You can buy three Toyota Camry hybrids for the cost of one of these. Â They are loaded, get forty plus miles per gallon and are fun to drive. Â The more range you get with a Tesla, the more it costs. Â The eighty thousand dollar job will probably be over a hundred thousand by the time you drive it off the lot. Â Much too expensive for the average person and for what you get.
 @Festivus If it takes an hour for a full charge at the Supercharge chargers, maybe a better place for the charging stations would be at restaurants where travelers can refuel while recharging.
Yup! But how many chargers would it take outside? The parking lots would have to be a whole lot bigger. There are downsides to all solutions, I be thinking?
 @kramr It's not likely we agree on the role of government funding of technology, and the money provided to Tesla was a loan, not a grant. Â
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No technology today or in the near future can compete with gas on cost. Â That to me is not a sufficient argument to not invest in alternatives, including speculative government money. Â If you believe that reducing carbon emissions is in the security, safety, and overall economic interests of the country as a whole, $500,000,000 is peanuts.
Um, ya   and how many of these types of "loans" ever get paid back....... from what I've read its a rather small percentage.
Â
""""That to me is not a sufficient argument to not invest in alternatives"""""
I agree, only I believe there is plenty of private sector money to fund this company.   Ya see, the private sector will tend to invest in what appears to be the best technology whereas the feds tend to invest in who has the best lobbyists..... Think ethanol,  Think Solar companies, Think Wind power...... Almost all of those investments in companies shriveled up and died once the federal green went away.
Â
Since Tesla is funded by the feds, do they have to share their battery technology with other car companies??? Or are the feds just picking one company over another to subsidize??? I don't know just wondering.....
At this time, the market for this car is not aimed at the general low income wage earner. And those that can afford a 50-80K car seldom buy it on time...either lease or cash, or a huge down payment, which the low income wage earner would not have. And the remark of the "motor is in the trunk" is wrong...the battery is in the trunk...the motor (s) are on each wheel, and double for power and braking. And you can see even Cadillac's, high end cars, and a bunch of pickups that are priced higher than this vehicle. I'm quite sure that if the market demand keeps up, the assembly line will be increased and the price will come down.
 @flyingtime "...the market for this car is not aimed at the general low income wage earner."
Â
That's an understatement, it's not even aimed at the average or middle income wage earner. It is, however, a good technology effort. One of the best.
Nice looking car. Â But after Bieber bought one I've lost interest. Â There is a reason why super car manufactures started to not sell to pop/rap stars and reality tv idiots because it diminishes their brand.
@Ramsesthegreat. First off the $7500 tax incentive is taken off your income tax not the price of the car. Keep trying your getting closer to your price but don't forget to figure in the current interest rate based on your credit score to get closer to the actual monthly payment of the car.Â
Very few people qualify for no money down/no interest/no finance charges/ @ 60 month financing because they have crappy credit.
LMFAO@Ramsesthegreat. Where did you go to school at. If you take $58,000.and divide it by 60 (months) with no interest and finace charges it comes out to $966.66 a month. So how/where do you get $650.00 a month unless you want a 90 month loan. No wonder this country is messed up people can't even figure out a simple math problem.
@samsloohouse factor in electric tax incentives up to $7500 and an average down payment of 10% and an average loan term of 72-78 months and my figure is pretty accurate. I don't know anyone who buys a car no money down and 60 month term.
Hurry everyone go out and buy one, get on the waiting list. The monthly payment would be somewhere between $1200.00-$1700.00 a month. Â Not bad for a car that has a cruising range of 300 miles. LOL
@samsloohouse it's no more expensive than a BMW 5 series or Mercedes C class and those are everywhere so obviously the payment (which you dramatically overestimated since its more around $650/month) isn't an issue. It's a $58,000 car, not a $100,000 one.
 @Ramsesthegreat  @samsloohouse Who would waste $650 a month on something to drive, a total waste of money.  Good luck charging in Woodburn, as the charger is down at least 1 day a week.  Your best bet is a hybrid at half the cost.
I've not been a big fan of electric cars. Why? Cause most have sucked. Technology to immature, to expensive, etc. Tesla on the other hand.. I've been following. Seen some documentaries.. and for a start up motor company... the risk.. what they have produced... is truly amazing. If they can keep in buisness.. I see them giving the big players a run for the money. While its out of leauge for the average driver... they are contiuning to get a car into the playing field for the average person. I have a lot of respect for Tesla. The founder has put his own personal fortune at stake to keep them going. Visionary. When it comes to electric alternative... Tesla is the one that kind of gets me excited. I wish them success. They could be a game changer. Being a new auto brand is super hard. Hard to survive... let alone.. electric. So far they have done a damn good job on fighting. I hope to see more innovations from them.
