Teslas

[simon_g]

Most people don’t care about more than that though

- Fast away from the lights
- Calm and quiet
- Green credentials
- Looks nice

For a lot of people (maybe most) that’s what they want from a car

Yep, perfect. Add on costing next to nothing to fuel, no wasting time at petrol stations, pre-warming/cooling and being able to nail it from cold without fretting over oil temperatures.

I've said it before, I really like how my GTE drives on electric. If it had about 50% more power on electric-only and less weight (from carting an unused engine about) then it would be even better, but then that's pretty much the current Leaf.

I get that it's not soul-stirring or something that would get my out of bed at 5am on a Sunday for, but for the everyday humdrum driving it's fantastic.

[DaveE]

Musk is clearly a loon (his comments about the diver in that Thai rescue etc)

But he's also a visionary, a "just do it" kind of personality - hence cars, charging networks, batteries, hyperloop, rockets, flame throwers etc etc.

And I think we all need to remember that the purpose of Tesla wasn't actually to become a car company, but to prove the viability of electric vehicles.

In that sense, he's already succeeded, just because every other car maker has been forced to follow.

He's created the market, desire, acceptability etc.

[NotoriousREV]

Musk is clearly a loon (his comments about the diver in that Thai rescue etc)

But he's also a visionary, a "just do it" kind of personality - hence cars, charging networks, batteries, hyperloop, rockets, flame throwers etc etc.

And I think we all need to remember that the purpose of Tesla wasn't actually to become a car company, but to prove the viability of electric vehicles.

In that sense, he's already succeeded, just because every other car maker has been forced to follow.

He's created the market, desire, acceptability etc.

This ^^^

[Marv]

4) I'm bored of arguing with those who consider the impracticalities of charging a non-issue. I'm up in the Midlands and back again this Thursday seeing a client. Next week I'll be back up to Hull, then along to Liverpool, then back, all in the space of 2 days. Asking a client if he's got an extension cord to plug an electric car in is not going to be feasible. Realistically, new 'flow' batteries look to sort out this recharge time, but they're years away from mass market and the required infrastructure to support them.

"I'm not getting one of them motor vehicle things, you have to go to the chemists to buy fuel and have to have a man waving a flag in front of it everywhere you go. I'll stick to travelling by horse. Look at all them grass feilds I can use to feed my horse!"

[GG.]

4) I'm bored of arguing with those who consider the impracticalities of charging a non-issue. I'm up in the Midlands and back again this Thursday seeing a client. Next week I'll be back up to Hull, then along to Liverpool, then back, all in the space of 2 days. Asking a client if he's got an extension cord to plug an electric car in is not going to be feasible. Realistically, new 'flow' batteries look to sort out this recharge time, but they're years away from mass market and the required infrastructure to support them.

"I'm not getting one of them motor vehicle things, you have to go to the chemists to buy fuel and have to have a man waving a flag in front of it everywhere you go. I'll stick to travelling by horse. Look at all them grass feilds I can use to feed my horse!"

That would be an apt and amusing comparison... if the internal combustion engine was less convenient and took more time to be refueled than a horse could be rested...

[unzippy]

Ever been driven in one? In fact - who on here has?

The way it whirs away from a standstill is momentarily impressive (of course it was being driven normally; I know they're capable of crazy acceleration) but as soon as you get going it becomes either very dull or actually rather unsettling that it's not making anything more than a whirring noise.

Incredibly one-dimensional and dull, and stupid and gay.

I've been driven in a Model X. My mate is currently the monkey that turns up to take your Tesla in for a service and then delivers it back after. He's a shocking driver However the car flattered him greatly with the way he was pitching it round 90deg corners without tipping over, seeing him bury the accelerator mid corner from a t-junction and we just warp down the road. It would be a nice place to be without him driving.

[JLv3.0]

"I'm not getting one of them motor vehicle things, you have to go to the chemists to buy fuel and have to have a man waving a flag in front of it everywhere you go. I'll stick to travelling by horse. Look at all them grass feilds I can use to feed my horse!"

What utter shite. Leave that crap to Mark please, Marv.

[Richard]

Yeah, horses work just fine!

[NotoriousREV]

It's a silly argument for most people most of the time, though. Most people use their car to commute more than any other journey. It's probably safe to say that those people are doing less than the range of a decent electric car, and then the car is sat stationery long enough to be recharged before being driven home, where it will sit for several more hours before being called back into service.

