Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Hybrid Vehicles Electric Vehicles The Tesla Roadster - Electric Car
251 messages, Last post on Aug 22, 2008 at 4:34 PM
You are in the Electric Vehicles Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
|
Replying to: michael2003 (Feb 09, 2007 5:24 am) ... Any engineers out there have an idea of what would happen to the four second, zero to sixty, with half the peak load, taken away in batt size? Keep in mind that the car might be two to three hundred pounds lighter even with the little genset. Oh yeah, would have ten to fifteen thousand dollars to put a genset in the vehicle.
|
|
|
Replying to: roland3 (Feb 09, 2007 7:43 am) I'm by no means an expert on this but here's a couple things I do know. The Tesla has a 185 kW motor and a battery pack that is around 450 kg. Cut this in half and you have a 225 kg battery pack. Given that standard Li-ion batteries have a power density of around 1 kW per kg I think that the performance wouldn't suffer. There are newer battery technologies from companies like A123 Systems and Altairnano that supposedly have a big advantage when it comes to power density. They claim their batteries produce 3-4 kW per kg. So potentially a relatively small battery pack, say 100 kg, could supply a very powerful electric motor producing incredible performance, albeit with limited electric range. If I were rich I'd love to build a car with a 100 kW motor powering the front wheels and a 150 kW motor powering the rear. I'd install one of these new technology 100 kg battery packs and a 1 Liter diesel generator to keep it charged. Granted the generator would be running almost non-stop, which wouldn't make it much of an EV but it would have performance that probably exceeded that of a Viper while getting at least 30 mpg.
|
|
|
Replying to: tpe (Feb 09, 2007 3:09 pm) |
|
|
|
|
Some sources are reporting the Tesla sedan will be built in NM. Also reporting that the price will be "at least $50k." How many green mercedes drivers are there who will accept the limitations? They say they want to build 10,000 units a year. All good I guess. http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070220/UPDATE/702200428
|
|
|
Replying to: reddroverr (Feb 20, 2007 1:04 pm) |
|
|
Replying to: reddroverr (Feb 20, 2007 1:04 pm) Other questions would be, are there any owners of $50k vehicles that never drive over 250 miles? How many people that can afford a $50k vehicle have more than one car? If there are those that fit into these categories then there are really no relevant limitations. And if this would be your only vehicle and you rarely make the 250+ mile trip there is always the option of renting on those occasions. And any limitations also need to be weighed against the convenience of foregoing the 30+ annual trips the average motorist makes to a filling station. What about the situation where you didn't plan on driving 250 miles but ended up needing to? Well I've been driving over 30 years and that's never come up. What about people that don't have access to an outlet for re-charging? Remember this is still a $50k vehicle. Not exactly aimed at the apartment dweller. So, IMO, a 250 range will be a non-factor for enough people that this car will still have a market. No it won't have the mass appeal of Camrys and Accords that sell 400k units but since they only plan on making 10k a year the fact that its appeal will be limited is also a non-factor. But to even sell that many this $50k EV will still have to offer comparable performance, comfort, and amenities to the other $50k vehicles that buyers have to choose from.
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: tpe (Feb 21, 2007 8:25 am) I am just guessing at the mindset of the average buyer in that categary, but I don't think they are much concerned with saving gas or the planet. Any drawback such as a range limitation could well be a deal breaker, whether it comes into play much or not. It's all about convenience, luxury, performance and status. Still, 10k is not all that many units..perhaps there are enough folks with the money and incling to move them. Certainly hollywood has a few elligible buyers. I have little doubt that the Tesla will be tricked out and perform well for its class. Perhaps the unique factor will spur buyers to go with it. The status thing..the I got stuff you don't thing. I guess at this point, I will be waiting for the Volt.
|
|
|
Replying to: reddroverr (Feb 21, 2007 10:32 am) I agree. I think the Volt is the more logical next step on the way to pure EVs.
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: tpe (Feb 21, 2007 11:24 am) For some reason, I see Phoenix doing a lot better in the beginning than Tesla. Whether it be their lower prices, or their awesome batteries that fully recharge in 10 minutes and have 9,000 life cycles. The car goes 130 miles, but they said something about an expansion pack that would allow the cars to go for about 250 miles. You guys are right, though. The cars, for a while, at least, won't be too affordable to the mass market. There will be some people pushed over the edge by the gasoline prices. The prices will come down once they mass-produce them, though. And then the Volt will come out. I wish they gave us a price estimate for the Volt, though. Tesla added weight to their car for safety and durability reasons, so now they just say, "Over 200 miles." |
|
gas stations should employ recharging stations that use a 220 maybe instead of a 110, that way you can recharge in 1/2 hour instead of 6 hours, then the electric car can really become.
|
|
You are here:
Forums
Hybrid Vehicles Electric Vehicles The Tesla Roadster - Electric Car
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
2010 Tesla Roadster
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
