Before you buy a Tesla, consider this:

[DrQ]

Let me say this:

• From an innovation standpoint, Tesla is exceptional
• From a design standpoint, Tesla is good
• From a manufacturing standpoint, Tesla is mediocre
• From a service standpoint, Tesla can be poor (depending on how far you live from a service center)

Case in point -
Tesla vehicles shipped with missing bolts and gaps between panels
https://driving.ca/tesla/auto-news/...ed-with-missing-bolts-and-gaps-between-panels

These Repair Bulletins for Tesla's Quality Problems Are Downright Embarrassing—and Serious

Directly from the NHTSA.

www.thedrive.com

 

[x3 skier]

That’s usually the problem of great innovators. The transition to production and support isn’t something they care about a lot and often stumble until they recognize they need to turn it over to others more capable in that skill. If they don’t, bad things can happen.

Cheers

 

[DrQ]

An don't get me wrong, we need Tesla to move BEV forward, but it is not an everyman's car, yet.

 

[Sandy VDH]

Didn't buy an Auto but the Stock has been crazy good choice for me. Beyond rational explanation even.

 

[Chrispee]

There are definitely more squeaks/rattles and panel gap inconsistencies than I would like with my 2019 Tesla Model 3. Hopefully Tesla continues to improve their QC when it comes to fit and finish.

 

[DrQ]

There are definitely more squeaks/rattles and panel gap inconsistencies than I would like with my 2019 Tesla Model 3. Hopefully Tesla continues to improve their QC when it comes to fit and finish.

That's what was noted when they did a tear down of the Tesla, Chevy Bolt EV and BMW EV

They noted that the Tesla was "totally new" "out of the box". The Bolt was built much like a conventional ICE car.

The reason is that the Bolt EV was designed to be built on an existing production line. The production lines have been engineered to optimize production and quality. So you want to keep the form of components to work with the line to keep cost down and get consistent results.

Musk found out that throwing robots at it, didn't work.

 

[dansimms]

I am not sold on electric cars being good for the environment. It seems to just move the pollution from the car to the electric generation, fueled by fossel fuels anyway, out in the countryside. No net pollution savings. I hope I am wrong.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I am not sold on electric cars being good for the environment. It seems to just move the pollution from the car to the electric generation, fueled by fossel fuels anyway, out in the countryside. No net pollution savings. I hope I am wrong.

When you have solar added to your home, like we do, no fossil fuels no pollution. (Almost) Free gas. Panels are cheap if you add extra at installation.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

I am not sold on electric cars being good for the environment. It seems to just move the pollution from the car to the electric generation, fueled by fossel fuels anyway, out in the countryside. No net pollution savings. I hope I am wrong.

Bingo -

When you have solar added to your home, like we do, no fossil fuels no pollution. (Almost) Free gas. Panels are cheap if you add extra at installation.

Unless you're recharging your Tesla solely from your panels - and are cut off from the electric grid to force that to be the case - when you charge the Tesla somewhere in the world an electricity generator is operating to provide the power you are drawing from the grid.

 

[PigsDad]

And don't forget to factor in the pollution created from manufacture and eventual disposal of the highly-toxic batteries. Overall, I believe the total pollution is less than ICE vehicles, mainly due to scales of efficiency, but it is far, far from "zero emissions" as the greenies tout.

Kurt

 

[b2bailey]

Didn't buy an Auto but the Stock has been crazy good choice for me. Beyond rational explanation even.

Been ever better for Elon.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

And don't forget to factor in the pollution created from manufacture and eventual disposal of the highly-toxic batteries. Overall, I believe the total pollution is less than ICE vehicles, mainly due to scales of efficiency, but it is far, far from "zero emissions" as the greenies tout.

Kurt

The main reason why electric vehicles are likely to have lower emissions (sum of first- and second-tier emissions) is because powering from the grid facilitates use of non-fossil fuel energy as the power source for electric vehicles.

But it's inappropriate to simply look at the supply of renewable energy used in the local grid to estimate impact. The impact analysis that is correct is marginal generation analysis. Ask the question, "when I plug my vehicle into the grid to recharge, what generating source responds to pick up that added demand?". Is some wind turbine somewhere going to turn on? Is some solar panel going to increase it's output? Is some dam operator going to release more water through the turbine?"

In most cases, the answer will be "no". Those sources are already pumping all of their available output into the grid. Peaking demands in most grids are met by gas- or oil-fired turbines. (There's a minor nuance with some hydro systems.)

