Comments on: Is Tesla Running out of Juice? http://gm-volt.com/2008/10/15/is-tesla-running-out-of-juice/ Real-time news, information, and discussion about the Chevrolet Volt. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:55:54 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Mikey http://gm-volt.com/2008/10/15/is-tesla-running-out-of-juice/#comment-137121 Mikey Sun, 16 Aug 2009 04:39:35 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=1332#comment-137121 I have lived here my whole life and in the last 10 years the arrogance has really just skyrocketed. A few successful tech companies and now people think SV runs the world. Well, running a car company and making cars mainstream is NOT the same thing as building a website. You don't manage hundreds of suppliers, hundreds of laborers, stay within government regulations around the world, ensure safety, and more. Its great that they are trying to push the industry in the right direction. They succeeded! The Big 3 are all headed in that direction right now. Yes they are sick but will survive...they have to (read the book why GM matters to actually understand the industry and what the problems are). We can't be a country who builds websites and no tangible goods...can we? The American car industry is the heartbeat of this country. Tesla...you've certainly done a remarkable job and should continue. But when it comes to the mainstream, leave it to the pros in Detroit and Germany. Automotive is in their blood like computers are in yours. I have lived here my whole life and in the last 10 years the arrogance has really just skyrocketed. A few successful tech companies and now people think SV runs the world. Well, running a car company and making cars mainstream is NOT the same thing as building a website. You don’t manage hundreds of suppliers, hundreds of laborers, stay within government regulations around the world, ensure safety, and more. Its great that they are trying to push the industry in the right direction. They succeeded! The Big 3 are all headed in that direction right now. Yes they are sick but will survive…they have to (read the book why GM matters to actually understand the industry and what the problems are). We can’t be a country who builds websites and no tangible goods…can we? The American car industry is the heartbeat of this country.

Tesla…you’ve certainly done a remarkable job and should continue. But when it comes to the mainstream, leave it to the pros in Detroit and Germany. Automotive is in their blood like computers are in yours.

]]> By: Rich http://gm-volt.com/2008/10/15/is-tesla-running-out-of-juice/#comment-111918 Rich Thu, 07 May 2009 17:07:17 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=1332#comment-111918 Why is the heck is the tax crdit only $7,500, Bush had a $150,000 tax credt for those gas guzzlers. This just does not make any since to have to so low, if they are truely for the cars of the future! Why is the heck is the tax crdit only $7,500, Bush had a $150,000 tax credt for those gas guzzlers. This just does not make any since to have to so low, if they are truely for the cars of the future!

]]> By: Stan http://gm-volt.com/2008/10/15/is-tesla-running-out-of-juice/#comment-74763 Stan Sat, 18 Oct 2008 15:41:04 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=1332#comment-74763 I think Tesla would still be fine if Martin Eberhard was still running the show. He was the founder and his biggest mistake was trusting Elon Musk. Martin wanted to keep it simple as all start ups should. Elon wanted to make it perfect and ended up complicating the whole process. I hope they can still hang on because I'd hate to see Martin's dream die. Stan I think Tesla would still be fine if Martin Eberhard was still running the show. He was the founder and his biggest mistake was trusting Elon Musk. Martin wanted to keep it simple as all start ups should. Elon wanted to make it perfect and ended up complicating the whole process. I hope they can still hang on because I’d hate to see Martin’s dream die.
Stan

