New Tesla Roadster

[TrackAire]

Yeah it might be fast, but how many times can it go down the 1/4 mile at full race power back to back (what some call hot lapping the car)? I'm guessing maybe twice and then you have to let the unit sit to cool down. There is no free energy....tons of heat is generated when fast charging the batteries and tons of heat is generated when putting the power out in Ludicrous mode or whatever they call it. If this Tesla roadster really can run a 1/4 mile in the 8's then the equivalent heat produced would be the same as a petrol drag car.....it takes the same amount of energy for a 3500 lb car to go down the track at 8 seconds whether it is petrol or all electric.

Electric cars are the perfect commuter, especially for short runs with stop and go driving so regenerative braking can be implemented to help with efficiency. But as soon as the all electric car hits the highway for non stop cruising, a modern 3 or 4 cylinder turbo diesel will get better mileage (or should I say cost per mile will be lower).

Gasoline and diesel is still the most efficient, cost effect and lowest emission vehicles on the road when doing hiway and long commutes. Todays modern cars have emissions so good that they literally put out nothing but heat and water vapor once they are up to operating temps.

Battery technology isn't going to matter since we won't be able to upgrade our power grid and increase power plants fast enough to meet even a 25% electric car fleet in our lifetime. The only way to make enough electricity is going to be nuclear, coal or diesel power plants. Hydro would be nice, but I don't think we have enough water to make up the difference. Wind power and solar will never be able to make enough power to feed our society and the way we live. This really is all marketing and social masturbation and there is a LOT of money to be made by a very few when you have govt subsidies and grants paying for your pet projects....not to mention the larger government bureaucracy that these types of programs create which means more taxes for us.

For $250k you could buy a very fast car like a Corvette ZR1, have $50k left over for fuel and donate the rest to ecological clean up, habitat rehabilitation, lobbying for cleaner emissions out of China, etc.....now that would really make a difference in the world. If you think you're saving the worlds ecology by buying a $250k Tesla, you couldn't be more wrong.

[Camfab]

Look at Musk's history. He has never been the guy to cash in, sell, and run. Money doesn't always drive intelectuals. It didn't with Steve Jobs and it doesn't with Musk. He's a renaissance man, and whether he is right or wrong--he believes he is doing the right thing for humanity.

So true!

I find your take on the Model S interesting. I do certainly agree it’s no Viper, and I only have limited experience behind the wheel, but I really was impressed. In fact I was really sceptical until I was behind the wheel. I’d take it over the common German commuters that seem to rule the streets.

[Coloviper]

The quarter mile run scenario is BS. Hell how many cars break down when you push them hard. Viper ACR barely made it around the ring. I am not a super big fan of the electric car looks in general (though they are getting better) but then again, I feel the new corvette is one of the ugliest cars EVER made. Right behind the Aztec.

Despite some of the comments here, you have to applaud an individual willing to commit everything to such a grand effort. Look at the pioneers of America, like Ford, Edison, the railroad guys, banking, oil,, electric, etc. that drives the world to change. The comments on rocket company this, Tesla can’t build things that, that he doesn’t know what he is doing. Some of you are pretty clueless.

The funny part is someone said BMW, Porsche, and Mercedes will lead the electric market and no one will buy Teslas in the future. Most laughable statement yet. All those guys had years to do this and they did absolutely nothing. Proofs in the pudding. Tesla at least has pudding. The others have an empty bowl right now.

As far as the finances to start a company, have some of you guys never started a business before. I suggest Economics 101.

Hey I might really dislike AV but some of the comments here are even more worrisome.

[Whitemamba]

Look at Musk's history. He has never been the guy to cash in, sell, and run. Money doesn't always drive intelectuals. It didn't with Steve Jobs and it doesn't with Musk. He's a renaissance man, and whether he is right or wrong--he believes he is doing the right thing for humanity.

Just like George Soros does and we know what is driving him.

[SRT_BluByU]

right now its a lot of marketing promises... i hope this turns out to be as promised. im just wary of folks asking for $50k upfront based on pre-production hype... jaguar comes to mind with its supercar in the 80’s and the turbine car more recently.. etc.

[Arizona Vipers]

This guy is a clown. Takes govment cheese and lives the life while his failure of business is on life support with tax payer funds and bailouts.

