Sleeping with the enemy...

[AgentTripleX]

well not really, more like a distant cousin.

I've been getting lots of seat time in Teslas lately and I think I've found my new love. They are out of this world. Last night I took home the beauty pictured below with the new 1.5 powertrain and I felt like I was in the Jetsons.

The driving experience is surreal. As soon as you get on the accelerator, it goes, 0-60 in under 4 secs. To slow down I rarely had to brake, just lift my foot off the accelerator. I was afraid to speed in it as the color is so loud. (I'm used to my dark blue understated British cars.) The handling so far has been great. I'll try to update this thread as new experiences come along.

I think for Lotus owners considering a Tesla, it's definitely worthwhile checking out. As I mentioned several months ago, after my first ride in one as a passenger, it's what Lotus should have done to begin with as far as the fit/finish go. The seats are a little wider and the sills are lower for easier entry and exit.

And it's a blast pulling up to the gas station to meet up with my Lotus that needed a refuel, while all I had to do is plug in over night. FTW. I definitely would not miss trips to the gas station if I had one full time.

The future is really here now.

[Patricko]

Tesla is not the enemy...

More like a sister than a distant cousin...they have the same parents

[gameson]

The problem with Tesla is also the advantage of Tesla. This car can't be driven outside big cities (read road trip). It will run out of juice, and there is no gas station near by, how are you going to juice it back up? And with regular car, you fill it up, takes aboout 5 min, and ready to go. With Tesla, it's overnight. This car is only good for travel around big cities. And plug it in overnight does cost $. How much watt does it take to fill this car up? I don't know. Maybe someone who knows can calculate comparison for $$ for full tank of gas at current price vs electricity to fill this up.

It is a great car and concept (and I am not against it), but the world is just not ready for it yet. This is really a luxury car, even more than the Ferraris (at least you can drive Ferraris everywhere you want to, but not this as Tesla is just an occasional toy)

Originally Posted by Patricko

Tesla is not the enemy...

More like a sister than a distant cousin...they have the same parents

More like step sister. Same dad, different mom.

[Patricko]

Originally Posted by gameson

And plug it in overnight does cost $. How much watt does it take to fill this car up? I don't know. Maybe someone who knows can calculate comparison for $$ for full tank of gas at current price vs electricity to fill this up.

More like step sister. Same dad, different mom.

I think people that buy Tesla (is that the plural) don't care how much it costs to charge it. I heard an ad for the Ford Focus today were they said you would have to own a Prius for 12 years to make the cost of ownership less than a Focus.

I think the step sister comment is right on

[kestrel74]

Many, many years ago when I was twenty-three
I was married to a widow who was pretty as could be.
This widow had a grown-up daughter who had hair of red.
My father fell in love with her and soon they, too, were wed.

This made my dad my son-in-law and changed my very life
For my daughter was my mother, 'cause she was my father's wife.
To complicate the matter, even though it brought me joy
I soon became the father of a bouncing baby boy.

My little baby then became a brother-in-law to dad
And so became my uncle, though it made me very sad
For if he was my uncle, then that also made him brother
To the widow's grown-up daughter, who, of course, was my step-mother.

My father's wife then had a son who kept them on the run
And he became my grand-child, 'cause he was my daughter's son.
My wife is now my mother's mother, and it makes me blue
Because, although she is my wife, she's my grandmother too.

If my wife is my grandmother, then I am her grandchild
And every time I think of it, it nearly drives me wild
For now I have become the strangest case you ever saw
(This has got to be the strangest thing I ever saw)
As husband of my grandmother, I am my own grandpaw.

[gameson]

Originally Posted by Patricko

I think people that buy Tesla (is that the plural) don't care how much it costs to charge it. I heard an ad for the Ford Focus today were they said you would have to own a Prius for 12 years to make the cost of ownership less than a Focus.

