Well, as I'm in California at the moment I decided to take a Tesla Model S (P85 version) for a test drive! I have to say, the staff were extremely nice (maybe it was my British accent) and had no problem with me taking the car for a spin.

Now, I'm as much of a petrolhead as any of you reading this, but this brand and car has got me thinking (well just a bit). The test drive was amazing, I got a bit of motorway action where my foot got very heavy and the car just kept producing very smooth power on acceleration (the car produces 416ph). Then I headed onto some very windy coastal roads where I never needed to brake as every time I lifted off the throttle the wheel regenerators work like brakes as they recharge the battery!

Just thought I would share!

& interesting

Just googled a pic of one. Looks like a Maserati !

This is a seriously quick job! At 4.2 secs to 60 mph you'd have to plan your digestive habits

Mileage between charges limited if travelling long distances - 300 miles at estimated 55 mph. even if in many American states that's the speed limit. That's with the "super" battery option and with "careful" driving.

Stylish design though

It's not the range that bugs me, it's the recharge time...

Agreed, a 100 mile range would be acceptable if the charge time was under 10 minutes.

These cars a great for commuting, where you just recharge overnight, but as you say the recharge time is an issue if you want to go on holdiay or something. That is where cars like the Vauxhall Ampera come in - when the battery runs out, the petrol engine kicks in.

I wonder why these cars don't make more use of roof mounted solar cells to give you some top up charge. Perhaps the technology isn't quite there yet.


Ampera


The Tesla looks like a cross between a Maserati Quattroporte and a Vauxhall insignia...

The main reason is that the power of the sun, directly overhead, is a maximum of about a kilowatt per square meter. Conversion efficiencies drops that to about 400W/m^2 so you're going to see at best only a horsepower or so; probably not enough to do a lot while travelling although there is the possibility of faster charging with smart fresnel lenses over a parking slot...

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/01/02/ford_unveils_solarpowered_family_car/

So you all mean this car?
https://www.domusweb.it/en/news/2013/07/10/solar_team_eindhoven_stella.html

It has a lot less power than the Tesla.

Ik like the idea behind the Tesla, but think the design of the S is a bit dull.

Yeah, I wasn't suggesting solar would be the main power source, just that solar would provide some battery top up, if say you were parked in a sunny car park all day. You might get a few more miles of range.... or get you home. I presume you'd have to have the added complication of an inverter...

Some Toyota Prius's have solar, but they just power some of the interior functions rather than the main battery.

So Tesla are providing FREE super charger stations that will charge the car within 30mins. I still feel it's early days for electric cars but if Tesla can and has proved that electric cars can still have sport performance surly this should encourage other manufactures to start thinking about how they will compete!

So in my head I can't shake, a fast sporty car, no road tax, no running cost (petrol or electric), no congestion charge!

Ironic that, wot a little bird told me, Tesla himself reckoned he could provide "free" electricity for peoplekind - until Edison stepped in and discredited it in order for a few to make a pile of money.

What a great experience - I'm very jealous. Was the driving experience fundamentally distinct from driving a petrol or diesel-powered car of equivalent power? I wonder how much research and effort has gone into making electric cars mimic what we are familiar with, as opposed to us learning a new skill. I can't help thinking that the more people show support for Formula E, the more investment there will be in it and hopefully the technology will advance more rapidly. Electric cars may never be a direct replacement for the ICE, but it should be fun to see how close we can get!

Yes the Ampera is a very clever car and where the Petrol engine is essentially used to drive the generator to recharge the batteries not to mechanically power the car, though it can assist mechanically as well. This gives it a great range as you can use the engine(by filling up with petrol) to charge the batteries on the move if there is no opportunity/availability or time to charge via external power source.

I spotted these two Teslas parked near my sister's place in Amsterdam the other day. Lovely looking cars and it was a real treat to see two parked together.




I also drove an Ampera last week and was really impressed. Deceptively quick - the torque is immense and available as soon as you touch the throttle. Quite addictive

Yep, I sat in an Ampera and was impressed with the interior too. Very upmarket.

Teslas look nicer on the outside though !

By coincidence I saw a red Model S this morning following me home - I knew what it was as I had seen a black one going around Coventry. In the afternoon I went to pick my youngest up and the black one parked right next to me. Had a chat and a look around with the owner - Owns his own Property renovation business - Looked superb I have to say. Massive touch screen panel on the dash. The recharge time would peeve me but to me the best Electric car yet. Real prescence and style. Watch this and the bit showing the bodyless chassis - hardly anything to it!

I saw a red one the other day. Impressive figures for a two tonne milk float