Model 3 Unveiling [video] • Hacker News Board

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#161

Post by iamcreasy » Fri, Apr 01, 2016, 4:41 AM UTC

Animats wrote: post #131

valine wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 busine…

"That's typical of salespeople at the higher levels."

Similar isn't Same.

And on top of that we are talking about different kind of resemblance.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#162

Post by marincounty » Fri, Apr 01, 2016, 4:41 AM UTC

valine wrote: post #43

> If you buy a conventional car, your interaction with the people who made it has ended. With Tesla, that interaction has only just begun. There's something unnerving about this. Your car has access to so much information about you. Where you go, where you work, what stores you like to shop at, and what restaurants you like. To me, a car is a tool. When I purchase a car, I'm purchasing The engine, the wheels, and the…

I'm with you. I don't want a relationship with company.

Conventional modern vechicles might not track your movements, but they keep you tied to the mothership/dealership after purchase.

These conventional modern vechicles are complicated. They are loaded with propriatiatry features, unbelievably complicated emmission devices, and computers I can't access--even if I spend 5 grand on the right scanner. (If they will sell to an owner?)

That vechicle in the movie Vacation comes to mind. These modern vechicles, not Elan's, are just a time bomb waiting to break down. Good luck finding an independent shop that knows how to efficiently repair these modern masterpieces. Most people are going to have a relationship with a dealership, at dealership prices.

I just got smogged a '87 Toyota yesterday. What I spent on parts/my labor was rediculious. Yea--it passed, but it's rediculious how stringent CARB has gotten. My little car is not a threat to the enviornment. Plus, how much carbon did I spare the enviornment by not buying a new vechicle every few years?

This rant is Not about Tesla. I understand why they need access to most of the vechicle's electronics.

It's about these conventional vechicles you people are buying. I want a vechicle that I can keep for a long time.

If things don't change, I forsee throwaway vechicles. Essentially a bunch of bricks.

Maybe that's what they want. "Oh they will just by the newer version? They loved the voice assisted gps?

I'm driving around my old vechicle that's running a stoichiometric number of 14.7:1. Meaning it's running well. I'm throwing out 20 ppm's of HC. 02 was .1 percent. My CO was .04 at idle. My N0 was 0 due to a $300 catalytic converter.

In California, my little 4 banger is a horrid high emitter?

Good luck smogging these newer vechicles when that warranty runs out. Good luck repairing these overly modernized vechicles. They will break down.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#163

Post by dragontamer » Fri, Apr 01, 2016, 4:41 AM UTC

WrkInProgress wrote: post #140

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 O…

To be fair, acceleration speed is most important, and zero-to-sixty in 6 seconds is competitive against $30k cars. (The fastest cars in this price range... like Ford Focus RS... is zero-to-sixty in 4.7 seconds. $35,900 for the RS.)

Everyone appreciates a speedy acceleration, when merging into highways or getting out of the way. Its far more important to be quick on acceleration than to have a top-speed.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#164

Post by tokipin » Fri, Apr 01, 2016, 4:43 AM UTC

Ingon wrote: post #76

lai wrote: post #65

Wow it looks really nice. The front is completely sealed.

Yeah, I understand that's a bold "see, I'm electric" statement, but still feels a bit awkward.

Most cars have grills because they need the ventilation to cool the engine. I think they're mostly something we've gotten used to. When electric cars become more common those gas car grills will probably start looking clunky.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#165

Post by booleanbetrayal » Fri, Apr 01, 2016, 4:44 AM UTC

dangrossman wrote: post #137

UnoriginalGuy wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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.

Still a great savings at that vehicle class. Especially compelling is home charging with solar. Why not close the circle with a Tesla PowerWall and some Solar City panels? =P

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#166

Post by JamilD » Fri, Apr 01, 2016, 4:44 AM UTC

iamcreasy wrote: post #151

valine wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Exactly, I can pay attentions to what Elon Musk is saying. Wheres others usually try to sugarcoat it. Says the same thing over and over again, and it gets really frustrating. But Elon Musk jumps right to the point, and doesn't beat around the bush.

I really appreciated the brevity of the presentation. There was enough suspense before the unveiling, but the whole thing was <30 minutes.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#167

Post by rurounijones » Fri, Apr 01, 2016, 4:45 AM UTC

timdorr wrote: post #78

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.

He announced 115,000 reservations before the stream began. That's $115m spent on a product no one had seen. Crazy.

That's $115m spent on a product no one had seen. Crazy.

Cough Star Citizen Cough ;)

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#168

Post by dragontamer » Fri, Apr 01, 2016, 4:47 AM UTC

Seats five is interesting... but I'm not quite seeing the perspective. Its hard to tell the size difference.

From my eyes, it looks like its roughly the size of a Scion, maybe only a little bit larger than a Honda Fit. Which seats 5... technically... but its not too comfortable. Its more of a 4-seater with a 5th seat that may be used if you care about it.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#169

Post by cheald » Fri, Apr 01, 2016, 4:48 AM UTC

aerovistae wrote: post #157

greglindahl wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can't make a car with low drag without it being a hatchback. And low drag is key to reasonable battery size.

I believe you, but can you provide a source or explanation for that insight?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kammback#Aerodynamics

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#170

Post by mikeash » Fri, Apr 01, 2016, 4:48 AM UTC

rsync wrote: post #152

suprgeek wrote: post #89

Very clean looks also: 215 Miles Range with 0-60 in 6secs, Seats 5 will have autodrive tech all for $35,000 Deliveries begin end of 2017 (Hopefully) This is truly a mass market full electric car. We may be seeing something on the lines of the iPhone - a category busting product.

"with 0-60 in 6secs" This part confuses me. The very fast 0-60 times that you see in electric cars are a function not of their massive engines or super tuned turbos, but of their instantaneous torque (as they are electric). Given that this is an electric car, and that its size and weight are commensurable to the (presumably) smaller electric motor, I would expect it to have similar 0-60 times. I just assumed that whe…

Because you can make more money by charging extra for performance. For an extreme example, the Model S P90D has a $10,000 Ludicrous Mode option which just flips a software switch.