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Tesla's new strategy for making themselves look awesome? Kick GM in the junk while they're already gasping on the floor.
I know, we've got no sympathy for GM. I don't. Frankly I wouldn't be disappointed if they were broken up and sold off...the efficient bits would live on at least. The Volt, and range-extended electric vehicles would certainly remain intact.
Elon Musk, of Tesla, on the other hand, is very fond of trashing this exciting new technology. He happily points out that Tesla models get far more electric range, sometimes even leading people to believe that the Volt will have a total range of 40 miles. And, most recently, he called the Volt's 160 horsepower engine "anemic."
Maybe if you're used to driving a Porsche, but the Volt will have a better zero-to-sixty time than most green cars. Can someone please remind this guy that the world is not made up of billionaires?
Musk seems to be forgetting that he got into this business because he wanted more green cars. There are problems with his cars and with his company. He is going to encounter the same resistance GM found with the EV1. People will be afraid to drive the cars because they don't want to run out of juice and be stuck in the middle of nowhere. GM spokespeople could rip his business plan to shreds just like he's doing to them. Of course, they would be crucified, but their points would be just as valid.
GM created the Volt to try and create an electric vehicle that solved the problem of range anxiety, and by pretending that it's just the old dinosaur clinging to its obsolete world view, Musk is just making more people skeptical of green cars. I don't know who he thinks he's fighting against...I thought we were all on the same side here.
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written by Doug Korthof, May 12, 2009
The reason the VOLT is bashed is because it's a fraud and a hoax, that's why; no one thinks GM would honestly sell an Electric car
The VOLT is a VERY simple concept, just a 40-mile-range EV with a genset range-extender. GM had working models back in 1998, using the EV1 with its 140-mile-range.
Now, GM is claiming it will take them until 2011 to make a 40-mile-range EV??
What idiot would believe GM??
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written by Enrique, May 12, 2009
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written by Shawn A, May 12, 2009
Most environmentally minded people aren't ecogeeks. They won't see this as just another option among a myriad of EV cars - they will see this as what one should expect from an EV.
Tesla has a duty to stop that from happening or EVs will languish in people's psyche as the car you'd take to work - but not on a road trip to grandma's.
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written by Travis, May 12, 2009
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written by Jeff, May 12, 2009
Doug, calling the Volt a "fraud and a hoax" shows that you don't know what you're talking about. The EV1 was a nice little car that could've filled a niche market for enviros and ecogeeks, but it was never mass marketable. The Volt will be bigger, safer, and MUCH more palatable to the average consumer. GM is putting way too many resources and way too much credibility into the Volt for them not to deliver on their promises.
Shawn, you think the EV1 is the kind of car you'd take on a road trip to Grandma's? Maybe if you have only 1 passenger and Grandma lives less than 40 miles away. Plug-in hybrids, aka Range Extended Electric Vehicles (i.e., the Volt), are EXACTLY the right solution for that type of situation. You have a short all-electric range for 90% of your driving, you reduce weight and cost by keeping the battery small, and you have the gasoline generator for long trips where you'll still get 60mpg!
Enrique, Elon Mush is the CEO of a car company, not a battery developer. There are no batteries in existence that even come close to making those expectations possible. If there were, everyone would be driving an electric car already.
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written by Jack Morrison, May 12, 2009
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written by Glenn, May 12, 2009
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written by Ben Jones, May 12, 2009
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written by Stewart, May 12, 2009
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written by bill, May 13, 2009
Not only can Tesla not seem to manufacture more than a handful of handmade cars, they are selling these $100,000 cars at a loss. Building cars which cost more than $100,000 to make and selling them at a loss is not much of an accomplishment.
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written by Ken Grubb, May 13, 2009
Like it or not, there's no recharging network in place, and recharging still is measured in hours rather than fractions of an hour. Until that changes, hybrids and plugins will dominate and EVs will largely be relegated to second vehicle status.
Make no mistake, I think EVs are the future and that 20-30 years from now the ICE will be, or so I hope, largely a dinosaur. But today, right now, hybrids and plugins are the cars that will sell to most consumers.
Few can afford the Tesla, and frankly few would want it because of it's limits. A 2 seat hot rod, whether gas or electric or hybrid, isn't going to be a big seller, IMHO. The Tesla S starts to approach affordable for some who are well off but not über-rich.
Simply put, Elon Musk is scared. Give him time and he'll start bashing the Ford Focus EV and Nissan EV when they get close to production.
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written by Russ Finley, May 13, 2009
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written by erik, May 14, 2009
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Even if you do not like GM, GM entering the market is good. No need to say anything that makes e-cars in general look bad. Just point out how your product is so much better.