 

[emeryjre]

If you believe in Electric Vehicles and do not want to get caught up in the carbon load plus or minus argument, then hold your hat. Right now the Tesla is the market leader. In the next twelve to 18 months the market will have a slew of new competitors to Tesla. These competitors will come from new startups to major automakers. GM is making a full on commitment to Electric Vehicles that will stun anybody not paying attention to the capital expenditures being made by GM to become a major player in the market. If you are early adopter of the EV technology, then it is hard not to want a Tesla despite the lack of top build quality, difficulty of getting accident repair parts, and lack of after sale support. When GM puts its dealer network with dedicated sales staff and after sales dealer support into the game, then there will be a new top dog in the mix.

 

[bogey21]

Ignore - Duplicate...

 

[bogey21]

My Brother who is an auto aficionado and has owned a Ferrari, a Maserati and a Czech fighter plane among other things loves his Tesla. I think it is the Tesla's acceleration that has him hooked...

George

 

[Passepartout]

We like the heck out of our Honda PHEV, but realize that in our rural neck of the woods, the EV infrastructure lag makes plug-in hybrid a 'bridge' to a practical EV. There simply are not enough charging stations on routes in the boondocks', and distances are too great to go point-to-point just on electrons.

I suspect our next vehicle will be a full EV. While Tesla's have a certain cache', I don't feel the build quality is where I'd be comfortable. And frankly the electric drive bits are not all that complicated, so I will likely look at the offerings from GM, Toyota, Ford and others that come on the market when the time comes. The Honda is a '19, so it should continue to give good service for at least 8-10 years, so there's time for infrastructure to build in.

In keeping with the general theme of this thread, most of our power is generated by hydro and wind and solar are catching up fast and may overtake hydro for most Megawatts produced. We won't live long enough to make solar at home pay off, but at $.08 a KW, we're not complaining.

Jim

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

In keeping with the general theme of this thread, most of our power is generated by hydro and wind and solar are catching up fast and may overtake hydro for most Megawatts produced. We won't live long enough to make solar at home pay off, but at $.08 a KW, we're not complaining.

But for you in Idaho, as it is throughout the US Pacific Northwest, is that we export our surplus hydropower. So when our consumption increases, that correlates to less energy exported, and the difference is made up someplace else. And in most cases that means that someplace else a fossil fuel-fired turbine is going to make up that difference.

 

[Passepartout]

But for you in Idaho, as it is throughout the US Pacific Northwest, is that we export our surplus hydropower. So when our consumption increases, that correlates to less energy exported, and the difference is made up someplace else. And in most cases that means that someplace else a fossil fuel-fired turbine is going to make up that difference.

But, so far anyway, we overproduce our own electric power. Not to be hard nosed about it, but those who underproduce can either choose to invest in production, decrease demand, or pay to import energy from out-of-area producers.

Jim

 

[x3 skier]

As is sometimes the case, the stock market valuation of a firm may not reflect the underlying viability of that firm.

Cheers

 

[DrQ]

More than 200 Tesla crashes were down to drivers mistaking their accelerators for their brakes and NOT a vehicle defect, safety officials announce

• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed their findings after a year-long investigation Friday
• The investigation was prompted by a petition with 232 complaints involving three Tesla car models in January 2020
• Drivers said their cars experienced sudden acceleration which led to crashes

Tesla crashes caused by drivers mistaking accelerators for brakes

On Friday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced the findings of a year-long investigation into a 'defect petition' filed last January, involving three models of Tesla cars.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[pedro47]

I need to see their brake and accelerator pedal in one of their automobile.

 

[DrQ]

I need to see their brake and accelerator pedal in one of their automobile.

With all the parameters gathered on a Tesla, the data in the car should be able to show that no brake was applied. All automakers face these complaints.

 

[MULTIZ321]

Electric car batteries with five-minute charging times produced.

Electric car batteries with five-minute charging times produced

Exclusive: first factory production means recharging could soon be as fast as filling up petrol or diesel vehicles

www.theguardian.com

.


Richard

 

[Brett]

Electric car batteries with five-minute charging times produced.

Electric car batteries with five-minute charging times produced

Exclusive: first factory production means recharging could soon be as fast as filling up petrol or diesel vehicles

www.theguardian.com

.


Richard

if that's true about five minute recharging time then I might (eventually) buy into the electric car hype

 

[MULTIZ321]

$3,500 EV battery prototype promises 200-mile range on a 10-minute charge.

$3,500 EV battery prototype promises 200-mile range on a 10-minute charge

Around 12 months ago we looked at an innovative prototype battery for electric vehicles that was highly promising on several fronts, including being able to be recharged in just 10 minutes for hundreds of miles of range. The researchers behind it have continued tweaking their approach, and have…

newatlas.com

Richard