 @kramr While I agree with that... if they can get the manufacturign down fast... etc,... the cost of the cars will come down. While it started out as luxury... they got a baseline model that is more down to earth... but still not in reach of average joe and jane American. Soon they plan too. So I hope they continue to work out the bugs and succeed cause they could be a game changer. Then again.. I'm one to root for the little guys.
If Presidents and Governors hadn't come out to see the Wright brothers' machine or Henry Ford's car, we might still be driving steam-wagons and zeppelins.
 @Playanekes The Wright brothers had a difficult time getting people to look at their machine initially. After Kitty Hawk, it was debated whether the Wright brothers were "Fliers or Liars".  They had to perform highly publicized demonstrations for the public to get any public attention or recognition of their feat. Once they gained that recognition, and the government took an interest for the military it really took off, so to speak. It was during WWI that aviation showed real advancement.
Â
Hard to believe that the Wrights first controlled powered flight was 108 years ago by looking at today's flight innovations. And, it was only 65 years from their first flight until man walked on the moon.
@Playanekes Sorry, but not that many private individuals were buying steam-wagons or zeppelins. I'm still waiting for my own personal plane. And let's remember, the cost of a gas-powered car in 1905 dollars compared to now. I get your point that progress will always be made, but the cost of the vehicle, not to mention the infrastructure costs, in this economy is prohibitive.
 @jpk  @Playanekes Henry Ford not only came up with Ford Motor Company, but had two other ideas that revolutionized industry and the US economy. First, he paid his workers enough to afford to purchase a Ford. Second, he brought the assembly line to industry to more efficiently build vehicles.
@Saltire @Playanekes Yes, he was way ahead of his time, but he was also a capitalist first, interest in the profit motive. Not to mention he had some strange ideas about people in general!
You can buy three Toyota Camry hybrids for the cost of one of these. Â They are loaded, get forty plus miles per gallon and are fun to drive. Â The more range you get with a Tesla, the more it costs. Â The eighty thousand dollar job will probably be over a hundred thousand by the time you drive it off the lot. Â Much too expensive for the average person and for what you get.
an oregon rep spent 80K on a car...hhhmmmm must be making good money working for the government
You might want to read this before plunking down your money. Â Time and technology will iron out these problems, but we're not there yet.
Â
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/automobiles/stalled-on-the-ev-highway.html?ref=automobiles
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 @Festivus If it takes an hour for a full charge at the Supercharge chargers, maybe a better place for the charging stations would be at restaurants where travelers can refuel while recharging.
Yup! But how many chargers would it take outside? The parking lots would have to be a whole lot bigger. There are downsides to all solutions, I be thinking?
@Festivus   Thanks for the link Fest, I had no idea the American tax payers had invested nearly HALF A BILLION dollars in the company.
 @kramr It's not likely we agree on the role of government funding of technology, and the money provided to Tesla was a loan, not a grant. Â
Â
No technology today or in the near future can compete with gas on cost. Â That to me is not a sufficient argument to not invest in alternatives, including speculative government money. Â If you believe that reducing carbon emissions is in the security, safety, and overall economic interests of the country as a whole, $500,000,000 is peanuts.
@Festivus  Â
"""""Tesla was a loan, not a grant. """""
Um, ya   and how many of these types of "loans" ever get paid back....... from what I've read its a rather small percentage.
Â
""""That to me is not a sufficient argument to not invest in alternatives"""""
I agree, only I believe there is plenty of private sector money to fund this company.   Ya see, the private sector will tend to invest in what appears to be the best technology whereas the feds tend to invest in who has the best lobbyists..... Think ethanol,  Think Solar companies, Think Wind power...... Almost all of those investments in companies shriveled up and died once the federal green went away.
Â
Since Tesla is funded by the feds, do they have to share their battery technology with other car companies??? Or are the feds just picking one company over another to subsidize??? I don't know just wondering.....
Â
But I agree, we do see things differently :)
At this time, the market for this car is not aimed at the general low income wage earner. And those that can afford a 50-80K car seldom buy it on time...either lease or cash, or a huge down payment, which the low income wage earner would not have. And the remark of the "motor is in the trunk" is wrong...the battery is in the trunk...the motor (s) are on each wheel, and double for power and braking. And you can see even Cadillac's, high end cars, and a bunch of pickups that are priced higher than this vehicle. I'm quite sure that if the market demand keeps up, the assembly line will be increased and the price will come down.
 @flyingtime "...the market for this car is not aimed at the general low income wage earner."
Â
That's an understatement, it's not even aimed at the average or middle income wage earner. It is, however, a good technology effort. One of the best.
Â
Nice looking car. Â But after Bieber bought one I've lost interest. Â There is a reason why super car manufactures started to not sell to pop/rap stars and reality tv idiots because it diminishes their brand.
They may be pretty spendy now, but give them a few years. The technology will get better and cheaper
Or, it could also go belly up?
