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Tesla model S eliminates range anxiety

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Re: Tesla model S eliminates range anxiety

#61

Post by clarky07 »

enraged_camel wrote: post #54
clarky07 wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm just suggesting that the general population doesn't have 50k to spend on something that only provides one very specific utility. As Musk just pointed out the other day, they are in a do or die 6 month period right now, and might not survive. The other electric car options have mostly been failures. Clearly I'm not the only person who would like to have a bit more utility for my 50k. Keep in mind that you don't ge…

>>I'm just suggesting that the general population doesn't have 50k to spend on something that only provides one very specific utility. I doubt that. Take a look at this: http://www.autospies.com/news/Study-Finds-Americans-Own-2-28... The average American household owns 2.28 vehicles. The percentage of households that own three or more vehicles is a whopping 35 percent. Furthermore, the most common pairing of vehicles…

first, I have 2 cars with a combined value of less than 10k. that's a far cry from 50k on 1 car. second, no it can't. That's the one they use to do the traveling I'm talking about. They don't take the pickup on the road trip.

Re: Tesla model S eliminates range anxiety

#62

Post by schiffern »

froo wrote: post #26
Karunamon wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>The other big issue is the time to refill I think that will end up requiring both a social tweak and an infrastructure one. Once people are comfortable with the concept of an electric car, it will be only natural to start requesting (and the necessary civil authorities adding) charging ports in standard parking areas. Imagine in NYC, a parking meter that also has a charging plug for the car. Raise the meter's rate j…

I'd love to see something along the lines of Intel's Wireless Resonant Energy Link[1] used in conjunction with EV's so that the idea of "plugging them in" can be all but eliminated. If you didn't even have to plug it in, just drive it to work, park it, drive it home, park it and it could charge automagically in both parking spots - its much more convenient than petroleum and would potentially be a big plus FOR gettin…

>its much more convenient than petroleum and would potentially be a big plus FOR getting an EV.

Plugging in at home is already more convenient than petroleum.

It seems like using 40% more energy to charge your car is an inefficient way to avoid plugging in. Project Better Place is already working on robotic plugs that plug themselves in.

Re: Tesla model S eliminates range anxiety

#65

Post by clarky07 »

freehunter wrote: post #13
josephlord wrote: post #2

Hmmm.... Yes the range is better than other electric cars but half the article is about range anxiety. Maybe not the best link title.

It's about range anxiety, and then ends with the relief that they didn't really need to worry too much. 5 hours of driving from an electric car getting 100 mpg-e and matching a BMW M5 stat-for-stat. That impressed them, and it impresses me.

except for the part where they didn't actually make it to their destination. And since most people aren't going to have the charging station 4 miles from their eventual destination, everyone else would have been screwed. Not too mention they now have to wait 30 minutes to get their last 5 miles.

still an impressive car :-)

Re: Tesla model S eliminates range anxiety

#66

Post by enraged_camel »

clarky07 wrote: post #61
enraged_camel wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>>I'm just suggesting that the general population doesn't have 50k to spend on something that only provides one very specific utility. I doubt that. Take a look at this: http://www.autospies.com/news/Study-Finds-Americans-Own-2-28... The average American household owns 2.28 vehicles. The percentage of households that own three or more vehicles is a whopping 35 percent. Furthermore, the most common pairing of vehicles…

first, I have 2 cars with a combined value of less than 10k. that's a far cry from 50k on 1 car. second, no it can't. That's the one they use to do the traveling I'm talking about. They don't take the pickup on the road trip.

Mid-range is typically around 250 miles, which the Tesla can do.

As for budget, sure, the Tesla is a bit on the expensive side, but it is not difficult to afford for middle-class families.

Re: Tesla model S eliminates range anxiety

#67

Post by stcredzero »

clarky07 wrote: post #37
stcredzero wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I regularly travel 450+ miles to visit family. Cannot use this. What if someone made you a "range extender" module that attaches to the towing hitch? I'd design one on a detaching cart so no lifting would be involved to install.

That might work. If I have to wait 30 minutes to charge (and not even a full charge) it has to have a longer initial range than gas. There is also the problem I mentioned above that the place you are going has to actually have a charging station as well, otherwise your range is cut in half. Can't got 250 miles if there isn't a charge there. Then you only get 125. Finally, not sure how this works, but it seems that "r…

Finally, not sure how this works, but it seems that "running out of gas" would be a much bigger problem.

The scheme I was thinking about involved gas powered generators. So running out of gas is closer to the problem with a regular car.

Re: Tesla model S eliminates range anxiety

#68

Post by tikhonj »

Karunamon wrote: post #19
snowwrestler wrote: post #14

That article seemed filled with anxiety to me. I don't think anything will eliminate range anxiety other than time. As more people get electric cars and start to build their lives around them, their acquaintances will start to see it as more normal. It's almost like the very early days of the automobile, when each driver had to carry a ton of extra gas, since fill stations were few and far between. Like any bootstrap…

>The other big issue is the time to refill I think that will end up requiring both a social tweak and an infrastructure one. Once people are comfortable with the concept of an electric car, it will be only natural to start requesting (and the necessary civil authorities adding) charging ports in standard parking areas. Imagine in NYC, a parking meter that also has a charging plug for the car. Raise the meter's rate j…

I can't imagine NYC, but we already have some in SF: http://216.119.104.145/index.aspx?page=516 (yeah, I don't know what's up with the address--this is how it showed up in Google).

I'm not sure if you have to pay for it, but I've certainly seen people use them.

Re: Tesla model S eliminates range anxiety

#69

Post by stcredzero »

R_Edward wrote: post #31
jfb wrote: post #16

Don't care still want.

It would be an awesome commuter car, but it's awfully hard to justify that price tag for something you only use an about 8 hours a week. Especially if the seats are as uncomfortable as he suggests. Still... if I had that kind of auto budget, I'd definitely buy one. It would be nice if the all-electric vehicles provided a port in which you could plug an emergency battery that would take you, say, 20 miles or so, so yo…

we've had gas gauges for decades, yet we still see people trudging toward their stopped vehicles with newly-purchased gas can in hand.

In Germany, they write you a ticket for that.

Re: Tesla model S eliminates range anxiety

#70

Post by jonknee »

snowwrestler wrote: post #38
Karunamon wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>The other big issue is the time to refill I think that will end up requiring both a social tweak and an infrastructure one. Once people are comfortable with the concept of an electric car, it will be only natural to start requesting (and the necessary civil authorities adding) charging ports in standard parking areas. Imagine in NYC, a parking meter that also has a charging plug for the car. Raise the meter's rate j…

For commuting that would work fine. The issue, at least in the U.S., is the trip to Grandma's house or family vacation--which might involve driving more than 4-5 hours with kids in the car, to more rural destinations. Gas stations are fewer and far between, and the driver typically wants to get filled up and out of there ASAP.

So rent a gasoline powered car for the one a year family vacation. The other 358 days of the year you will be saving money and time.
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