L.A. Times:
When Tesla, the upstart auto company based in Silicon Valley, unveiled its all-electric Roadster at a swank affair in Santa Monica last week, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger dropped in for surprise visit. Recognition hung in the air. The man who became famous for playing one seriously aggressive electric appliance had come to pay his respects to another.
The event ? where Tesla was offering its first 100 “signature edition” cars for $100,000 apiece ? felt like automotive history, and I have the feeling that one day I’m going to be very glad I bothered to attend. The yare and sleek carbon-bodied sports car is, by my reckoning, the first plausible electric automobile of the 21st century. And, without electrics, the 22nd century is going to be very rocky indeed.
To appreciate the Tesla, it helps to compare it to the much-lamented EV1, GM’s purpose-built electric car that was, in the mid-1990s, the most advanced vehicle of its kind. The Tesla Roadster has a range of 250 miles, says the company. The EV1, with the best nickel metal hydride batteries, could go about 150 miles under ideal conditions. A full charge of the EV1 could take eight hours. The Tesla’s lithium-ion batteries can be raised from the dead to a full charge in 3 1/2 hours and, unlike the EV1, the Tesla will come with its own portable charging pack so it won’t be range-tethered to its home charging station.
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By D. J. Young, September 7, 2007 at 12:38 pm Link to this comment
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While this is a leap forward for this technology, wouldn’t it be better suited for the thousands of short trip delivery vans, commuters, work trucks, mass transit vehicles and the like, rather than a two seater sports car? Well I guess they gotta come up with some fast cash first. That is if the oil and automobile industry doesn’t squash this endeavor like a bug.
Report thisBy Rob MacKnight, July 26, 2006 at 4:01 pm Link to this comment
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Yup, there’s a step in the right direction, a $100,000 car to save money on gas and clean the environment.
Right on, R.A. Earl, we will take it hard in the wallet at every turn as long as the avaricious corporate capitalists are allowed to monetarily accost us.
Hmmm, if 50% believe that there were indeed WMDs in Iraq, do 50% also believe that we are doing the best that we can with energy alternatives, cost control, and creating reasonable living conditions for the masses?
Report thisBy R. A. Earl, July 26, 2006 at 10:31 am Link to this comment
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And whatever happened to “GMs purpose-built electric car that was, in the mid-1990s, the most advanced vehicle of its kind…”
Buried alive by “BIG OIL.”
Do I know this for a fact? Can I name, names? Nope. No evidence at all unless you count gas is $3.00/gallon and there are no electric cars.
Dumb as I am, I can add one and one.
And even if BIG OIL finds a way to control the profit from the electrics (which is the only way you’ll ever see them in any significant numbers), our governments will soon feel the pinch of not having the taxes rolling in from gasoline/diesel sales, and guess what?... WATCH THE TAXES GO THROUGH THE ROOF ON ELECTRICITY.
Consumer… YOU’RE SCREWED no matter what you do. Get used to it. Society doesn’t give a rat’s ass about you as an individual… just so long as you’re BUYING and PAYING TAXES. If you’re not doing either… you’re NOT REQUIRED.
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