I think the step sister comment is right on

Of course they don't care. Just like Ferrari owners. $ is not the issue. The car costs $100k+, but the perception for general public is that since this car doesn't use a drop of gas and given that gasoline costs so much, so the public thinks that this car is an economic car or some sort that deliver big horsepower. The perception is just like what you pointed it out, Prius hybrid vs normal car. Now it's Tesla vs Ferrari. Exact same marketing, but this one is marketed towards rich people.

If I am given the choice right now, I would still pick Ferrari/Lambos/Porsche over Tesla. When the world is ready and charging is faster than overnight, I pick Tesla.

[AgentTripleX]

Well I thought about that too, but then I thought about how many road trips I've taken in the Elise. 2 in 4 years. That's it. I've taken it to LA and back twice. In the past I've actually rented a car to take to LA so I wouldn't put miles on whatever my car was at the time. It's actually cheaper to fly to LA now than drive a regular car, at least for me.

They do have a mobile connector for Tesla, but you're right it takes some time to charge, not instant like gas. For my purposes this car could work. I could drive back and forth to work 2 days before needing to charge. I would probably charge it every night like I do my cell phone though. It only takes about 3 hours to charge if you are using the connector that comes with the car. Based on night time rates is $0.02 a mile to charge it. I've been spending $200/week since starting my new job on gas. If I had an extra 110k sitting around right now I'd jump right on it. Unfortunately that is not the case and I still need to be responsible and buy a house.

I disagree with you about it being a luxury car. It's no Bentley and doesn't come close, it's not meant to be. I'm not sure if the Ferrari finish is nicer, but the Lamborghini one is for sure.

Originally Posted by gameson

The problem with Tesla is also the advantage of Tesla. This car can't be driven outside big cities (read road trip). It will run out of juice, and there is no gas station near by, how are you going to juice it back up? And with regular car, you fill it up, takes aboout 5 min, and ready to go. With Tesla, it's overnight. This car is only good for travel around big cities. And plug it in overnight does cost $. How much watt does it take to fill this car up? I don't know. Maybe someone who knows can calculate comparison for $$ for full tank of gas at current price vs electricity to fill this up.

It is a great car and concept (and I am not against it), but the world is just not ready for it yet. This is really a luxury car, even more than the Ferraris (at least you can drive Ferraris everywhere you want to, but not this as Tesla is just an occasional toy)



More like step sister. Same dad, different mom.

[Patricko]

Originally Posted by AgentTripleX

I've been spending $200/week since starting my new job on gas. If I had an extra 110k sitting around right now I'd jump right on it. Unfortunately that is not the case and I still need to be responsible and buy a house.

If electricity was free it would take about 7.7 years at $200 per week to make up the difference between your Elise and a Tesla. How long does the Tesla battery pack last? How much is a new one?

Are you really driving 800 miles per week? $5 per gallon 20 MPG $200 dollars = 800 miles. I think you need to move...

ATX, I don't think you are a Tesla customer. I think the Tesla is a great product and I hope they sell loads

[AgentTripleX]

Battery pack is supposed to last 5 years or 100k miles. It doesn't just stop working though. The range that you can travel will shorten and that's when the recommend replacement. Kind of like a laptop battery. Not sure on the cost. I know that the technologies keep changing and that over the past 5 years they have come down. I do see that gas keeps getting higher. I'm driving 600 miles a week for work alone. Then there's the pleasure driving and errands and misc stuff.

I am looking at moving or at least staying in a guest bedroom closer to work. It's hard to imagine not having a place in SF. I've been there off and on for 21 years now.

[smicker]

How do the kids like it?

[Patricko]

Originally Posted by AgentTripleX

Battery pack is supposed to last 5 years or 100k miles. It doesn't just stop working though. The range that you can travel will shorten and that's when the recommend replacement. Kind of like a laptop battery. Not sure on the cost. I know that the technologies keep changing and that over the past 5 years they have come down. I do see that gas keeps getting higher. I'm driving 600 miles a week for work alone. Then there's the pleasure driving and errands and misc stuff.

