4 ms·

Tesla Says It Will Now Be “Impossible to Run Out of Range Unintentionally”

7 points by mcargian 12y ago

geophile 12y ago
I do not understand all the hype over the Tesla S. Yes it's gorgeous, yet it is radically different. Yes, Musk is a Jobs-level genius, aiming much, much higher. But still. This article explains why the Tesla S is preposterous. They have to "route long trips with superchargers in mind". When you get to one, it takes "as little as 20 minutes" to charge, according to Tesla. Come on, people, this is a commuter car. Until there is a fundamental breakthrough in battery technology, it is not suitable for long trips. And for a commuter car, the expense is just insane.
- greglindahl 12y ago
  Are you asserting that all of us Model S owners who take long trips don't exist? I agree that some potential buyers are put off by the concept, but your personal opinion about something you've never tried does not mean much for the overall market for the car.
  - DougWebb 12y ago
    I looked at the Tesla S this morning, now that they'll be available for sale in NJ. It would cost over $90k for a car that, on a long trip, requires a 20 minute stop every four hours or so. That doesn't make much sense. My Mini Clubmsn has a similar range, only needs a five-munute stop to refuel (about $60 for premium gas, granted), but it cost a third as much. I can refill my tank many times for $60k. And the Mini is still an overpriced premium car, not a sensible cost-effective choice.
  - geophile 12y ago
    Of course I'm not saying that you don't exist. I don't have to try a Tesla to know I don't want one. Having to plan so carefully to find charging stations, and the extreme downtime to recharge tells me as much as I need to make a decision. I also did not say that the market doesn't exist, just that I can't understand the reasoning of the large number of people apparently in the market.
    - greglindahl 12y ago
      The whole point of the article we're discussing is that you don't have to "plan so carefully" anymore. And the downtime is 20 minutes after ~3 hours of driving, which is ~10% overhead on long trips. The plus is that your car is fully fueled every morning (if you plug in overnight). Not to mention that the car is high performance, and can drive in the HOV lane (if you're in a state like CA.) If you don't value the plusses, and think that 10% overhead on long trips is "extreme", then this isn't the car for you. For me, I take a long trip about once per 2 months, and I enjoy the plusses a lot.
      - geophile 12y ago
        Sure, the GPS does the planning. But my choice of routes is restricted. I am limited in the detours I can take. 10% doesn't sound extreme, but when I stop to refuel, 20+ minutes is not appealing. No, it definitely isn't the car for me. I think better battery technology is one way to make the car more palatable. Another possibility is a LOT more charging stations, combined with some sort of battery swap approach (instead of waiting to recharge). A few generations from now, these will be nice cars. Wouldn't be able to get there without you early adopters, so thank you.
        greglindahl 12y ago
        You'll be happy to know that there are a lot more charging stations in the works, and the first battery swap station is active. Also, you might find reading this story to be fun: http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/01/11/4-things-i-learned-driving-a-tesla-for-10000-miles.aspx http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/01/11/4-things-i-...

7 points by mcargian 12y ago

I do not understand all the hype over the Tesla S. Yes it's gorgeous, yet it is radically different. Yes, Musk is a Jobs-level genius, aiming much, much higher. But still. This article explains why the Tesla S is preposterous. They have to "route long trips with superchargers in mind". When you get to one, it takes "as little as 20 minutes" to charge, according to Tesla. Come on, people, this is a commuter car. Until there is a fundamental breakthrough in battery technology, it is not suitable for long trips. And for a commuter car, the expense is just insane.

greglindahl 12y ago
Are you asserting that all of us Model S owners who take long trips don't exist? I agree that some potential buyers are put off by the concept, but your personal opinion about something you've never tried does not mean much for the overall market for the car.
- DougWebb 12y ago
  I looked at the Tesla S this morning, now that they'll be available for sale in NJ. It would cost over $90k for a car that, on a long trip, requires a 20 minute stop every four hours or so. That doesn't make much sense. My Mini Clubmsn has a similar range, only needs a five-munute stop to refuel (about $60 for premium gas, granted), but it cost a third as much. I can refill my tank many times for $60k. And the Mini is still an overpriced premium car, not a sensible cost-effective choice.
- geophile 12y ago
  Of course I'm not saying that you don't exist. I don't have to try a Tesla to know I don't want one. Having to plan so carefully to find charging stations, and the extreme downtime to recharge tells me as much as I need to make a decision. I also did not say that the market doesn't exist, just that I can't understand the reasoning of the large number of people apparently in the market.
  - greglindahl 12y ago
    The whole point of the article we're discussing is that you don't have to "plan so carefully" anymore. And the downtime is 20 minutes after ~3 hours of driving, which is ~10% overhead on long trips. The plus is that your car is fully fueled every morning (if you plug in overnight). Not to mention that the car is high performance, and can drive in the HOV lane (if you're in a state like CA.) If you don't value the plusses, and think that 10% overhead on long trips is "extreme", then this isn't the car for you. For me, I take a long trip about once per 2 months, and I enjoy the plusses a lot.
    - geophile 12y ago
      Sure, the GPS does the planning. But my choice of routes is restricted. I am limited in the detours I can take. 10% doesn't sound extreme, but when I stop to refuel, 20+ minutes is not appealing. No, it definitely isn't the car for me. I think better battery technology is one way to make the car more palatable. Another possibility is a LOT more charging stations, combined with some sort of battery swap approach (instead of waiting to recharge). A few generations from now, these will be nice cars. Wouldn't be able to get there without you early adopters, so thank you.
      - greglindahl 12y ago
        You'll be happy to know that there are a lot more charging stations in the works, and the first battery swap station is active. Also, you might find reading this story to be fun: http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/01/11/4-things-i-learned-driving-a-tesla-for-10000-miles.aspx http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/01/11/4-things-i-...