Would you buy an electric car?

[Dr. Love]

Originally posted by knuckleboner
nick is correct on the hybrids, but not the 100mph+ hybrids. those are currently modifications to existing hybrids, but they ARE home plug-ins.


that said, i believe i've read somewhere that the additional pollution, etc. generated from a power plant charging a hybrid is less than the pollution, etc. generated from an equivalent internal combustion gas engine.

Yeah, I was actually pretty curious about the amount an electric bill would go up from charging these things. According to the article, if you charge during the evening/night (which are supposedly non-peak hours) you actually spend 3/10 the cost you would in gasoline.

Supposedly.

[Big Train]

Nick I do think you are on to something. I believe what we will eventually see, and it will be in industrial applications first, is biodiesel as the fuel and ideas from other alt. energy cars being employed. Regenerative braking should be standard on ALL cars, especially SUV's and heavy trucking, 18 wheelers. Jr.s DVD player sucks up a lot of juice.

Stacking a lot of batteries together makes about as much sense as stringing up a thousand 60 watt lights bulbs to light up the backyard. And is about as toxic and wasteful.

The prohibitive price of deploying the technology and maintaining (wait till Joe 12-pack gets his first battery bill) are the exact reasons it will never take off. The toxic reasons are another, but secondary.

[Cathedral]

Buy a fucking horse, the feed is 1/3rd of a typical monthly gas bill, and they shit fertilizer.

My truck will be doing a lot of sitting, that's for sure.

Oh, so a horse isn't practical in the city you say?

Move...

[Panamark]

Fuck all this..

Plutonium..... ORRRRRRRRIGHT !!!!!!!!!!!!

or

water.....

(Fish fuck in it ??)

[Hardrock69]

My sister and her husband recently went on a trip to Canada. They rented a Prius Hybrid. They drove up there for under 40 bucks each way.

From Gnashville to an hour NorthEast of Toronto.

[Panamark]

Not bad at all !

[ELVIS]

Not fun either...

Softcock, you believe anything, don't you...

Hey, I have a 100 plus mpg carburetor to sell you...

And there's no sush thing as "free energy"...

[FORD]

Necroposting this because of the newest Tesla model. This one's more "family" oriented. And more "family" priced as well........



Tesla unveils world’s first mass-produced, highway-capable EV
Model S sedan has anticipated base price of $49,900, up to 300-mile range and 45-minute QuickCharge capability

March 26, 2009

HAWTHORNE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE) —Tesla Motors is now taking orders for the Model S, an all electric family sedan that carries seven people and travels 300 miles per charge.

The Model S, which carries its charger onboard, can be recharged from any 120V, 240V or 480V outlet, with the latter taking only 45 minutes. By recharging their car while they stop for a meal, drivers can go from LA to New York in approximately the same time as a gasoline car. Moreover, the floor-mounted battery pack is designed to be changed out in less time than it takes to fill a gas tank, allowing for the possibility of battery-pack swap stations.

The floor-mounted powertrain also results in unparalleled cargo room and versatility, as the volume under the front hood becomes a second trunk. Combining that with a four-bar linkage hatchback rear trunk and flat folding rear seats, the Model S can accommodate a 50-inch television, mountain bike *and* surfboard simultaneously. This packaging efficiency gives the Model S more trunk space than any other sedan on the market and more than most SUVs.

“Model S doesn’t compromise on performance, efficiency or utility -- it’s truly the only car you need,” said Tesla CEO, Chairman and Product Architect Elon Musk. “Tesla is relentlessly driving down the cost of electric vehicle technology, and this is just the first of many mainstream cars we’re developing.”

Tesla expects to start Model S production in late 2011. The company believes it is close to receiving $350 million in federal loans to build the Model S assembly plant in California from the Dept of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program.

Building on Proven Technology

Tesla is the only production automaker already selling highway-capable EVs in North America or Europe. With 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds, the Roadster outperforms almost all sports cars in its class yet is six times as energy efficient as gas guzzlers and delivers 244 miles per charge. Tesla has delivered nearly 300 Roadsters, and nearly 1,000 more customers are on the wait list.

