Tesla Model 3 revealed
Discussion
skyrover said:
Tuna said:
The bottom line is that any fuel source capable of dumping a few hundred kilowatts of energy out in one go is quite capable of going bang. We're getting a lot better at stopping batteries from doing it, but isn't the battery shield in the Tesla made of titanium for that reason? A bit of road shrapnel going through your battery could be quite interesting.
It's already happenedhttp://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/02/highway...
Didn't they fit a thicker shield after that incident?
Motor Trend spends some time at the Gigafactory with a Model 3...
No pics of the interior as Tesla confirms it's going to be a lot different from what we've seen so far.
http://www.motortrend.com/news/tesla-model-3-behin...
No pics of the interior as Tesla confirms it's going to be a lot different from what we've seen so far.
http://www.motortrend.com/news/tesla-model-3-behin...
kambites said:
I can't quite make on my mind on the styling from the pictures I've seen. From some angles it looks like a nice sleek uncluttered design, from others it looks blobby and awkward.
I really like it. It doesn't have the huge/tall bonnet that modern saloons have.Like most cars though I think you need to see it in the flesh.
This is pretty much what the interior is due to look like, they still say there will not be an instrument panel other than the 13" tablet in the middle although rumours about some sort of head up display are rife.
The steering wheel Musk says will definitely change and gain some controls but other than that the interior isn't due to change much.
I'm not sure about the tablet screens, a few model X owner are having trouble with things like doors not closing or opening and the tablet freezing up and I know on the Model S they get quite warm. This sort of tech ages really quickly and it seems a bit risky to put everything in the one interface and hope it works for the next 10 years without a hitch.
I suppose though, it does make things easier as new tech comes online owners might be able to upgrade the central tablet for a fee.
Mr GrimNasty said:
Oh, and nobody mention the cobalt cliff.
If they did mention it they would be wasting their breath, there is an enormous amount of Cobalt available for extraction but just not at it's current price. The Congo produces most of the Cobalt supply at the moment as it is cheap and of high quality, just like with oil extraction when the demand/price rises more and more sources become financially viable and stabilise the cost and supply.
Blaster72 said:
This is pretty much what the interior is due to look like, they still say there will not be an instrument panel other than the 13" tablet in the middle although rumours about some sort of head up display are rife.
The steering wheel Musk says will definitely change and gain some controls but other than that the interior isn't due to change much.
I'm not sure about the tablet screens, a few model X owner are having trouble with things like doors not closing or opening and the tablet freezing up and I know on the Model S they get quite warm. This sort of tech ages really quickly and it seems a bit risky to put everything in the one interface and hope it works for the next 10 years without a hitch.
I suppose though, it does make things easier as new tech comes online owners might be able to upgrade the central tablet for a fee.
It is probable that they eventually stop updating it on older cars, just as happens with older phones/tablets.
Yep, you're probably right. I guess features such as the maps will eventually be discontinued and owners can just use a sat nav or their phone.
Having seen the changes in car tech in the last 10 - 20 years I really can't imagine what the next 10 - 20 years will bring.
Maybe, as some posters are suggesting, there will only be driverless cars for sale by then and cars such as the Model 3 will be looked upon as some sort of relic!
Having seen the changes in car tech in the last 10 - 20 years I really can't imagine what the next 10 - 20 years will bring.
Maybe, as some posters are suggesting, there will only be driverless cars for sale by then and cars such as the Model 3 will be looked upon as some sort of relic!
Looking solely at the economics of ICE and EVs the comparisons made so far are not really valid. Take away the subsidies for EVs and start taxing them at a similar rate per mile as ICE vehicles are through VED and fuel duty and you end up pretty much the same. As must be in time if the revenue stream is to be protected. The government need to get tax from somewhere. For the early adopters, enjoy it while you can! The taxman cometh.
rovermorris999 said:
Looking solely at the economics of ICE and EVs the comparisons made so far are not really valid. Take away the subsidies for EVs and start taxing them at a similar rate per mile as ICE vehicles are through VED and fuel duty and you end up pretty much the same. As must be in time if the revenue stream is to be protected. The government need to get tax from somewhere. For the early adopters, enjoy it while you can! The taxman cometh.
The government has no need or desire to close the gap between EVs and conventional cars though. Unless there's a major change in the political wind, they'll recoupe the money by increasing the tax on both keeping the difference in running costs at whatever it needs to be in order to get people into EVs so they can meet their national CO2 emissions targets. Of course the longer it takes to nudge people into EVs, the greater that gap will be made. Ultimately the best thing for fans of ICEs is if everyone else goes out and buys an EV tomorrow so the government has no incentive to raise taxes on ICEs any further.
kambites said:
The government has no need or desire to close the gap between EVs and conventional cars though. Unless there's a major change in the political wind, they'll recoupe the money by increasing the tax on both keeping the difference in running costs at whatever it needs to be in order to get people into EVs so they can meet their national CO2 emissions targets.
Of course the longer it takes to nudge people into EVs, the greater that gap will be made. Ultimately the best thing for fans of ICEs is if everyone else goes out and buys an EV tomorrow so the government has no incentive to raise taxes on ICEs any further.
I think you are missing the point. The revenue stream from motoring is important. If it doesn't come from EVs directly (assuming everyone switches) it'll have to be road pricing or taxing something other than cars. Of course the longer it takes to nudge people into EVs, the greater that gap will be made. Ultimately the best thing for fans of ICEs is if everyone else goes out and buys an EV tomorrow so the government has no incentive to raise taxes on ICEs any further.
rovermorris999 said:
I think you are missing the point. The revenue stream from motoring is important. If it doesn't come from EVs directly (assuming everyone switches) it'll have to be road pricing or taxing something other than cars.
No I entirely understand that, I'm just pointing out that this doesn't mean that EVs will end up taxed the same as ICEs. If every vehicle on the roads switched to an EV, we'd see taxation similar to current ICEs but realistically that's not going to happen; at least not soon. If half of the cars ont he road become EVs, I think we'll see ICEs taxed at 50% more than they are today and EVs taxed at 50% of what ICEs are today - same total revenue, same disparity in running costs. kambites said:
No I entirely understand that, I'm just pointing out that this doesn't mean that EVs will end up taxed the same as ICEs.
I think they will eventually through road pricing. And at the risk of turning this into a climate thread (let's not go there!) as reality and climate models continue to diverge I expect CO2 targets to be quietly dropped but it'll take a few years yet. EVs may well work for personal transport but I think an electric HGV, tractor or ship are a long way off.
Edited by rovermorris999 on Saturday 23 April 15:58
rovermorris999 said:
kambites said:
No I entirely understand that, I'm just pointing out that this doesn't mean that EVs will end up taxed the same as ICEs.
I think they will eventually through road pricing.I don't believe we will ever see equal overall taxation between ICE powered cars and EVs.
kambites said:
I don't believe we will ever see equal overall taxation between ICE powered cars and EVs.
Probably not because fossil fuel is evil 
. However the total tax take from personal transport is likely to stay the same or increase over time so as (if) ICE vehicles fall into disuse then EVs will take up the tax slack.rovermorris999 said:
kambites said:
I don't believe we will ever see equal overall taxation between ICE powered cars and EVs.
Probably not because fossil fuel is evil . However the total tax take from personal transport is likely to stay the same or increase over time so as (if) ICE vehicles fall into disuse then EVs will take up the tax slack.Gassing Station | EV and Alternative Fuels | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff