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0 pointsclarky0713y ago0 comments

I'm just suggesting that the general population doesn't have 50k to spend on something that only provides one very specific utility. As Musk just pointed out the other day, they are in a do or die 6 month period right now, and might not survive. The other electric car options have mostly been failures. Clearly I'm not the only person who would like to have a bit more utility for my 50k.

Keep in mind that you don't get 250 miles of range unless the place on the other end can charge your car for you. You only get 125. That's really not that far.

0 comments

enraged_camel13y ago

>>I'm just suggesting that the general population doesn't have 50k to spend on something that only provides one very specific utility.

I doubt that. Take a look at this:

http://www.autospies.com/news/Study-Finds-Americans-Own-2-28...

The average American household owns 2.28 vehicles. The percentage of households that own three or more vehicles is a whopping 35 percent.

Furthermore, the most common pairing of vehicles in American households with two to four cars is a full-sized pickup truck and a standard, mid-range vehicle. The latter can basically be a Tesla.

clarky07OP13y ago

first, I have 2 cars with a combined value of less than 10k. that's a far cry from 50k on 1 car. second, no it can't. That's the one they use to do the traveling I'm talking about. They don't take the pickup on the road trip.

enraged_camel13y ago

Mid-range is typically around 250 miles, which the Tesla can do.

As for budget, sure, the Tesla is a bit on the expensive side, but it is not difficult to afford for middle-class families.

2 more replies

Arelius13y ago

And the Tesla's value drops over time also. I don't know the exact set of cars you own, but I imagine that together they were likely worth more than 50K new.

michaelt13y ago

The article says:

  We drove from Fontana on the eastern edge of the L.A. 
  basin to San Diego and all the way back to L.A.'s Pacific 
  edge on one charge. Five hours of continuous driving.

The 233 mile, 5 hour trip was done on a single charge.

To me that's pretty far - I could tolerate a 1 hour break every 5 hours.

jfb13y ago

But that's not yet in the cards. Realistically, you need to be talking about 2.5 hours as the effective range, as almost nowhere will have the full speed charging setup.

michaelt13y ago

I was thinking someone who drove 5 hours to visit family would be staying over night and could do an over night charge. I'll admit this may not always be the case.

I certainly agree that serious range and uptake will need serious charging and generation infrastructure.

1 more reply

CapOpp13y ago

"one very specific utility". Driving a long distance is the niche need, not driving every day and saving a ton of money doing it.

Musk said Tesla might die, but it has nothing to do with sales. They have sales coming out of their ears right now, the problem is ramping up production to get cars to people who are throwing their money at Tesla.

dclusin13y ago

Another problem here as well is the case of poor people. They don't have a lot of money and often times have to travel great distances just to get to work. I know of people who work for Stanford and aren't highly paid professors/doctors/lawyers/etc and routinely commute 60-100 miles each way.

Locke168913y ago

They'll have to wait. Early adopters always pay a premium

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

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enraged_camel13y ago

>>I'm just suggesting that the general population doesn't have 50k to spend on something that only provides one very specific utility.

I doubt that. Take a look at this:

http://www.autospies.com/news/Study-Finds-Americans-Own-2-28...

The average American household owns 2.28 vehicles. The percentage of households that own three or more vehicles is a whopping 35 percent.

Furthermore, the most common pairing of vehicles in American households with two to four cars is a full-sized pickup truck and a standard, mid-range vehicle. The latter can basically be a Tesla.

clarky07OP13y ago

enraged_camel13y ago

Mid-range is typically around 250 miles, which the Tesla can do.

As for budget, sure, the Tesla is a bit on the expensive side, but it is not difficult to afford for middle-class families.

2 more replies

Arelius13y ago

And the Tesla's value drops over time also. I don't know the exact set of cars you own, but I imagine that together they were likely worth more than 50K new.

michaelt13y ago

The article says:

  We drove from Fontana on the eastern edge of the L.A. 
  basin to San Diego and all the way back to L.A.'s Pacific 
  edge on one charge. Five hours of continuous driving.

The 233 mile, 5 hour trip was done on a single charge.

To me that's pretty far - I could tolerate a 1 hour break every 5 hours.

jfb13y ago

But that's not yet in the cards. Realistically, you need to be talking about 2.5 hours as the effective range, as almost nowhere will have the full speed charging setup.

michaelt13y ago

I was thinking someone who drove 5 hours to visit family would be staying over night and could do an over night charge. I'll admit this may not always be the case.

I certainly agree that serious range and uptake will need serious charging and generation infrastructure.

1 more reply

CapOpp13y ago

"one very specific utility". Driving a long distance is the niche need, not driving every day and saving a ton of money doing it.

dclusin13y ago

Locke168913y ago

They'll have to wait. Early adopters always pay a premium

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse