to change the 'carburetor' yearly, would cash in before the warranty would expire.

The parts on the late 90s TJs were crap too.

 

[ReliableOstrich]

Tesla is literally the only American car I'd consider buying -- they are the future and I hope Detroit is taking notes.

We could very quickly be seeing a world where China dominates the car landscape.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/09/...-the-world-toward-an-electric-car-future.html

I'm glad China is putting pressure on foreign manufacturers to make and sell electric, if they don't screw it up, we'll all benefit from it.

 

[seminoledq]

Meh. Just get me from point A to point B. I've never been a car guy. I can't wait til I can buy a golf cart to get me to/from the beach.

 

[Nolomite]

I might consider one IF they can bring their performance up to my lofty Locker Roomer Standards....blah blah blah blah.

Give me a friggin break.

 

[nynole1]

Had to check the date on this post, thought it was a few years old

Seriously though they are a lot of fun to drive. Instant acceleration when you touch the pedal, does take a little getting used to. Was very close to buying one a few years ago when they had huge lease rebates, but needed something larger for my dog.

 

[seminole97]

I might consider one IF they can bring their performance up to my lofty Locker Roomer Standards....blah blah blah blah.

Give me a friggin break.

Person I know that lives in Jax went to Pensacola for the last hurricane.
They went back down I-10 the next day and it took them 13 hours to make the trip.

I just wonder how EVs would perform in that environment, especially when everyone had one. It's seems like the infrastructure would be sorely lacking in an evacuation. Which is a real scenario millions will face in Florida for the foreseeable future.

I could definitely see myself getting a little commuter plug like a Nissan Leaf when they're self driving.
But I don't think I'd want my families only vehicles at this point to be electric.

 

[DanC78]

Had to check the date on this post, thought it was a few years old

Seriously though they are a lot of fun to drive. Instant acceleration when you touch the pedal, does take a little getting used to. Was very close to buying one a few years ago when they had huge lease rebates, but needed something larger for my dog.

No kidding, right!

Can't believe it took me that long to experience one.

 

[BelemNole]

Person I know that lives in Jax went to Pensacola for the last hurricane.
They went back down I-10 the next day and it took them 13 hours to make the trip.

I just wonder how EVs would perform in that environment, especially when everyone had one. It's seems like the infrastructure would be sorely lacking in an evacuation. Which is a real scenario millions will face in Florida for the foreseeable future.

I could definitely see myself getting a little commuter plug like a Nissan Leaf when they're self driving.
But I don't think I'd want my families only vehicles at this point to be electric.

You're thinking about it wrong. The electric car doesn't care how long you sit in traffic not moving, it only cares how long you have the motors engaged. Tesla also unlocked extra range during the Hurricane. https://qz.com/1073742/hurricane-ir...ends-the-battery-life-of-vehicles-in-florida/

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

You're thinking about it wrong. The electric car doesn't care how long you sit in traffic not moving, it only cares how long you have the motors engaged. Tesla also unlocked extra range during the Hurricane. https://qz.com/1073742/hurricane-ir...ends-the-battery-life-of-vehicles-in-florida/

Wait, Tesla can - theoretically - remotely control your vehicle's range by adjusting the software that manages your battery capacity?

 

[ReliableOstrich]

I just wonder how EVs would perform in that environment, especially when everyone had one. It's seems like the infrastructure would be sorely lacking in an evacuation. Which is a real scenario millions will face in Florida for the foreseeable future.

Have to remember that there are a limited number of gas stations, whereas there are nearly unlimited numbers of plug outlets and as EVs further penetrate the market, you'll see more rapid charging stations as well.

The bigger question is what happens when the power goes out, gas doesn't require electricity to get it into cars... or does it? I guess the pumps have electric gauges and payment systems.

 

[F4Gary]

Unless you are running the a/c or heat. Or lights, or radio and center dash display.

 

[ReliableOstrich]

Wait, Tesla can - theoretically - remotely control your vehicle's range by adjusting the software that manages your battery capacity?

Yes

http://fortune.com/2017/09/23/tesla-battery-life-hurricane-irma/

I can see a variety of opinions on this.

 

[F4Gary]

Wait, Tesla can - theoretically - remotely control your vehicle's range by adjusting the software that manages your battery capacity?

Yes, they can finally give you that last 12 miles that you thought you got when you bought the car.

