6 ms·

Doesn't stop me from wanting to buy one (badly). If only they exported to Europe (hey, we send you our cars, so why not return the love?).

by j_col 14y ago

OstiaAntica 14y ago
Actually, Daimler-Mercedes bought 10% of Tesla a month before the U.S. government announced the loan. U.S. taxpayers are going to get the downside if the company fails but the European automaker gets the upside if it makes it. Well played.
arethuza 14y ago
Out of interest, what appeals to you about the Tesla S? It's clearly a lovely bit of technology but personally I can't get past the idea of the limited range (maximum of 300 miles) and obvious potential difficulties around recharging. [NB I'm in no way implying that anyone has to justify their tastes in cars (or anything else) - I'm just interested!]
- rweba 14y ago
  I think 300 miles is plenty for most people (for me definitely). Most people drive less than 30 miles a day. I could even drive from DC to Pittsburgh without having to recharge (about 240 miles).
- Retric 14y ago
  How often do you actually drive 200+ miles in a single day? Personally I have averaged 8k miles per year over the last 5 years and renting a car for the single long trip 340 miles I have made over that time period is not exactly a big deal. PS: People talk about how long it takes to get a full charge but if you can add 100 miles to the range in an hour while your stopped for lunch that bumps the daily range to 400 which would have more than covered me, but they can apparently get close to a full charge in 45 minutes.
  - arethuza 14y ago
    "How often do you actually drive 200+ miles in a single day?" I'm probably not an average driver - I don't drive at all during the week (walk to work and pretty much everywhere else, taxi to airport) but when I do drive to go walking/cycling/skiing the total I drive in a weekend is probably close to 300 miles - either in one day or parking car where recharging won't be available.
  - lifeisstillgood 14y ago
    There is an episode of Top Gear where Clarkson shows off his newly purchased Ford Blow-job (or something). And the other presenters move in for the kill. Clarkson clearly knew what was coming ... - How many miles per gallon do you get? - Errr.. - Is it 4 miles per gallon? - And how big is the tank? - Errr - Only enough room for 19 gallons? - Err, yes. - So thats 76 miles on one tank? - Err Yes - And how far away from the office do you live? - Err, 77 miles. Yes, Clarkson was willing to buy a car that would need refilling every time he drove to or from the office. Seriously, do not worry about "only 300 miles and I will need to charge it". People will buy it, and then go look for a plug in station.
    - arethuza 14y ago
      Not the best example to pick - didn't he return his Ford GT for quality problems and describe the short time he had it as "The most miserable month’s motoring it is possible to imagine."?
    - tseabrooks 14y ago
      While this is hilarious. It's important to remember that charging EV cars isn't as fast as refueling at the moment. Maybe eventually though.
  - whatusername 14y ago
    Any chance you're from Europe? A saying that I appreciate having spent a large chunk of last year in Europe: "Australians/Americans think that 100 years is a long time, while Europeans think that 100 km is a long distance"
  - 14y ago
- Mvandenbergh 14y ago
  For one thing, that limited range is much less a concern in densely populated Western Europe. I'm Dutch and from my home town, I can drive not just to the nearest border but literally anywhere in the country. Admittedly that's only one way but also without charging at all along the way. Second, the fuel prices are much higher. Petrol is $8.21 / gallon, so the fuel economics are very different. Third, road taxes, VAT, car registration, etc. all offer steep discounts or zero-rates for electric vehicles.

Doesn't stop me from wanting to buy one (badly). If only they exported to Europe (hey, we send you our cars, so why not return the love?).

by j_col 14y ago

Doesn't stop me from wanting to buy one (badly). If only they exported to Europe (hey, we send you our cars, so why not return the love?).

OstiaAntica 14y ago

Actually, Daimler-Mercedes bought 10% of Tesla a month before the U.S. government announced the loan. U.S. taxpayers are going to get the downside if the company fails but the European automaker gets the upside if it makes it. Well played.

arethuza 14y ago

Out of interest, what appeals to you about the Tesla S? It's clearly a lovely bit of technology but personally I can't get past the idea of the limited range (maximum of 300 miles) and obvious potential difficulties around recharging. [NB I'm in no way implying that anyone has to justify their tastes in cars (or anything else) - I'm just interested!]

rweba 14y ago
I think 300 miles is plenty for most people (for me definitely). Most people drive less than 30 miles a day. I could even drive from DC to Pittsburgh without having to recharge (about 240 miles).
Retric 14y ago
How often do you actually drive 200+ miles in a single day? Personally I have averaged 8k miles per year over the last 5 years and renting a car for the single long trip 340 miles I have made over that time period is not exactly a big deal. PS: People talk about how long it takes to get a full charge but if you can add 100 miles to the range in an hour while your stopped for lunch that bumps the daily range to 400 which would have more than covered me, but they can apparently get close to a full charge in 45 minutes.
- arethuza 14y ago
  "How often do you actually drive 200+ miles in a single day?" I'm probably not an average driver - I don't drive at all during the week (walk to work and pretty much everywhere else, taxi to airport) but when I do drive to go walking/cycling/skiing the total I drive in a weekend is probably close to 300 miles - either in one day or parking car where recharging won't be available.
- lifeisstillgood 14y ago
  There is an episode of Top Gear where Clarkson shows off his newly purchased Ford Blow-job (or something). And the other presenters move in for the kill. Clarkson clearly knew what was coming ... - How many miles per gallon do you get? - Errr.. - Is it 4 miles per gallon? - And how big is the tank? - Errr - Only enough room for 19 gallons? - Err, yes. - So thats 76 miles on one tank? - Err Yes - And how far away from the office do you live? - Err, 77 miles. Yes, Clarkson was willing to buy a car that would need refilling every time he drove to or from the office. Seriously, do not worry about "only 300 miles and I will need to charge it". People will buy it, and then go look for a plug in station.
  - arethuza 14y ago
    Not the best example to pick - didn't he return his Ford GT for quality problems and describe the short time he had it as "The most miserable month’s motoring it is possible to imagine."?
  - tseabrooks 14y ago
    While this is hilarious. It's important to remember that charging EV cars isn't as fast as refueling at the moment. Maybe eventually though.
- whatusername 14y ago
  Any chance you're from Europe? A saying that I appreciate having spent a large chunk of last year in Europe: "Australians/Americans think that 100 years is a long time, while Europeans think that 100 km is a long distance"
- 14y ago
Mvandenbergh 14y ago
For one thing, that limited range is much less a concern in densely populated Western Europe. I'm Dutch and from my home town, I can drive not just to the nearest border but literally anywhere in the country. Admittedly that's only one way but also without charging at all along the way. Second, the fuel prices are much higher. Petrol is $8.21 / gallon, so the fuel economics are very different. Third, road taxes, VAT, car registration, etc. all offer steep discounts or zero-rates for electric vehicles.