[Nmoitmzr]

.09/kwh * 42kwh = $4, sure, but somehow I don't think you get 100% efficiency from charging a battery

300mi range is okay, I suppose, as long as you can charge it somewhere. That's around 4 hours of travelling, and a one hour stop every four isn't the end of the world (if the 45-min quickcharge charges most of the way up). And you could have a second battery in the trunk, I guess, for longer trips without stopping. How big is that battery, though? And how many places, now, can you charge?

And, how often do you need to replace the battery, and for how much?

[Wckcvhsg]

.09/kwh * 42kwh = $4, sure, but somehow I don't think you get 100% efficiency from charging a battery

Yes, you basically do.

[autoloanexpert]

.09/kwh * 42kwh = $4, sure, but somehow I don't think you get 100% efficiency from charging a battery

300mi range is okay, I suppose, as long as you can charge it somewhere. That's around 4 hours of travelling, and a one hour stop every four isn't the end of the world (if the 45-min quickcharge charges most of the way up). And you could have a second battery in the trunk, I guess, for longer trips without stopping. How big is that battery, though? And how many places, now, can you charge?

And, how often do you need to replace the battery, and for how much?

I think the efficiency is in the low-to-mid 90s (if it were lower, then the heat given off would cause all sorts of problems). So let's say $4.20.

FYI, the 42 kWh battery pack is the 160 mile range version. So about 3 cents a mile. The 160 mile version costs $57k standard (before tax rebate). I'm sure the 300 mile version will be well North of that.

The 45 minute quick-charge is on a 480volt, 70 amp plug.

[NEWyear]

Whatever happened to...?

[JRixlcvF]

What platform is that car built on?

[JohnImamadviser]

What platform is that car built on?

The Model S is built on their own new platform, as I understand.

[Dumpishchaism]

I doubt the big car companies would do any better. The price is dominated by LiOn battery prices. None of the big car companies have any particular expertise with manufacturing or use of LiOn batteries. And LiOn batteries are purchased off the shelf.

The only car company that I can think of with expertise with LiOn batteries besides Tesla is BYD in China.

It's true that the Japanese car companies could apply large amounts of capital to this, if they chose.

[Snuddyentaine]

Pictures of a pre-production model's interior while they are assembling it.

http://reviews.cnet.com/2300-10863_7...?tag=mncol;txt

[CowextetleSix]

Very cool stuff. Hope it's actually practical someday with reasonable battery lifecycles.

[itaspCatCriny]

Best as I can tell, after 7 years of flogging the original battery, you will be able to buy a similar battery much cheaper. I think the capacity on these batteries per unit mass is increasing at a ~ 6% per annum clip and the prices are declining accordingly.

Personally, I'm more interested in the much less complexity of an electric car versus an internal combustion engine car. Probably a lot easier to manufacture with reasonably quality. And lots easier to maintain.

[lungumnentibe]

We use electric energy to heat ourselves? In the states, that fad was very brief in the early 70s.

[w4HPpbSW]

And a fire hazard, if you have baseboard heating (like my house).

Say, do Tesla cars come with the option for earthquake machines or death rays?

[xanonlinexan]

0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds? Holy ****, gotta love the torque on those things.

[Symnunidanimb]

Why the **** must you lie?

At the very least (and I don't know about the others), Toyota's North America engineering, design, and manufacturing headquarters is in Kentucky.

http://www.toyota.com/about/our_busi...ion/tmmna.html

[12Dvop4I]

the $49,900 Model S can carry five adults and two children in quiet comfort Hold the phone. 5 adults + 2 kids in child seats? In a sedan? What am I missing here?

-Arrian

[layedgebiamma]

Well, I did say a few months back that electric was the future...

[Escamsrasiush]

Hold the phone. 5 adults + 2 kids in child seats? In a sedan? What am I missing here?

-Arrian

Maybe the kids are in the trunk. What parent hasn't thought of doing that on a long road trip?

[neguoogleX]

I guess it is not their corporate headquarters and instead it is "Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. Inc." based out of Torrence, CA.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...ce&btnG=Search

Official site: http://www.toyota.com/help/contactus.html

Go figure -- all of the real jobs are outside of California, but the snakeoil salesmen make their HQ there. Don't brag about that.

[EbrsaRynleot]

Hold the phone. 5 adults + 2 kids in child seats? In a sedan? What am I missing here?

This car has two trunks. One in the front under the hood and one in the back. The one in the back can be converted into two small seats. The seats face one another.

The car has tons of room because it is much simpler than an internal combustion engine car.

[Stainditnew]

I've heard that's how it works, but haven't heard it directly from Tesla.