 

[seminole97]

You're thinking about it wrong. The electric car doesn't care how long you sit in traffic not moving, it only cares how long you have the motors engaged. Tesla also unlocked extra range during the Hurricane. https://qz.com/1073742/hurricane-ir...ends-the-battery-life-of-vehicles-in-florida/

I'm not sure about you, but I don't plan to sit in traffic without AC. I don't have information about how they would perform at a snails pace. My assumption is that stop and go traffic averaging 30mph wouldn't be at the peak of the distance performance curve. Factor that with the difference between a 5 min fillup and a 30 min recharge. Think of the gas station lines and then increase that 6 fold. That's an ugly bottleneck...
Drawbacks like that are a thing to keep in mind for some folks. In Iowa there might be something else to worry about.

 

[seminole97]

The bigger question is what happens when the power goes out, gas doesn't require electricity to get it into cars... or does it? I guess the pumps have electric gauges and payment systems.

You can get gas stations going on generators, but you can't get charging stations going without a grid. As with gas stations, they'd be a priority in the aftermath.

Also, if you run out of gas a two gallon can will get you a few dozen miles down the road. Is your only option in a drained EV just a tow?

My neighbor has a Volt, and while I get how the hybrid detracts from many of the advantages of strictly electric, it helps mitigate a bunch of the strictly EV problems I can think of.

 

[DanC78]

I'm not sure about you, but I don't plan to sit in traffic without AC. I don't have information about how they would perform at a snails pace. My assumption is that stop and go traffic averaging 30mph wouldn't be at the peak of the distance performance curve. Factor that with the difference between a 5 min fillup and a 30 min recharge. Think of the gas station lines and then increase that 6 fold. That's an ugly bottleneck...
Drawbacks like that are a thing to keep in mind for some folks. In Iowa there might be something else to worry about.

Solar power use will eventually have these cars going forever without having to stop for a charge at all.

 

[DFSNOLE]

You can get gas stations going on generators, but you can't get charging stations going without a grid. As with gas stations, they'd be a priority in the aftermath.

Also, if you run out of gas a two gallon can will get you a few dozen miles down the road. Is your only option in a drained EV just a tow?

My neighbor has a Volt, and while I get how the hybrid detracts from many of the advantages of strictly electric, it helps mitigate a bunch of the strictly EV problems I can think of.

My daughter has a hybrid. Gets 40+ mph and nearly 600 miles per tank full. The batteries charge as she drives.
It cost about $4k more but she figures she'll make that up in fuel savings.

 

[funksouljon]

Has anyone heard about those weird motors that are a triangle inside a cirlce and they create power? Thats some crazy stuff.

I looked at them a bit ago, very cool car. I just know I need to drive 400+ miles in a day many times a year with 4 people and 2 dogs. Finally down to 1 car and if I get a second one, it'll be a project car to go do smokey burnouts and make a lot of exhaust noise as I ignite dino-juice. Electric or gas sipper doesn't meet my needs, but those Teslas are pretty cool. Its like motorcycles, if I had a collection of 5, sure I'd get a 6th and make it a Harley, but till then, I don't need one.

 

[NDallasRuss]

I'd really like to drive a Tesla, but it's not really feasible. I live out in the (for here, at least) sticks, so it seems like I'd be pretty limited on where I could go before I'd have to stop and recharge. Plus, my driving style really isn't conducive to conserving energy - I wouldn't come anywhere close to the stated range.

 

[DFSNOLE]

Has anyone heard about those weird motors that are a triangle inside a cirlce and they create power? Thats some crazy stuff.

My first car had a Wankel engine. Put out a lot of horsepower for an engine its size.

 

[SoddyNole]

My daughter has a hybrid. Gets 40+ mph and nearly 600 miles per tank full. The batteries charge as she drives.
It cost about $4k more but she figures she'll make that up in fuel savings.

Back in the mid 80's I drove a Honda CRX HF and got in the high 40's around town and in the mid 50's on the highways. There must have been some change over the last 20+ years that has taken a bite out of fuel economy. I don't exactly know what those changes were but shake my head why the new models don't get 80+ mpg especially those ugly tiny cars that would fit in the back of my old CRX.

