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Why can't the wheels turn after the battery dies?
The article explains that it doesn't have power to turn on "tow mode" - so the wheels remain engaged to the now dead electrical system, effectively locking them in place.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
The article explains that it doesn't have power to turn on "tow mode" - so the wheels remain engaged to the now dead electrical system, effectively locking them in place.
That seems like something that should really fail open, for exactly those kind of situations.
It seems like it's an inherent in this sort of battery. I'm not sure what Tesla could do to offset this. Computer makers mostly don't offer warranties in the case of negligence or intentional damage. The same seems to apply here.
We're much more accepting of computer and software bugs than vehicle bugs. This, if true, will turn into a PR nightmare for them very fast.
Could this really not be prevented by a $10 microcontroller and a big-ass relay to just disconnect the battery if it reaches a certain discharge state? Even my iPhone can turn turtle to protect its battery when it gets too low. Also how much power does it take to keep the damn thing plugged in? The article indicates that a 100 foot extension cord isn't enough just to break even and the car discharges even when plugge…
The account of the Tesla discharging while plugged in to a 100-foot extension cord strikes me as suspect. It's anecdotal at best. Have a look at the Tesla Roadster "Charging" page: http://www.teslamotors.com/goelectric/charging Using 120V @ 15A, you get a charge rate of +5 miles (of range) per hour. Obviously not the optimal solution, but not a net negative either. Adding a 100 foot extension cord isn't going to dimi…
Additionally they quote it's happened 5 times... by an un-named service manager.
Why can't the wheels turn after the battery dies?
Could this really not be prevented by a $10 microcontroller and a big-ass relay to just disconnect the battery if it reaches a certain discharge state? Even my iPhone can turn turtle to protect its battery when it gets too low. Also how much power does it take to keep the damn thing plugged in? The article indicates that a 100 foot extension cord isn't enough just to break even and the car discharges even when plugge…
The account of the Tesla discharging while plugged in to a 100-foot extension cord strikes me as suspect. It's anecdotal at best. Have a look at the Tesla Roadster "Charging" page: http://www.teslamotors.com/goelectric/charging Using 120V @ 15A, you get a charge rate of +5 miles (of range) per hour. Obviously not the optimal solution, but not a net negative either. Adding a 100 foot extension cord isn't going to dimi…
Its possible that the Tesla simply won't charge at all if the current or voltage on the line becomes too low. In this case, it would be "plugged in" but not charging.
Edit: Lets figure it out: Range=244mi. Battery capacity=58kWh. So: 5 miles takes 1.086kWh. 10% is lost in chemical conversion so we really need 1.207kWh for those miles. We pull at a rate of 1.8kWh/h from the plug. So 600 watts or so is lost elsewhere. We know the "always on" battery cooling system alone takes around 150 watts. Its not that far fetched.
Edit: I deleted my comment below where I calculated the cost of keeping the car on standby because I don't think I made clear enough (and didn't want to type it all twice) the difference between the actual discharge rate of the battery and the amount of power required at the charger to stop it. It just seems to take a lot of power at the charge port before any gets to the battery. The battery seems to discharge at an average rate of just 30 watts, but it seems to take a much, much greater amount of power input to prevent this and failing to provide this power has dire consequences. Why?
"In at least one case, Tesla went even further. The Tesla service manager admitted that, unable to contact an owner by phone, Tesla remotely activated a dying vehicle’s GPS to determine its location and then dispatched Tesla staff to go there. It is not clear if Tesla had obtained this owner’s consent to allow this tracking5, or if the owner is even aware that his vehicle had been tracked. Further, the service manage…
Yeah Tesla saved the guy 40k, how rude
Earlier quoted context omitted.
The account of the Tesla discharging while plugged in to a 100-foot extension cord strikes me as suspect. It's anecdotal at best. Have a look at the Tesla Roadster "Charging" page: http://www.teslamotors.com/goelectric/charging Using 120V @ 15A, you get a charge rate of +5 miles (of range) per hour. Obviously not the optimal solution, but not a net negative either. Adding a 100 foot extension cord isn't going to dimi…
I would agree. The whole document has a few little niggles that make me think it's BS, or at least severely overblown. Additionally they quote it's happened 5 times... by an un-named service manager.