@Ramsesthegreat. First off the $7500 tax incentive is taken off your income tax not the price of the car. Keep trying your getting closer to your price but don't forget to figure in the current interest rate based on your credit score to get closer to the actual monthly payment of the car.Â
Very few people qualify for no money down/no interest/no finance charges/ @ 60 month financing because they have crappy credit.
LMFAO@Ramsesthegreat. Where did you go to school at. If you take $58,000.and divide it by 60 (months) with no interest and finace charges it comes out to $966.66 a month. So how/where do you get $650.00 a month unless you want a 90 month loan. No wonder this country is messed up people can't even figure out a simple math problem.
@samsloohouse factor in electric tax incentives up to $7500 and an average down payment of 10% and an average loan term of 72-78 months and my figure is pretty accurate. I don't know anyone who buys a car no money down and 60 month term.
Will there be electrical plug-ins on the new I-5 bridge?
 @swimbad Yea right in the middle of the bridge in the center lane...
Don't mind him republicans... it's a med"s thing...
Hurry everyone go out and buy one, get on the waiting list. The monthly payment would be somewhere between $1200.00-$1700.00 a month. Â Not bad for a car that has a cruising range of 300 miles. LOL
Â
@samsloohouse it's no more expensive than a BMW 5 series or Mercedes C class and those are everywhere so obviously the payment (which you dramatically overestimated since its more around $650/month) isn't an issue. It's a $58,000 car, not a $100,000 one.
 @Ramsesthegreat  @samsloohouse Who would waste $650 a month on something to drive, a total waste of money.  Good luck charging in Woodburn, as the charger is down at least 1 day a week.  Your best bet is a hybrid at half the cost.
 @RandyH  @Ramsesthegreat  @samsloohouse Does your hybird go 125 mph in 6 sec. ???
It's a very pricey electric muscle car  Â
I've not been a big fan of electric cars. Why? Cause most have sucked. Technology to immature, to expensive, etc. Tesla on the other hand.. I've been following. Seen some documentaries.. and for a start up motor company... the risk.. what they have produced... is truly amazing. If they can keep in buisness.. I see them giving the big players a run for the money. While its out of leauge for the average driver... they are contiuning to get a car into the playing field for the average person. I have a lot of respect for Tesla. The founder has put his own personal fortune at stake to keep them going. Visionary. When it comes to electric alternative... Tesla is the one that kind of gets me excited. I wish them success. They could be a game changer. Being a new auto brand is super hard. Hard to survive... let alone.. electric. So far they have done a damn good job on fighting. I hope to see more innovations from them.
Seems to me if there is a 3 to 6 month waiting list for one......... why the hell is the feds subsidizing them.
Â
Why are the 99% screaming about the feds/state subsidizing the 1% as thats the folks who can afford $60k to almost $90k for an automobile.
 @kramr While I agree with that... if they can get the manufacturign down fast... etc,... the cost of the cars will come down. While it started out as luxury... they got a baseline model that is more down to earth... but still not in reach of average joe and jane American. Soon they plan too. So I hope they continue to work out the bugs and succeed cause they could be a game changer. Then again.. I'm one to root for the little guys.
 @Liberty4_WA  @kramr I love the way the mileage falls away in colder weather. Adds a whole new level of adventure!
@Liberty4_WAÂ Â Yes IÂ root for the underdog as well.
Â
BTW, should be Why aren't the 99%
If Presidents and Governors hadn't come out to see the Wright brothers' machine or Henry Ford's car, we might still be driving steam-wagons and zeppelins.
 @Playanekes The Wright brothers had a difficult time getting people to look at their machine initially. After Kitty Hawk, it was debated whether the Wright brothers were "Fliers or Liars".  They had to perform highly publicized demonstrations for the public to get any public attention or recognition of their feat. Once they gained that recognition, and the government took an interest for the military it really took off, so to speak. It was during WWI that aviation showed real advancement.
Â
Hard to believe that the Wrights first controlled powered flight was 108 years ago by looking at today's flight innovations. And, it was only 65 years from their first flight until man walked on the moon.
 @Playanekes I would drive a zeppelin so hard.
@Playanekes Sorry, but not that many private individuals were buying steam-wagons or zeppelins. I'm still waiting for my own personal plane. And let's remember, the cost of a gas-powered car in 1905 dollars compared to now. I get your point that progress will always be made, but the cost of the vehicle, not to mention the infrastructure costs, in this economy is prohibitive.
 @jpk  @Playanekes Henry Ford not only came up with Ford Motor Company, but had two other ideas that revolutionized industry and the US economy. First, he paid his workers enough to afford to purchase a Ford. Second, he brought the assembly line to industry to more efficiently build vehicles.
@Saltire @Playanekes Yes, he was way ahead of his time, but he was also a capitalist first, interest in the profit motive. Not to mention he had some strange ideas about people in general!