ELECTRIC TESLA ROADSTER when is tesla going to make an affordable?

Question

it seems you dont even need half the gas range this one has and its expensive not to mention heavy the batteries weigh 1000 pounds for 250 mile range, i could do with even a third of that since it includes a normal ac adapter plug, i read theyre developing a 4 door cheaper version question is why does such a great project delay so much? it would be great if they sold you the powerplant even in airplanes it would install great and given, its not so hard for diehard custom car guys anyways, it doesnt seem like their method of deplyment is effective since all youre really after is the engine, one could build one of these much like one builds a hot rod or experimental plane, for much much cheaper, when are these cars going to be any more affordable? is there any way to buy a powerplant alone?

Answer 1

Tesla is trying to get an electric sedan out by 2010

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2006/12/18/...

ZAP, Miles Automotive, and Phoenix Motorcars are some other EV companies shooting for affordable electric cars around 2009.

http://autos.msn.com/advice/article.aspx...

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/04/03/...

http://phoenixmotorcars.com/

Answer 2

What others have said about AC propulsion providing components to Tesla is wrong.  Tesla developed their own eMotor and has technology that is a bit beyond what AC propulsion offers, although it is somewhat similar.

Yes, you can buy complete electric powertrains from AC propulsion, but not from Tesla.

The AC-150ev is what ACP sells:

http://www.acpropulsion.com/technology/g...

That is what powers the Wrightspeed X1 vehicle:

http://www.wrightspeed.com/x1.html

Regarding an "affordable Tesla".  That is some years away.  They have plans to make future models less expensive.  The US$100,000 Roadster is supposed to be joined by a ~US$60,000 4 door luxury sedan around 2010, and a ~US$35,000 compact sedan sometime after that.  At least that is what their business plan said.

Regarding delays, Tesla is a new company, starting from scratch, learning as they go, and it is taking time to get all the engineering details worked out.

None of the big car companies are selling pure electric vehicles for a lot of reasons.  Some of the reasons include the idea that they are in the habit of making gas vehicles and they do what they know.

Regarding their powerplant in airplanes - yes it would be nice to have a nearly silent, emissions free power plant for small planes, but the weight of the battery pack makes it impractical.  An airplane needs a fairly long useful range before running out of power, and battery pack stores much less energy than a small fuel tank would.  A typical daily drive in a car only covers maybe 60 miles.  A typical flight in a small plane is more likley to be 100's of miles which you wouldn't get with a small battery pack.

Regarding their eMotor not being for sale:

Tesla could probably sell many of them if they wanted, but it seems they want to keep them all for themselves for now.  It is part of their technology that they think can make their EVs better than other companies EVs.

Answer 3

Sorry, but you haven't been listening.

Tessla has a problem--tey have to establish a market position and prove the practicality of the technology (a no-brainer if you're familer with it, but most people are not).

So they have developed a very specific business plan.  Step one is to introduce the roadster.  It is high-performance, and targeted to a high-end market--the people who can afford to invest in a new technology and are likely to e willing to do so.

That's a classic strategy for the introduction of new technology--and it works.  They've done their homework on this.

Step two-already under way--is to develop two other models--a md-price family size car, and a budget low-cost model.  They plan to introduce these in the near future.

As for selling jsut the powrplant--that's simply not a viable option.  Anyone who wanted to convert an existig car would end up spending more money than it would be worth. Hobbyists might be interested--but there are components on the market they can use already. Airplanes are not anoption, either--the battery pack is simply too heavy--and aircraft require more power.  The range would be nilil, evenfor a very light plane.

As for the delays--that's normal.  Some people seem to think you create new technology on a schedule, likea mass production line.  It doesn't work that way.  New technology means tackling theunknown--there is no road map and no way of knowing what glitches you will enounter. So you get delays.  That goes with the territory when you do real research.

Answer 4

STUPID!

The cost per mile of operation would 10 times more than a gas powered car!  

It's not a car it's a toy!

Answer 5

Tesla is going after a different market.

Lots of other manufacturers are designing practical electric cars.  Tesla is designing an exotic high powered sports car.  It's like the difference between a Chevy and a Porsche.  So of course, it's expensive.

Answer 6

you can buy the powerplant from http://www.acpropulsion.com/

http://www.acpropulsion.com/technology/g...

the problem is the cost of crash testing, tooling up big factories & distribution networks etc and getting the economies of mass production. Electric vehicles are simpler to make and should be cheaper than infernal combustion, and the likelyhood/cost of getting a start-up loan with GM threatening to undercut you with the vapourware, very ugly, Volt. If only a big car maker would take on the technology.

but compared to what some pay for noisy clunky Slow Ugly Vehicles the Tesla is "affordable" to the rich kids who do most to wreck the planet.

Answer 7

Tesla are planning on cheaper cars.(covered well enough already) The high end market prices are necessary to recover development costs more quickly. Tesla's roadster  is the most scutinised vehicle ever to be released. They have spent heaps working their way through government regulatory authorities getting it this far. (many regulations would have to have been written specifically for this car.)

My experience (a few years old now) with Lithium batteries is that they did degrade quite quickly over time.There has been dramatic improvements over the last few years.

This from Tesla about their battery. (Being highly scrutinised most of their performance claims are quite accurate.)

The battery pack in your Tesla Roadster is expected to maintain good driving performance for about 100,000 miles or five years, whichever comes first. Lithium-ion batteries will degrade slightly over time. Our testing and modeling indicate that a typical Tesla Roadster owner who drives 50,000 miles over five years should have about 70 percent of initial performance levels available. http://www.teslamotors.com/learn_more/fa...

AC Propulsion (another company) make the motor and control system for the Tesla. This system and similar units from other manufacturers are available to buy. They are not cheap though.  These guys sell them

http://www.metricmind.com/

(Edit  Ok.... I stand corrected Tesla have modified the AC Propulsions systems for the Tesla. Similar, not exactly the same. See last question http://www.teslamotors.com/learn_more/fa...

My tip for the first affordable and practicle electric car (range 120 miles and highway speeds) would be based on Subaru's g4e (unveiled 27 October 2007 Tokyo motor show). Subaru has a lot of experience with passing government regulations, mass production techniques, sourcing parts etc. Could happen very quickly.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?...