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And, when was the last time there was a successful, mass production, automobile manufacturing startup company in the US? We, as Americans, should be supporting this even if right now it is only luxury cars (competing with and outselling many luxury cars from Germany and Japan, even).
Tesla is just another rich man's toy in his or her attempt to gain attention for themselves. It will never be practical for the average person. Its too expensive, and useless if you want to go anywhere that requires driving more than 150 miles in a day. The average person needs economical reliable transportation that can do everything they need it to do. Most can't afford a toy to drive in town and then another vehicle if they go on a trip.
Tesla is just another rich man's toy in his or her attempt to gain attention for themselves. It will never be practical for the average person. Its too expensive, and useless if you want to go anywhere that requires driving more than 150 miles in a day. The average person needs economical reliable transportation that can do everything they need it to do. Most can't afford a toy to drive in town and then another vehicle if they go on a trip.
Around the end of the 19th century I imagine you might have said:
Quote:
A horseless carriage is just another rich man's toy in his or her attempt to gain attention for themselves. It will never be practical for the average person. Its too expensive, and useless if you want to go anywhere that requires driving more than 50 miles in a day. The average person needs economical reliable transportation that can do everything they need it to do. Most can't afford a toy to drive in town and then another vehicle if they go on a trip.
I have two observations about this kind of criticism...
1) Predictions of the future using the word "never" have a high rate of failure.
2) Predictions of what the public will do based on one's personal preferences also have a high rate of failure.
Yes, it's exciting news, but there are two slight corrections needed since that original post you referred to...
First, the more economical model, formerly referred to as the model E, is now referred to as the Model 3.
There was a lot of giggling over the current 5-seat Sedan being called the S, and the crossover SUV (to be released next year) being called the X, and then the 20% smaller 4-seat economy model to follow in 2016 being called the E... or the whole lineup being S, E, X, get it?
But then Ford mucked it up by suing Tesla over the name... really???... yeah, really!
Quote:
“We were going to call it model E for a while and then Ford sued us saying it wanted to use the Model E — I thought this is crazy, Ford’s trying to kill sex! So we’ll have to think of another name,†Musk said. “The new model is going to be called Model III, we’ll have three bars to represent it and it’ll be S III X!â€
But since then they been have referring to it simply as the 3.
Second, although the original price target for the 3 was said to be $35K, more recent references have alluded to a $40K price tag, probably as a result of more detailed procurement planning. So I think your comment needs editing, to say...
Quote:
GO, Tesla! A $40K future Tesla model 3? YESSSSSS!
BTW, the planned 2016 launch of the Model 3 is why it's so critical that the plans for the Tesla battery Gigafactory come together quickly, not only because it is expected to reduce battery costs by a third, but also because it will essentially double the current production of these batteries in the whole world, which they'll need to keep up with anticipated demand.
$40k is still a lot more affordable than the current models out there...
I hope they get that battery factory up and running soon. The lease on our Volt is up at the end of 2016.
Well, no diss to Tesla, but it does appear that there will be several 200 mile EVs to choose from at around $35-40K by the time the Tesla Model 3 is out. LG Chem recently announced that they have a new 200 mile battery pack ready to go, and they've signed a contract to supply it to one of the car makers, but coyly is not saying who just yet.
In any case, the whole segment is growing like mad, and the cars are just getting better and better.
Raise the minimum wage while you're at it. You drive the freeways in the Bay Area, look out your window once in a while, how many drivers around you can afford that 35k Tesla? Not many and that is most of the people on those freeways.
If we really wanted to make an impact, why not subsidize electric cars to the point that people making say $15 an hour can afford to buy one and limit that subsidy to that wage class?
Hmmm, doesn't fit the model of the wealthy does it?
Who drives the most? Those people in the lower income groups because they have more kids and by the jobs they have the places they live, need to drive more.
I keep hearing people talk about E cars, saying that they require zero maintenance, which is obviously false.
- New tires, seeing as the ones on the S are low profile these will run anywhere from 300+ for one tire
- brake fluid
- brakes
- power steering fluid
- alignments
- tire rotations, I've read they are free from goodyear?
This is just off the top of my head, albeit less compared to a regular C engine.
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