 

[BelemNole]

I'm not sure about you, but I don't plan to sit in traffic without AC. I don't have information about how they would perform at a snails pace. My assumption is that stop and go traffic averaging 30mph wouldn't be at the peak of the distance performance curve. Factor that with the difference between a 5 min fillup and a 30 min recharge. Think of the gas station lines and then increase that 6 fold. That's an ugly bottleneck...
Drawbacks like that are a thing to keep in mind for some folks. In Iowa there might be something else to worry about.

Fleeing a hurricane pissing and moaning about not enough AC in your car seems pointless. The fact is that an electric car has range while a gas car has time run. A hybrid is probably best to flee a hurricane if you expect to sit for long spells in traffic.
Charging stations are becoming more common and the range on the EVs are expanding every year. It's not a matter of if, but when they replace gas vehicles.

 

[BelemNole]

I'd really like to drive a Tesla, but it's not really feasible. I live out in the (for here, at least) sticks, so it seems like I'd be pretty limited on where I could go before I'd have to stop and recharge. Plus, my driving style really isn't conducive to conserving energy - I wouldn't come anywhere close to the stated range.

You make more than a 300 mile round trip? There's no charging station where you park?

 

[billanole]

You can get gas stations going on generators, but you can't get charging stations going without a grid. As with gas stations, they'd be a priority in the aftermath.

Also, if you run out of gas a two gallon can will get you a few dozen miles down the road. Is your only option in a drained EV just a tow?

My neighbor has a Volt, and while I get how the hybrid detracts from many of the advantages of strictly electric, it helps mitigate a bunch of the strictly EV problems I can think of.

You ever think that a solar array would supply juice during the day to recharge...little, portable panels are on the market from folks like goalzero.com that will trickle charge batteries or generators. The leash that ties us to the grid grows ever more fragile.

 

[billanole]

My first car had a Wankel engine. Put out a lot of horsepower for an engine its size.

Mazda Man!

 

[DanC78]

You ever think that a solar array would supply juice during the day to recharge...little, portable panels are on the market from folks like goalzero.com that will trickle charge batteries or generators. The leash that ties us to the grid grows ever more fragile.

Absolutely!

 

[NDallasRuss]

You make more than a 300 mile round trip? There's no charging station where you park?

My daily commute isn't 300 miles. On the weekend I might drive that much in a day. I read that the actual range that you'd get - especially if you drive like I do - is closer to 200 miles for a P85. And if I have to constantly keep it plugged in, or stop to charge it mid trip, isn't that a big negative?

My current ride has a range of about 325 miles per tank. Difference is when I get low on gas, it takes about 2 minutes to fill it up.

 

[FSU4FUN]

Engines and motors aren't actually the same. Since we are busting on you lol

I guess I never fully thought it through until I actually rode in one and started putting together how it worked.
And I guess "engine" and "motor" are one in the same, or is it a "wheel" or "tire" thing your busting me on???

And I should also mention it was an incredibly smooth and quiet ride.

And yeah..The Mopar parts Jeeps used in 1984 were complete crap. I ended up having to change the 'carburetor' yearly, would cash in before the warranty would expire.

 

[DanC78]

My daily commute isn't 300 miles. On the weekend I might drive that much in a day. I read that the actual range that you'd get - especially if you drive like I do - is closer to 200 miles for a P85. And if I have to constantly keep it plugged in, or stop to charge it mid trip, isn't that a big negative?

My current ride has a range of about 325 miles per tank. Difference is when I get low on gas, it takes about 2 minutes to fill it up.

So the guy who owns the car I was with said there isn't much of a difference in battery life based on speed.

I find that hard to believe thiugh

 

[seminole97]

You ever think that a solar array would supply juice during the day to recharge...little, portable panels are on the market from folks like goalzero.com that will trickle charge batteries or generators. The leash that ties us to the grid grows ever more fragile.

I didn't think there was sufficient energy coming into a vehicle's surface to power it even if you had a solar capture efficiency close to 100%.
But I honestly figure there is someone who reads this thread that knows in a back of the envelope way roughly what area of solar panel it would take to real time power a vehicle at the sun's zenith.

Tesla the company will earn their name and valuation when they figure out what Tesla was tapping into when he was casting electricity without wires. That'll really break the leash.

I'm really interested the Tesla 'battery wall', as part of a solar install. Anyone know if that component would be considered part of the solar install and thus eligible for the 30% tax credit?
I was considering install of about 6-800 sqft of panels on the roof of my garage when I enclose it.