[flipb]

Originally Posted by racer

imho, Tesla was never in it for the cars.. they were in it for the energy storage/usage. A utility. The electric car is just the flashy way to get demand up.

I think they were pretty transparent about this. Musk still talks about Tesla as a clean energy company. They also make money installing solar arrays and power bank systems, both residential and utility scale. Transportation is just the industry that has the most opportunity to drive a pivot away from fossil fuels. And frankly, automakers had failed to innovate for so long that there was an opportunity to leapfrog.

Originally Posted by racer

I could be wrong. As others mentioned, once the "big guys" get EVs sorted. Min 250mile range and a charging infrastructure is large enough, Tesla will be in trouble.

IMO, this is sort of like saying "once Samsung makes a phone with a good UI and camera, Apple will be in trouble". On paper, there are plenty of phones that are better/cheaper than iPhone. But Apple continues to innovate, people love their products, and they have an in-network effect similar to Tesla. Tesla has built a massive advantage in UI, Supercharger network, battery technology, etc. They've hired some brilliant engineers, both from the automotive world and elsewhere, and they did so a decade before anyone else got serious about EVs. If their marketshare among EVs drops (say, from 50% to 35%) but the overall share of EVs climbs from ~2% of the market to ~30% of the market, they'll do just fine...

Originally Posted by racer

I thought I heard that Tesla has no revamped "S" model in the works. That they are focused on the "3" and maybe Trucks.. Seems a shame as the flagship is getting a bit old, no?

They've claimed that they won't do major model refreshes, but will just make updates on a semi-regular basis. This is somewhat frustrating, since there's no clear delineation between, say, 2017 and 2018 cars, but there are differences introduced at random times, like new autopilot hardware. The latest persistent rumor is that there will be an interior refresh soon that makes the Model S more minimalist like the 3. On the positive side, they still push software updates that improve UI & features, even for old models. My 2013 Model S has gained a handful of new features, like cabin overheat protection (and Atari games), that were just pushed via software.

[blipshift]

Originally Posted by flipb

I think they were pretty transparent about this. Musk still talks about Tesla as a clean energy company. They also make money installing solar arrays and power bank systems, both residential and utility scale. Transportation is just the industry that has the most opportunity to drive a pivot away from fossil fuels. And frankly, automakers had failed to innovate for so long that there was an opportunity to leapfrog.




IMO, this is sort of like saying "once Samsung makes a phone with a good UI and camera, Apple will be in trouble". On paper, there are plenty of phones that are better/cheaper than iPhone. But Apple continues to innovate, people love their products, and they have an in-network effect similar to Tesla. Tesla has built a massive advantage in UI, Supercharger network, battery technology, etc. They've hired some brilliant engineers, both from the automotive world and elsewhere, and they did so a decade before anyone else got serious about EVs. If their marketshare among EVs drops (say, from 50% to 35%) but the overall share of EVs climbs from ~2% of the market to ~30% of the market, they'll do just fine...




They've claimed that they won't do major model refreshes, but will just make updates on a semi-regular basis. This is somewhat frustrating, since there's no clear delineation between, say, 2017 and 2018 cars, but there are differences introduced at random times, like new autopilot hardware. The latest persistent rumor is that there will be an interior refresh soon that makes the Model S more minimalist like the 3. On the positive side, they still push software updates that improve UI & features, even for old models. My 2013 Model S has gained a handful of new features, like cabin overheat protection (and Atari games), that were just pushed via software.

I'm not tracking the logic trail here but then again I haven't really understood Tesla as a company, either. Quite frankly, I'm not sure Elon does either...

[turkis_tii]

I’m pro-EV, test-driven all of the contenders, but not yet bought in. Seems like there is a division between the daily drivers like BMW i30, noting that 90% of drives are less than 30-ish miles, and the high-milers like Tesla and, now, Kia. The biggest constraint is the lobbying efforts of big oil and US auto makers/dealers vs. climate change.

