TESLA all electric for towing...

[MossRoad]

Tesla Insane Mode Video...
(Warning: Extreme language due to people getting the bajeebers scared out of them, so turn down your volume if you object to such language or are in a place where it might offend).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpaLgF1uLB8

 

[k0ua]

Tesla Insane Mode Video...
(Warning: Extreme language due to people getting the bajeebers scared out of them, so turn down your volume if you object to such language or are in a place where it might offend).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpaLgF1uLB8

I find it interesting that the hookup to the street seems to be pretty good.. sticky tires? good weight distribution? I never hear any tire spin. The car hooks up well under what seems like pretty good acceleration. I take it that "insane mode" is a button that changes the acceleration dynamics of the car allowing a more rapid acceleration than normal mode when the "go pedal" is pressed all the way down?

 

[ultrarunner]

I pass by the Tesla plant several times each week... I think it's great the engineers/designers can have some fun with their product and for a car... sure do see a lot of them in the South Bay Area...

Now with the SUV in development... who knows how far the technology will go?

The all wheel drive does take a toll on range having two motors...

Having a low center of gravity can't do anything but improve handling and a Tesla is not a small car... unlike the roadster.

 

[deezler]

I find it interesting that the hookup to the street seems to be pretty good.. sticky tires? good weight distribution? I never hear any tire spin. The car hooks up well under what seems like pretty good acceleration. I take it that "insane mode" is a button that changes the acceleration dynamics of the car allowing a more rapid acceleration than normal mode when the "go pedal" is pressed all the way down?

The P85D is all wheel drive and over 5000 lbs. Plenty of traction! In fact, you have to pull some fuses to get the car to even allow any wheel spin. Yeah insane mode is for all out acceleration. maximum amperage to the motors.

 

[k0ua]

The P85D is all wheel drive and over 5000 lbs. Plenty of traction! In fact, you have to pull some fuses to get the car to even allow any wheel spin. Yeah insane mode is for all out acceleration. maximum amperage to the motors.

You might be able to make some money off of selling carnival rides in it

 

[davrow]

You might be able to make some money off of selling carnival rides in it

Fun up until the rider pukes in your $100,000 carnival ride. :shocked:

 

[MossRoad]

Fun up until the rider pukes in your $100,000 carnival ride. :shocked:

Eddie: "Yeah, I got the daughter in the clinic, getting cured off the Wild Turkey. And, the older boy, bless his soul, is preparing for his career." Clark: "College?" Eddie: "Carnival." Clark: "You got to be proud." Eddie: "Oh, yeah. Yeah, last season he was a pixie-dust spreader on the Tilt-O-Whirl. He thinks that maybe next year, He'll be guessing people's weight or barking for the Yak woman. You ever see her?" Clark: "No." Eddie: "She's got these big horns growing right out above her ears. Yeah, she's ugly as sin, but a sweet gal. And, a **** of a good cook."

 

[williaty]

Problem with that "insane" acceleration on the Model S is that it's resulting in the cars using up a drivetrain about every 35,000 miles. For some of the customers, that's only a touch more than a year. The whole rear end is monolithic, electric motor, gearbox, driveshaft, and a bit of the suspension get replaced as an assembly. So it's about a $45k bill every time it happens. So far, the cars have been under the extended warranty, but that will run out soon enough and the customers will start having to foot the bill. Two of my close friends worked as design and test engineers for a major automaker and were poached by Tesla to work on the Model S project. They didn't stay with the company long due to disgust at how it was operating. When the Model S went on sale to the public, none of the test cars had any more than 30,000 miles on them. Compare that to the major manufacturer they used to work for who froze designs 3-5 years before sale and spent that time driving the crap out of them so they'd have a fleet of test mules with multiple hundreds of thousands of miles on them in extreme weather conditions all over the world before they were released to the public.

EVTV has a good blog post a couple of months ago about the Model S drivetrain problems if you're interested.

 

[ultrarunner]

It will be interesting to see just how all electrics stack up in longevity...

I'm guessing Tesla had to punt as it was a do or die moment as it was piling up red ink...

