RE: Tesla Model S: Review
Discussion
They seem to have very good residuals at the moment but too early to see how this develops.
I actually don't like reading these good reviews. I will have waited nearly 7 months to get my p85d. It turns up and of August or early September and it's been torture at times. I don't think I've seen a bad review even by people who clearly approached it pragmatically like the review above.
I don't take much notice of the fan boys, I was never one, I really didn't think I wanted an electric car until I drove it. First time I was thinking, that's pretty incredible, maybe it's a novelty. I went back for seconds and essentially told myself to stop being in denial, the car is arguably the best I've driven.
I would quite like an exige for the weekend tho.
I would be interested to hear more of your thoughts on the handling especially as you have driven an Elise through its generations.
I actually don't like reading these good reviews. I will have waited nearly 7 months to get my p85d. It turns up and of August or early September and it's been torture at times. I don't think I've seen a bad review even by people who clearly approached it pragmatically like the review above.
I don't take much notice of the fan boys, I was never one, I really didn't think I wanted an electric car until I drove it. First time I was thinking, that's pretty incredible, maybe it's a novelty. I went back for seconds and essentially told myself to stop being in denial, the car is arguably the best I've driven.
I would quite like an exige for the weekend tho.
I would be interested to hear more of your thoughts on the handling especially as you have driven an Elise through its generations.
bp1000 said:
They seem to have very good residuals at the moment but too early to see how this develops.
I actually don't like reading these good reviews. I will have waited nearly 7 months to get my p85d. It turns up and of August or early September and it's been torture at times. I don't think I've seen a bad review even by people who clearly approached it pragmatically like the review above.
I don't take much notice of the fan boys, I was never one, I really didn't think I wanted an electric car until I drove it. First time I was thinking, that's pretty incredible, maybe it's a novelty. I went back for seconds and essentially told myself to stop being in denial, the car is arguably the best I've driven.
I would quite like an exige for the weekend tho.
I would be interested to hear more of your thoughts on the handling especially as you have driven an Elise through its generations.
You are very lucky to be getting yours soon I actually don't like reading these good reviews. I will have waited nearly 7 months to get my p85d. It turns up and of August or early September and it's been torture at times. I don't think I've seen a bad review even by people who clearly approached it pragmatically like the review above.
I don't take much notice of the fan boys, I was never one, I really didn't think I wanted an electric car until I drove it. First time I was thinking, that's pretty incredible, maybe it's a novelty. I went back for seconds and essentially told myself to stop being in denial, the car is arguably the best I've driven.
I would quite like an exige for the weekend tho.
I would be interested to hear more of your thoughts on the handling especially as you have driven an Elise through its generations.
Any chance they can add the centre console and the later gen 2 interior, or is it too late? They are quoting me October for delivery if I order now, so yours cannot be far down the line. What colour combo have you gone for?Ref the handling - it is a big heavy car, however because 90% of the weight is below the wheelnuts, the balance is very good. A couple of swift roundabouts show no wash out understeer, the rear planted at all times. Not exactly a scientific test, but it wasnt my car, and if was enough for me to know that it is getting ever closer to me buying one!
The Elise is obviously in a different league handling wise, similar speed from my supercharged one with more noise obviously, but I did laugh with my Dad, a fellow petrol head, when we were out in the Tesla, that I would be interesting to be in the Elise when I met a Tesla on a late night and a fast road, one of us may push too far, they can both punch mid range to 70 very well indeed, so some back road fun would hopefully ensue.
IN51GHT said:
How did you go about getting a longer test drive, I've only been offered an hour
Like any dealer, they need to know you are serious. I am, and I said that would not be buying it without a longer time in it, as it is such a departure from diesel/petrol. I wanted to check where my oddments would go in the cabin ( see my note above), the REAL range of it, the ability to go about my normal day to see if it fits, as I am out and about with clients everyday. They loved it and so did I.They can do it, but it is like any business, it has to be worth their while too, and I would guess that any dealership gets a lot of "walk ins" for a longer test drive. I had to insure it.
Don't get me started about Land Rover, they wanted me to spend £80k without even talking to me as they can sell every car they have apparently, that was until I made a complaint, and funnily enough, I now have a longer drive.
RichB said:
98elise said:
<your mother> goes out for extra drives just to keep the battery charged.
