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Elon Musk: Tesla network to triple by July, cross country travel by year’s end

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Re: Elon Musk: Tesla network to triple by July, cross country travel by year’s end

#11

Post by baddox »

kiba wrote: post #3
pixie_ wrote: post #2

Waiting 30 minutes is still a dealbreaker for a lot of people. How about switching out those batteries like propane tanks. I'll let someone else figure out the technical details of that.

You're going to complain about taking a 30 minutes break after a 2 hours drive? Also, if you charge your car every night, you should have enough range to drive to work.

Twenty percent of your road time spent not moving? Yes, I would complain about that. I don't think anyone who has taken any considerable road trip would find this strange.

Re: Elon Musk: Tesla network to triple by July, cross country travel by year’s end

#12

Post by jlgreco »

pixie_ wrote: post #7
kiba wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're going to complain about taking a 30 minutes break after a 2 hours drive? Also, if you charge your car every night, you should have enough range to drive to work.

If you think having to take a 30 minute break after 2 hours of driving ISN'T a big deal then you are way out of touch.

I've driven straight across the country (2700 miles per trip) several times in the past 5 years, and stopping 30 minutes every few hours is not a big deal.

Unless you are into amphetamines or falling asleep at the wheel, it is the only way to do it for any extended amount of time.

Re: Elon Musk: Tesla network to triple by July, cross country travel by year’s end

#13

Post by sliverstorm »

pixie_ wrote: post #2

Waiting 30 minutes is still a dealbreaker for a lot of people. How about switching out those batteries like propane tanks. I'll let someone else figure out the technical details of that.

How about switching out those batteries

Batteries in most electric cars are squeezed in every possible location. It's not just a cube you can slide out the side of the car.

If it was a cube, you'd either have to make the car really big or cut the range in half.

Maybe they've found some way around it with the Tesla, but it isn't usually just that they don't like the idea of battery-swap stations.

Re: Elon Musk: Tesla network to triple by July, cross country travel by year’s end

#14

Post by mtgx »

pixie_ wrote: post #2

Waiting 30 minutes is still a dealbreaker for a lot of people. How about switching out those batteries like propane tanks. I'll let someone else figure out the technical details of that.

You mean like the company that just went bankrupt? (Better Place)

Re: Elon Musk: Tesla network to triple by July, cross country travel by year’s end

#15

Post by chaz »

pixie_ wrote: post #2

Waiting 30 minutes is still a dealbreaker for a lot of people. How about switching out those batteries like propane tanks. I'll let someone else figure out the technical details of that.

There was an interesting article in the WSJ that talks about "contingency anxiety," and explains why car manufacturers like Land Rover add ridiculous capabilities, like fording waters 35.4" inches deep, in their Range Rover.

  Car makers call it "contingency anxiety," the urge to buy a mechanically
  overqualified vehicle because maybe, once in a blue moon—or a
  hurricane on a high tide—the car buyer might need the extra functionality.
I think this is tapping into the same psychology. I've seen people insist on buying AWD in the Bay Area "just in case" they go skiing to Lake Tahoe, but never do.

The reality is that most Tesla owners will simply commute well within the regular range. Telsa is reducing the, "but how will we do the 4 hour drive to grandma's house for Thanksgiving" argument by providing an inconvenient -- but workable -- solution. They're betting that's enough to get a meaningful number of people over the hump.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142412788732443980457810...

Re: Elon Musk: Tesla network to triple by July, cross country travel by year’s end

#16

Post by rdl »

I wonder if he intended to announce it after all, or if that actually was a misstep on stage.

The one drive I'd be likely to make at all frequently which kind of makes me wary of relying on a Model S would be SFBA to Yosemite. Not far enough south to hit the Harris Ranch station, but far enough to need to recharge. And few of the places around there would have 230v, or even available 110v charging. "Rent a car just for that trip" would be fine, though.

Re: Elon Musk: Tesla network to triple by July, cross country travel by year’s end

#18

Post by Goopplesoft »

pixie_ wrote: post #8
timdorr wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Elon has been hinting at faster-than-gas recharging rates for the past few weeks on Twitter. The Supercharger network upgrades are part 4 of a 5 part trilogy they've been running since April. It's widely rumored that part 5 will be battery swapping or something similar to enable ultra fast charging. My guess: Superchargers will remain free as promised and the battery swapping will offer faster charging, but at a cost…

If he gets the manufacturing costs down and the volume up, could the service possibly be cheaper than the typical $50 fill up? That would be a game changer.

Really? Right now it costs an average of about $7-8 bucks for a typical 230 mi range (about a tank). If the service costs anywhere near $50, it'd be disappointing.

Cost reduction plays a huge (if not the biggest) consideration in going electric.

Re: Elon Musk: Tesla network to triple by July, cross country travel by year’s end

#19

Post by 1123581321 »

kiba wrote: post #3
pixie_ wrote: post #2

Waiting 30 minutes is still a dealbreaker for a lot of people. How about switching out those batteries like propane tanks. I'll let someone else figure out the technical details of that.

You're going to complain about taking a 30 minutes break after a 2 hours drive? Also, if you charge your car every night, you should have enough range to drive to work.

A typical person in the US used to driving distances would have no trouble driving eight hours in a row stopping only for 1-2 gas breaks and one bathroom/food break. Edit: and two such people in a car could easily drive 12-24 hours alternating. For example, my friends drive between Texas and Illinois and expect to complete the trip in under 24 hours.

It's okay that the Tesla isn't going after that market yet, but getting them to change their habits for the car is unlikely to happen. That's okay!

Re: Elon Musk: Tesla network to triple by July, cross country travel by year’s end

#20

Post by waterlesscloud »

jlgreco wrote: post #12
pixie_ wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you think having to take a 30 minute break after 2 hours of driving ISN'T a big deal then you are way out of touch.

I've driven straight across the country (2700 miles per trip) several times in the past 5 years, and stopping 30 minutes every few hours is not a big deal. Unless you are into amphetamines or falling asleep at the wheel, it is the only way to do it for any extended amount of time.

"Unless you are into amphetamines or falling asleep at the wheel, it is the only way to do it for any extended amount of time."

This is simply not a true statement.

It may be your personal preference, but it is not at all universal.

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