Tesla Model S

megakid

megakid

megakid

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Got an extended test drive booked for one of these on Wednesday. Really looking forward to it. Anyone else drove or been in one?

Seems to tick all my boxes: Good looks :cool:, fast (4.2 to 60 :eek:), practical, packed with toys - my current car has less range than this - granted I can fill it up easier but Tesla are installing 'superchargers' in the UK that should get me anywhere I need within reason...
 
What is the range on these?

I've always found it an odd car. It's something large and comfortable that suits long drives perfectly, but then its stifled by having the short range of an electric car? Your not going to waft down to the south of France for a short break in it like you would in a 7 series or an A8, etc.
 
300miles and why not, especially when they get superchargers installed (170miles for a 30min charge) all over the place, granted that will take a few years. London to Marseille is only 770miles. Even real world range seems to be around the 240mile range. More if you run in eco mode.

Current supercharger points in Europe
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Routes to be covered by end of 2014
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Skeeter said:
What is the range on these?

I've always found it an odd car. It's something large and comfortable that suits long drives perfectly, but then its stifled by having the short range of an electric car? Your not going to waft down to the south of France for a short break in it like you would in a 7 series or an A8, etc.
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Guess you don't know much about it yet call it an 'odd' car.
 
Cool, let us know how you find it. I gather the acceleration tails off at higher speeds compared to petrol cars with similar low speed acceleration but tbh it's not likely to be driven at 'higher' speeds often (at least my driving would benefit from acceleration at normal speeds but not need the higher speeds).
It sounds like you're driving the fastest one, is that right?
I briefly looked into these as a company car but most of my (few) miles are private and they're getting rid of 0% BIK next year so overall it was a silly idea.
 
Cool car, its selling like hot cakes in the USA. The superchargers are free to use as well aren't they?
 
megakid said:
Got an extended test drive booked for one of these on Wednesday. Really looking forward to it. Anyone else drove or been in one?

Seems to tick all my boxes: Good looks :cool:, fast (4.2 to 60 :eek:), practical, packed with toys - my current car has less range than this - granted I can fill it up easier but Tesla are installing 'superchargers' in the UK that should get me anywhere I need within reason...
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£69k?!?
 
Absolutely fantastic car, it makes me wonder why we have not seen any real competition for it from the established luxury marques? They will surely be allowing Tesla to be building quite a foothold in the electric luxury market by not doing so :confused:
 
megakid said:
Got an extended test drive booked for one of these on Wednesday. Really looking forward to it. Anyone else drove or been in one?

Seems to tick all my boxes: Good looks :cool:, fast (4.2 to 60 :eek:), practical, packed with toys - my current car has less range than this - granted I can fill it up easier but Tesla are installing 'superchargers' in the UK that should get me anywhere I need within reason...
Click to expand...

I thought about one, but it got too expensive after you added all the spec and I read complains about the quality of the interior so I bought a panamera.
 
Yeahs it's mad... It's like the battery gets 3 times the size and hence it's cost and people are suprised at the prices. You can see why the entry models start around 100miles range.

Tesla make money selling credits rather than cars so starting a new car like this with new facilities at the old GM massive factory is a bit more straightforward than existing plants where these products displace higher margin products. Plus Elon Musk is awesome.
 
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Skeeter said:
What is the range on these?

I've always found it an odd car. It's something large and comfortable that suits long drives perfectly, but then its stifled by having the short range of an electric car? Your not going to waft down to the south of France for a short break in it like you would in a 7 series or an A8, etc.
Click to expand...

Whereas I think it's probably the best take on the electric car yet. The problem with previous electric cars is that they've been expensive - because the tech costs money - but electric power aside, they were mostly nasty, cheap and plastic junk. I mean just look at the Nissan Leaf. Why would you pay huge money for a cheap plastic Micra-type thing? You wouldn't. Which is why I've never seen one.

The Tesla Model S is different. The Tesla Model S is a high end luxury car *and* its electric. You would pay a similar amount of money, at list price, for something like a 640d Gran Coupe or a well specified Mercedes CLS. The Tesla is absolutely bang on - for your not insignificant list price you actually get a high quality, high end car that looks like a proper luxury car and seats 4 people like a proper luxury car with a proper luxury car interior.

No wonder these things are EVERYWHERE in the US whereas nobody gives a **** about the Nissan Leaf.

Most people who buy this sort of car don't buy it because they need to travel to Monaco, by road, at the drop of a hat. Yes, executive saloons are well suited for such plans but most people don't do that with them and they are just as nice to waft around town or take 100 miles up the road.
 
Agree 100% with Fox. This is the first decent electric car and has the potential to make far more impact in the market than any of the previous attempts.
The Model X SUV is interesting too, I know an American friend that's got one reserved despite them not announcing the full price yet! :p


Be interested to hear what you think megakid. My father's been offered an extended test, but it's not for a couple of weeks time IIRC.
 
This is something I would consider in a few years actually. Prefer if they did an estate though, lol.

300 miles is "just" not enough for my regular long drive though. So I would need a quick charging point at some point along the way. But my 120 mile commute (round trip) would be no problem, so long as I could just plug it in once I'm at work. Not that it should be "necessary".

I wonder what the deal is with the batteries getting charged from any state (i.e. not empty). Like if I did 10 miles, then wacked it back on charge, if it would adversely affect battery life. But 260 miles for a little over £4 sounds tempting. A £385 yearly "fuel" bill instead of £2k+ sounds great. Saying that, would have to keep it 15 years to offset the initial cost when compared to my 530d.

Maxing out at very close to £100k wouldn't be ideal though. But then I guess you would need to spend at least £80k for a reasonable spec. Shame there is no option on the wheels other than a £3k extra. I'd rather pick my own wheels for less than that. Or have an option for no extra cost wheels.
 
If I were in the market for a new executive express, the Tesla would be top of my list. I rarely need to drive more than 300 miles in a single day.

I'm dumbfounded that the big car makers managed to let a little startup take 100% of the market for executive EVs while sitting on their hands with their fingers in their ears going "lalalalala I can't hear you over the sound of our diesel engines".
What's amazing is that last year, the Tesla outsold the 7-series, A8, S-class and XJ in the US. Surely the big German marques must have someone in the works to counter this?
 
[TW]Fox;26317069 said:
Whereas I think it's probably the best take on the electric car yet. The problem with previous electric cars is that they've been expensive - because the tech costs money - but electric power aside, they were mostly nasty, cheap and plastic junk. I mean just look at the Nissan Leaf. Why would you pay huge money for a cheap plastic Micra-type thing? You wouldn't. Which is why I've never seen one.


No wonder these things are EVERYWHERE in the US whereas nobody gives a **** about the Nissan Leaf.
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Citation needed?

march 2014.

Leaf : 2503 units
tesla S : 1300.

Although that said US delivers are modest due to Europe supply.
 
Skeeter said:
What is the range on these?

I've always found it an odd car. It's something large and comfortable that suits long drives perfectly, but then its stifled by having the short range of an electric car? Your not going to waft down to the south of France for a short break in it like you would in a 7 series or an A8, etc.
Click to expand...

Exec saloons are used to ferry people around cities, or to the major airport of that city 20 miles away. The range is perfect for this sort of job.

People take planes to the south or France or at worst, drive their SL there.
 
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Too big for the UK, interior has been designed for american APES. The TFT the size of a small moon is well rubbish.

Oh and the key sucks. (Engineered well but stupid tesla styling)
 
In the US... Fiesta. Not the sales success they were hoping that's for sure ;)
Leaf is a C segment anyway rather than Fiesta B.

Fair point though.
 
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