I'm honestly not picking on your posts but doesn't that just seem rather ironic! Given that she's using fossil fuel to re-charge her batteries she's not exactly helping to save the planet by going on random drives to keep the car topped up 
Now if she was going on random drives in an AC Cobra for the sheer hell of it I'd applaud her.
She is one of the many people that could benefit from owing a small low capacity EV.
Edited by 98elise on Friday 26th June 08:35
There are now quite a few of these round here and Ibe also started seeing a couple doing the weekend run to the Cotswolds. We've always had a lot of EVs around here but this, the i3 and the Twizzy are being bought by normal people as opposed to our local army of activist liberals.
This car has ultimately proven that while the cost of bateries remains so large the only people worth targeting are those who work and have disposable income as opposed to trying to sell to Swampy and other other muppets who use 'Eco' as a means to justify being lazy and carried by the work of others.
I think that it will be many years before the more generic car companies can produce much needed cheap and simple runabouts but that the prestige firms may well have seen the results of this car and now realise that their is a market for their type of product as a full EV. I think we may start seeing more premium EVs coming to market now.
This car has ultimately proven that while the cost of bateries remains so large the only people worth targeting are those who work and have disposable income as opposed to trying to sell to Swampy and other other muppets who use 'Eco' as a means to justify being lazy and carried by the work of others.
I think that it will be many years before the more generic car companies can produce much needed cheap and simple runabouts but that the prestige firms may well have seen the results of this car and now realise that their is a market for their type of product as a full EV. I think we may start seeing more premium EVs coming to market now.
DonkeyApple said:
There are now quite a few of these round here and Ibe also started seeing a couple doing the weekend run to the Cotswolds. We've always had a lot of EVs around here but this, the i3 and the Twizzy are being bought by normal people as opposed to our local army of activist liberals.
This car has ultimately proven that while the cost of bateries remains so large the only people worth targeting are those who work and have disposable income as opposed to trying to sell to Swampy and other other muppets who use 'Eco' as a means to justify being lazy and carried by the work of others.
I think that it will be many years before the more generic car companies can produce much needed cheap and simple runabouts but that the prestige firms may well have seen the results of this car and now realise that their is a market for their type of product as a full EV. I think we may start seeing more premium EVs coming to market now.
A regular sight here as well, I still get caught off guard at first glance and then it registers- they are very imposing and look surprisingly good. You're right, they are a premium product at the moment and in being so can remove the shackles of budget expectation. I'd have one in a shot over an S class/ 7 series.This car has ultimately proven that while the cost of bateries remains so large the only people worth targeting are those who work and have disposable income as opposed to trying to sell to Swampy and other other muppets who use 'Eco' as a means to justify being lazy and carried by the work of others.
I think that it will be many years before the more generic car companies can produce much needed cheap and simple runabouts but that the prestige firms may well have seen the results of this car and now realise that their is a market for their type of product as a full EV. I think we may start seeing more premium EVs coming to market now.
98elise said:
Why is she trying to save the planet? She has a normal car, but uses it so little and for such short trips that the battery regularly drains. She has no clue how to remove a battery for recharging, so I have to do it a couple of times a year, or she has to go for pointless drives just so that her car doesn't die on her.
She is one of the many people that could benefit from owing a small low capacity EV.
One of those little solar chargers that sits on the dashboard sounds like a good solution.She is one of the many people that could benefit from owing a small low capacity EV.
DonkeyApple said:
There are now quite a few of these round here and Ibe also started seeing a couple doing the weekend run to the Cotswolds. We've always had a lot of EVs around here but this, the i3 and the Twizzy are being bought by normal people as opposed to our local army of activist liberals.
This car has ultimately proven that while the cost of bateries remains so large the only people worth targeting are those who work and have disposable income as opposed to trying to sell to Swampy and other other muppets who use 'Eco' as a means to justify being lazy and carried by the work of others.
I think that it will be many years before the more generic car companies can produce much needed cheap and simple runabouts but that the prestige firms may well have seen the results of this car and now realise that their is a market for their type of product as a full EV. I think we may start seeing more premium EVs coming to market now.
I do think we are a few years from mass production, as you say battery prices mean it needs to be in the premium bracket to get a decent range. The Tesla model 3 will probably be the first mid priced car with a decent range, and that's a few years away yet (2017 IIRC).This car has ultimately proven that while the cost of bateries remains so large the only people worth targeting are those who work and have disposable income as opposed to trying to sell to Swampy and other other muppets who use 'Eco' as a means to justify being lazy and carried by the work of others.