So you would kill it in 2.5 years. I know that the Tesla battery is 5 figures now I am sure that they will be cheaper by the time you would need one but your cost of ownership just took a big hit.

I don't think your usage pattern is typical for a Tesla customer.

[AgentTripleX]

Originally Posted by smicker

How do the kids like it?

They haven't been in it yet. I need to take one home over one of my weekends. Maybe you can help arrange that.

Originally Posted by Patricko

So you would kill it in 2.5 years. I know that the Tesla battery is 5 figures now I am sure that they will be cheaper by the time you would need one but your cost of ownership just took a big hit.

I don't think your usage pattern is typical for a Tesla customer.

It still cheaper than gas though. At the rate I'm going at it's $10,400/year if gas stays at it's current price, which I doubt it will. If I had a house and solar panels I'd be driving for free and only have to worry about battery replacement. I better start making more $$$ to get that house.

[gameson]

Patricko, your math is exactly my point!!! This car is giving a very wrong perception, just look at ATX. 7.7 years (and that's IF electricity is free), exactly right!!

ATX, this is also what I meant by luxury, not in a literal meaning, but more of unnecessaty. Tesla is going to be driven very rarely due to its nature, hence the word luxury. and that's why I said it's even more luxury than Ferrari as it will be driven far less than Ferrari.

ATX, so I gather you work for Tesla now?

[Patricko]

Originally Posted by AgentTripleX

It still cheaper than gas though. At the rate I'm going at it's $10,400/year if gas stays at it's current price, which I doubt it will. If I had a house and solar panels I'd be driving for free and only have to worry about battery replacement. I better start making more $$$ to get that house.

I am not sure what the batteries cost but I have seen "people" quote $20K and $30K (I have no idea what the real number is now and none of us know what it will be in 3 years).

So at $25K for a battery pack and 2.5 years of life at your usage the battery is the same cost as gas.

[gameson]

And to add, adding solar panel is not free, it's investment. And how long is typical homeowners usually stay at one house? I think it's about 5 years statistically. So at year 5, your solar panel hasn't paid off your upgrade, and your house value might not go up by then if you are buying now.

At the end, you are losing more $ with Tesla than with Elise even with $6 / gal gas.

[Abe]

Originally Posted by AgentTripleX

I think for Lotus owners considering a Tesla, it's definitely worthwhile checking out. As I mentioned several months ago, after my first ride in one as a passenger, it's what Lotus should have done to begin with as far as the fit/finish go.

Hi Sorrine,

Congrats on your new gig

Lotus has this type of fit and finish...but on the Europa models and also proves that Lotus is capable of making very nice and exquisite interiors that can compete very nicely with other car manufacturers

I had the chance to see this vehicle earlier in the year at Hethel and it definitely looks nice but Elise/Exige and the Tesla Roadster caters to a total different market and doubt you'd find any Tesla owner tearing it up on the track or autocross course hence the nicer interior on the Tesla.

BTW, what's the estimated allocation to the U.S. and how many dealers are there?


Abe

[Patricko]

I think the bottom line of this discussion is that pitching a Tesla as a way to save money is a non-starter.

That does not mean that rich people will not smile as they cruise silently past petrol stations.

Do they pay people to sell Teslas? It is too easy

[ivan1]

Is it just me or did anyone else think this thread was going to be about fishguy?

I would be interested in hearing more about your impression of the handling...is the front/rear weight distribution similar to the elise?

If I was to buy the Tesla or any other electric car it wouldnt be to save money....
it would be for
1. the torque
2. knowing that rather than from foreign oil my energy was coming from other sources, whether it be coal, gas, nuclear, hydroelectric, wind, etc etc.....

[ransackman]

I hate threads that have such a deceptive title. WTH!! Thats what I get for being a perv .

Ferrari, Luxury? Lambo, yeah, but a ferrari's true blood. Dont care about the flappy gears though.

[fitfan]

drive it up to monteray with us next week (or down to as the case may be?)