[blipshift]

lolol

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a2...v-nurburgring/

[Hurricane]

Originally Posted by blipshift

lolol

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a2...v-nurburgring/

UPDATE 9/7/19: You didn't really think this drama was over, did you? Is it ever when a person of Elon Musk's prominence posts a rash tweet or two? Yesterday, Road & Track reported that officials at the Nürburgring said that the Nordschleife was "fully booked for the season. I think that there is no availability for Tesla to set up a record attempt in the next days." You see, doing a timed lap on the 'Ring isn't really a run-what-you-brung track day. Perhaps, when Musk tweeted out that there would be a Tesla Model S at the Nürburgring next week, he just meant it was there to take selfies in front of the local castle and maybe grab a delicious steak.

In other, possibly related news: Musk acknowledged by way of another tweet that ". . . Taycan does seem like a good car. Nürburgring track time is great." There, settled.

LOL

[Hurricane]

I still want one. Maybe in a couple of years CPO at a nice discount, it possible.

[Patrick3000]

Dropped the Touring off for its annual service last week and picked up another DD

The dealer had a Taycan Turbo available for demo and they offered up a test drive, thank you Casey

I was completely blown away

This is a true drivers car in the style that is unique to Porsche

Acceleration, handling and brakes are first class

The build quality is outstanding

You do not feel the weight

I have driven several Model S and literally night and day in favor of the Taycan

I would encourage a test drive at your earliest opportunity

IMHO - This car is a game changer

If I needed a car that actually did car stuff, you know haul people and things from A to B rinse and repeat, the Taycan would be at the top of the list

PS: The Turbo S must be epic!

[DonNewton]

You'll have to search for it, but the Tesla-installed solar collection arrays tend to spontaneously combust. Ask Walmart. For those of us in the architectural world here in CA (Peoples Democratic Republic of California), the state building bozos have told us to be careful with our designs, if they include Tesla. . . All new residential structures MUST include solar in their design. PDRC strikes again.

[Vicegrip]

Originally Posted by DonNewton

You'll have to search for it, but the Tesla-installed solar collection arrays tend to spontaneously combust. Ask Walmart. For those of us in the architectural world here in CA (Peoples Democratic Republic of California), the state building bozos have told us to be careful with our designs, if they include Tesla. . . All new residential structures MUST include solar in their design. PDRC strikes again.

IIRC Tesla bought the company that designed and installed the big commercial systems in question. The company also did not perform required recall work but said they did. This left Tesla holding the bag for systems that were not Tesla designed or installed

I just finished installing a solar storage, charging and inverter system in a sprinter van. The system kicks ass. It was charging on a gray dreary overcast day. Keeps the house and truck battery topped up properly and provides 120 v and 12v power. The price to capacity has dropped across the board

Not covering for Tesla or trying to derail the thread Solar has improved a hella lot and there is plenty more to come. This is not something to be said about Internal combustion More than enough to surpass other energy systems by large obtainable margins in many applications. Where solar / electric is not feasible for now fossil can be used until to too becomes surpassed by modern means We provided huge incentives to oil, gas and coal over the many years. Nothing wrong with doing the same with solar as it matures.

Wallmart is still buying in on Tesla just not the solar city / tesla venture stuff that has a 2.5 % fail rate

[BillC]

We test-drove the Taycan "Turbo" yesterday. Other than the silly naming convention ("Turbo" on an electric car? Really?), it is a fantastic car. Drives very well, comfortable, smooth and very quick. Looks much better in person, too, as compared to the photos in the press. Other than the lack of engine noise, it drives like a normal sporty car. My wife is still trying to figure out how to justify buying one -- I think if the kids were both out of college and the cars were more readily-available, she might have brought one home (a 4S maybe, not a "Turbo").

My only real complaint is directed more at the current auto industry trend of ginormous touch screen dashes, rather than just Porsche. The screens may look sexy and high-tech, but the loss of actual buttons and knobs is going to cause accidents. Once I know the basic switchology of a car with knobs and buttons, I can adjust common things like temp and radio volume by feel, without taking my eyes off the road. However, with touch screens, there's no way to adjust anything without taking your eyes off the road and hunting through menus. The salesman changed a setting while I was driving, and out of the corner of my eye I could see him hunting through menus to find that setting; took him almost a minute to find the right menu and make the change. It's bad enough that we have knuckleheads looking at their phones while driving, now we'll have to contend with people playing with their built-in touch screens rather than paying attention to the road.