something of interest..Tesla Motors is unveiling their new car ln 10 hours

[sam sarrha]

http://www.teslamotors.com/index.html

Zero to 60 mph in 4... yes folks FOUR SECONDS.

135 mpg equivalent.. 250 miles on a charge ..about 1 cent a mile.

now make this a realistic hybrid and i buy one..

it will be interesting to see what this will end up being..

[valerief]

1. Oh, crap! The highways are truly going to be like amusement

park bumper car rides now!

[Supply Side Jesus]

2. Hmmmmm......interesting...

hope this just aint hype....

[importDavid]

3. It's based off a Lotus Elise chassis - $80k

About 900lbs. of batteries. Should be a screamer...

I'd think about getting one if I didn't already have an Elise ;)

$80,000. Operating costs 1-2 cents per mile.

More Details at:

http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24162

Enjoy!

[IronLionZion]

14. I'd think about getting one...if I had an extra $80K lying around

This is still good. High performance technology often trickles down. That's why automakers with strong racing programs often make excellent passenger cars.

[Sapere aude]

4. What is the cost of this car plus operation compared to a typical

gasoline powered one?

People who are not wealthy will be motivated to buy a different kind of car if the economics of it is in their favor. For instance if it costs them $150 a week in gas and another $150 a week in car payments and maintenance, they will switch if the cost in doing so is similar or lower. Also it needs to have the same utility value to them.

[sam sarrha]

11. this car is Obviously targeted to the upper 2% Richest, .. lots of tax cut

money out there to invest in ridiculous toys.. yea boy will the tax cuts help the economy

[anarch]

5. I'd think a Tesla car should pull energy out of the earth itself

Or be powered by lightning that it somehow draws down from the sky or something.

[sam sarrha]

8. some one needs to build a realistic hybrid.. we'd all buy one, i am making

one.. but it sucks to nickle and dime this stuff together, takes for ever.

[MADem]

6. Wow, this is interesting, wonder what it will cost???

Great cars and the companies that build them are not made overnight and so we are not yet ready to announce our delivery date. We can provide a bit of a peek in terms of the vehicle's specifications:

2-seater roadster configuration
Soft-top standard, optional hard top
Tesla-designed 3-phase, 4-pole AC induction motor, rated at 248hp, max torque at 0 rpm; redline at 13,500 rpm
Costs about a penny per mile to drive, assuming a time-of-use meter and off-peak charging (about 2 pennies per mile otherwise)
Zero emissions
On July 20th, you'll be able to see the car and learn about how and when you will be able to drive your very own.

[greyl]

7. Over 100 grand.

http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/552020/silicon_valley_to_market_electric_cars/

[MADem]

12. Well Mutha Theresa....It just became a lot less interesting....

But who knows, maybe the Silicon Valley will one day be the new Detroit and they will make cars for real people, too:

At least three Silicon Valley startups - Tesla Motors of San Carlos, Wrightspeed Inc. of Woodside and battery maker Li-on Cells of Menlo Park - are among a small cadre of companies nationwide developing electric cars or components. ...Tesla and Wrightspeed are using lithium-ion batteries that are more powerful, lighter and efficient than the lead acid batteries used in early electric cars or the nickel metal hydride batteries used in today's hybrids.

"The battery technology has improved," said Ron Freund, chairman of the Electric Auto Association in Palo Alto. "They keep getting better. They last longer, they're smaller and they charge faster."

[lazarus]

13. they're finally catching up on batteries

cell phones have mostly moved from nickel metal hydride to lithium-ion, and started the move 4-5 years ago.

[Vincardog]

9. Too good to be true? Find out in 10 hours

[TreasonousBastard]

10. This will be interesting...

all I found aout about them is that they got 40 million seed money, but won't tell anybody what their technology is.

Where have I heard that plot before?

[Solo_in_MD]

15. This has some interest for me...

http://www.myersmotors.com/

Range works for me quite well.

[Gabi Hayes]

16. saw two of the Tesla guys on CNBC. here's why it's so expensive:

they don't have the economics of scale to compete with Prius-level cars, so they want to break into the market with something they can produce, that they think may find enough of a market for them to survive long enough to make a lower-cost, mass-produced car.

makes sense in the long run, but will they make it?

[IronLionZion]

17. It's 100% electric!

No thanks. Even if I could afford it, where am I going to charge it up? Can you imagine taking a long trip and running out of power?

But I'm seriously jonesing for the Lotus Exige, even though it uses gas.