Tesla to start production in Hawthorne, CA

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by berettafan

The danger as i see it is that a lesser technology (which i believe electric cars are) will get too much of the finite amount of $$ available for development and infrastructure and a better technology (which i strongly suspect Hydrogen cars are) will flounder and be at best delayed and at worst die prematurely.

What is the reason for hydrogen cars not getting much traction (pun intended)?

What about CNG? Why no love for that?

There has to be a reason...better technology, better economics, better marketing, etc. So, how do they all stack up and how does the right solution get the support it deserves?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Why would anyone in their right mind open a business in CA?

[dd74]

Originally Posted by berettafan

Well i'm not sure electric IS here now. I doubt we have the capacity to charge a large number of 'plug in' cars.

By way of example if a number of residents in my town started running such technology it would impact EVERYONE's utility bills. We just negotiated a power agreement and one of the major parts of the contract was a max. power available and punitive pricing above such. Electricity isn't something that gets cheaper as you use more. In fact it gets more expensive.

As I've probably said before around here, the City of Los Angeles now has a mandate where it no longer purchases gasoline-only powered cars. Aside from police cars, (which might soon move to some other tech), everything is either hybrid, clean diesel, CNG or hydrogen. Oddly enough, left out of that mix is electric. Hydrogen though - yes - L.A. is making a big push for that. Lots of little hydrogen powered Civics are running around Downtown.

But then, the Port of L.A. is purchasing electric tractors that move 60,000 pounds at 40 mph for miles. That tech is exclusively produced in SoCal btw.

[dd74]

Originally Posted by gostraight

yeah...that was me. That particular car is an early prototype with an early battery and the carge is only about 150 miles, the Red car that is been flying around Mulholland is the 1.5 one (current model) and gives you an honest 240 miles.

That's cool! But seriously, the only thing I'd worry about in a car like that at speed on Mulholland, is the lack of noise (well, aside from the tire squeal); no one would hear you coming, which IMO, is dangerous.

How many people have been hit by a Prius because they didn't hear it in the grocery store parking lot?

[gostraight]

Originally Posted by dd74

That's cool! But seriously, the only thing I'd worry about in a car like that at speed on Mulholland, is the lack of noise (well, aside from the tire squeal); no one would hear you coming, which IMO, is dangerous.

How many people have been hit by a Prius because they didn't hear it in the grocery store parking lot?

True...mostly true @ crawling speeds in parking lots.Over 30 mph it actually makes a little noise. also true on Mulholland.

[dd74]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Why would anyone in their right mind open a business in CA?

As opposed to Kansas? LOL!

Alternative energy can be a boom business in CA, since CA govt, Democrats and Environmentalists basically hate the internally combustible engine.

If I were producing battery tech or hydrogen, etc., Cali would be the first place I'd locate.

[dd74]

Originally Posted by gostraight

True...mostly true @ crawling speeds in parking lots.Over 30 mph it actually makes a little noise. also true on Mulholland.

Sweet! Post some photos of it if you can.

BTW, how do you "plug it in?"

The guy across the street from me has an electric minivan-like vehicle. It looks a little like a miniature Helms bakery truck. It's very cool/cute. He just plugs it in with an extension cord, and that's that.

Also, have you clocked the Tesla's 0-60? Is it really 5 seconds, or even less?

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by dd74

As opposed to Kansas? LOL!

Alternative energy can be a boom business in CA, since CA govt, Democrats and Environmentalists basically hate the internally combustible engine.

If I were producing battery tech or hydrogen, etc., Cali would be the first place I'd locate.

And like it or not So Cal is automobile central.

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by dd74

As opposed to Kansas? LOL!

If I were producing battery tech or hydrogen, etc., Cali would be the first place I'd locate.

California? 'Producing', no.... developing the technology, hell yeah. For production/manufacturing, I'd pick Kansas before CA. WAY before.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Quote de onewhippedpuppy

Why would anyone in their right mind open a business in CA?

As opposed to Kansas? LOL!



Alternative energy can be a boom business in CA, since CA govt, Democrats and Environmentalists basically hate the internally combustible engine.



If I were producing battery tech or hydrogen, etc., Cali would be the first place I'd locate.

KS encourages business development. I'm not so sure that the same can be said about CA. And before you laugh too hard, remember that KS designs and builds more aircraft than anywhere else in the world and is ground zero for the R&D of advanced materials such as composites.

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

KS encourages business development. I'm not so sure that the same can be said about CA. And before you laugh too hard, remember that KS designs and builds more aircraft than anywhere else in the world and is ground zero for the R&D of advanced materials such as composites.

Aerospace > silicon and software

[gostraight]

Originally Posted by dd74

Sweet! Post some photos of it if you can.

BTW, how do you "plug it in?"

The guy across the street from me has an electric minivan-like vehicle. It looks a little like a miniature Helms bakery truck. It's very cool/cute. He just plugs it in with an extension cord, and that's that.

Also, have you clocked the Tesla's 0-60? Is it really 5 seconds, or even less?

you can plug it in your regular 110 outlet, or a 240 fast charger

the silver car is about a 5 sec 0-60, but the red one (current model 1.5) is the actual car that road and track tested and got 3.9 sec. The "Sport " version arriving sometime in the summer-fall will be a 3.6 sec.

What's more impressive than the 0-60 time is the 30-70.- the actual passing speed.

[lfot]

Here's the silver early prototype that Radu mentioned.
In this man's honest opinion, the naysayers don't know what they're talking about.

[lfot]

A few of my pics from the Tesla Model S reveal at SpaceX in Hawthorne.

Bare bones Tesla Roadster. It's not so much a Lotus look-a-like as it is an electric Elise with a slightly longer wheelbase and a total carbon fiber body.


Bare bones Roadster 2


My dad in the red Roadster prototype Radu mentioned.


A horde of customer owned Tesla Roadsters.


Tesla Model S


Inside the Model S. Yes, all touch screen LCD control panel.


Radu driving folks around in the Model S.

[lendaddy]

So Radu works there or what?

[grudk]

Originally Posted by berettafan

Well i'm not sure electric IS here now. I doubt we have the capacity to charge a large number of 'plug in' cars.

By way of example if a number of residents in my town started running such technology it would impact EVERYONE's utility bills. We just negotiated a power agreement and one of the major parts of the contract was a max. power available and punitive pricing above such. Electricity isn't something that gets cheaper as you use more. In fact it gets more expensive.

Perhaps charging a large number of cars is not currently feasible, but consider the totally new infrastructure required for hydrogen filling. Also a long way to go before these cars are economically viable -- far more expensive than the current Tesla . Not saying electric is the 'ulimate solution' but I think it's going to be an important part of the 'bridge' to whatever follows. Will certainly help achieve energy independence.

[David]

Electric generation capacity is not the issue that some make it out to be.

Electric cars would primarily charge at night when the current load is the lowest.

New smart electric meters will allow utilities to charge different rates at different times of day so that charging a car at night will be encouraged with lower rates.

[lfot]

Originally Posted by lendaddy

So Radu works there or what?

He's a designer at Tesla.

[lendaddy]

Ahh, very cool. Even though I'm not a huge fan of the idea I imagine that's a great gig.

[berettafan]

If were all charging our cars at night guess what.........