<![CDATA[Mechanical Resonance: The Tesla Motors Press Intro, Complete With Governator - Jalopnik Comments]]> <![CDATA[Mechanical Resonance: The Tesla Motors Press Intro, Complete With Governator - Jalopnik Comments]]> <![CDATA[Mechanical Resonance: The Tesla Motors Press Intro, Complete With Governator]]> The first time " The Arnold's" super-ride leaves him sitting in paparazzi hell. Because valet boy couldn't find a plug and his nibs dropped a size 13 on a dead Batt. It'll be "Hasta La Vista Baby" Photo opportunity anyone?

wonderwhy

]]> <![CDATA[Mechanical Resonance: The Tesla Motors Press Intro, Complete With Governator]]> I've had a bunch of well off semi-auto-literate friends ask about this car. I was surprised that they were no at all concerned about $100k for this thing but it seems to have some latent demand from the Corvette and Porsche owners in SoCal that have enough money to buy an alpha product like this. I think it will be a success as long as the reliability is there. It's great to see entrepreneurial innovation in this industry. Everyone always seems to say that with all the regs and testing required, there's no way for a new entrant to succeed. It would be great for the entire business if this company makes it.

Daga

]]> <![CDATA[Mechanical Resonance: The Tesla Motors Press Intro, Complete With Governator]]> The Tesla Roadster has regenerative braking but it works differently than the typical hybrid. Hybrids apply regen braking when the driver steps on the brake pedal. The Tesla Roadster applies variable regen braking based on accelerator position. As the driver eases off the accelerator the regen braking is applied. Regen braking is also a function of the gear selected (2 speed manual gearbox with electric shifing and no clutch). First gear has higher regen braking than second. In driving, it feels very much like a standard transmission gasoline powered car. You can actually come to a complete stop without touching the brake pedal. Also, for those who wonder, the brake lights are computer controlled and based on measured deceleration rather than the standard switch on the brake pedal.

BTW, the doors are solenoid controlled from the outside but the inside door release is mechanical.

doppler

]]> <![CDATA[Mechanical Resonance: The Tesla Motors Press Intro, Complete With Governator]]> Very cool car. Be warned though, if the door mechanism should stick, "There's no way out / no way out." However, since it's electric, if someone's driving straight towards you it might be said that they're "Cumin' atcha Live!"

- R

DRFS Rich

]]> <![CDATA[Mechanical Resonance: The Tesla Motors Press Intro, Complete With Governator]]> karlroth, there's a movie about that:
www.whokilledtheelectriccar.com

camp6ell

]]> <![CDATA[Mechanical Resonance: The Tesla Motors Press Intro, Complete With Governator]]> Tesla is actually working on a solar-panel program that will offer a 50-mile charge per day.

As for the Tango, I think it's a cool piece of technology, I just think it looks dorky, like a Renault hatchback crushed between two merging semis. Plus, it's pricey, too. Given the choice, I'd rather have a Tesla.

I really can't stress how impressed I am with this car. For a v1.0 product to have so many of the kinks worked out with apparently only $25 mil spent and two years of development is frankly pretty amazing.

Davey G.

]]> <![CDATA[Mechanical Resonance: The Tesla Motors Press Intro, Complete With Governator]]> Dude, Davey... I don't know how you were able to control yourself. If I found myself face-to-face with the Governator, I'm pretty sure I'd blurt out

Who is your daddy, and what does he do?

Followed shortly by my being punched in the face by a 60-year old man.

DannyBoy

]]> <![CDATA[Mechanical Resonance: The Tesla Motors Press Intro, Complete With Governator]]> wonder how the majors will respond - if at all
they certainly have the economy of scale to lower the price of a vehicle like this - just imagine if you can an american electric smart car

also wonder whycum GM backed off from the EV! so hard ? should be a good conspiracy theory in there somewhere

kr

]]> <![CDATA[Mechanical Resonance: The Tesla Motors Press Intro, Complete With Governator]]> What's with the Tango bashing? CommuterCars makes a car to address overcrowded highways AND seeks to end our dependence on foreign oil. The Tesla, a great car, only achieves one of these objectives.

According to Rick Woodbury, president of CommuterCars, an investment of $3000 in solar panels would be all you would need to charge the Tango. I'm sure the same could be said of the Tesla. But, again, the Tesla would still take up more space than a Tango.

I don't live in L.A. but I do know the traffic is horrendous and is caused primarily by larger and wider cars with single-occupancy.

BlueRSX

]]> <![CDATA[Mechanical Resonance: The Tesla Motors Press Intro, Complete With Governator]]> Also it seems a lot like the Venturi Fetish (great name) - though if memory serves the price for that was £200,000 plus.

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&rls=GEUA,GE...

ShirtBloke

]]> <![CDATA[Mechanical Resonance: The Tesla Motors Press Intro, Complete With Governator]]> It's received wisdom (not personal experience) that regenerative braking adds 10% or less to the mileage for electric vehicles of all kinds.

With electric bicycles you get much more mileage by having a freewheel than by having the complexities of regenerative braking. Maybe that would be a better option for the Tesla?

ShirtBloke

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