The Tesla looks good, but there's no reason for it to look like a traditional car with a normal nose and (fake) grille other than to get traditional car buyers to buy it. It could look like anything as there's no need for an engine compartment or even a front "trunk space."
The Volt looks like what it is: an aerodynamic, efficient hatchback. it's got a bit of stubby aggressiveness than the Prius lacks. I like mine, especially in the dark blue.
Is there any particular reason why Chevrolet (and BMW and countless other manufacturers) insist that the only color you can have is some variation of silver and maybe ONE actual color for their electrics? Seriously. BMW and Chevrolet, for their electrics, offer you, I E36 M3 you not, 7 colors: black, white, silver, silver, silver, silver, and red for the Volt/orange for the BMW. We're looking at the gray part of the color spectrum.
This is for 2014. Red must be the new blue this year. (I really like Chris's color blue on the Volt but they won't do that this year.) WHAT THE HELL is with all the silver?
you would think they would offer "electric blue" and other vibrant metallic shades they could name like that...
You can have any color you want. As long as it's black. 
mad_machine wrote: what I really like about Tesla.. is their cars look like cars. They are not weird bubbles like the Prius and the leaf.. these are honest to goodness cars.. that also happen to be drop dead sexy looking.
This will be the key to selling people on the eletric car. Make it look great, not another boring appliance. The Tesla is one of the best looking 4 door cars on the road. The new smaller model seems to be getting it right too by the early photo.
I don't why someone would pay $70k for the Model S when the Jag XF exists which looks better, sounds better, is faster and costs the same. The Model S looks like a bottom feeding fish.
I have always found EV's fascinating, but have never pulled the trigger on one. This may be the one that gets my money.
93EXCivic wrote: I don't why someone would pay $70k for the Model S when the Jag XF exists which looks better, sounds better, is faster and costs the same. The Model S looks like a bottom feeding fish.
So you already have your deposit in?
Whats the break even point on electric rates vs gas prices? We're getting rap... charged $0.19497/kWh by our local utility and will be going up next year, regular gas is $3.61. Also, I wonder how much the range is compromised by cold weather, like say -40 degrees. A 200 mile range could easily handle my sales route, leaving the wife's car for longer trips. I know electric can work here as I've seen at least 2 Leafs running around town...
skierd wrote: Whats the break even point on electric rates vs gas prices?
What's the vehicle cost difference? How many miles per year? Is the car financed or paid cash? What return rate are you getting on your money elsewhere?
Depends on a lot. For example the earnings alone of the $31k difference between that Tesla and our 1G Prius stuck in an index fund would cover the gas bill indefinitely, as long as gas prices keep pace with inflation.
aren't the "supercharging" stations free for Tesla users?
93EXCivic wrote: I don't why someone would pay $70k for the Model S when the Jag XF exists which looks better, sounds better, is faster and costs the same. The Model S looks like a bottom feeding fish.
because the S touches all my happy tech and enviro buttons.. and it's reliable
If I could invest my car payment in a mutual fund, I wouldn't be worried about gas prices. And I'm not looking at total vehicle break even, just fuel vs electric costs.
Turns out Tesla has such a calculator on their page for the model S. http://www.teslamotors.com/goelectric#savings
Gas at $3.80 and assuming 28mpg (which is what I get now), electric rates have to go up to $0.45kwH to be even cost wise. If you get a car that can average 48mpg (so best case Fiesta Ecoboost, Prius, etc), that drops to only $0.27kwH.
mad_machine wrote:93EXCivic wrote: I don't why someone would pay $70k for the Model S when the Jag XF exists which looks better, sounds better, is faster and costs the same. The Model S looks like a bottom feeding fish.because the S touches all my happy tech and enviro buttons.. and it's reliable
Also, I expect the S to have much better resale. I don't know the numbers, but with Tesla's guaranteed buy-back plan, I think there's a pretty good lower limit to resale value set in stone.
mad_machine wrote:93EXCivic wrote: I don't why someone would pay $70k for the Model S when the Jag XF exists which looks better, sounds better, is faster and costs the same. The Model S looks like a bottom feeding fish.because the S touches all my happy tech and enviro buttons.. and it's reliable
Except for the whole fire thing 
skierd wrote: Whats the break even point on electric rates vs gas prices? We're getting rap... charged $0.19497/kWh by our local utility and will be going up next year, regular gas is $3.61. Also, I wonder how much the range is compromised by cold weather, like say -40 degrees. A 200 mile range could easily handle my sales route, leaving the wife's car for longer trips. I know electric can work here as I've seen at least 2 Leafs running around town...
I don't know exactly what the break even point is, but around my way I pay $.08/kwh for electric and $3.40/gallon, so it's a no brainer in that respect. It's impossible to measure down to the penny, but best guestimate is that our electric bill has gone up about $15-$20/month with the Leaf.
As for range, yes the cold has a big effect. On days above 60 degrees, I can go 100 miles on a charge if I drive carefully. The range goes down the colder it gets. It also depends a lot on how much you use the heater. If I keep it to a minimum, I can go about 85 miles when it's 40 degrees out. Again, it's a guestimate as I never let the battery run dry. The coldest I've used the car is about 0 degrees, and in that extreme I don't know it would go more than 60 miles...less if you crank the heat.
N Sperlo wrote: 35 is still out of my price range at this time and I would prefer a gas car, but that puts it in reach of more of the middle class and therefore is a move in the proper direction.
This.
93EXCivic wrote:mad_machine wrote:Except for the whole fire thing93EXCivic wrote: I don't why someone would pay $70k for the Model S when the Jag XF exists which looks better, sounds better, is faster and costs the same. The Model S looks like a bottom feeding fish.because the S touches all my happy tech and enviro buttons.. and it's reliable
yes, it's hard to compare 3 fires to hundreds of Jags failing to start every morning 
This is good news, but really nothing but speculation at this point. Tesla hasn't met a deadline or pricepoint yet so far as I can tell. If they build a practical 100+ mile electric hatch, I would consider it to replace the Leaf in 30 months.
93EXCivic wrote:mad_machine wrote:Except for the whole fire thing93EXCivic wrote: I don't why someone would pay $70k for the Model S when the Jag XF exists which looks better, sounds better, is faster and costs the same. The Model S looks like a bottom feeding fish.because the S touches all my happy tech and enviro buttons.. and it's reliable
Ah yes, let's condemn a car because one ran over a trailer hitch off a Brodozer's F750, one hit a damn tree, and another mounted a rock like a Jeep in Moab. 
93EXCivic wrote:mad_machine wrote:Except for the whole fire thing93EXCivic wrote: I don't why someone would pay $70k for the Model S when the Jag XF exists which looks better, sounds better, is faster and costs the same. The Model S looks like a bottom feeding fish.because the S touches all my happy tech and enviro buttons.. and it's reliable
Tell that to Dick Van Dyke
I do not know if this makes a difference in all markets, but my near purchase of an all electric was purely for the HOV sticker that comes with it. From my little slice of Paradise in Phoenix to my old office, was a measly 10 miles, but would often take 45 minutes due to traffic and no alternate route around the mountain. HOV would be a slam dunk 20 minutes everyday, that adds value as well and I am sure I am not the only one that sees it.
I ended up going against traffic for 25 miles that take 30 minutes with the cruise on the entire way due to no traffic.
mad_machine wrote:93EXCivic wrote:yes, it's hard to compare 3 fires to hundreds of Jags failing to start every morningmad_machine wrote:Except for the whole fire thing93EXCivic wrote: I don't why someone would pay $70k for the Model S when the Jag XF exists which looks better, sounds better, is faster and costs the same. The Model S looks like a bottom feeding fish.because the S touches all my happy tech and enviro buttons.. and it's reliable
Isn't this from a man who owns a Land Rover? 
It takes a pretty catastrophic accident to make a Tesla catch fire. The kind that would likely make an ICE vehicle catch fire, but faster since gas and ATF ignite much quicker than li-ion cells.
True.. the one that made Tesla put in a titanium (think about that) skidplate in ran over a trailer hitch that punctured the battery compartment. The car alerted the driver there was an issue and was told to pull over. He was able to get out and walk away before the car caught on fire.
Also, the battery and passenger compartments are secured against fire.. the firefighters have a -very- hard time putting the car out because of the sealing (and the fact that water did nothing)
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