Tesla Model S - Seems great...what do you think?

[Josh]

http://www.teslamotors.com/models

Seriously considering putting down a deposit for that bad boy. No gas needed. $49,000 base price. Looks beautiful, performs great (0-60 in 5.6 seconds) and the maintenance is supposedly slim to none (around $50 a year total).

What are your thoughts on the Tesla Model S?

 

[AMDZen]

OMG that is ugly as hell. I guess they have a deal with UK Motor companies, that has to be based off a jaguar or aston martin chassis - the other Tesla is based off a Lotus Exige chassis.

 

[lxskllr]

I love the concept of the Tesla cars, but I don't know enough about the technology. Assuming it performs as well as the stated claims, and I had the money, I'd definitely get one.

 

[PlasmaBomb]

I think the garage is

<---- that way...

 

[AMDZen]

I love the concept of the Tesla cars, but I don't know enough about the technology. Assuming it performs as well as the stated claims, and I had the money, I'd definitely get one.

It isn't viable for most of the US. There are roughly 2 electrical charge stations around where I live, and none of them close enough. Would have to charge it at home only and hope I never f*ck up.

 

[lxskllr]

It isn't viable for most of the US. There are roughly 2 electrical charge stations around where I live, and none of them close enough. Would have to charge it at home only and hope I never f*ck up.

Depends on what your driving habits are. 5 years ago, I could never have used an electric car. Now I could use one for 95% of my driving, and just rent a gas car for the other 5%.

 

[killster1]

did you watch the top gear episode? they broke two of them within a few hours.. also charging is a factor. If you have a few cars or dont have far to drive its prob fine. if you charge it from a regular plug it takes like 2 days? If you charge it from high power plug then it takes 2 hours? Also batterys on these hybrids dont last forever I really wonder what it costs to replace one, I heard it was like 5000$ for a hybrid cars battery to be changed? (prob off )

I was tempted to buy one till i saw the charge times. Could never take it on a long trip (until they have high charge gas station kinda places)

 

[Demo24]

It isn't viable for most of the US. There are roughly 2 electrical charge stations around where I live, and none of them close enough. Would have to charge it at home only and hope I never f*ck up.

Same, probably cost me as much to charge the thing as to fill a car up with gas every so often.

Plus I think the current Teslas aren't the most reliable machines.

 

[PlasmaBomb]

OMG that is ugly as hell. I guess they have a deal with UK Motor companies, that has to be based off a jaguar or aston martin chassis - the other Tesla is based off a Lotus Exige chassis.

Did you just call Aston Martins ugly?

 

[nace186]

did you watch the top gear episode? they broke two of them within a few hours.. also charging is a factor. If you have a few cars or dont have far to drive its prob fine. if you charge it from a regular plug it takes like 2 days? If you charge it from high power plug then it takes 2 hours? Also batterys on these hybrids dont last forever I really wonder what it costs to replace one, I heard it was like 5000$ for a hybrid cars battery to be changed? (prob off )

I was tempted to buy one till i saw the charge times. Could never take it on a long trip (until they have high charge gas station kinda places)

I think they tested the roadster, not the model S.

 

[PlasmaBomb]

did you watch the top gear episode? they broke two of them within a few hours.. also charging is a factor. If you have a few cars or dont have far to drive its prob fine. if you charge it from a regular plug it takes like 2 days? If you charge it from high power plug then it takes 2 hours? Also batterys on these hybrids dont last forever I really wonder what it costs to replace one, I heard it was like 5000$ for a hybrid cars battery to be changed? (prob off )

I was tempted to buy one till i saw the charge times. Could never take it on a long trip (until they have high charge gas station kinda places)

They didn't break them... they simulated "what might happen if they broke" and got told off for fibbing (as they didn't make it entirely clear that is what happened).

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2008/12/tesla-cries-fou/

and yes it was a Roadster not a Model S.

 

[drebo]

Tesla is on government life support. They've yet to deliver one of their Roadsters to a customer, and they've increased the cost of it drastically.

Tesla, and their cars, are not market viable, even at the exhorbitant prices they're charging for them. Luxury cars should not be government subsidised.

