Comments on: Tesla Model X all-electric crossover unveiled and detailed

By: Proph3T

Proph3T — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:52:00 +0000

Alright, that makes sense I figured they must have done something to counter that issue. If you don’t mind me asking where in Canada since I can’t imagine Leafs are anything amazing in the snow.

By: Dobedobaba

Dobedobaba — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:06:00 +0000

Are you paid by the Big Oil to write this here?

By: Dobedobaba

Dobedobaba — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:56:00 +0000

you drive an EV is not just good for your country. Its good for the whole planet. Even better is to invest more to install solar to charge it. For all the gas money you save. You can build a solar system to power the whole house not just the car.

By: Dobedobaba

Dobedobaba — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:50:00 +0000

They do have that technology in Japan. But they are just waiting for more EVs are sold before they can invest that kind of money building roads. So buy more EVs, people. Make the world a better place. More EVs out there. More goodies will be made to meet the market.

By: Dobedobaba

Dobedobaba — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:44:00 +0000

I drive a Leaf in Canada. It does decrease the battery life by about 10%. The Leaf has a battery heater that heats the battery so that it doesn’t lose its power. And that 10% lost goes to the battery heater.

By: Dobedobaba

Dobedobaba — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:44:00 +0000

By: Jackhub

Jackhub — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 03:54:00 +0000

Answers to all of those questions are available on the web. You do know how to use it don’t you?

By: Jackhub

Jackhub — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 03:50:00 +0000

When I was growing up there was no web search. There was reason for ignorance. Today there is no excuse. Do a little research, Dude!

By: Lapabc

Lapabc — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 03:39:00 +0000

Its a GOOD THING that much of the electricity originates from COAL FIRED POWER PLANTS. Yes, a single power plant represents a single point pollution source, versus tens of thousands of automobile emission sources… but why is this good?
- Because multi-mega watt power plants allow the kind of scale which carbon sequestration technologies can work.
- Because CO2 emissions can be better regulated by government
- Because utility companies can engage in carbon markets and make money while controlling emissions (… yes, it’s Cap & Trade thing again… a Republican-advocated idea to begin with and a very good one… despite those pretend-conservative pinheads currently running for president who act like it’s a bad idea only because Obama belatedly endorsed it…)

By: Lapabc

Lapabc — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 03:39:00 +0000

By: tom

tom — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:29:00 +0000

We have charging technology that makes it so that you sit your phone on a pad and it draws power. Why couldn’t we build roads like the pads so as you drive, you charge?

By: mjlogue33

mjlogue33 — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:09:00 +0000

I used the test drive example because its something you can find easily online, sheesh. You have absolutely no understanding of the engineering of these motors if you compare them to golf carts. Sure EVs are not ready for all drivers yet, but if everyone took such naysaying attitudes for early technology nothing would evolve.

By: galacticcannibal

galacticcannibal — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:12:00 +0000

Dude, a test drive is just what it is “a test drive” . Now show me a Telsa EV which had been road driven for 50,000 or 100,000 miles in the searing heat of Arizona in summer with A/C on. Or the freezing cold of Illinois in winter with the heaters on.. You can’t. People don’t understand that the Achilles heel of any EV including the Tesla EVs is the BATTERY. which is a storage device. The batteries in the Tesla are LI-Ion same chemistry as used in your Laptop or smart phone. Except there are thousands of these batteries connected in series -parallel in the Tesla EV’s . Not good for safety. So until areal fuel source like a fuel cell can be used to power EVs , they will remain the same as GOLF Carts with battery storage, but with Exotic skins, and need many hours to fill up (recharge).

By: galacticcannibal

galacticcannibal — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:09:00 +0000

By: Chris Burns

Chris Burns — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:48:00 +0000

This isn’t a point of sale listing, it’s a news story.

By: pixelriffic

pixelriffic — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:45:00 +0000

I too wonder about the choice of the giant gull wing doors. It’s clearly for novelty, just as it was on the Delorian. Not exactly the best car to be associated with either. There’s a good reason gull wing doors have never been used on anything but an exotic car. Among other things, they’re more expensive to produce. I’m a fan of Tesla, but I worry they might be heading the wrong direction with this car, and I’ve begun to doubt that they’ll be able to sell it for the target price.

