There has been plenty of press lately revolving around the groundbreaking car company of the future Tesla Motors. For good reason...they seem to have everything it takes to make a serious go of it and their timing couldn't be better.
Tech genius Elon Musk is behind it. His PayPal and SpaceX forays prove that he gets into successful ventures. We're well on our way to space tourism now and he was a major contributor to proving that it's a viable thing to do. Now, with the death knell of fossil fuel based transportation clearly sounding, we all understand that we need an alternative. Tesla motors is providing that alternative.
Sure, there have been electric cars in the past but two things plagued their chances of success: low performance and cheap gas. Now with cheap gas a permanent thing of the past, this erstwhile impediment is gone -- for good. We're finally forced to face the truth that's been evident for decades...fossil fuel is not renewable.
Performance issues are now also resolved. Check out the stats on their site. It makes every car enthusiast prick their ears when they hear 0 to 60 in 4 seconds. Couple this stat with 135 MPG equivalent and you've got everyone's attention. Just ignore the price...for now.
It's not a viable option today. Your average joe can't roll onto the lot, sign over his Durango and cruise away with a new roadster. Even after they're actively emerging from the mouth of the production line, these first cars will still be too expensive. But trust Mr. Musk and team. They will get reasonable and they will be an alternative for every man and woman purchasing a shining new vehicle.
Tesla Motors has plans with a two year timeline for a sedan in the middle price range. Keep your eyes peeled to this company's site and ears open to news of Tesla Motors. In my book, Darwin's Orphans, the mentor character advises that it takes a renegade magnate to make real change. The old school power brokers are just too encumbered and paranoid. Mr. Musk is proving this yet again with these shiny new cars of the future.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Car company of the future
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Good observations. I'd like to zero in on one point, though. The first cars will be "too expensive" compared to what? They are competing against Ferraris. Try pricing a Ferrari. Then find out what it costs to operate one, including both maintenance and premium fuel. The Tesla starts to look like a bargain, even taking into account battery replacement after five years.
Some might point out -- quite correctly -- that a Ferrari is a rather absurd item, at least from the standpoint of most people. Tesla aren't going to change the world with a Ferrari-like car, they aren't going to build a huge company on Ferrari-like cars, they aren't going to bring these cars to the masses. Yet, Ferrari have been in business for a long time. If Tesla can do this, they can have a viable ongoing business, which is something electric car companies haven't done before. This is where it has to start. If you couldn't even have a viable business in a specialized niche, how can you think of going mainstream?
Incidentally, the Tesla is not the first high-performance electric sports car. The Venturi Fetish beat it to market by a few years, I believe. The Fetish has slightly lower performance, costs about $500,000, and Venturi are only making 25 of them. That should the prime example of an electric car that is truly non-viable. Yet, the fact that we've gone from the Fetish to the Tesla Roadster in only a few short years speaks volumes about how this technology is advancing.
Incidentally, my Roadster is scheduled for delivery in May 2008 if there are no further schedule slip-ups. It will take the place of another absurd car, a 1997 Lotus Esprit V8.
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