 

[mwmorph]

did you watch the top gear episode? they broke two of them within a few hours.. also charging is a factor. If you have a few cars or dont have far to drive its prob fine. if you charge it from a regular plug it takes like 2 days? If you charge it from high power plug then it takes 2 hours? Also batterys on these hybrids dont last forever I really wonder what it costs to replace one, I heard it was like 5000$ for a hybrid cars battery to be changed? (prob off )

I was tempted to buy one till i saw the charge times. Could never take it on a long trip (until they have high charge gas station kinda places)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/dec/24/jeremy-clarkson-top-gear-tesla-electric-car

I love Top Gear, but if you actually watch it and get any information from it, you're doing it wrong. Watching Top Gear for information is about as truthful and informative as watching Dora the Explorer to keep up with border control and illegal immigration developments. Worthless.

Watch Top Gear for what it is, entertaining, not actually informative, hell by all means even some of the lap times are suspect too.

 

[rcpratt]

They didn't brake them... they simulated "what might happen if they broke" and got told off for fibbing (as they didn't make it entirely clear that is what happened).

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2008/12/tesla-cries-fou/

and yes it was a Roadster not a Model S.

I imagine they braked them at some point. If they didn't it would be a rather large oversight in testing a car.

 

[Demo24]

Tesla is on government life support. They've yet to deliver one of their Roadsters to a customer, and they've increased the cost of it drastically.

Tesla, and their cars, are not market viable, even at the exhorbitant prices they're charging for them. Luxury cars should not be government subsidised.

What? Several of the cars are out to customers. I know Travolta has one, and some other people with money (probably Leno).

 

[Perknose]

They didn't brake them...

They did so! They brake all the cars they test drive. They accelerate them, too.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Tesla is on government life support. They've yet to deliver one of their Roadsters to a customer, and they've increased the cost of it drastically.

Tesla, and their cars, are not market viable, even at the exhorbitant prices they're charging for them. Luxury cars should not be government subsidised.

Really? Because I've seen a few of them around here.

You're correct about the state of the company financially though.

 

[lxskllr]

I'd rather the government pump money into a new technology company, than prop up dinosaurs who have the resources to be competitive, but mismanage their companies into obsolescence.

 

[PlasmaBomb]

They did so! They brake all the cars they test drive. They accelerate them, too.

Yeah yeah... fixed.

 

[mwmorph]

Tesla is on government life support. They've yet to deliver one of their Roadsters to a customer, and they've increased the cost of it drastically.

Tesla, and their cars, are not market viable, even at the exhorbitant prices they're charging for them. Luxury cars should not be government subsidised.

You really should research your information before saying things. There's been 1200 roadsters not produced, but delivered to customers as of July 2010.

As for the OP, the model S is two tiered, the $57400 S has a 160mile range and the $65,0000 S has a 300 mile range. I would also realistically, expect prices to rise a bit as it nears production (Remember how the Roadster's prices kept creeping up as it ended development?). You can count on a $7500 government rebate though so it does lower the price a bit.

Also Tesla is usually pretty bad with release dates, the Roadster was delayed quite a bit and so now is the S (initially in 2008, they said late 2010 production, now they say 2012).

Interesting car, pretty, cool, but I don't think I'd buy one. If I truly needed a ECO mobile, I'd probably get a Volt for the flexibility of being able to drive virtually unlimited distances. Of course I'm also not looking for a Eco vehicle so I'd probably sped the $60k on a Porsche Boxster S or Cayman S.

 

[waggy]

slightly overpriced. but hell if they can drop the price down to 20k a 300 mile limite would be great.

i would even wire in a plug to charge it. 300 miles a day is more theni drive. come to think of it its more then i drive in a week.

 

[AMDZen]

Did you just call Aston Martins ugly?

The 4 door model that just came out and which this resembles? You bet your ass I did. Although not as ugly as that new Porsche Panamera. :spew;

 

[MrMatt]

What? Several of the cars are out to customers. I know Travolta has one, and some other people with money (probably Leno).

This. I've seen them on the road. I parked next to one in Old Saybrook about 2 weeks ago. Beautiful car.

 

[Brovane]

http://www.teslamotors.com/models

Seriously considering putting down a deposit for that bad boy. No gas needed. $49,000 base price. Looks beautiful, performs great (0-60 in 5.6 seconds) and the maintenance is supposedly slim to none (around $50 a year total).

What are your thoughts on the Tesla Model S?

Are you looking at getting this as your only car?

I have thought about this before. Since the wife and I have 3-cars. I drive just a simple Nissan Altima as my commuter car 20-25 miles a day. I was more looking at the Nissan Leaf since the price is lower and the range of around 100miles would easily cover my daily commutte even if I don't charge at work.

 

[SandEagle]

I'd get a honda instead