This douche can't build a $30K car on time / budget; how would anyone expect him mass produce an electric super car?

Go crash another rocket with you in it....f'in loser.

Elon Musk is a loser and a clown? LOL

[Arizona Vipers]

right now its a lot of marketing promises... i hope this turns out to be as promised. im just wary of folks asking for $50k upfront based on pre-production hype... jaguar comes to mind with its supercar in the 80’s and the turbine car more recently.. etc.

Tesla's 5400 lbs sedan is the fastest 0-60 ever recorded by most magazines at 2.2 seconds. So yeah, this "sports car" will accelerate like promised. I don't think it will hit 250mph though, the tires would just be too expensive. The Veyron's tires are $17,000 a set and need to be replaced if you hit 250mph two times.

[Scott_in_fl]

Despite some of the comments here, you have to applaud an individual willing to commit everything to such a grand effort. Look at the pioneers of America, like Ford, Edison, the railroad guys, banking, oil,, electric, etc. that drives the world to change. The comments on rocket company this, Tesla can’t build things that, that he doesn’t know what he is doing. Some of you are pretty clueless.

The funny part is someone said BMW, Porsche, and Mercedes will lead the electric market and no one will buy Teslas in the future. Most laughable statement yet. All those guys had years to do this and they did absolutely nothing. Proofs in the pudding. Tesla at least has pudding. The others have an empty bowl right now.

Correct. It always amazes me that Tesla, even today (years after the electric movement started) still makes everyone else with an electric car look ridiculous regarding performance and range.

Can't believe that BMW could not do more than 15 mi. battery only with their i8 (with about 1/2 the performance of a Tesla) or much more than 100 miles total electric with their latest i3 (which has about 1/10th the performance of a Tesla).

And, nobody is doing any better. Nissan Leaf, GM Volt/ELR, Prius, Fisker -- they're all laughable compared to a Tesla Model S that can do 315 miles on a charge. Just like now, when Musk was starting his company nobody believed that it could be done.

Tesla's 5400 lbs sedan is the fastest 0-60 ever recorded by most magazines at 2.2 seconds. So yeah, this "sports car" will accelerate like promised. I don't think it will hit 250mph though, the tires would just be too expensive. The Veyron's tires are $17,000 a set and need to be replaced if you hit 250mph two times.

Those tires are that expensive because they are made in such small batches by one MFG. If cars are going there, then tire MFG's will too.

[dmann]

I am more interested in the Solar roofs, but my limited research says solar panels can produce more power for less.

The idea of Solar providing enough power to run my house and charge my vehicles intrigues me. That’s what I would like to see.

You are correct.
Here is some info i gathered to support this.

The average system size for the U.S. residential solar market(5 kW (5,000 watt) solar system)
5KW-4.jpg



The panels produces just over 303 kWh of energy in a year.
The 2016 Tesla Model S requires 34 kWh per every 100 miles.
Tesla Model S uses 68 per week(200 miles) for the average work week commute.

With these figures the tesla would be charged 4.45 weeks( a month)
on an entire years charging from these residential solar systems.

[ViperDC]

But hold on. You're talking about cars that there are literally only a handful of remaining in existence. Those cars are so collectible because they are historically notable and so incredibly rare. Collectors purchase them not to drive, but to put away in mothballs.

Ferrari needs to sell 7,000 cars each year to be profitable. It cannot sell 7,000 cars a year to collectors that intend only to store them. It needs to have demand from a much broader base of buyers. Today, that buyer wants a car that he can show at cars and coffee and post videos of roll races on YouTube. Like it or not, that is the current market participant. And that buyer will start getting in line now if he/she could for the Tesla coupe if nobody is ready to offer an alternative.

Yep you're right dude, Tesla is about to put Ferrari out of business. Also please stop pulling stuff out of your ass like "Ferrari needs to sell 7000 cars a year to be profitable"

LOL

[Vipermann]

Electric sports cars will be like slot cars. Lightening fast acceleration, but then hard to hold a line with speed around corners because of the weight-to-tire-width ratios with heavy batteries (and the giant cat paw that grabs them...).

[ek1]

I will run that bitch down when we hit the turns!

I would not be so sure. It will have 3 independent motors, awd and torque vectoring, so it will rocket out of corners. The battery pack positioning delivers low center of gravity.