Yes, you might do a 300+ mile journey a couple of times a year for which your electric car may not be suitable, but that can be worked around. If you're in a job where you're on the road all day, an electric car might not be suitable, either. But those are edge cases.

It's funny that the same people trotting out this argument are the exact same people that deride someone for buying a 7 seater when they rarely use those 7 seats

[Richard]

But what about me. I drive 1000 miles EVERY day. It’s hardly going to work for me. And I dont have electricity at home. And I don’t have a place of work. And I can’t afford a Tesla. And I only need one seat. And I need to tow a 5 tonne trailer. And....


These Tesla’s are RUBBISH. They’ll never catch on

[tim]

He says like far too much, but I like what the guy is doing.

[Mito Man]

Can I just make it clear that I would still rate a Tesla as shit if it had a V8. It looks like shit, is put together like shit and is driven by people who are shit.

[Jobbo]

It's a silly argument for most people most of the time, though. Most people use their car to commute more than any other journey. It's probably safe to say that those people are doing less than the range of a decent electric car, and then the car is sat stationery long enough to be recharged before being driven home, where it will sit for several more hours before being called back into service.

Yes, you might do a 300+ mile journey a couple of times a year for which your electric car may not be suitable, but that can be worked around. If you're in a job where you're on the road all day, an electric car might not be suitable, either. But those are edge cases.

It's funny that the same people trotting out this argument are the exact same people that deride someone for buying a 7 seater when they rarely use those 7 seats

Having to hire a car when you go on holiday is a pain. Why do you have a Golf R estate and not a 2-seater of some sort?

[NotoriousREV]

It's a silly argument for most people most of the time, though. Most people use their car to commute more than any other journey. It's probably safe to say that those people are doing less than the range of a decent electric car, and then the car is sat stationery long enough to be recharged before being driven home, where it will sit for several more hours before being called back into service.

Yes, you might do a 300+ mile journey a couple of times a year for which your electric car may not be suitable, but that can be worked around. If you're in a job where you're on the road all day, an electric car might not be suitable, either. But those are edge cases.

It's funny that the same people trotting out this argument are the exact same people that deride someone for buying a 7 seater when they rarely use those 7 seats

Having to hire a car when you go on holiday is a pain. Why do you have a Golf R estate and not a 2-seater of some sort?

Because I only use the car when either the weather is poor (4Motion), I'm carrying the family plus luggage, or I'm carting a load to the tip. And I need to do all these things fast.

[GG.]

Revs points also don't account for the inconvenience for all of us that live in city centres or on terraced streets with no off street parking. Just doesn't work if everyone started to run charging cables across the pavement. That rules out a great deal more people than the range arguments to be honest.

[GG.]

He says like far too much, but I like what the guy is doing.

Yes I watched this. He doesn't come across as the kind of person that would go around shouting "pedo guy" at someone - Twitter/the internet definitely brings out the worst in people!

[NotoriousREV]

Revs points also don't account for the inconvenience for all of us that live in city centres or on terraced streets with no off street parking. Just doesn't work if everyone started to run charging cables across the pavement. That rules out a great deal more people than the range arguments to be honest.

I don't care about people that live in terraced houses

[GG.]

Revs points also don't account for the inconvenience for all of us that live in city centres or on terraced streets with no off street parking. Just doesn't work if everyone started to run charging cables across the pavement. That rules out a great deal more people than the range arguments to be honest.

I don't care about people that live in terraced houses

Elitist - not everyone can be a captain of (IT) industry, with their own detatched property & grounds like yourself.

[NotoriousREV]

Revs points also don't account for the inconvenience for all of us that live in city centres or on terraced streets with no off street parking. Just doesn't work if everyone started to run charging cables across the pavement. That rules out a great deal more people than the range arguments to be honest.

I don't care about people that live in terraced houses

Elitist - not everyone can be a captain of (IT) industry, with their own detatched property & grounds like yourself.

Of course they can, they just need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and work harder.

[DaveE]

Revs points also don't account for the inconvenience for all of us that live in city centres or on terraced streets with no off street parking. Just doesn't work if everyone started to run charging cables across the pavement. That rules out a great deal more people than the range arguments to be honest.

Like me.

I'd genuinely like an electric car - the more boring they are, the better for 99% of my driving needs.

But on-street parking (and rarely having the car outside the house) means it's not really practical (yet).

Given how infrequently I buy cars, and the direction of travel (electric, autonomous, subscription models etc) - I can see myself maybe only buying two more cars (unless circumstances change of course).