June 15, 2009
Categories: Electric Vehicles (EV) . Tags: Tesla Roadster . Author: hymotion . Comments: Leave a Comment
Tesla Roadster Rally 40+ Cars
The first ever Tesla Roadster Road Rally.
This was a great video showing a huge number of electric cars travelling together.
Imagine just happening to see this during the day while you are out and about.
2010 Tesla Roadster VIN #501 with Executive Leather
VIN #501 2010 Tesla Roadster with Executive Leather
Here is the first picture snapped of the interior of a 2010 Tesla Roadster.
This particular Roadster is VIN #501 and it has the Executive Leather interior.
VIN #501 is going to be an engineering Roadster and is not a customer car.
When this picture was snapped in Menlo Park a few days ago, it was only a glider waiting for the drivetrain.
Notice the contrast stitching, the console in the center of the car, push button shifting, glove box, etc.
Project Better Place is going to be a financial train wreck
Project Better Place just released this video demonstrating a battery swap station for an EV.
First watch the video, then below I will explain why I (and others) believe that this will be a financial disaster.
This is a financial disaster waiting for any company that actually thinks this is a viable business model.
Much like hydrogen, the more you look at Project Better Place, the worse it appears.
If I start every day with a full battery from my garage 110 volt or 220 volt outlet, I would need a battery swap about twice per year, if that. With a range of 200 miles, I doubt I would ever need a battery swap.
These swap stations would be so rarely used that I doubt it will ever justify the cost of the land, building, machines, inventory, etc.
For a battery swap network to be viable, it would need to be as common as the current gas station. That is a massive cost for something that will be rarely ever needed by an EV owner.
Manufacturers would all have to either make their batteries identical (or just use one of a few variations), or the PBP stations would have to stock multiples of all different sizes/shapes/brands of battery. Can you imagine the confusion if there are 20 or 30 different battery styles, you pull in expecting your battery to be replaced, but then they’re “out” of your particular style/brand? What do you do then. Can you imagine the dissatisfaction?!
And Project Better Place keeps referencing the cell phone model. Every phone brand uses a different battery, voltage and socket/plug. Even within a single brand.
Oh, and The “J” charging plug that was just approved as a standard has been in the works for 10 years.
Do we really think a standard battery could be agreed upon faster?
The battery technology is improving so fast that it is likely impossible to even have a standard battery size or specs. And as they improve, the swap station would still have to stock the older batteries for older EVs on the road.
I think Project Better Place needs to invent a new reason to exist. I appreciate that they have sparked a discussion on what is possible and they are getting politicians to think about EVs. But their business is a disaster financially.
(the information above has been gathered from many posts on TeslaMotorsClub.com that I used to summarize my own thoughts on this topic. I borrowed a few quotes directly word for word.)
Dodge Circuit EV test drive
Taking Chrysler’s prototype electric sportscar, the Dodge Circuit, for a spin through downtown Detroit on a sunny day. AutoblogGreen joins Chrysler’s John Myers for the drive.
The Dodge Circuit is based on the Lotus Europa, but has been converted to a pure electric vehicle. This is similar to the strategy employed by Tesla Motors, which used the Lotus Elise as the foundation for the Tesla Roadster.
First Tesla Model S Sedan Test Drive
Elon Musk unveils the new Tesla Sedan at the SpaceX rocket factory. Steve Jurvetson was fortunate to take the first test drive, and he let the video run for the whole ride. Good job!
Tesla Model S Sedan videos
Here are some cool videos from the Tesla Model S unveiling that are appearing on the internet.
Check out what the door handles do in order to reduce drag when driving.
The turn signals and front headlights have been described as if from “Tron”.
YouTube video of the tail lights
Tesla Model S revealed
-
- Tesla Model S Sedan
-
- Center Touch Screen 17 inches
I am VERY impressed. So impressed that I have already put in my deposit for one.
Overview
- 300 mile range
- 45 minute QuickCharge
- 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds
- Seats 7 people
- More Cargo space than station wagons
- 2X as efficient as hybrids
- 17 inch infotainment touchscreen
Range
- Up to 300 mile range
- 45 minute QuickCharge
- Charges from 120V, 240V or 480V
- 5 minute battery swap
Utility
- Seating for 5 adults + 2 child seats
- Unique hatch for oversized items
- 60/40 flat-folding rear seat
- 2nd trunk under hood
Performance
- 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds
- 120 mph top speed
- Sport sedan dynamics
- All-wheel-drive available
Gearing up for the MINI E
Stefano with the MINI E
Gearing up for the MINI E
Published by Stefano Paris on March 12, 2009
If you’ve been following the BMW MINI E program unveiled officially on November 19th, 2008 at the Los Angeles Auto Show you’ll know the process for being selected as a potential MINI E driver is a multistep process. The window to apply for a lease of a MINI E was from November 19th to December 24th, 2008, via an hour long online questionnaire.
In January 2009, I was excited to learn I was selected to be one of the potential 250 lessees of the MINI E being deployed in Southern California this year. Achieving selection status was just one of the first steps to MINI E driving sweetness. In the past couple of months I’ve been passing other qualifications. One of these items on the MINI E deployment checklist regards the residence where one is to park and charge the MINI E. MINI wants to insure their MINI Es will be parked in an enclosed garage and that the residence’s electrical system is up to the task of charging the car.
(for more on the story, click on the link above…)
Tesla: Model S to have fast-charging battery
Tesla Model S Sedan teaser
Tesla: Model S to have fast-charging battery
Telsa Motor’s Model S sedan–set to debut March 26–will have 440-volt fast-charging battery capability, wrote Rachel Konrad, spokesperson for Tesla Motors, to CNET in an e-mail.
Although Konrad could not say how long it would take to charge the Model S sedan using either a 440-volt charger or the standard 220-volt charger, the Tesla Roadster’s battery can be fully charged in about 3.5 hours using a 220V/70A system, she wrote.
The Model S is expected to have a driving range of 225 miles on a full charge. It’s not a fair comparison, but Nissan’s TBD all-electric car will have a driving range of 100 miles and can be recharged in 26 minutes using a fast-charging station.
The more important question is the market will see the proliferation of fast-charging stations. There are no public 440-volt fast charging stations. ECOtality, a clean-electric transportation and technology company, has implemented 5100 of these stations in 13 airports across the country, but none is public, said Colin Read, marketing directory for ECOtality.
The Scottsdale, Ariz.-based company may implement a couple of fast-charging stations in the Tuscon area in the next few years for its partnership with Nissan and the Pima Association of Governments, but there isn’t yet a huge market, said Read.
Read was surprised to learn that the Model S will be 440-volt capable, but said ECOtality fully-supports Tesla’s fast-charging capability and would love to work with them to make this technology as successful as possible.
But the kind of impact that thousands of cars plugging in at the same time at this rate will have on an electrical grid is anyone’s guess. ECOtatilty is currently researching this unknown for the Department of Energy.
For the moment, Tesla is the only company with highway-speed capable all-electric cars in production in North America. Tesla is also the only company with a navigation system that will be able to find the nearest charging station.
“Model S likely will have this capacity,” said Konrad while qualifying that she could not confirm specifications.
[Source: CNET]
