Official Tesla Model S thread

[AndyH]

Anyone in SF that can track these flyers? I would not be a bit surprised to find that someone with ties to auto dealers or the power industry is behind this.

 

[TomT]

Not likely... It is too amateurish...

Anyone in SF that can track these flyers? I would not be a bit surprised to find that someone with ties to auto dealers or the power industry is behind this.

 

[mwalsh]

Not likely... It is too amateurish...

Maybe that's what they want you to think! *reaches for the roll of tinfoil* :lol:

 

[AndyH]

Not likely... It is too amateurish...

Anyone in SF that can track these flyers? I would not be a bit surprised to find that someone with ties to auto dealers or the power industry is behind this.

Track Americans for Prosperity for one astroturf example. You think misspelled signs and tri-corner hats are 'professional'?

I'm not joking here. This is exactly how various political groups started, as well as the current pseudo-grassroots pro-fossil fuel/anti solar power effort. Same MO...

Edit...groups and tactics background:
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Astroturf
http://www.prwatch.org/news/2012/01...urgency-tactics-and-astroturf-energy-citizens
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGB8Uuffi4M
Lie, cheat, steal - whatever works. Tinfoil hats optional.

Edit 2... Finally read the entire flyer. Links on the bottom...
the green corruption files...anti-renewable, anti-Obama, climate change denial, Benghazi, Fox so called news... Why am I not surprised?

 

[abasile]

Here's an encouraging little opinion piece: Why Tesla will win in China

I'm happy to see that Tesla has set a very achievable goal for its 2014 sales in China, just 5000 cars. I agree with others that Tesla will likely blow past this goal.

These days, I'm finding myself much more interested in Tesla's international expansion, Gigafactory plans, Supercharger build-out, and general business developments than in the Model S itself. Perhaps that's because the Model S seems like a fait accompli. Maybe also because the Model X is the vehicle that I'd ultimately like to acquire.

 

[GRA]

Articles in all the usual EV forums on Tesla's 1Q earnings report. Here's insideevs.com's:

http://insideevs.com/tesla-reports-q1-2014-earnings/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Quick summary - Non-GAAP profit of $17 million, GAAP loss of $49.8 million, hope to deliver 35,000 cars this year and ramp to 1,000 car/week production, Model X production cars delayed to 2015, China encouraging, LoI but nothing final signed with Panasonic re Gigafactory with groundbreaking hoped soon, stock prices dropped considerably after announcement.

 

[GeekEV]

Here's a funny & passionate review of the Model S from the guy who draws The Oatmeal:

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/tesla_model_s" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Don't forget to read part 2! Elon, if you're reading, I support his request for Tesla Motors to help launch the Nikola Tesla Museum...

 

[TomT]

I loved reading it and I agree: It is a sin that there is not already a Tesla museum! He was a childhood idol of mine!

Don't forget to read part 2! Elon, if you're reading, I support his request for Tesla Motors to help launch the Nikola Tesla Museum...

 

[GRA]

I loved reading it and I agree: It is a sin that there is not already a Tesla museum! He was a childhood idol of mine!

Don't forget to read part 2! Elon, if you're reading, I support his request for Tesla Motors to help launch the Nikola Tesla Museum...

I do, however, object to him giving credit to Tesla for radar, although he certainly had the idea (along with many others). Heinrich Hertz was the first to notice that RF waves would reflect from metal surfaces, and several other people besides Tesla had thought about what could be done with them. By WW1, their were already people developing experimental sets, especially in Germany, only to be told by the authorities that it wouldn't be ready before the war was over, so thanks but no thanks.

While Watson-Watt is often credited with being the father of radar in English sources, in fact he's more the father of an operating radar system (much as Edison was the person who developed an operating electric lighting _system_, but didn't _invent_ the incandescent lightbulb, just improved it). The person who, in 1904, designed, built and publicly demonstrated the first radar that unquestionably worked was a German, Christian Huelsmeyer, although it didn't do ranging (Radar being an acronym for RAdio Detection And Ranging) by measuring pulse intervals - see http://www.radarworld.org/huelsmeyer.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; . There are many modern radars that don't measure range either (like the ones used by traffic cops), so the definition of Radar definitely includes Huelsmeyer's Telemobiloscop.

