Could this be the one?

 

Yes

 

Yes

 

I agree. I think this is it. The start of the final solution.

Let me Google that phrase.

 

Sorry but electric cars are not the final answer to the petrol question.

For it to be a final solution is needs to be as good, if not better than what we already have. Having to charge a vehicle for several hours is not acceptable to most people. You only need to forget to charge it once for it to become annoying. Also where are people going to charge their cars? If you park on the road, you can't run a power cable across the pavement, and I doubt most would want to have a plug hanging out the window. Maybe in the US where they have bigger garages which people put their cars in, it would work. But here in the UK and other parts of the World, I'm not so sure.

My other worry is about the life of the batteries. How long will it be before all this quick charging buggers the life of the batteries? How much is it going to cost to replace them? There are too many unknowns and if/when they start having major problems that will dent customer confidence and it will pull the rug out from underneath the EV market.

Maybe they will refine the batteries, range will increase and charge via drive over pads or charging roadways. But atm, electric cars are not the solution to the problem.

 

i dont find these cars in the least bit interesting and i'm shocked when "enthusiasts' do

https://www.teslamotors.com/support/...specifications
4647lbs!
or 2.1 metric tons

that is f@#king ludicrous, not the fact it can go fast in a straight line. it's a cunting boat and i imagine roughly similar driver satisfaction levels

i am going analogue and getting a caterfield. funk this

do hyundai make it?

 

To be fair, the model S is comparable in size to an S class or 7 series, they are HUGE but carry their size very well, so I doubt much heavier than the direct market rivals. I thought it was a 5 series / E Class competitor, but that is what the model 3 is aiming at (between 3/5 series and C/E class.

Trouble is, the government are pumping up the BIK on these making them less attractive for business use.

And, whilst the $35k starting price seems attractive, I can't see many taking the base model as they look terrible on anything other than the 22" wheels, I get it will be closer to £50k in a car you would want to own.

A shame as I quite fancied one for a while, but by the time they hit the roads here (2018), the tax benefits will be long gone and I suspect the mainstream will be back up to speed with plug in / EV.

 

Dimension...Model S...5 Series GT...7 series
Length......4,976.....5,004.........5,098
Width.......1,963.....1,901.........1,902
Height......1,435.....1.559.........1.467
Weight......2,103.....2,015.........1,755

The Model S doesn't seem so heavy, especially when compared to a 5 Series GT (which is probably the closest thing to it what with the hatchback etc).

 

In terms of a "drivers" car i just dont see it

Weight is the worst thing you can add ime

My M3 is a very blunt instrument compared to the S2 and it's only 300kg ish heavier i think. Imagine a car that's almost a ton heavier!

I'm clearly in a minority but this car doesnt interest me in the slightest and i'm curious about the appeal. I look at the model S as a curio, something you might buy as a bored millionaire. But as a driving tool it's got zero appeal to me

What am i missing?

 

Any big sedan isn't a "driving tool". They are there to transport people in comfort, mostly. How often do you see a 5 series or E Class being chucked around corners? There's a reason why the diesel versions of these are the big sellers, despite the manufacturers referring to the as "Sport" models.

The Model S does "transport" very well, and the packaging of the drive train means you get loads of interior and luggage space (a front boot, and no driveshaft down the centre of the car for example). It's apparently incredibly quiet, too. All of that makes for a great cruiser.

Add in low tax and running costs, and it makes a lot of sense for many people.

FWIW Having the batteries make up the floor of the car means that the CofG is very low, which helps negate the effect of the additional weight.