Teslas do not require routine oil changes, and they have far fewer moving (and breakable) parts than internal combustion engine vehicles. They qualify for federal and state tax credits, rebates, sales tax exemptions, free parking, commuter-lane passes and other perks. Model S costs roughly $5 to drive 230 miles – a bargain even if gasoline were $1 per gallon.

The anticipated base price of the Model S is $49,900 after a federal tax credit of $7,500. The company has not released options pricing. Three battery pack choices will offer a range of 160, 230 or 300 miles per charge.

“Model S costs half as much as a Roadster, and it’s a better value than much cheaper cars,” Musk said. “The ownership cost of Model S, if you were to lease and then account for the much lower cost of electricity vs. gasoline at a likely future cost of $4 per gallon, is similar to a gasoline car with a sticker price of about $35,000. I’m positive this car will be the preferred choice of savvy consumers.”

The standard Model S does 0-60 mph in under six seconds and will have an electronically limited top speed of 130 mph, with sport versions expected to achieve 0-60 mph acceleration well below five seconds. A single-speed gearbox delivers effortless acceleration and responsive handling. A 17-inch touchscreen with in-car 3G connectivity allows passengers to listen to Pandora Radio or consult Google Maps, or check their state of charge remotely from their iPhone or laptop.

Tesla is taking reservations online and at showrooms in California. Tesla will open a store in Chicago this spring and plans to open stores in London, New York, Miami, Seattle, Washington DC and Munich later this year.

About Tesla Motors

San Carlos, Calif.-based Tesla Motors Inc. designs and manufactures electric vehicles with exceptional design, performance and efficiency, while conforming to all North American and European safety, environmental and durability standards. The Roadster, which has a 0-to-60 mph acceleration of 3.9 seconds and a base price of $101,500 after a federal tax credit, is the only highway-capable production EV for sale in North America and Europe. Tesla expects to begin producing the Model S sedan in late 2011. Details and photos are available at Tesla Motors.

CONTACT:

Rachel Konrad
Tesla Motors, Inc.
+1 (650) 701-2664
rachel@teslamotors.com

[Guitar Shark]

That sounds pretty sweet, actually...

[WACF]

...but does it come with air conditioning?


The problem with some of these cars are everything is supposed to line up perfect for you.

A/C pulls a good load on a gas engine...what will it do to electric.

Same goes for heat in cold climates....something like that would not work in most of Canada and the upper US.

I tell ya.....you appreciate the rumble of the internal combustion engine when you are trying to warm up when leaving the rink at midnight and it is -40 Celcius...

[chefcraig]

Speaker: Welcome - to the electric car of the future! Sponsored by the gasoline producers of America.
Electric Car: Hello, I am an electric car. I can't go very fast, or very far. And if you drive me, people will think you're gay!

[FORD]

...but does it come with air conditioning?


The problem with some of these cars are everything is supposed to line up perfect for you.

A/C pulls a good load on a gas engine...what will it do to electric.

Same goes for heat in cold climates....something like that would not work in most of Canada and the upper US.

I tell ya.....you appreciate the rumble of the internal combustion engine when you are trying to warm up when leaving the rink at midnight and it is -40 Celcius...

I can't find any specifics on the heat and/or A/C system, but here's an interior shot....


You'll notice there's a vent in the left corner, and two in the center. Also another on the right (off camera) Looks like the standard vent setup for any vehicle that I know of. So we can assume it at least has a heater. And being a California based company, I can't imagine them making it without A/C . On the other hand, looking at the interior picture again, it appears as though the roof panel is removable, which would provide "natural" A/C in this model, just as it is with the previous Tesla Roadster.

Also seems to have power windows and door locks, which is fairly common these days, but I could live without.

[ELVIS]

Yes it has A/C, but how much does a 45 minute "quick charge" cost ??

[ELVIS]

Looks like they ripped off VW for the interior...

[FORD]

Yes it has A/C, but how much does a 45 minute "quick charge" cost ??

About $4.00 per charge. So at current gas prices, that would be the equivalent of about 150 miles per gallon.