Tesla California

[autogyro]

http://vimeo.com/50129899

Coming to you everywhere very soon.

[Pup]

I've got high hopes for Tesla. Wall Street is yet to be convinced, but my take is that they're taking a very smart approach.

And their cars are stunning.

One fear of course is that the big manufacturers will eventually get their act together on the EV front and crush the tiny Tesla. Though the big guys' offerings to date have been uninspiring to say the least. The other fear is that in getting to market, Tesla will run up a mountain of debt that they won't be able to dig themselves out of.

I hope not - I've placed a bet on them and I'd like not to lose it.

[bhall]

Giant marital aids?

[Shrieker]

Free fuel eh ? F***ing commies

I wish them great luck, but somehow I fear the gasoline car vendetta will find a way to trip them.

Btw, how much greenhouse gas is released into the atmosphere in the manufacturing process of electric cars ( sun panels, batteries etc.) compared to fossil fuel cars + the fuel they burn ? Is there a scientific study somewhere comparing the two ?

On a side note, their website is really well made but I can't find pricing info. How much are they asking for a car ?

[Pup]

Similar to a 5-series BMW.

[autogyro]

Free fuel eh ? F***ing commies

I wish them great luck, but somehow I fear the gasoline car vendetta will find a way to trip them.

Btw, how much greenhouse gas is released into the atmosphere in the manufacturing process of electric cars ( sun panels, batteries etc.) compared to fossil fuel cars + the fuel they burn ? Is there a scientific study somewhere comparing the two ?

On a side note, their website is really well made but I can't find pricing info. How much are they asking for a car ?

The rare earth elements in the batteries remain in the batteries and soon there will be re-cycling available.
The manufacture of the rest of the vehicle will then be less than for a vehicle with an ICE, which throws away its liquid fuel as pollutants and has to rely on liquid fuel distribution which on its own accounts for nearly 50 percent of ICE vehicle fossil fuel use for absolutely no advantage to us or the planet.
In anycase the manufacture of the vehicle is a seperate issue if you wish to continue on the 'green' aspect.
Manufacturing of everything we use has to be changed in that context and very soon if the future is to be secured.
The HUGE gain from Tesla type incentives, is centralised energy production and the potential for a truely SMART grid.
What is used for energy production is another range of issues.

[strad]

For the S coupe

21ST CENTURY PERFORMANCE

Premium electric sedan
Up to 300 miles per charge
Deliveries begin Fall 2012

Starting at $49,900 USD *

[autogyro]

Giant marital aids?

Are you talking about motor heads like Clarkson?

[Tommy Cookers]

What is used for energy production is another range of issues.

do I take it that you have (temporarily ?) descended to planet Earth and now recognise that the viability of electric cars rests on the (more-or-less non-existent) production of low or zero Carbon electricity ?

or will you, God-like, again dismiss this as 'green-bashing' ?
(as I write, an 'electric' train passes, running on coal and having the same Carbon footprint as a diesel equivalent)

your present post-rate on multiple threads resembles a campaign preparatory to another of your mysterious commercial activities

I suggest that you stop shaking the 'saving-the world' green tambourine, or substantiate your position in this regard

good luck with the engineering matters that you claim to prefer !

[Pup]

[autogyro]

or will you, God-like, again dismiss this as 'green-bashing' ?
(as I write, an 'electric' train passes, running on coal and having the same Carbon footprint as a diesel equivalent)

A statement with no meaning whatsoever.
To start with a diesel loco has to haul all its energy in liquid form, an electric loco does not.
How do you know that the electricity the electric loco runs on was coal produced?
How do you know the carbon footprints are the same?

Just another made up story aimed at discrediting anything not powered by fossil fuel.

Tesla are offering 'FREE' energy for their customers.
Come on use their incentive, get one of your fuel suppliers to give you free petrol or diesel.
Hahahaha

[Tommy Cookers]

What is used for energy production is another range of issues.

do I take it that you now recognise that the viability of electric cars (as a means of saving us from environmental disaster) rests on the (presently more-or-less non-existent) production of low or zero Carbon electricity ?

maybe the above is clear enough for you ?

BTW
are you saying that most electricity isn't from coal-fuelled plant ?
90+% of the energy in coal is in its Carbon content, about 60-65% of the energy in oil is in its Carbon content
coal fuelled electricity generation is about 40% efficient end-to end, a diesel about 35% efficient
so in Carbon cost the electric train has no advantage

(unless and until 24/7 low/zero Carbon generation arrives, if it's not 24/7 then no existing capacity can be removed)

this country has the second best tidal power site in the world (the Severn Estuary), which will not be accessed because of special pleading by mudworms and their political friends, despite the existence of a proven (tidal barrage) design
(better still, studies have shown that the Bristol Channel would yield about 2500 MW 24/7 or 15000 MW peak)

TC (retired electrical engineer etc etc)

[Pup]

Sorry, TC, but I don't get your point. The article is about Tesla supplying PV charging stations, so why harp on coal?

Besides, all the studies I've seen say that EV's have, at worst, a similar carbon footprint to ICE's; and that's only if you assume the dirtiest coal burning (i.e., China), the most efficient ICE's, and that each and every vehicle necessitates added electrical production, which of course is never the case. And in the US, only 50% of our electricity comes from coal. But even if one were to concede that point, it's but one of a multitude of advantages for EV's - consumer cost, economic advantages, and national security, for example.

[Tommy Cookers]

the basic point ?

if the world needs saving (from excessive CO2 emissions) then we need to burn less fossil fuel everywhere, not go into electric motoring (because it makes us feel good about ourselves) when it will save little CO2 (unless we reduce the CO2 cost of our electricity)

electric vehicles give poor value in CO2 reduction, thus embracing them is a mistake, the world won't be saved by mistakes

[autogyro]

the basic point ?

if the world needs saving (from excessive CO2 emissions) then we need to burn less fossil fuel everywhere, not go into electric motoring (because it makes us feel good about ourselves) when it will save little CO2 (unless we reduce the CO2 cost of our electricity)

electric vehicles give poor value in CO2 reduction, thus embracing them is a mistake, the world won't be saved by mistakes

Lots and lots of comment, so where is your 'better' answer'?
Tesla is offering FREE energy with its road cars.
Like I said, where is your FREE fossil fuel?

I agree electric vehicles on their own will not deal with the CO2 issue.
It makes it many times easier to deal with though.

How do you conclude that electric vehicles are poor value in CO2 reduction?

If mistakes wont save the world then it is time we got rid of 99 percent of politicians and bankers.