Still Want to Buy an Electric Car?

[Orion21]

I saw this at lunch today. I guess this person feels a little lied to . . .

[AndrewNR]

58 miles per 3 hour charge.. Perfect It's a long lunch mobile.

[DrunkenMonkey]

I still want an electric car, but not that one; I want this one:

http://www.teslamotors.com/models

[vanbellc]

Never wanted one before and still don't want one now.

[BMWFan]

I still want an electric car' date=' but not that one; I want this one:

http://www.teslamotors.com/models

Best car you can buy right now in terms of dollar value. Also has won a few car of the year awards for 2013.

[socapots]

Thought I saw something about a company called ZENN as well. 12grand or something like that.

[IcedCanuck]

I looked into getting a hybrid or straight out electric car a while back. Once you factor in the additional price, even after taking into account any government rebates, it simply is not worth it. You have to look at how much you have to spend in gas to make up the difference between a pure petrol based vehicle vs a hybrid/electric. When I looked into it would take years to make up the difference and that does not take into account the price of replacing the battery and any other pricey tech parts related to the system. If the price of gas were to spike and remain high indefinitely it might be a different story.

I think the only thing the electric car is good for is a short commute to work and back ... that's it. If you wanted to do more with your vehicle then you would probably need two cars: a commuter and a fun car.

[Puros Y Vino]

Thought I saw something about a company called ZENN as well. 12grand or something like that.

A Canadian company based in Toronto. Oddly enough, the Province of Ontario will not allow their cars on to the road out of "safety concerns".

There's also some neat cars in France that just run on compressed air.

[finecigar]

I still want an electric car, but not that one; I want this one:

http://www.teslamotors.com/models

That's a beautifully made car. Very sleek looking... also looks like there is an iPad in the interior console!

[DrunkenMonkey]

That's a beautifully made car. Very sleek looking... also looks like there is an iPad in the interior console!

They are gorgeous. Has anyone on here driven one? For those who think that you'd need a second, "fun" car in addition to an electric, they obviously haven't seen the specs on these teslas. They look like fantastic machines by any standard.

[Lotusguy]

I see Teslas on a daily basis - they are based in Menlo Park which is next to Palo Alto where I work. They are gorgeous!!

[Colt45]

They are gorgeous.

I always liked the look of the Fiskers. Unfortunately, it seems they are all but done.......

[Ryan]

That Tesla is very nice looking. From some angles it looks at a lot like the Jaguar XF.

[Ryan]

Once batteries catch up and they would have by now if oil had not been so cheap for so long, electric motors in cars make so much more sense.

It's a much older and more proven technology and it's far far simpler.

Think of an engine with no oil, no carburettor, no fuel injection, no transmission, no spark plugs, fuel pump, muffler etc, etc.

Plus all of us already have all the power it needs delivered to our houses.

[BMWFan]

They are gorgeous. Has anyone on here driven one? For those who think that you'd need a second, "fun" car in addition to an electric, they obviously haven't seen the specs on these teslas. They look like fantastic machines by any standard.

yes DM I have had mine for a little over a month. Best car I have ever owned, and I've had some pretty good ones. Sold a 2005 BMW 645 Conv to Carmax after I got the Tesla Model S. It just got really depressing to drive aftr driving the Tesla. Nothing was wrong with the BMW. It was very fast and sexy, but no match or the Tesla. It was also expensive to maintain out of warranty and cost $70 to fill up at least 2-3 times a month.

The future is here and it starts with the Tesla Model S. Everyone else is playing catch up.

[DrunkenMonkey]

yes DM I have had mine for a little over a month. Best car I have ever owned, and I've had some pretty good ones. Sold a 2005 BMW 645 Conv to Carmax after I got the Tesla Model S. It just got really depressing to drive aftr driving the Tesla. Nothing was wrong with the BMW. It was very fast and sexy, but no match or the Tesla. It was also expensive to maintain out of warranty and cost $70 to fill up at least 2-3 times a month.

The future is here and it starts with the Tesla Model S. Everyone else is playing catch up.

Fantastic man. Congrats on the purchase.

[ChanceSchmerr]

yes DM I have had mine for a little over a month. Best car I have ever owned, and I've had some pretty good ones. Sold a 2005 BMW 645 Conv to Carmax after I got the Tesla Model S. It just got really depressing to drive aftr driving the Tesla. Nothing was wrong with the BMW. It was very fast and sexy, but no match or the Tesla. It was also expensive to maintain out of warranty and cost $70 to fill up at least 2-3 times a month.

The future is here and it starts with the Tesla Model S. Everyone else is playing catch up.

That's awesome, man! I've seen the model in a Tesla mini-showroom in a Seatle area mall when visiting relatives in Kirkland, and I have to agree it's very impressive stuff. Would love to try driving one someday!

[IcedCanuck]

Its not just a price thing you know. It also has something to do with our planet and saving it and all that...although since the US burns coal for most of it's electricity, I would assume that an electric car would be more benificial in Eastern Canada as opposed to the US.

The electricity still has to be generated somehow. New power plants will have to be constructed to meet the demand if these things ever take off which they won't anytime soon. Most people do not live in areas where the electricity being used comes from 100% green renewable energy so plugging in a car to the grid is really only shifting the problem (in those areas). The lithium-ion based battery isn't exactly good for the environment either. That is what a lot of it comes down to. Now if you take a place like the US that still uses dirty coal to generate electricity (44% according to Wikipedia) it just doesn't make any sense. If you are interested there is a good article on the subject that can be found here: http://www.smartplan...ectric-car/2498

Also on the environmental side of things I am not a climate change doubter, but there are two sides to the debate on what impact human beings have had if any. There are reputable scientists and experts on both sides of the debate. I am neither a scientist nor am I an expert on the subject. If there is something we can do that will not cost anything I am all for it but I am not going to shell out a ridiculous amount of money on a car that under-performs compared to other vehicles half its price. that may or may not be better for the environment when everything is taken into account.

