http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/24/teslas-4-door-all-electric-model-s-sports-sedan...
Looks good, hopefully this one will make it to production without any further influence from upper management...
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Oct. 25, 2008 10:16 a.m. GameboyRMH Dork
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Oct. 25, 2008 10:20 a.m. carguy123 HalfDork
I wonder why the HUGE air scoop in the nose? What is it that needs that much cooling?
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Oct. 25, 2008 10:30 a.m. neon4891 Dork
Lets just hope the company stays around long enough to sell them.
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Oct. 25, 2008 11:18 a.m. Jensenman SuperDork
Looks very 350Z-ish. I too wonder why the huge scoop? That would be a real aero drag which would cut range, so there must be a real good reason. Or it could be just a blacked out styling thing...
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Oct. 25, 2008 12:01 p.m. GameboyRMH Dork
The electric engine and batteries have a liquid cooling system, the big scoop up front would be for the radiator.
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Oct. 25, 2008 1:24 p.m. billy3esq Dork
Looks like the love child of a 350Z and RX8 or MX5. There's something Mazda-ish about the headlights, grille, and hood. Then again, everybody uses the same CFD software these days, so cars are all starting to look alike.
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Oct. 25, 2008 1:57 p.m. Duende New Reader
Well, I really like it.
My big worry with Tesla is that with a 60k pricetag, it's not really going to make a big splash in troubled times. I understand they can't do something a little more affordable, like sub-20k, as they've got to pay off all the R&D they've done first? Anyway, maybe it will be a success, I expect by the time they're available gas will again be unbearably high, coupled with a troubled economy, so hopefully they'll sell what they need to sell and can work on a car for the rest of us.
My other concern is they plan on building this $250 million facility in California, which is going to start construction in 2009. Hope that will still be feasible. Again, the economy.
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Oct. 25, 2008 2:26 p.m. YaNi New Reader
Duende wrote: I understand they can't do something a little more affordable, like sub-20k, as they've got to pay off all the R&D they've done first? Anyway, maybe it will be a success, I expect by the time they're available gas will again be unbearably high, coupled with a troubled economy, so hopefully they'll sell what they need to sell and can work on a car for the rest of us.
With the battery technology currently available, I don't think that the $60k price tag is unreasonable. Roughly 20-30% of the total cost is for the Lithium Ion batteries. I have looked into converting petrol cars to electric. Having enough lithium ion cells to supply the necessary voltage to produce 200+hp and enough capacity for 240 mile range are ultra expensive. For a consumer to do that would cost $20-30k just for the batteries, Tesla can source the batteries for slightly less; they charge $20k for a battery replacement. That is why most conversions use cheaper and heavier lead-acid batteries, and only have a 50 mile range.
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Oct. 25, 2008 2:30 p.m. Duende New Reader
Makes sense.
How is their system different from the Chevy Volt? I really haven't looked into any of these much at all. Kind've a believe it when I see it guy.
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Oct. 25, 2008 5:38 p.m. Lugnut Reader
Duende wrote: My other concern is they plan on building this $250 million facility in California, which is going to start construction in 2009. Hope that will still be feasible. Again, the economy.
$250 million in California? Are they going to be building these cars out of a 4 bedroom house? :)
I think it looks great. And imagine a group of these out on the track together. It would sound like RC car racing. Whiiiiiirr! whiiiiir!
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Oct. 25, 2008 10:32 p.m. neon4891 Dork
Duende wrote:
Makes sense.
How is their system different from the Chevy Volt? I really haven't looked into any of these much at all. Kind've a believe it when I see it guy.
this may make little sence, but i think GM can keep the cost down better, simply due to more resources. Then again, I have not looked very closely at either car.
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Oct. 25, 2008 10:42 p.m. kcbhiw Reader
YaNi wrote:
Duende wrote: I understand they can't do something a little more affordable, like sub-20k, as they've got to pay off all the R&D they've done first? Anyway, maybe it will be a success, I expect by the time they're available gas will again be unbearably high, coupled with a troubled economy, so hopefully they'll sell what they need to sell and can work on a car for the rest of us.
With the battery technology currently available, I don't think that the $60k price tag is unreasonable. Roughly 20-30% of the total cost is for the Lithium Ion batteries. I have looked into converting petrol cars to electric. Having enough lithium ion cells to supply the necessary voltage to produce 200+hp and enough capacity for 240 mile range are ultra expensive. For a consumer to do that would cost $20-30k just for the batteries, Tesla can source the batteries for slightly less; they charge $20k for a battery replacement. That is why most conversions use cheaper and heavier lead-acid batteries, and only have a 50 mile range.
Sooo if these cars come to fruition, the Grassroots community can expect, within a few years, inexpensive Teslas on the market with dead batteries. Sounds like a sweet candidate for a V8 swap.
