Model 3 Unveiling [video] • Hacker News Board

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#131

Post by Animats » Fri, Apr 01, 2016, 4:25 AM UTC

valine wrote: post #93

aresant wrote: post #55

I love Tesla the company and respect the hell out of Elon. But his presentation style is hard to watch - he is literally stammering through what feels like a dry script. I've never seen him live before is this par for the course or nerves? Edit - wow that is a better looking car than I expected. You can be as awkward serving as you like if that's the main course!

I rather like his presentation style. For some reason it strikes me as genuine, like he's someone I can relate with and look up to. He doesn't need to be a flashy salesman because his projects will sell themselves.

"For some reason it strikes me as genuine, like he's someone I can relate with and look up to."

That's typical of salespeople at the higher levels. The smooth-talking types are down at the midmarket dealerships.

For the other extreme, see Shai Agassi, who ran an electric car company, Better Place. This is his 2009 TED talk.[1] I heard him speak once. He's really good looking, he sounds very convincing, and his business plan was total bullshit. ("E-miles follow Moore's Law.") But he convinced people to invest $900 million, met with many national leaders, and got massive press coverage. Better Place delivered a only a few hundred cars, built by Renault, before it went bust.

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcoJt2KLC9k

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#132

Post by jd20 » Fri, Apr 01, 2016, 4:26 AM UTC

shekyboy wrote: post #102

Felt the presentation ended half way. Wanted him to show the inside of the car and all the features. Caught the glimpse the new horizontal screen, but no details on that in the presentation or on the side.... Wonder if they are not ready with all those yet. Or maybe I am used to Apple keynotes

Felt more like they're just not ready yet (not a good sign IMO). When the final version of the Model X got a stage reveal, Musk presented a great deal more info (interior, new features like BioHazard mode, etc...)

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#133

Post by slg » Fri, Apr 01, 2016, 4:26 AM UTC

Animats wrote: post #113

OK, $35K, 115,000 pre-orders, delivery early 2018. (Yeah, he said "next year", and then the projection said "late next year", and then he waffled, so 2018 is realistic.) Tesla's current production rate is about 70,000 units a year. Yes, the NUMMI plant once produced 500K vehicles a year on that site, but that just means Tesla has lots of empty building shell into which they can expand. The real problem is profitabili…

They did just get a zero interest 2 year loan of $115 million.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#134

Post by UnoriginalGuy » Fri, Apr 01, 2016, 4:26 AM UTC

gameshot911 wrote: post #115

Okay, I'll say it. I don't like the hatchback-esque look. I would have much preferred a normal sedan design. Yes the car is amazing in a ton of other ways, and yes the look will probably grow on me over time, but I don't want to "learn to love it". I want to innately find it beautiful at first glance. And my initial, instinctual reaction to the unveil was...a feeling of slight letdown.

Hatchbacks give you more headroom than sedans. So if they're primarily concerned with its back seat roominess then going hatchback makes a lot of sense.

Hatchbacks are simply more practical vehicles unfortunately. They don't even have that much worse MPG than a sedan, and they give you a little more space to work with. It is a pragmatic choice.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#135

Post by rdl » Fri, Apr 01, 2016, 4:27 AM UTC

manav wrote: post #24

EDIT: Found a live stream on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FLSxJjdnLU Also, I made a reservation at the Fremont factory today. Took around 15 mins including line, but I went in around 10:30-11am. I'd estimate there were around 600 people before me in the morning. Fairly certain they will hit 100k before the stream starts.

I was at Fremont at 0450, number 35 or so in line (there were tents of people ahead, was hard to count). Had my car reserved by 1007. 5h well spent.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#136

Post by jvm » Fri, Apr 01, 2016, 4:28 AM UTC

> Both cars will start at $30,000 or less after federal tax credits of $7,500 are applied. And both go at least 200 miles on a fully charged battery. The Bolt is a five-passenger hatchback that boasts cargo space and more legroom for rear passengers—front-seat backs are an inch thinner than in most cars.

