billvon 2,400 #1 May 14, 2011 Test drove a Tesla yesterday. Drove about 40 miles on mountain roads outside Boulder after we stopped by the Tesla dealership in town. If you ever get a chance to test drive this car I highly recommend the experience. It accelerates like a bat out of hell and there are no interruptions in the power - no shifting, no increase in power as you get into the higher RPM's, just a steady 1G or so of lateral acceleration. The "glider" (the suspension, body, steering system, basically everything except the motor and batteries) is made by Lotus, and handles accordingly. It's also completely silent. That was actually a problem - pedestrians don't hear it coming and at one point a squirrel stopped 30 feet in front of us to chew on a nut. He left only after we honked at him. The only negative of the experience was the power-assisted steering. The assist level varied a bit at random times, and when it went from a lower to a higher level of assist it would feel like the front tires were losing traction. Which was a little creepy on a road that twisty. When we got the car it was about 2/3 charged. At first it was predicting a remaining range of 150 miles. As we climbed (about 2000 feet overall) it revised its estimate to 80 miles, since the system adapts to the observed power usage. On the way back it started climbing again since we were almost coasting the whole way. We got back with a little over half remaining. One thing you have to get used to is not using the brakes. At full throttle the motor produces about 200kW. At about 1/3 throttle the motor doesn't produce anything; you're coasting. At zero throttle the motor is in regen and is returning about 50kW to the batteries. That's a pretty strong level of braking, so you slow down pretty aggressively. When Amy was driving, descending over 2000 feet of mountain road, she didn't touch the brake pedal until we had to come to a complete stop at the first traffic light back in Boulder. (Regen doesn't work at zero speed, and the car is designed to "creep" forward a little when you're almost stopped to simulate a car with an automatic transmission.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matthewcline 0 #2 May 14, 2011 Nice. MattAn Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airdvr 197 #3 May 14, 2011 What was the sticker on that?Please don't dent the planet. Destinations by Roxanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,384 #4 May 14, 2011 You were in Boulder? "There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gearless_chris 1 #5 May 14, 2011 Why does it have a "Grill" opening?"If it wasn't easy stupid people couldn't do it", Duane. My momma said I could be anything I wanted when I grew up, so I became an a$$hole. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airdvr 197 #6 May 14, 2011 How does heat and A/C work in one of those?Please don't dent the planet. Destinations by Roxanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,384 #7 May 14, 2011 QuoteHow does heat and A/C work in one of those?http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/blowing-hot-and-cold"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,400 #8 May 14, 2011 Cost is around $120,000. Grille openings are for the cooling system, which is used both to cool the people and the batteries during charging. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 24 #9 May 14, 2011 So, which color is Amy getting?Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,400 #10 May 14, 2011 She likes the red one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldwomanc6 38 #11 May 14, 2011 This is timely, because today, in Annapolis, MD, I was right behind a silver Tesla. Very attractive! It got a few looks, but then the lookers realized what was making the noise they saw me (red Z06, straight pipes) If I was going to go electric (with this as the option), It wouldn't take much arm-twisting. I am a favor of high-speed low-drag whether it is silent or very loud. lisa lisa WSCR 594 FB 1023 CBDB 9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazon 7 #12 May 14, 2011 Quote She likes the red one. She has good taste.... so.. did you get her one for her birthday??? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Squeak 17 #13 May 15, 2011 Did you get any Static from them when you returned it You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky) My Life ROCKS! How's yours doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanuckInUSA 0 #14 May 15, 2011 QuoteShe likes the red one. I like Silver. It hides the dirt better, meaning more time driving and less time cleaning. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BrokenR1 0 #15 May 15, 2011 I would really like some electric vehicles. Always loved the Tesla for the performance and followed it from my love of Lotus. I also quite like the Aptera for an electric family car. I'd like an electric motorcycle, both off and on road. I was surprised that it even had power-assisted steering. Not really needed so wonder if it could be turned off. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Rap is to music what etch-a-sketch is to art. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Herky 0 #16 May 15, 2011 Everything I've read about the car it sounds amazing, but not too crazy about the company. Suing the most popular car show in the world(Top Gear) two years after the fact when the episode in question was aired was just poor taste. If BBC wins and counter sues for the legal fees they incurred, I could see Tesla going belly up. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jgoose71 0 #17 May 15, 2011 Quote So, after test driving it and getting under the hood (so to speak) would you give the Tesla a Buy, Wait for rev 2.0, or Don't Buy rating? The sticker price is still high for my taste, but if they could tone it down to the 40-50k range it might be a look-see for me. Figuring in gas and maintenance costs for a regular gas vehicle would cut that down even more. What's you opinion on the longevity of the powertrain and batts? Strongly considering getting a Model S after they come out. They will start at $50K. To me they look kind of like a Maserati. "There is an art, it says, or, rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss." Life, the Universe, and Everything Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jgoose71 0 #18 May 15, 2011 QuoteEverything I've read about the car it sounds amazing, but not too crazy about the company. Suing the most popular car show in the world(Top Gear) two years after the fact when the episode in question was aired was just poor taste. If BBC wins and counter sues for the legal fees they incurred, I could see Tesla going belly up. You would have to see the Top Gear episode. Tesla, I think, stands a pretty good chance, especially after they (Tesla) examined the vehicle. All evidence points to (and for why I can't seem to find out) make the company look bad."There is an art, it says, or, rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss." Life, the Universe, and Everything Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,384 #19 May 15, 2011 Top Gear episode at bottom of page: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/hottopics/detail?entry_id=86647"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #20 May 15, 2011 That's what happens when you let lawyers walk about the streets like normal peopleShakespear was right (as in correct) Quote The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers". .. (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 3 #21 May 15, 2011 Quote To me they look kind of like a Maserati. Funny. To me they look like a Lotus Elise. If you think otherwise, maybe you don't know enough about the car.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,384 #22 May 15, 2011 Quote Quote To me they look kind of like a Maserati. Funny. To me they look like a Lotus Elise. If you think otherwise, maybe you don't know enough about the car. He was not talking about the original Tesla; He was talking about the upcoming Model S: http://www.teslamotors.com/models"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 24 #23 May 15, 2011 Quote Quote To me they look kind of like a Maserati. Funny. To me they look like a Lotus Elise. If you think otherwise, maybe you don't know enough about the car. Quade: remove that foot from your mouth. The new S does have a Maserati lines, if the GT was stretched into a 4 door.Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 3 #24 May 15, 2011 Oh please . . . that car looks approximately like at least a half dozen other 4-door sports cars. You could just as easily say it "has the lines of" a DB9. But you're right, I speed read his post and assumed he was talking about the current model we're talking about in this thread. The one billvon drove, the lawsuit is about and was in the Top Gear program.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jgoose71 0 #25 May 15, 2011 Quote Oh please . . . that car looks approximately like at least a half dozen other 4-door sports cars. You could just as easily say it "has the lines of" a DB9. Either way, I think i know cars enough to know that a Model S doesn't look like a Lotus...On a serious note, I do like Tesla. Winning the lottery is the only way I would be able to afford a Roadster. The Model S is more practical and affordable. I may be able to get one in my grasp a few years from now, if I start saving."There is an art, it says, or, rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss." Life, the Universe, and Everything Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
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