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Model 3 Unveiling [video]

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Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#291
post #174
post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"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…

Which brings up the question of whether it's not already time existing cars (starting at the performance end, and then trickling down to consumer market), should not already be replacing: (Int. Combustion Engine)---[variable rotational speed/torque]--->drivetrain with: ICE---[constant rot. speed & constant torque]-->dynamo--->battery-->fully electric motor(s) drive train. That would give most of the performance benef…

This is how most diesel trains work.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#292
post #289

Yesterday Elon Musk tweeted this[1]: "Tomorrow is Part 1 of the Model 3 unveil. Part 2, which takes things to another level, will be closer to production. " And back in January he tweeted this[2]: "In ~2 years, summon should work anywhere connected by land & not blocked by borders, eg you're in LA and the car is in NY" Do you think he is saying the Model 3 will be fully autonomous? [1] https://twitter.com/elonmusk/st…

It sounds like it, but that would be on hell of a battery range if that's true.

It will probably be able to drive itself to a charging station. :)

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#293

I may be that paranoid, but the glass roof feels as thrilling as scary. What happens if something drops on it ? if the car ends up tumbling ? the roll cage is probably as sturdy as anything Tesla did before but that seems like a too large open spot ..

It'd probably just shatter; should be laminated glass so it wouldn't explode into your eyes much. Regular cars are just as scary when you think about it, imagine the roof collapsing on top of you.

Well, two flavor of hell. Metal doesn't fracture. So it shields you for a while, but it it can also hold you hostage.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#294
post #194

Some of the press pics and video from inside the car is really interesting. There is no instrument panel and the only screen is the center tablet. That would seem to be somewhat inconvenient to view things like speed. I wonder if that is hinting at a future with expanded autopilot were the driver can pay less attention to the instruments. [1] - https://twitter.com/autonews_west/status/715761107508584448 [2] - https:/…

As a UI designer this is really interesting. How do drivers view speed? I need a demo video!

I think the car has to have a HUD...surely...

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#295
post #289

Yesterday Elon Musk tweeted this[1]: "Tomorrow is Part 1 of the Model 3 unveil. Part 2, which takes things to another level, will be closer to production. " And back in January he tweeted this[2]: "In ~2 years, summon should work anywhere connected by land & not blocked by borders, eg you're in LA and the car is in NY" Do you think he is saying the Model 3 will be fully autonomous? [1] https://twitter.com/elonmusk/st…

It sounds like it, but that would be on hell of a battery range if that's true.

Maybe it could charge itself at charging stations?

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#296
post #68

over 100000 orders... so they just made $100M in less than a day in just reservations. nice.

Well, they're just reservations and they can't exactly spend the money, since they'd have to repay it. Also it's 10M, not 100.

100,000 * $1,000 = $100,000,000

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#297

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…

>But with near-zero interest rates, and lots of pre-orders, they can probably borrow heavily for plant at very low cost. This is essentially the entire reason Tesla even exists. Nearly a decade of near zero interest rates have resulted in massive amounts of capital are available to be thrown at huge projects like this.

Don't forget green subsidies

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#298
post #289

Yesterday Elon Musk tweeted this[1]: "Tomorrow is Part 1 of the Model 3 unveil. Part 2, which takes things to another level, will be closer to production. " And back in January he tweeted this[2]: "In ~2 years, summon should work anywhere connected by land & not blocked by borders, eg you're in LA and the car is in NY" Do you think he is saying the Model 3 will be fully autonomous? [1] https://twitter.com/elonmusk/st…

It sounds like it, but that would be on hell of a battery range if that's true.

I don't mean the range so much as it sounds like he could be hinting that the car will be capable of being fully autonomous. Considering the price point for the entry level version is ~35k, could we be about to see the first mass market self driving car?

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#299
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…

Different strokes. Tesla can have my $50K-100K. I'm buying everything you're worried about.

It's ugly and bad value. There will be better options in 2 years.
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