I think that it will be many years before the more generic car companies can produce much needed cheap and simple runabouts but that the prestige firms may well have seen the results of this car and now realise that their is a market for their type of product as a full EV. I think we may start seeing more premium EVs coming to market now.
The model 3 also relies on the Tesla battery factory to be completed.
98elise said:
I do think we are a few years from mass production, as you say battery prices mean it needs to be in the premium bracket to get a decent range. The Tesla model 3 will probably be the first mid priced car with a decent range, and that's a few years away yet (2017 IIRC).
The model 3 also relies on the Tesla battery factory to be completed.
Tesla quote late 2016 for the Model 3, so not too far awayThe model 3 also relies on the Tesla battery factory to be completed.
piers1 said:
You are very lucky to be getting yours soon Any chance they can add the centre console and the later gen 2 interior, or is it too late? They are quoting me October for delivery if I order now, so yours cannot be far down the line. What colour combo have you gone for?
I was lucky, if you are referring to the next generation seats, I ordered them at the time they were installed front and rear. Rear looks a lot better with next gen but the Americans complsined they didn't fold flat and it got rolled back. Any chance they can add the centre console and the later gen 2 interior, or is it too late? They are quoting me October for delivery if I order now, so yours cannot be far down the line. What colour combo have you gone for?I also ordered the alcantara jet black headliner.
The car will be black, I had considered red but I've never really liked red cars despite tesla red being very nice. I think darker colours show off the curves better.
Thanks for the comments on handling, that's one thing I couldn't test much on the test drive. It's such a heavy car with so much power I seriously was concerned it would be a pudding in the corners, moving it all that weight seems like it should be rubbish. Very interested to hear from the exact opposite, an Elise owner of a very lightweight agile car.
98elise said:
DonkeyApple said:
There are now quite a few of these round here and Ibe also started seeing a couple doing the weekend run to the Cotswolds. We've always had a lot of EVs around here but this, the i3 and the Twizzy are being bought by normal people as opposed to our local army of activist liberals.
This car has ultimately proven that while the cost of bateries remains so large the only people worth targeting are those who work and have disposable income as opposed to trying to sell to Swampy and other other muppets who use 'Eco' as a means to justify being lazy and carried by the work of others.
I think that it will be many years before the more generic car companies can produce much needed cheap and simple runabouts but that the prestige firms may well have seen the results of this car and now realise that their is a market for their type of product as a full EV. I think we may start seeing more premium EVs coming to market now.
I do think we are a few years from mass production, as you say battery prices mean it needs to be in the premium bracket to get a decent range. The Tesla model 3 will probably be the first mid priced car with a decent range, and that's a few years away yet (2017 IIRC).This car has ultimately proven that while the cost of bateries remains so large the only people worth targeting are those who work and have disposable income as opposed to trying to sell to Swampy and other other muppets who use 'Eco' as a means to justify being lazy and carried by the work of others.
I think that it will be many years before the more generic car companies can produce much needed cheap and simple runabouts but that the prestige firms may well have seen the results of this car and now realise that their is a market for their type of product as a full EV. I think we may start seeing more premium EVs coming to market now.
The model 3 also relies on the Tesla battery factory to be completed.
I've seen that stat on average mileage too. I think it's very good at exuding the times when we want to use our cars the most.
70% of our journeys are our daily commutes, the remainder is the family time. It's that family time where going further than 80 miles round trip is a certain reality for me.
If the EV market is to evolve from very expensive local runabouts it certainly needs to address that range issue. The range extender is obviously a temporary measure. I'd really like to see what this tesla 3 brings to the market.
I agree, affordable larger pure EV family cars are going to be a challenge for the main manufacturers. Despite tesla releasing patents they are a long way ahead in the development cycle if their road map is to be believed.
70% of our journeys are our daily commutes, the remainder is the family time. It's that family time where going further than 80 miles round trip is a certain reality for me.
If the EV market is to evolve from very expensive local runabouts it certainly needs to address that range issue. The range extender is obviously a temporary measure. I'd really like to see what this tesla 3 brings to the market.
I agree, affordable larger pure EV family cars are going to be a challenge for the main manufacturers. Despite tesla releasing patents they are a long way ahead in the development cycle if their road map is to be believed.
bp1000 said:
I've seen that stat on average mileage too. I think it's very good at exuding the times when we want to use our cars the most.
70% of our journeys are our daily commutes, the remainder is the family time. It's that family time where going further than 80 miles round trip is a certain reality for me.
