The base model only gets about 160 according to the article but the higher end models can get up to 350. Not to mention the SUV can get from 0-60mph in 4.4 seconds.

I really like what Tesla is doing but of course they're only going after the niche market as of now. Once they can mass produce the cars they can bring down those production costs and bring down the price.

Not to mention they look amazing (I would never be caught dead in a prius)

FloydA: It's a pretty nice looking vehicle. But has anyone else noticed a rather extreme drift in the definition of "SUV" lately?

You mean compared to this:

MeinRS6: That will never built without more taxpayer money from the gov't.

Tesla is in real trouble, just like Fisker.

You're forgetting about other companies like Toyota who currently invested heavily in their new production facility in freemont. Also they sold every single sedan that they plan to make in 2012 already. The market is there, but they just need to bring down the prices to reach more people

MeinRS6: You are forgetting that Tesla is in real financial trouble.

in the short run of course they are, its expensive as hell to do what their currently doing. Its going to take a few years to over come the start up costs along with production. I think they're on to something though, I know I would buy one if I could afford it at this moment in time.

MeinRS6: Thus my comment about Tesla needing more taxpayer money or it will go under. You can google that up for yourself.

And unless you are really wealthy, you would be foolish to purchase a new car that will depreciate as bad as a Tesla. You will never get rich making dumb financial moves like that.

I would never buy a tesla because I want to resell it in the future thus depreciation wouldn't phase me a bit.

And why does the only source of funding have to come from the taxpayers?

Car looks pretty slick. And from an additional slideshow:



/Seems relevant after reading this thread.

I'll admit, it gave me half a stiffy.

MeinRS6: Backwards Cornfield Races: MeinRS6: Thus my comment about Tesla needing more taxpayer money or it will go under. You can google that up for yourself.

And unless you are really wealthy, you would be foolish to purchase a new car that will depreciate as bad as a Tesla. You will never get rich making dumb financial moves like that.

I would never buy a tesla because I want to resell it in the future thus depreciation wouldn't phase me a bit.

And why does the only source of funding have to come from the taxpayers?

Not phased by depreciation, huh? That sounds like someone that has never experienced it.

Taxpayers have not been the only source of funding for Tesla so far, just one of them. I'm simply predicting that Tesla will require more such taxpayer funding in the near future. Like I said, you can read news stories on that if you would like to.

Oh I'm not disagreeing with that at all, they received a lot of government money a few years back but now they have 2 solid products and can begin to raise capital without resorting to government loans or subsidies.

Also, in regards to depreciation you have to take into account the money you save on fuel so it may not be as drastic of a decline. Added to that, the roadster is a sports car, not too many people buy those because it's a good investment. The model S will hold more of it's value since it's designed to provide more utility to the buyer.

Rev. Skarekroe: When we all have electric cars, how much of Appalachia will be razed to the ground to get the coal to power the plants to charge these things?

Gull wing doors...stop it.

Not phased by depreciation, huh? That sounds like someone that has never experienced it.

I've experienced it. I bought a new car and had the value drop by 1/2 driving it off the lot. Since I've now owned the car for 22 years though I can say that it really doesn't phase me either. If you are buying a car to keep and use, depreciation doesn't matter.

FloydA: It's a pretty nice looking vehicle. But has anyone else noticed a rather extreme drift in the definition of "SUV" lately?

This! I went in looking for an SUV and here was a cute little compact. An SUV has a minimum of 4 doors - 5 if one isn't sliding.

Backwards Cornfield Races: The base model only gets about 160 according to the article but the higher end models can get up to 350. Not to mention the SUV can get from 0-60mph in 4.4 seconds.

I really like what Tesla is doing but of course they're only going after the niche market as of now. Once they can mass produce the cars they can bring down those production costs and bring down the price.

Not to mention they look amazing (I would never be caught dead in a prius)

I wouldn't be caught dead in a prius either. I'd buy diesel, get better mileage, not look douchey, have a better all around vehicle that doesn't use a shiatload of rare earths.

The mods really don't RTFA (new window)

MeinRS6: I doubt that thing will be too top heaving with all those batteries built into the floor.

But the doors are still a bad idea and will not help sales.

I'm not sure who you think their market is. It's soccer moms. It's well-to-do soccer moms. The doors operate like the back of a minivan, sounds like the perfect ideal for soccer moms.

Makes loading and unloading much simpler, plus it looks cool.

/soccer moms

FloydA: Ever since the term "Crossover SUV" entered the lexicon, the term "SUV" has basically lost any sort of coherent denotation. It basically means "we don't want to call it a hatchback or a station wagon, because those are lame."

Note on their site how they don't call their gull wings "gull wings", but instead refer to them as "falcon wings".

/repeat, there is a Jalopnik link below talking about it as well.

It's Rubbish!

/just like the curbstomp-loving political troll's threadshiatting

kyoryu: Does anyone even give lip-service to the idea of SUVs being off-road vehicles any more?

Jeep, perhaps? They seem to take the whole off-road thing fairly seriously.

PIP_the_TROLL: Doesn't Toyota own some sort of stake in Tesla?

They help fund the freemont factory where they produce the vehicles

violentsalvation: I don't know how you can call that an SUV. It is a long car.

It's a farking sedan. Period. Someone needs to tell Zoltan Millosovich to hire someone who can speak with some authority on his little project. He sounds like a stuttering fool. He might be the smartest guy on the planet(which he isn't) but he imparts the level of trust and sincerity of a poor snake oil salesman.

Toyota is paying Tesla about $100M to supply the powertrain and battery for the new electric RAV4.

kyoryu: Does anyone even give lip-service to the idea of SUVs being off-road vehicles any more?

Does anyone even take SUVs off road anymore?

I only ever see them used to ferry an entire 18 lb child to the Shop-U-Mart for bulk single-serving snacks.

Nice station wagon.
/Stop calling these things crossovers, SUVs or SUTs

So they couldn't get their sports car to work and they decided that instead of fixing it they would release a SUV??

Ok then...

How much taxpayer money did this cost for a car that will never see production?

Backwards Cornfield Races: FloydA: It's a pretty nice looking vehicle. But has anyone else noticed a rather extreme drift in the definition of "SUV" lately?

You mean compared to this:

[fordexcursiondieselforsale.com image 400x266]

So what is so sporting about that behemoth?