That said... the South Bay/Silicon Valley seems to be loaded with them... especially Los Gatos... grabed a burger on a weekday for lunch and every time I looked up another Tesla was driving by... of course in Los Gatos you will find a fair number of high end cars... even a Ferrari Dealer if memory serves.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Eddie: "Yeah, I got the daughter in the clinic, getting cured off the Wild Turkey. And, the older boy, bless his soul, is preparing for his career." Clark: "College?" Eddie: "Carnival." Clark: "You got to be proud." Eddie: "Oh, yeah. Yeah, last season he was a pixie-dust spreader on the Tilt-O-Whirl. He thinks that maybe next year, He'll be guessing people's weight or barking for the Yak woman. You ever see her?" Clark: "No." Eddie: "She's got these big horns growing right out above her ears. Yeah, she's ugly as sin, but a sweet gal. And, a **** of a good cook."

Timeless movie!

Chris

 

[fordmantpw]

Timeless movie!

Chris

One of my all-time favorites! The next iteration coming out in July looks to be pretty good too.

 

[MossRoad]

We've got a Tesla charging station at our local mall in Mishawaka (South Bend), IN..... been there about 3 years, I suppose. I've seen one car parked at it in 3 years. It's near I80/90. I wouldn't want to travel cross-country and have to stop every 150-200 miles to charge up for several hours. I'd never own a pure electric car. Not even as a commuter or 2nd car. It's too limited as are my finances. I need something I can go all day long in at a moment's notice. Maybe, just maybe, I'd own one as a town car after I retired. But even then, I just don't see it happening for us.

 

[ultrarunner]

Those with hybrids in California or better yet those selling new hybrids will soon be impacted because no new hybrid carpool lane passes will be issued...

In the future, the vehicle will have to be all electric, hydrogen or some variation to be considered...

Make no mistake... one of the biggest incentives in California has been being able to use the carpool lane in rush hour as a single occupant...

 

[ultrarunner]

One of the original Tesla engineers left the company to start his own... it specializes in truck drivetrain replacements.

Currently, it retrofits UPS/FedEx type delivery vehicles as well as garbage trucks to all electric with business increasing...

Tesla Motors co-founder wants to electrify commercial trucks - Yahoo News

 

[RalphVa]

Wish Tesla (OR SOMEONE) would offer an electric or hybrid pickup. Think congress needs to raise the CAFE on trucks to force this.

Of course, in the meanwhile, I'll take a turbo diesel small pickup, too, which no one is offering.

Ralph

 

[fordmantpw]

Well, you're in luck Ralph!

VIA Motors Extended-range Electric Trucks, Vans & SUVs EREVs

 

[Garandman]

T//Make no mistake... one of the biggest incentives in California has been being able to use the carpool lane in rush hour as a single occupant...

Not the case in MA either, no HOV lane for you! Motorcycles are HOV by Federal regulation.

But still a lot of Priui - even cabs. I have an electric bicycle but can't see an all-electric car in cold climates.

 

[Garandman]

They have a market capitalization of $34 Billion. They don't have to make a profit any time soon.

 

[ultrarunner]

Tesla is well capitalized and a darling for many in Government...

Also helps that it's founder and investors have deep pockets.

Not a day goes by without seeing at least one on the road and often it's several zipping along in the HOV lanes on Bay Area Freeways...

Tesla also has significant jobs... not as much as the NUMMI plant... but, still very significant numbering in the thousands...

More of my neighbors are going all electric... with Leaf being the most popular and Prius plug ins following a close second... has to mean something when every block has at least one plug in electric...

The Plug ins get preferred parking, HOV access and no charge plug in with many Bay Area employers...

About half charge at home from solar panels through net metering...

 

[Garandman]

I may actually trade in my Subaru WRX for the Prius wagon. I need a little more room for car pooling teenagers, and I'm having knee replacement so driving a manual in traffic may not work for me anymore....

Living in the city, sitting at a light with the engine idling seems really wasteful. I'll still keep the Outback for trips up north, etc.