By: Henrik Mikael Kristensen

Henrik Mikael Kristensen — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:20:00 +0000

Even if the electric car gets to wear out its first battery, its next battery could increase the range, given that battery technology will likely improve in the next few years, but the drive train can remain the same.

Would you imagine how much longer gas powered cars would last, if their mileage actually increased with age?

By then, I wonder what the resale value of older electric cars will be compared to gas cars?

By: SNOW

SNOW — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:36:00 +0000

Those doors are goofy, though I guess it’s kinda nice to have them up and out of the way for loading. Problem is, just imagine what it’s like in the pouring rain? So, while mommy is buckling the little one into the car seat, everyone and everything is getting soaked. Worse than that? SNOW. Did they even think of that?

By: Proph3T

Proph3T — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:50:00 +0000

I am curious about how batteries and electric cars work in the mountains where it is cold. I’ve read before the cold weather can decrease battery life by 20-40% which is pretty killer when that’s what your car is running on. It’d be pretty disappointing to drive this up to the mountains for skiing and having it die in the parking lot every time.

By: Proph3T

Proph3T — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:50:00 +0000

By: sd

sd — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:04:00 +0000

If you live in a sunny place, a moderate-size residential roof can fit a SOLAR system large enough to make more kWh than you can use in your house and your electric car. So obvious but the oil & coal lobby keep solar down.

By: Markus Roder

Markus Roder — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:48:00 +0000

And you would make this car cheaper… how? Batteries are expensive, you know? So is research.

By: Markus Roder

Markus Roder — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:47:00 +0000

So you suggest to make the car UGLY in order to eke out 15 or so more miles per charge? Good business plan :). Tesla has done their market research, knows what kind of looks buyers in their segment will accept, and build their vehicles accordingly. Trust them.

By: Lclemens

Lclemens — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:46:00 +0000

Well researched! I’ve written similar technical pieces on other subjects so I know takes a lot of time looking up the numbers and doing the math, so thanks – it’s very informative. I was always under the impression that the “coal car” would produce more carbon because of it’s low efficiency, but you just proved my intuition wrong with facts.

The wording on battery charging threw me off a bit though… I wouldn’t call it a 90% loss… more like a 10% energy loss (or 90% transfer efficiency). Unless maybe I’m thinking about that wrong. Either way, your math is still correct.

The guys at work (also engineers) will like this. Well done amigo!

By: alaskan_sol

alaskan_sol — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:39:00 +0000

I remember the last electric car push in California back in the 80′s. It was as if the auto-makers made them intentionally ugly so they wouldn’t catch on. They were absolutely horrid. These cars are gorgeous.

Lets go America, support Tesla and company’s like them to keep the technology here in the US before Asia corners the market. Cant stop the future, embrace it or we’ll let this new Industry slip right through our fingers.

By: Dgc

Dgc — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:13:00 +0000

The car doesn’t run on coal if you don’t charge with dirty electricity. There are lots of options. If you can afford that much for a car. Why not pay 10k more for solar or wind installed on your roof that will last 30+ years. It’s better than paying 10k for gas that won’t even get you thru 10 years.

By: Dgc

Dgc — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:07:00 +0000

I have 5kw solar panels to charge my Leaf. And those panels will last 30 years. Calculate this Rm!

By: Meow

Meow — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:07:00 +0000

Consumer demand will drive the market but I see the MSRP to be too high still

By: emin9th

emin9th — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:02:00 +0000

Basically, the car runs on coal.
But I guess if you can afford the car you can afford some solar panels or a wind turbine to charge it.
Why not a small built in turbine to make electricity from natural gas, or gasoline. Oh wait that’s a hybrid.

By: Plither

Plither — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:58:00 +0000

Doesn’t anyone know how to spell any more? “..and you’ll find you wont need to park…”
Grammer aside, I am rooting for this company. Like one of the commenters said, electricity has a long shelf-life as a technology.