A huge proportion of families have more than one car these days. One of those cars being electric is a viable proposition for the vast majority of them. 70% of our journeys are our daily commutes, the remainder is the family time. It's that family time where going further than 80 miles round trip is a certain reality for me.
kambites said:
A huge proportion of families have more than one car these days. One of those cars being electric is a viable proposition for the vast majority of them.
Certainly in suburbia it's very common to have the local runabout hatchback that never does more than a few miles a day and the larger commuter car that doubles for weekend family duties. It's here that the i3 has scored heavily.
Personally, I don't think range is anywhere the issue that we all think and that if the cost of batteries fell to the point that EVs were noteably cheaper than their ICE equivs then we would see the problem disappear. For example, even one car families who only do an occasional long distance journey would simply use some of the money saved on the car they use 99% of the time to have a nice, new hire car dropped off on the few occasions they needed it.
But until batteries are dirt cheap I can only see EVs being genuinely viable at the more premium end. As we can see, the concept has only gotten any real traction in the market place once it dropped the whole Eco, yogurt weaving rubbish and simply built a product specifically for the type of people who can afford them. Usage will then trickle down as battery costs fall.
DonkeyApple said:
Certainly in suburbia it's very common to have the local runabout hatchback that never does more than a few miles a day and the larger commuter car that doubles for weekend family duties.
It's here that the i3 has scored heavily.
Personally, I don't think range is anywhere the issue that we all think and that if the cost of batteries fell to the point that EVs were noteably cheaper than their ICE equivs then we would see the problem disappear. For example, even one car families who only do an occasional long distance journey would simply use some of the money saved on the car they use 99% of the time to have a nice, new hire car dropped off on the few occasions they needed it.
But until batteries are dirt cheap I can only see EVs being genuinely viable at the more premium end. As we can see, the concept has only gotten any real traction in the market place once it dropped the whole Eco, yogurt weaving rubbish and simply built a product specifically for the type of people who can afford them. Usage will then trickle down as battery costs fall.
I read http://waitbutwhy.com/2015/06/how-tesla-will-chang... recently, and the idea of the Supercharger network seems a good solution (although massively ambitious), with free for life charges (60 mile range each 10 minutes) and I believe a total battery swap out being worked on for ~£50 for when you're in a rush (http://www.teslamotors.com/videos/battery-swap-event)It's here that the i3 has scored heavily.
Personally, I don't think range is anywhere the issue that we all think and that if the cost of batteries fell to the point that EVs were noteably cheaper than their ICE equivs then we would see the problem disappear. For example, even one car families who only do an occasional long distance journey would simply use some of the money saved on the car they use 99% of the time to have a nice, new hire car dropped off on the few occasions they needed it.
But until batteries are dirt cheap I can only see EVs being genuinely viable at the more premium end. As we can see, the concept has only gotten any real traction in the market place once it dropped the whole Eco, yogurt weaving rubbish and simply built a product specifically for the type of people who can afford them. Usage will then trickle down as battery costs fall.
If the battery swap out service became a reality, the supercharger network becomes widespread and the Tesla battery plant reduces costs sufficiently, it would make EVs a really attractive proposition to me especially for daily drivers.
LargeD said:
I read http://waitbutwhy.com/2015/06/how-tesla-will-chang... recently, and the idea of the Supercharger network seems a good solution (although massively ambitious), with free for life charges (60 mile range each 10 minutes) and I believe a total battery swap out being worked on for ~£50 for when you're in a rush (http://www.teslamotors.com/videos/battery-swap-event)
If the battery swap out service became a reality, the supercharger network becomes widespread and the Tesla battery plant reduces costs sufficiently, it would make EVs a really attractive proposition to me especially for daily drivers.
I hold a different view. I just don't think we need any of that in the UK as we are a small country and millions of car users never travel long enough distances unlike in the US where these things are vital in order for a car like the Tesla to get from one city to the next. If the battery swap out service became a reality, the supercharger network becomes widespread and the Tesla battery plant reduces costs sufficiently, it would make EVs a really attractive proposition to me especially for daily drivers.
The initial cost outlay of buying the battery pack is what stops any EV from being a credible alternative for anyone without excess disposable income.
In the UK I believe all the talk of range to be a complete red herring and that as an issue it firstly doesn't really exist and that the real issue is that EVs are extremely expensive and not cost competitive at the lower end of the market, which is by far the largest market segment.
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