I think these vehicles were made predominately for beat nick treehuggers who should be taking public transport if they are serious about what they say anyway.

[BMWFan]

The electricity still has to be generated somehow. New power plants will have to be constructed to meet the demand if these things ever take off which they won't anytime soon. Most people do not live in areas where the electricity being used comes from 100% green renewable energy so plugging in a car to the grid is really only shifting the problem (in those areas). The lithium-ion based battery isn't exactly good for the environment either. That is what a lot of it comes down to. Now if you take a place like the US that still uses dirty coal to generate electricity (44% according to Wikipedia) it just doesn't make any sense. If you are interested there is a good article on the subject that can be found here: http://www.smartplan...ectric-car/2498

Also on the environmental side of things I am not a climate change doubter, but there are two sides to the debate on what impact human beings have had if any. There are reputable scientists and experts on both sides of the debate. I am neither a scientist nor am I an expert on the subject. If there is something we can do that will not cost anything I am all for it but I am not going to shell out a ridiculous amount of money on a car that under-performs compared to other vehicles half its price. that may or may not be better for the environment when everything is taken into account.

I think these vehicles were made predominately for beat nick treehuggers who should be taking public transport if they are serious about what they say anyway.

It is far easier to correct issues in a central power generating locations than it is to correct issues for many millions of individual vehicles spewing pollution.

Electricity can be generated in many clean ways. In addition to the dirty coal, you can generate electricity from; wind, water, solar, and nuclear. There may be more but these are the ones off the top of my head.

And we don't have to send our kids to die in senseless wars over oil, nor do we have to continue to send oil dollars to countries and people that hate us.

Elon is trying to save us from ourselves, but the status quo is doing everything possible to kill this company. Hopefully people are starting to wake up and see that the gas/oil auto and infrastructure is obsolete and hazardous to our future.

[IcedCanuck]

It is far easier to correct issues in a central power generating locatiin than it is to correct issues for many millions of individual vehicles spewing pollution.

Electricity can be generated in many clean ways. In addition to the dirty coal, you can generate electricity from; wind, water, solar, and nuclear. There may be more but these are the ones off the top of my head.

And we don't have to send our kids to die in senseless wars over oil, nor do we have to continue to send oil dollars to countries and people that hate us.

So Elon is trying to save us from ourselves, but the status quo is doing everything possible to kill this company. Hopefully people arevstarting to wake up and see that the gas/oil auto and infrastructure is obsolete and hazardous to our future.

I agree that the sooner we can get off dirty oil and stop sending money to people who want to destroy our way of life the better.

[Colt45]

Elon is trying to save us from ourselves....

Not a very comforting thought....

[BMWFan]

Not a very comforting thought....

Agreed but it is necessary. People hate change and corporations take advantage of that...not in a good way.

Elon has the guts (and the bank account) to fight for a better future for us all.

[mazolaman]

Once batteries catch up and they would have by now if oil had not been so cheap for so long, electric motors in cars make so much more sense.

It's a much older and more proven technology and it's far far simpler.

Think of an engine with no oil, no carburettor, no fuel injection, no transmission, no spark plugs, fuel pump, muffler etc, etc.

Plus all of us already have all the power it needs delivered to our houses.

Yep.

The battery is the weak link in so many modern technologies.

If you want to earn a load of money, design a new, efficient one!

Regarding climate change, the scientific argument from the side that denies any human fault deminishes day by day.

I guess we could argue the toss about it all night, but if you consider the pollution levels recently whitnessed in China, do you really think spewing that much crap in to the atmosphere makes no difference to anything?

Living in London for a long time, I think these cars would be great for the people who drive around the city, and to the city..particularly those who drive 4x4s (SUV) for no good reason.

The internal combustion engine should have gone twenty years ago, and it only survives due to the business interests of high powered people.

Anyway, I drive my work van on LPG (Autogas) which has half the emmissions, and costs around half the price.

And my name is derived from the fact that I previously ran Diesel vehicles on vegetable oil.

My name is Kevin, I am a treehugger.

[Orion21]

I also see Tesla's on a regular basis. They are very attractive cars and a mall close to me has a dedicated portion of the parking garage (maybe 5-6 spots) set aside specifically as a Tesla charging station. However, they are luxury cars and come with a luxury price tage as well. The model S hits six figures before sales tax etc.

I am not against electric cars at all. It's inevitable that many many cars in the future will go electric and our lungs will be happier for it. However, the cost of charging these cars cannot be ignored. All of the proponents talk about the cost of gas, but what about the cost of electricity? is it like running an AC unit for 3-4 hours straight as it charges or its it something less? I would be very interested to know what impact owning an electric car has on someones power bill. If they lived in Australia and paid the crazy prices Rob posted for his electricity it couldn't be far off from buying gas.

Either way I think the gas hybrids are still the way to go. If I was going to buy one of these ugly cars, Tesla aside, it would most likely be the Prius. It has a track record now and everyone I know who owns one loves it.

[kiwifruit]

Just bought the Prius. Loving it.