By: Mazzdark

Mazzdark — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:51:00 +0000

It seems like every one is missing the obvious: Why must just the battery in the car be recharged, why don’t they be replaceable at ‘Recharging Stations, like Cooking Gas cylinders? You drive in and replace your Depleted Batteries with fully charged ones. The industry would have to look at things like standardisation of ports on both the cars and at the stations and a secondary market for Batteries – i think the trick here is to create a large enough market for this and distribution scenarios which would help bring prices down.

By: Ross C. Nicholson

Ross C. Nicholson — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:50:00 +0000

My next car will be electric, not because it’s cheaper, not because it’s quieter, not because it is more modern or in step with fashion. My next car will be electric because I am a patriot.

By: Paul McElroy

Paul McElroy — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:46:00 +0000

They’re Electric Cars and because they can run off of any electricity that frees the market from focusing on one method of producing energy. Markets will eat this tech up and the price of going a mile should decrease dramatically as oil poor regions would be open to using entirely novel sources of energy. In a thousand years when there’s no natural oil left in the ground we’ll still be able to rely upon electricity from other sources. Thus, this tech has a long long shelf life.

Also, I don’t think many people are thinking about emissions when they’re thinking more about saving money.

Lastly, I’d like to point out that the use of gasses and oils, which in their most popular forms are limited resources, contributes to a lot of messy disputes between us humans. Lessening our reliance on regionally unique resources like gas and oil should contribute greatly to lessening wars and costly destruction of lives and resources.

By: Ross C. Nicholson

Ross C. Nicholson — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:41:00 +0000

Fabulous doors, I can see that is where to big government money went, patented so GM & Chrysler can’t copy it, too. Tucker-type doors. It looks like a great big luxury car.
Suggestion: To get the extra 10% of range back for free, enclose the wide open wheel wells, use smaller more efficient & less expensive wheels & tires, and add even more luggage space in a boat tail. Smooth out the grill & undercarriage. Screen paint on insignia.

By: Glarsg

Glarsg — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:40:00 +0000

I have a fried who works for Tesla. He says some charge stations do a full charge in 40mins. The cost is so little that there is a network of stations every 300 miles from Seattle to San Diego – often provided free by restaurants who want to attract the well heeled Tesla owners.

By: Mazzdark

Mazzdark — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:39:00 +0000

You are very good with calculations: Please give a comparison on how much less Hydro-carbon Combustion will be needed in relation to electricity usage should these cars become, say, 80% more preferred and used than petroleum powered cars

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:26:00 +0000

as if anyone keeps luxury cars for 300k miles

also, the battery pack is easily removable. it basically attached to the bottom of the car as shown and can be replaced extremely quickly.

By: mjlogue33

mjlogue33 — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:06:00 +0000

Tesla isn’t marketing this or the Model S to the middle class buyer, and they don’t have to with all the reservations they already have. The plan from the beginning was trickle down, use the $100k+ Roadster revenues to fund these two models, use these to fund a mass market consumer sedan. According to Musk’s investor relations, they still plan to unveil that model in 18 months.

By: parker1227

parker1227 — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:03:00 +0000

I am glad they are pushing the technology forward, but this is clearly still a rich boy toy.

Looks like the bare bones model costs about 60K to produce – unless there are other hidden costs we don’t know about. So the pimped out model is about 80K.

This puts it way out of range of the middle class buyer.

And since they don’t give the loaded driving range for the 7-person vehicle, that means the car is probably not ready for cross-country driving (drive 4 hours, charge 4 hours?).

The battery tech isn’t here yet.

They need to double or triple battery efficiency.

Then things will change.

By: Dobedobaba

Dobedobaba — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:37:00 +0000

I drive the Nissan Leaf regularly and it has eight years of warranty on the battery. The cost of lithium battery is already dropping so fast by the time I need to replace it. It will only cost a few thousand to do so. People burn tens of thousands of dollars of gas in eight years. Not even counting all the oil changes, spark plugs, air filters, oil filters and all those greasy parts. An electric car takes less time to recharge than the driver takes to sleep. The Tesla has 300 miles range and I don’t think you drive that much daily. And this is the best looking and fastest Suv I have seen so far. And it’s cost one tenth to run than a gas Suv. And it’s cheaper than a much slower Porsche.