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> Who takes long car trips (200+ miles) on such a frequent basis that a 30 minute charge in the middle (that can be easily combined with a rest-stop break) is a

by glenra 13y ago

> Who takes long car trips (200+ miles) on such a frequent basis that a 30 minute charge in the middle (that can be easily combined with a rest-stop break) is a major inconvenience? Um, lots of people do that. I used to drive from San Francisco to San Diego on a long weekend, a distance that would likely require two charging stops. Or drive to Lake Tahoe for skiing, which would require at least one. (And don't get me started on real long-distance driving trips of the visit-the-grand-canyon variety.) If charging stations always just happened to be perfectly located to simultaneously coincide with (a) where you needed them, and (b) places you wanted to stop for 30 minutes, that'd be one thing. But it seems unlikely that would be the case. Instead it'd be exactly what you just said gas stations were in your first paragraph - a place you invariably have to fill up at frustrating times. I guess the good news is it might force you to get some reading done? A Tesla seems like a fine second car for people who have a lot of money and want to use it to show off their Green credentials. It's not a fine primary car for people who actually like to drive and live in an area suited for doing so.

ajross 13y ago
> people who actually like to drive and live in an area suited for doing so So... that's what, about 15-20% of the US population? With all respect, your point seems isomorphic to "this car isn't perfect for everybody". Well, duh. The point you're replying to is that (given a reasonable infrastructure) the Tesla works very acceptably as a long distance vehicle. I don't see anything in your post to refute that.
- glenra 13y ago
  > So... that's what, about 15-20% of the US population? Um, I actually would have assumed a much larger number. Parent post asked "Who takes long car trips (200+ miles) on such a frequent basis...<that charging would be inconvenient>?". My answer: I do (Or did, when I lived in California), and I know lots of other people who do too. I'm curious where that guy lives (and where you lived) that you think it isn't normal for a person who owns a car to often take 200+ mile car trips? I think the Tesla might "work acceptably as a long distance vehicle" if you live someplace where actual long-distance travel is unusual and inconvenient. A lot of the east coast might qualify. But probably not California. Or Nevada or Wyoming or Texas or just about any of the larger states. > your point seems isomorphic to "this car isn't perfect for everybody" That it "isn't perfect" is a foregone conclusion. But this guy specifically claimed having to take a HALF-HOUR STOP to recharge isn't inconvenient on long trips. It quite obviously IS going to be inconvenient. You can reasonably claim the car is worth getting DESPITE that inconvenience factor. But you can't claim it's NOT INCONVENIENT. That's just nuts. That's drinking the Kool-Aid.
  - ajross 13y ago
    Given my frequency of long distance trips, assuming the existence of charging stations along them, and knowing my other requirements for a vehicle[1] and balancing these issues against each other, I would happily buy the Tesla intending to take it on said long distance trips. Pass that Kool-Aid, I guess. Just take a deep breath. I know, I know -- someone is wrong on the internet. But you don't have to fix that, nor tell other people what kind of car they should decide to buy or what sorts of feature in that vehicle they should value over others. Relax and have fun in your low rider pickup truck or whatever floats your boat. [1] Which, sadly, don't include the need for an new vehicle right now. So no Tesla for me.
    - glenra 13y ago
      > "Given my frequency of long distance trips, assuming the existence of charging stations along them" Where are those trips? That "assuming" is actually kind of a big deal given that there are currently only 9 supercharger stations in the entire US so far. I grant that I might be a bit of an edge case - the last time I rented a car for an extended period it was to drive from New York City to Jackson, Wyoming and back. There are currently no supercharger stations at all along either route I took. Without the superchargers it would take about 20 days to drive that distance roundtrip in a Tesla - more than twice what it took me in a gasoline car. The good news is that they actually did anticipate my driving pattern from back when I lived near SF. They appear to have a charger for driving to Lake Tahoe/Reno and several for going down the LA/San Diego. So at least it's possible to do those trips now, which it wouldn't be at all without the superchargers - driving to San Diego would take three days instead of one if you had to use wall-power based chargers. (I currently live near Manhattan and don't own a car. Had a 1999 New Beetle the last time I did.)
saraid216 13y ago
In other words, the Tesla isn't for people who go on road trips constantly. Oddly enough, this was the original claim.

by glenra 13y ago

ajross 13y ago

> people who actually like to drive and live in an area suited for doing so So... that's what, about 15-20% of the US population? With all respect, your point seems isomorphic to "this car isn't perfect for everybody". Well, duh. The point you're replying to is that (given a reasonable infrastructure) the Tesla works very acceptably as a long distance vehicle. I don't see anything in your post to refute that.

glenra 13y ago
> So... that's what, about 15-20% of the US population? Um, I actually would have assumed a much larger number. Parent post asked "Who takes long car trips (200+ miles) on such a frequent basis...<that charging would be inconvenient>?". My answer: I do (Or did, when I lived in California), and I know lots of other people who do too. I'm curious where that guy lives (and where you lived) that you think it isn't normal for a person who owns a car to often take 200+ mile car trips? I think the Tesla might "work acceptably as a long distance vehicle" if you live someplace where actual long-distance travel is unusual and inconvenient. A lot of the east coast might qualify. But probably not California. Or Nevada or Wyoming or Texas or just about any of the larger states. > your point seems isomorphic to "this car isn't perfect for everybody" That it "isn't perfect" is a foregone conclusion. But this guy specifically claimed having to take a HALF-HOUR STOP to recharge isn't inconvenient on long trips. It quite obviously IS going to be inconvenient. You can reasonably claim the car is worth getting DESPITE that inconvenience factor. But you can't claim it's NOT INCONVENIENT. That's just nuts. That's drinking the Kool-Aid.
- ajross 13y ago
  Given my frequency of long distance trips, assuming the existence of charging stations along them, and knowing my other requirements for a vehicle[1] and balancing these issues against each other, I would happily buy the Tesla intending to take it on said long distance trips. Pass that Kool-Aid, I guess. Just take a deep breath. I know, I know -- someone is wrong on the internet. But you don't have to fix that, nor tell other people what kind of car they should decide to buy or what sorts of feature in that vehicle they should value over others. Relax and have fun in your low rider pickup truck or whatever floats your boat. [1] Which, sadly, don't include the need for an new vehicle right now. So no Tesla for me.
  - glenra 13y ago
    > "Given my frequency of long distance trips, assuming the existence of charging stations along them" Where are those trips? That "assuming" is actually kind of a big deal given that there are currently only 9 supercharger stations in the entire US so far. I grant that I might be a bit of an edge case - the last time I rented a car for an extended period it was to drive from New York City to Jackson, Wyoming and back. There are currently no supercharger stations at all along either route I took. Without the superchargers it would take about 20 days to drive that distance roundtrip in a Tesla - more than twice what it took me in a gasoline car. The good news is that they actually did anticipate my driving pattern from back when I lived near SF. They appear to have a charger for driving to Lake Tahoe/Reno and several for going down the LA/San Diego. So at least it's possible to do those trips now, which it wouldn't be at all without the superchargers - driving to San Diego would take three days instead of one if you had to use wall-power based chargers. (I currently live near Manhattan and don't own a car. Had a 1999 New Beetle the last time I did.)

saraid216 13y ago

In other words, the Tesla isn't for people who go on road trips constantly. Oddly enough, this was the original claim.