]]> By: curtis http://gm-volt.com/2008/10/15/is-tesla-running-out-of-juice/#comment-74707 curtis Sat, 18 Oct 2008 02:22:12 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=1332#comment-74707 #84- By the way, who said that BEVs and hybrids had to be economically viable? What about that Escalade Hybrid? _________________________________________ What about it? I own one and I LOVE it! I've bought a new Escalade every 2 years for the last 8-9 years and refuse to drive anything else. But this new hybrid 'Lade is so cool as I drive mostly in the city, in traffic, and I'm ruuning in mostly 100% electric or 2-mode "blend" with 4cyl mode on the DoD and I'm getting almost twice as much out of a tank of fuel as my 07. So KMA! C. #84- By the way, who said that BEVs and hybrids had to be economically viable? What about that Escalade Hybrid?
_________________________________________
What about it? I own one and I LOVE it! I’ve bought a new Escalade every 2 years for the last 8-9 years and refuse to drive anything else. But this new hybrid ‘Lade is so cool as I drive mostly in the city, in traffic, and I’m ruuning in mostly 100% electric or 2-mode “blend” with 4cyl mode on the DoD and I’m getting almost twice as much out of a tank of fuel as my 07.
So KMA!
C.

]]> By: jscott1000 http://gm-volt.com/2008/10/15/is-tesla-running-out-of-juice/#comment-74693 jscott1000 Sat, 18 Oct 2008 00:31:28 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=1332#comment-74693 By the way, who said that BEVs and hybrids had to be economically viable? What about that Escalade Hybrid? By the way, who said that BEVs and hybrids had to be economically viable? What about that Escalade Hybrid?

]]> By: jscott1000 http://gm-volt.com/2008/10/15/is-tesla-running-out-of-juice/#comment-74692 jscott1000 Sat, 18 Oct 2008 00:28:32 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=1332#comment-74692 Statik, I don't always agree with you, but your comments on Tesla, (the man and the company) were spot on. Making any car and selling it for profit is difficult. Telsa, the man was never interested in making money. Telsa the company never said their car was practical. It's a rich person's toy to be sure. But if it can succeed in what it is then technically that's a good thing. as for ysf Says: Tesla EV is fundamentally flawed due to their battery, they will NEVER be commercially successful due to the high cost of 18650 and complicated nature of handling 6800 cells, you can’t make a battery pack last long (even single cell may well does so), and it is dangerous. ---------------------------------------- The jury is still out on the 18650...NASA is currently building a battery to run the life support system on the space suit with 18650s. If that battery fails someone has 30 minutes to live before their air runs out. So I would say that technically they can be made safe if not commercially successful. Statik, I don’t always agree with you, but your comments on Tesla, (the man and the company) were spot on. Making any car and selling it for profit is difficult. Telsa, the man was never interested in making money. Telsa the company never said their car was practical. It’s a rich person’s toy to be sure. But if it can succeed in what it is then technically that’s a good thing.

as for ysf Says:

Tesla EV is fundamentally flawed due to their battery, they will NEVER be commercially successful due to the high cost of 18650 and complicated nature of handling 6800 cells, you can’t make a battery pack last long (even single cell may well does so), and it is dangerous.
—————————————-

The jury is still out on the 18650…NASA is currently building a battery to run the life support system on the space suit with 18650s. If that battery fails someone has 30 minutes to live before their air runs out. So I would say that technically they can be made safe if not commercially successful.

]]> By: DaveP http://gm-volt.com/2008/10/15/is-tesla-running-out-of-juice/#comment-74571 DaveP Fri, 17 Oct 2008 17:02:36 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=1332#comment-74571 For those thinking there will be lots of EV and plug-in hybrid choices soon, I think this is a sobering reminder not to count chickens before they hatch. Automakers have been reluctant to create EV drivetrains and there is kind of a fragile chain of one-upmanship going on even now. Tesla is the head domino: Because Tesla made the roadster, GM/Lutz pushed to make the \Volt. Because GM is making the \Volt, Toyota is pushed to make a plug in Prius... Hope for the best for Tesla. If they fold, a lot of strategies may be rethought and we could be set back yet another decade before we see electric drivetrains. Granted it's oversimplifying to say that if Tesla goes under all EV work stops. I'm not saying that, but it certainly does reshape the landscape of what is still a very nacient effort on the part of automakers. For those thinking there will be lots of EV and plug-in hybrid choices soon, I think this is a sobering reminder not to count chickens before they hatch. Automakers have been reluctant to create EV drivetrains and there is kind of a fragile chain of one-upmanship going on even now.
Tesla is the head domino: Because Tesla made the roadster, GM/Lutz pushed to make the \Volt. Because GM is making the \Volt, Toyota is pushed to make a plug in Prius…
Hope for the best for Tesla. If they fold, a lot of strategies may be rethought and we could be set back yet another decade before we see electric drivetrains.