'Modern' radars like the pulsed system Watson-Watt is credited with had to wait for the '30s and the development of CRTs and valves that could produce high power at short wavelengths. During the '30s development of radar was underway in at least eight countries, but the British felt the need more urgently than everyone else, so had a working if somewhat crude land-based air warning radar and associated control system before the rest, although the Germans were ahead with ship based radar for fire control with the U.S.N. ahead on ship-based air search, and the French had an iceberg detection set on the S.S. Normandie before anyone else (this was similar in operation to Huelsmeyer's set). Japan, the Soviet Union, Italy and the Netherlands were also working on radar during the period.

In short, crediting any one individual with an invention is usually a mistake, as they have been influenced by what's come before and what's happening around them. It's far more common for two or more people to independently invent the same thing at about the same time, because the supporting technology to make it possible has matured to the point that it can be done. Tesla doesn't need to have his accomplishments overstated; he was an intellectual giant (if poor at follow through and business).

 

[GRA]

Via insideevs.com:

"Tesla Gigafactory Groundbreaking A “Few weeks” Away – Panasonic Weighing Risk Scenarios"

http://insideevs.com/tesla-gigafactory-groundbreaking-weeks-away-panasonic-weighing-risk-scenarios/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Panasonic seems very cautious, with good reason.

 

[smkettner]

Ok which is faster?

0 to 55 in 4.0 seconds (Disneyland California Screamin') or
0 to 60 in 4.2 seconds (Model S performance)

Trying to convince DW the Disney ride is similar to an EV

 

[GeekEV]

0 - 55 mph in 4 seconds = 13.75 mph / second
0 - 60 mph in 4.2 seconds = 14.28 mph / second

 

[pkulak]

0 - 55 mph in 4 seconds = 13.75 mph / second
0 - 60 mph in 4.2 seconds = 14.28 mph / second

or

6.1 m/s^2 vs
6.4 m/s^2

for us si nuts.

 

[gsleaf]

So I test drove a Model S with my wife this weekend (two actually, one with and without the air suspension). She is sensitive to road vibration due to a medical issue. I thought that since the Model S was bigger with larger wheels it would be a gentler ride than the Leaf. It actually turns out you feel the bumps a lot more than in a Leaf. Is that because the Model S weighs so much or is it because it's designed to be a sportier ride?

 

[TonyWilliams]

It's because it's tuned as a performance vehicle, not a Cadillac.

So I test drove a Model S with my wife this weekend (two actually, one with and without the air suspension). She is sensitive to road vibration due to a medical issue. I thought that since the Model S was bigger with larger wheels it would be a gentler ride than the Leaf. It actually turns out you feel the bumps a lot more than in a Leaf. Is that because the Model S weighs so much or is it because it's designed to be a sportier ride?

 

[gsleaf]

Yeah that makes sense. I wish they had a firmware setting for smooth ride, but I get that's not the selling point of the vehicle.

 

[gsleaf]

Is there any chance the Model X would have a smoother ride or will it be more sporty too?

 

[smkettner]

So I test drove a Model S with my wife this weekend (two actually, one with and without the air suspension). She is sensitive to road vibration due to a medical issue. I thought that since the Model S was bigger with larger wheels it would be a gentler ride than the Leaf. It actually turns out you feel the bumps a lot more than in a Leaf. Is that because the Model S weighs so much or is it because it's designed to be a sportier ride?

So steel vs. air was about the same?

 

[palmermd]

So steel vs. air was about the same?

Also did you try the 19" wheels vs the 21". there is a big difference in ride with the smaller wheels but most of the test vehicles are setup with 21" to demonstrate the sporty aspect of the vehicle.

 

[gsleaf]

The air suspension was noticeably better but still not as good as the Leaf. We were on the 19" wheels.