Tesla Motors

[Flexin]

Originally Posted by goof2

People who know cars, the typical performance car buyer, aren't going to buy the Tesla (or a hybrid). I'm not saying I am indicative of every gearhead, but if I personally felt the need to be "green" and decided to go out and buy a guiltmobile it still wouldn't be a Tesla. For that kind of money I can get an Elise, trackdays for the next few years, and buy enough carbon credits to plant a forest the size of Al Gore's ego.

Ultimately I think the Tesla was designed for celebrities. The kind of person who parks it in between their Prius with 2k miles and their Escalade with 30k miles but is celebrated for their "awareness". It boils down to the fact that there is a pretty good chance my bike is more "green" than any of them, but is viewed as part of the "problem", not part of the "solution".

A lot of people drive cars that are not exciting while dreaming of a Lamborghini's and so on. Thats what makes cars exciting. With electric cars they need to start all over again. At least in North America they do because we like big engines.

When someone talks about electric or hybird what times to mind? For most its that ugly ass Prius. That isn't going get a lot of people into those cars. Having performance electrics will help with the rest of the image.

I don't think anyone on this site would buy one. And I'm not talking about winning over gearheads. Most people want some level of performance but they don't see it in a Prius. IMO the Telsa will help sell electrics.

And everyone keeps talking about the price. They are not main stream cars so they will be expensive. All hybirds/electrics are expensive.

James

[Flexin]

http://www.teslamotors.com/learn_more/recycling.php

Recycling
Keeping an Eye on Tomorrow, Today

It probably comes as no surprise that a forward-thinking company like Tesla Motors thinks a lot about the future. We do.

That‘s why the tires and the battery of every Tesla Motors vehicle are recyclable. Reuse is such a key part of our philosophy that we‘ve already arranged to have our car batteries safely recycled — even before we‘ve sold our first car. The cost of recycling is built into the purchase price of the car, so there‘s never a reason “why not” to recycle.

James

[karl_1052]

Originally Posted by Flexin

And everyone keeps talking about the price. They are not main stream cars so they will be expensive. All hybirds/electrics are expensive.

No, they aren't.

This is the new Tesla that is expected to sell for 1/3 to a 1.4 of what the roadster sells for.

http://www.teslamotors.com/models/index.php

A fully loaded ZENN electric car cost about $20K. The insight that GM made was affordable too.

Tesla wanted to edge into the exotic market, and are charging alot of money for a car that does not warrant it.

And I will guarantee if you email them and ask them who the typical buyer of a roadster is, it will be mostly A list celebrities, because they want their green image more than anything.
If I was a movie star, I would buy a 1970 Chevelle and stuff in a 700hp/1200lb-ft smoke bellowing duramax diesel, because I am tired of the greenies holier than thou attitude that is totally undeserved.

We also learn that Tesla's national sales manager reckons her customers could, in theory, recharge their Roadster using "smaller, 110-volt sockets used for a living room lamp or television set." Only "charging that way could take as long as 30 hours, compared with eight hours on a larger circuit." Hang-on; setting aside the fact that no one has confirmed ANY recharge time, what happened to the highly-touted three-hour recharge cycle?

I'll still take the Lotus.

[Flexin]

Originally Posted by karl_1052

No, they aren't.

This is the new Tesla that is expected to sell for 1/3 to a 1.4 of what the roadster sells for.

http://www.teslamotors.com/models/index.php

A fully loaded ZENN electric car cost about $20K. The insight that GM made was affordable too.

Tesla wanted to edge into the exotic market, and are charging alot of money for a car that does not warrant it.

And I will guarantee if you email them and ask them who the typical buyer of a roadster is, it will be mostly A list celebrities, because they want their green image more than anything.
If I was a movie star, I would buy a 1970 Chevelle and stuff in a 700hp/1200lb-ft smoke bellowing duramax diesel, because I am tired of the greenies holier than thou attitude that is totally undeserved.



I'll still take the Lotus.

I watched a show on them. From what I remember it was not all celebrities buying them. It wouldn't matter to me anyway. I like what I like. I don't care who likes or buys them if any.

One thing I will say is that car you posted is sexy as hell. That I would buy. Thats why I like this company. Their shit looks nothing like a Pruis.

I want a 379 Peterbilt to haul a boat. I also want to build a 427 Cobra SC.

James

[Homeslice]

Wow that does look good. Wonder whose chassis it's based on.

[Flexin]

Originally Posted by Homeslice

Wow that does look good. Wonder whose chassis it's based on.

I'm wondering the same thing.

James

[TommyHotWheel]

[QUOTE=karl_1052;325546].
If I was a movie star, I would buy a 1970 Chevelle and stuff in a 700hp/1200lb-ft smoke bellowing duramax diesel, because I am tired of the greenies holier than thou attitude that is totally undeserved.

QUOTE]

Its Green....

[Adeptus_Minor]

Originally Posted by Flexin

A lot of people drive cars that are not exciting while dreaming of a Lamborghini's and so on. Thats what makes cars exciting. With electric cars they need to start all over again. At least in North America they do because we like big engines.

When someone talks about electric or hybird what times to mind? For most its that ugly ass Prius. That isn't going get a lot of people into those cars. Having performance electrics will help with the rest of the image.

I don't think anyone on this site would buy one. And I'm not talking about winning over gearheads. Most people want some level of performance but they don't see it in a Prius. IMO the Telsa will help sell electrics.

And everyone keeps talking about the price. They are not main stream cars so they will be expensive. All hybirds/electrics are expensive.

I used a similar argument when we were discussing electric sportbikes. It's a stop along the road and I don't see why people feel the need to shoot it down.
Every cool vehicle or device we have now started out as a concept, a prototype, perhaps a limited run small shop item that was developed into something that could be produced and marketed to the masses.
Rather than saying "Who the hell would pay that much?" or "That thing has no range!" or "It's so impractical!", we should be saying "When can we get it more practical and available to the average consumer?"
If more people showed an interest, it'd give the major manufacturers a reason to allocate more resources to the research and get it right.

[karl_1052]

Originally Posted by Homeslice

Wow that does look good. Wonder whose chassis it's based on.

Don't know, but at $50K, it is much more interesting to me than the roadster.