Granted it’s oversimplifying to say that if Tesla goes under all EV work stops. I’m not saying that, but it certainly does reshape the landscape of what is still a very nacient effort on the part of automakers.

]]> By: Bob http://gm-volt.com/2008/10/15/is-tesla-running-out-of-juice/#comment-74562 Bob Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:11:29 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=1332#comment-74562 Elon Musk has definitely been a hands-on investor from the beginning. The doorsill modification was only one of the changes he pushed. He also insisted on the 130mph top speed, which at the time required the two speed transmission. That was the change that caused the major delay. They had to redesign the chassis any to accomodate the ESS. If he has been part of the problem, he has also put his personal fortune on the line. Elon Musk has definitely been a hands-on investor from the beginning. The doorsill modification was only one of the changes he pushed.

He also insisted on the 130mph top speed, which at the time required the two speed transmission. That was the change that caused the major delay. They had to redesign the chassis any to accomodate the ESS.

If he has been part of the problem, he has also put his personal fortune on the line.

]]> By: Freemon Sandlewould http://gm-volt.com/2008/10/15/is-tesla-running-out-of-juice/#comment-74479 Freemon Sandlewould Fri, 17 Oct 2008 04:55:04 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=1332#comment-74479 I knew Elon Musk was blowing it when I read he had the doors changed because his pregnant wife had trouble getting out of the Volt. Obvious he's a software guy. A hardware guy knows that hardware development absolutely hemmorages money. Because of that we hardware engineers know to get the job finished on the straightest line possible with no detours for frillys. Then when done look back and decide if business and product acceptance demands round two on the hardware. I knew Elon Musk was blowing it when I read he had the doors changed because his pregnant wife had trouble getting out of the Volt. Obvious he’s a software guy. A hardware guy knows that hardware development absolutely hemmorages money. Because of that we hardware engineers know to get the job finished on the straightest line possible with no detours for frillys. Then when done look back and decide if business and product acceptance demands round two on the hardware.

]]> By: Justin Weber http://gm-volt.com/2008/10/15/is-tesla-running-out-of-juice/#comment-74457 Justin Weber Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:28:08 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=1332#comment-74457 Tesla really missed the boat. I think their arrogance upon start-up has finally caught up to them. I was one of those who saw the "60 Minutes" piece. To view the vehicle manufacturing process as somehow similar to building a software company or manufacturing circuit boards is pretty nieve. It took them a while to realize that manufacturing a vehicle is a complex process, involving a lot of "car" people and a lot of capital. I don't wish anything bad for Tesla, but this was a problem they could have avoided if they brought the right people in early on. I wish GM well, and I think if they can get beyond this latest economic crisis, they will be well positioned for a strong resurgence. The Volt is great! The Cruze looks promising, and the cross-overs such as the Enclave and Traverse are wonderful products. Tesla really missed the boat. I think their arrogance upon start-up has finally caught up to them. I was one of those who saw the “60 Minutes” piece. To view the vehicle manufacturing process as somehow similar to building a software company or manufacturing circuit boards is pretty nieve. It took them a while to realize that manufacturing a vehicle is a complex process, involving a lot of “car” people and a lot of capital.

I don’t wish anything bad for Tesla, but this was a problem they could have avoided if they brought the right people in early on.

I wish GM well, and I think if they can get beyond this latest economic crisis, they will be well positioned for a strong resurgence. The Volt is great! The Cruze looks promising, and the cross-overs such as the Enclave and Traverse are wonderful products.

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