It's not about raw horsepower but the power you can put into the road. Tesla does that in spades. Of course I would never be caught driving one...

But someone needs to teach the Hellcat driver how to launch the thing. That was pretty sad.





http://www.roadandtrack.com/mo...rd/?mag=roa&click=yr

Pretty sure that is an old video. I'm believe that in the rematch the Hellcat came out on top. I'd love the experience of driving the Tesla though!

quote:

Originally posted by lee440:
Pretty sure that is an old video. I'm believe that in the rematch the Hellcat came out on top. I'd love the experience of driving the Tesla though!

Here's a newer version. The Tesla still beat the Hellcat, although this time, a Charger Hellcat, not Challenger Hellcat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWQ-dnpplaA

Lots of good points here that I was trying to make in the other Hellcat thread. At around 11:30, they talk about this. With some of the newer cars that have all of the wiz bang driver aids, it's just much easier for the average driver to maximize the car. Publicized 0-60, 1/4 mile, or specific track lap times, etc., all derived by pros rarely have much to do with actual street performance by average drivers.

Per the drag race in this video, and the first one posted, the Hellcat looses to the Tesla, even after an extensive burn out session to heat up the rear tires. Nothing of the sort with the Tesla. So, should you find yourself in a Hellcat at a stop light against a Tesla, do you think you'll have the opportunity before the light turns green to heat the tires in this manner so that you can get the best grip? Doubtful.

Horsepower is only PART of the equation!

That said, I'm constantly battling my two sons on the merits of the Tesla. It may be a start toward a new trend in performance cars, but it's not for me. I don't care how fast it is off the line, nothing, and I do mean NOTHING will replace that big gasoline engine roaring to life upon start up as well as the shaking and rumbling as you blip the throttle!

Instant torque at 100% is almost impossible beat with reciprocating horsepower in a short race. Of course you have to recharge after a few launches, but it must be a lot of fun for a little while. After that it must be a complete PIA.

Would like to see the Tesla against the Cadillac ATS-V both on the track and strip. The ATS will eat it's lunch on the track and may beat it on the strip - at least on paper.

it is still ugly, and has too many doors, and I could not get in it and drive to visit family in the St Louis area like my old Jag will do next month.

How far will it go on a charge, and where do you recharge?

Rich, I'm not up on all of the Tesla trivia and data. As far as where to charge it, I think you can charge it just about anywhere there is a plug. However, Tesla is building what they call "SuperCharger" stations where you can charge your car for "free", with these stations providing, if my numbers are correct, an 80% charge in about 20 minutes. I think most of these stations are currently in states like California and possibly along the NE corridor.

Currently, I don't think the car is a viable long distance cruiser. Per the video I posted, I think he stated a full charge will show about 260 miles range but actually only provide about 170 miles. I've heard some of the models are claiming close to 400 miles on a full charge now. The car appears to be a better "about town" option than anything else, at least at this point.

However, the caveat being that the harder you drive it in terms of acceleration or speed on the highway, as is typical in any electric, you greatly reduce range.

Some are touting Tesla as the greatest invention known to man and that we finally have a successful electric car company. But a bit of digging shows that the company has not turned a profit without extensive use of governmental credits. Musk is suckling at the governmental teet without a doubt! Personally, I'm a skeptic. Not a fan of the man or the car.

The range on the Tesla is dependent on the speed and terrain.
Do not count on a long commute @ +75 MPH in the hills…
Doubtful you will find many Teslas on a long road trip in the mountains.
Ask Tesla directly.

Can't you just see yourself in one of these driving a hundred or however many miles and driving up to a gas station in "Resume Speed*" Nevada and wanting to plug in at the gas station?

More than five or six minutes? Special plug or outlet? How much $$$ for how much charge?

Rich

* Resume Speed is a real town. I've seen the signs...

Now Tesla has added "Ludicrous Mode" for an even faster 0 - 60 time of 2.8 seconds.

Electricity, motors and software - who knew they could be so much fun?

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/s/t...eases-195251120.html

it's only fun if you can drive it to St Louis from my house outside of Boise, Idaho, in two days...

As far as I can see, it is just for urbanites who stay inside a 50 mile radius of home.

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:

As far as I can see, it is just for urbanites who stay inside a 50 mile radius of home.

I would agree that that is the current market for the Tesla cars. Urban commutes.

Technology will be changing the world boys. Watched a 60 minute episode about 4 months ago that touched on electric cars. Advances are coming in road building that will end up with the road having some type of grid that will allow the cars to charge as they drive.
This will make the cars even faster if they have unlimited capacity as they are driven cross country.

I'd like to see how they compare in the 500. Heck, let's see them go against each other from Mount Shasta to Reno. If that's too far, how about Sacramento to Reno in the summer when the valley is 112 degrees. Batteries and electric motors are great until they do a lot of uphill or until they need to recharge. Remember where all that electricity comes from in the first place. And consider the hazardous industrial waste caused when creating and disposing of heavy metal batteries.

yeah! A couple at church found out about batteries when they went to trade their Prius in last year...

quote:

Originally posted by Grenadier:
I'd like to see how they compare in the 500. Heck, let's see them go against each other from Mount Shasta to Reno. If that's too far, how about Sacramento to Reno in the summer when the valley is 112 degrees. Batteries and electric motors are great until they do a lot of uphill or until they need to recharge. Remember where all that electricity comes from in the first place. And consider the hazardous industrial waste caused when creating and disposing of heavy metal batteries.

Yep!


Wolfe,

Those solar panel highway pavers have been proposed for quite some time. A pipe dream at best. In the end, it comes down to who's going to pay for them? Which brings me back to the Tesla business model. The company has reported profits but a little digging shows the profit isn't from manufacturing and selling cars but rather from selling "green" emissions credits to other car companies mandated by the U.S. Government, which means in the end, the tax payers are providing the company's profits, not the company's products.

Here's just one story describing Tesla's profit model:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/pa...all-save-some-money/

yes that's what we need even more electo mag radiation bombarding our bodies. I think I'll buy stock in the aluminum hat business.

quote:

Originally posted by Snowwolfe:
Technology will be changing the world boys. Watched a 60 minute episode about 4 months ago that touched on electric cars. Advances are coming in road building that will end up with the road having some type of grid that will allow the cars to charge as they drive.
This will make the cars even faster if they have unlimited capacity as they are driven cross country.

richj,

that's one of the side benefits of an all aluminum body. No hat needed, unless you are close outside the vehicle...

Just drive about with a small generator in the trunk.

Seriously, unless you do regular long journeys the Tessla looks like a great car. Not sure I'd be up for plugging the thing in every time I get home in the dark while it's raining.

I'll consider one when you can fit an inductive charging parking bay in your driveway so it charges when parked without having to twat about with cables.

quote:

Originally posted by nute:
Just drive about with a small generator in the trunk.

And a tank full of petrol to run it.