Looks almost identical specs-wise to Chevy Bolt, which will be available at the end of 2016 rather than 2017.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-03-31/tesla-s-ne...

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#137

Post by dangrossman » Fri, Apr 01, 2016, 4:29 AM UTC

UnoriginalGuy wrote: post #127

usaphp wrote: post #83

Wow, I don't really know how bmw or mercedes are going to compete with model 3. Tesla does not look worse than 3 series and C class, is faster and is almost free to run. And the base bmw 3 series starts at $33,200 and it is almost empty inside...It will be an interesting couple years for auto industry for sure.

> almost free to run Legit question: How much does a Tesla cost to recharge? I mean assuming you do it in your home and not at a free charging station. Are we talking $1/charge? $5? 50c? I just want a frame of reference. I'm talking raw electricity only (and obviously based on some average rate).

The average electric price in the US is 10-15 cents per kWh for most regions. A 60 kWh battery would cost $6 to $9 to fully charge, then. With gas at just ~$2 per gallon, it's only a ~50% discount compared to the fuel a gas car with decent MPG would need for the same distance travelled. The economics were better when gas cost twice as much.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#138

Post by andersen1488 » Fri, Apr 01, 2016, 4:30 AM UTC

UnoriginalGuy wrote: post #127

usaphp wrote: post #83

Wow, I don't really know how bmw or mercedes are going to compete with model 3. Tesla does not look worse than 3 series and C class, is faster and is almost free to run. And the base bmw 3 series starts at $33,200 and it is almost empty inside...It will be an interesting couple years for auto industry for sure.

> almost free to run Legit question: How much does a Tesla cost to recharge? I mean assuming you do it in your home and not at a free charging station. Are we talking $1/charge? $5? 50c? I just want a frame of reference. I'm talking raw electricity only (and obviously based on some average rate).

The Model S comes with a standard 60 kwH battery, which at an average rate of $0.20/kwH for electricity in the US, that's about $12.00 to fill it up for 250 miles range.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#139

Post by UnoriginalGuy » Fri, Apr 01, 2016, 4:30 AM UTC

jd20 wrote: post #132

shekyboy wrote: post #102

Felt the presentation ended half way. Wanted him to show the inside of the car and all the features. Caught the glimpse the new horizontal screen, but no details on that in the presentation or on the side.... Wonder if they are not ready with all those yet. Or maybe I am used to Apple keynotes

Felt more like they're just not ready yet (not a good sign IMO). When the final version of the Model X got a stage reveal, Musk presented a great deal more info (interior, new features like BioHazard mode, etc...)

The BioHazard Mode was a work of genius. Not in terms of the actual feature, but in marketing terms, everyone was talking about it and it was a unique thing that only Tesla had.

Essentially they re-branded "full" on the AC dial.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#140

Post by WrkInProgress » Fri, Apr 01, 2016, 4:30 AM UTC

usaphp wrote: post #83

Wow, I don't really know how bmw or mercedes are going to compete with model 3. Tesla does not look worse than 3 series and C class, is faster and is almost free to run. And the base bmw 3 series starts at $33,200 and it is almost empty inside...It will be an interesting couple years for auto industry for sure.

A couple of counter points

1.) Design is subjective. I for one think while the Model S looks great, the X and 3 do not look that attractive.

2.) I really don't think "faster" really means much when are you talking about the majority of the mainstream automobile market. Top speed is low on the list of priorities for the average consumer.

3.) Cheaper is not free. I would save about $70 (based on today's gas prices in Ontario, Canada) per month in gasoline costs, but it would still cost me about $60 a month in electricity costs to do an average of 20,000 km a year.

4.) Production capability, supply chain and support network can not be overlooked. Tesla struggled to get 50,000 cars out last year. BMW sold north of 2 million cars in 2015. I recognize Tesla is growing day by day, but 50,000 to 2 million is a big jump.