[Newsbot]

Title: Tesla's Model 3 aims to take luxury electric car to the mass market
Category: Tech
Posted By: andyt
Date: 2016-03-31 08:13:26
Canadian

[andyt]

You go, Elon. Let's hope he can make a go of this.

His big problem will be reliability. Consumer Reports was very impressed with the performance of the model S, but wouldn't recommend it because of poor reliability. In BC there is one Tesla dealer/repairer. Good luck trying to sell these cars to more than a few early adopters if they have to have their car towed for long distances for repairs. Maybe Tesla could make a partnership with some automotive shops at least in the lower mainland to handle repairs.

[DrCaleb]

This is the price point I've been looking for in a car, and if the car is built with highway driving in mind (rather than a city car like the BMW i3) it just might be in my driveway sometime soon.

[andyt]

Absolutely is will do highway. It's a stripped down Model S. But what the range would be in and Edmonton winter is another matter. And of course if you want to do long highway trips, you'll have to interrupt them from recharging a lot. Still not really a viable cross Canada vehicle. and then what will be the Canadian price? AT least 50k, I bet.

I'm guessing you're going to keep the F150, so why not get a Kia or Nissan electric instead. They should give you the range for your commute, or shopping trips. And they're cheaper and no complaints about reliability.

[OnTheIce]

andyt andyt:

You go, Elon. Let's hope he can make a go of this.

His big problem will be reliability. Consumer Reports was very impressed with the performance of the model S, but wouldn't recommend it because of poor reliability. In BC there is one Tesla dealer/repairer. Good luck trying to sell these cars to more than a few early adopters if they have to have their car towed for long distances for repairs. Maybe Tesla could make a partnership with some automotive shops at least in the lower mainland to handle repairs.

The Tesla Model S was ranked the best car by Consumer Reports.

The highest rating ever given to a vehicle. 99/100.

[andyt]

OnTheIce OnTheIce:

The Tesla Model S was ranked the best car by Consumer Reports.

The highest rating ever given to a vehicle. 99/100.

$1:

Tesla Reliability Doesn’t Match Its High Performance

http://www.consumerreports.org/cars/tes ... rformance/

The main problem areas involved the drivetrain, power equipment, charging equipment, giant iPad-like center console, and body and sunroof squeaks, rattles, and leaks.

Holy shit. Is there any part of the car that isn't a problem? Figures reliability wouldn't be a concern of yours.

[OnTheIce]

andyt andyt:

Holy shit. Is there any part of the car that isn't a problem? Figures reliability wouldn't be a concern of yours.

Yes, because I sell used Tesla's, right?

It's a fantastic car which sounds like it has a lot of issues that most new cars can have.

[andyt]

No, because you work for an American auto dealer - reliability has never been their strong suit. Most new cars don't have these issues, maybe the ones you sell do. My new Japanese cars and SUV's have had almost no issues. The Pathfinder had a shifted electric harness, so it lost power until they fixed that. Other than that, I can't recall any of them having any defects at all, going right back to 73 and my 240Z. I've only ever bought one new American car, and it was a disaster.

[DrCaleb]

andyt andyt:

Absolutely is will do highway. It's a stripped down Model S. But what the range would be in and Edmonton winter is another matter.

The specs haven't been released yet, and there is a crucial part that might be stripped out in order to get the cost that low. (more below). With an estimated range of 320km, it's more than enough to get me to and from the bus, even in cold winters.

andyt andyt:

And of course if you want to do long highway trips, you'll have to interrupt them from recharging a lot. Still not really a viable cross Canada vehicle. and then what will be the Canadian price? AT least 50k, I bet.

Which I don't need it for.

andyt andyt:

I'm guessing you're going to keep the F150, so why not get a Kia or Nissan electric instead. They should give you the range for your commute, or shopping trips. And they're cheaper and no complaints about reliability.

Because they are city cars, not highway cars. Same as the BMW.

There is a big Achilles heel when it comes to electric cars. The battery. (warning: Sciency bits to follow!) A battery works because a chemical reaction stores electrons in the chemical makeup of the battery. Charging and discharging a battery causes heat, and excessive heat changes the ability of the battery to store electricity. Not in a good way.

So in order to do the high discharge needed to move a car on the highway, the batteries need to be able to cope with some pretty high heat. If they can't, the batteries will stop being able to hold a charge in short order.

The Tesla Model S is designed for the highway, so it has the batteries submerged in coolant, and has a pump and radiator system installed to dissipate that heat. Kia, Nissan and BMW do not. People taking these cars on short regular highway trips report huge problems with battery longevity. (I do my homework!)

Which is why I'm reserving judgement on this car until specs are released so I can see if this will be a highway or city car. A city car is useless to me, because I have short highway trips (less than 1/2 hour) to get to the bus in the morning.

I really wish they could have called this car the "Model E". Because it fits in the Tesla lineup between the Model S and Model X, and we all know what that spells!!

[Guy_Fawkes]

Last I heard Alberta still gets the majority of it's electricity from coal, so this car will be a no go for me for several years.

[DrCaleb]

Guy_Fawkes Guy_Fawkes:

Last I heard Alberta still gets the majority of it's electricity from coal, so this car will be a no go for me for several years.

This is incorrect. The largest electric plant that used coal was retired a few years ago. (Wabamun). New plants have all been natural gas.

[Guy_Fawkes]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Guy_Fawkes Guy_Fawkes:

Last I heard Alberta still gets the majority of it's electricity from coal, so this car will be a no go for me for several years.

This is incorrect. The largest electric plant that used coal was retired a few years ago. (Wabamun). New plants have all been natural gas.

I stand corrected, the range is limited but this may be an option after I retire the hybrid.

[andyt]

Plus charge your car in the daytime, that's when we send you nice clean hydro electricity. Just don't charge at night/low power demand periods.

I didn't know that about the batteries not being able to handle high output unless they are cooled. Thanks for the info.

[DrCaleb]

De nada.

[andyt]

Guy_Fawkes Guy_Fawkes:

I stand corrected, the range is limited but this may be an option after I retire the hybrid.

Are you getting the milage you expected with your hybrid? Do you think it was worth buying it.

Just had a ride in a Prius taxi that had 700,000k on it. Of course he had to change the batteries at some point, but that's pretty good still.