Comments on: Tesla delivers 250th Roadster, accelerates production

By: MugenSentraKen

MugenSentraKen — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 22:17:15 +0000

==>>WOOO TELL’EM winnipegjets!! Well said!

By: winnipegjets

winnipegjets — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:15:43 +0000

if you run your home solely on solar power (which based on this article i assume Dr Wilder does), you have already made the huge investment up front. also moron, how do you think solar powered homes run anything at night? a diesel generator in the back? no. an array of batteries to store the electricity until when needed. so if he gets home at 6:30, plugs in his car and walks away, it will still charge even when the sun is down because of the stored energy in the batteries ALREADY in place. also with solar powered homes, they are connected to the city’s power grid, and when the panels are absorbing more energy than is being consumed at the house, it sends current into the city’s power grid, earning them credit on the electric bill. learn the facts before you go making accusations.
the only thing im unsure of as of yet, is whether hydrogen or electric cars are the way of the future. both have their ups, and both have their downs. i think H2 will win though

By: Mutant@DCX

Mutant@DCX — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:06:39 +0000

The good doctor cut down all the trees in the neighborhood to support his solar power endevor. Destroyed the nest of a condor, created landside conditions for the soil, and I’m fairly certain used the purchase as a company car tax writeoff.

By: NismoSentraKen

NismoSentraKen — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:20:36 +0000

==>>LOL Borat!! that was a goodone!

By: Borat

Borat — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 13:55:20 +0000

They already outproducing Chrysler, GM next I reckon.

By: carstuff

carstuff — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 13:48:49 +0000

I do understand solar systems since I spent a term studying alternative energy in college. As I said I would like to know how much the doctors system cost vs. the gas usage. Not very many folks have an expensive solar array system at home. From what I remember it would take a very large solar panel system and batteries to charge this vehicle.

My point was that electrics like this roadster are great but there are trade offs such as the range.

By: dragonfly

dragonfly — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 13:13:28 +0000

Tesla owners generally charge the car overnight at home in the garage, while they are on offpeak power.

When you buy a Tesla in California, you also buy a solar array to offset your added electric demand.

The solar array charges the batteries while the doc is at work, then charges the Tesla battery pack at night while the doc sleeps.

The internal battery packs on the Roadster are good for about as many miles as a traditional drivetrain and the battery pack exchange is about the same cost as putting a new motor and transmission in your Ford Taurus.

Many of you seem to miss the point of the Tesla – it is not trying to convert all of us to electric users, it is trying to shatter the myth that electric cars need to look like rickshaws or golf carts while making the technology affordable and competitive with gasoline engines.

By: NismoSentraKen

NismoSentraKen — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 13:06:39 +0000

===>>carstuff: do you not know how simple solarpanels work? They don’t just oporate in the daytime, silly. Home oporated solarpanels automatically come with ‘solar batteries’ where they can oporate 24/7, sunlight or not. NOW i understand why your comment didn’t make any sense! lol

By: peter g

peter g — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:40:02 +0000

@ bigjimid:

I agree; I was sort of trying to make a joke

By: carstuff

carstuff — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:33:06 +0000

Nismo, I said that the 200 mile range is great for around town trips. To work, shops, etc. However some folks do like to go for weekend/week long vacations in their cool cars or the car they own.

This vehicle is unable to do so. After 3 hours they would have to stop and charge and with todays technology that would take a long time.

As far as the extra battery, the doctor said he would use his solar array. For most folks they are gone to work with their car during the day and when the sun is out. So the good doctor gets home at 6:30 or whatever and has only a few hours of daylight to charge his batteries. This trickle charge for a couple hours is not going to work. So in order for the solar panels to charge his electric car he will need to have a 2nd set of batteries to charge during the day and then either charge his car off those batteries or exchange the batteries. I admit I do not know battery pricing for non Li-ion batteries but used the current pricing for Li-ion. Perhaps he could use a whole bunch of more conventional batteries but they would have a transfer issue.

This is why pure electric vehicles are a small niche market in this country. BUT as I said I am impressed and most owners, who charge with the grid, will be happy.

By: bigjimid

bigjimid — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:29:30 +0000

I like how Tesla purposefully priced the sedan at 57,400 so the car still comes to 50k after the rebate credit.

peter g – if you want to save the polar bears you should target agriculture. Sure vehicles are part of the problem, but they are a small part of the problem. The question that should be asked is how come most farmers still refuse to update their equipment, and aren’t be ridiculed like the auto industry is.

By: peter g

peter g — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 11:52:48 +0000

I still find it quite amazing that a not-so-perfect electric car sells in such a volume…Well, 250 electric cars aren’t going to save the polar bears and our planet from global heating and what have you, but if this car actually sells, a better and more developed electric car should sell even better and the fully developed electric car ( if ever ) should sell fantasticly?

By: NismoSentraKen

NismoSentraKen — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 11:46:58 +0000

===>>carstuff: “to drive 3hours between stops!” What tha world? im sorry but i can’t make any sense out of your entire comment. “2nd battery pack ($10,000) at home so he could charge the batteries during the day while the car is at work”…uhh how in the world does that make any sense? Nobody is gonna drive these cars or even your average gasoline car 230miles every single day or between a day and a night.

By: carstuff

carstuff — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 11:40:27 +0000

230 mile range is excellent for this roadster.

Of course still only good for around town. Weekend trips are pretty much out unless you only want to drive 3 hours between stops!

Wish the guy would have said how much the solar panels cost him. Interesting to know vs gas savings. Of course he would have to have a 2nd battery pack (at $10,000) at home so he could charge the batteries during the day while the car is at work.

By: NismoSentraKen

NismoSentraKen — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 10:49:42 +0000

===>>i think that it was a good point that Dr. Wilder charges his car via home-solar panels, instead of conventional fossil fuel-derived home electric.

By: SomeGreek

SomeGreek — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 06:56:26 +0000

Why people are in such hurry to get electric cars?

By: johnnycanuck

johnnycanuck — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 04:16:22 +0000

Fourth quarter, that’s too bad. I usually run out of beer money by half time.