Featured Consumer Reports' Highest-Rated Car-Ever

I respect someone that will change their position when shown facts that contradict it

 

I doubt Toyota is lost on the subject, possibly just hedging their bets. Toyota is not dumb, so something has made them shift priorities. But aside from that, when I look at a Tesla, then look at a Toyota, I see a pretty big difference. The reliability of Toyota shouldn't always have to come at a price of exterior style. I'd like to see Tesla, or even Mazda, redesign my exterior body on the v.

 

?? Nah, there will still be gobs of gas burners new for sale

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CR did comment the model S interior materials aren't quite up to par with many others in that price range, but I guess the rest is so good it didn't matter.

 

Because Mercedes is a 100 Plus year old company, and has always been know for having high end cars........Tesla has no rich history like Mercedes.

 

but wait there's more, forbes ranks it as the most innovative company (facebook is too young to meet the criteria, or tesla would probably be number 2)
The World's Most Innovative Companies - Forbes

Yes, no, maybe.
Yes, it is doubtful that toyota's vision of the future, the mirai, really is the future. They are not betting the farm though, as others are claiming. They have a market cap of $190B today, and as of march had $43 billion in cash and short term investments. GM couldn't afford to blow the $3B they did on fuel cells. Toyota if they blow $10B on fuel cells, then give up in 10 years, it probably won't hurt their stock price much. .

No its not embarrassing that tesla is so far ahead on alternative fueled vehicles, toyota is normally a fast follower.
Toyota never strived to be the most innovative. They had one successful innovative car, the prius. Otherwise they prided themselves on reliability and low tco, by using the best manufacturing systems (TMS) that is now accepted by other industries. Lately they prided themselves on being the biggest, not the best. I have a feeling Akio Toyoda will be happy to cede being the biggest to VW group, if he can improve the perception and reality of Toyota cars. What should be embarrassing to some in toyota is the anti-ev stance that the old culture is taking. This is led by the chairman of the board of Toyota and the vice president of operation of TMS USA.

Maybe, the model S is not as fun to drive in traffic, but it is probably much better than other sports sedans, that are burning gas in stop and go. There is no low gear in the model S, there is just the single speed gearing on each axle (1 gearing for rwd, 2 for awd).

+1

If you mean large quantities like the prius, yes. If you mean the masses as in a versa or corrola priced car then no. Tesla seems lined up for the luxury/performance segment like bmw, but will happily sell batteries to utilities, or individuals, or other car makers making lower priced vehicles. I wouldn't think the target is to get under 200 mile range or under $30,000 on tesla's own cars. They hope to keep growing at 50% a year. They claim that they hope to sell 500,000 bevs in 2020, but I think that is overly optimistic. 550,000 in 2023 (world wide) is my guess, which is a 35% growth rate. I expect a few hiccups. Toyota sold 10.23 million cars in 2014, but now is firmly a cyclical not a growth company. To sell that many cars margins on the bulk have to be much lower, but toyota makes a high profit margin on their lexii and tundra, and highlanders.

 

Look at what has popped up in my neighbor hood!

 

I suspect those long dead founders would have emulated Tesla's engineering . . . today.

Bob Wilson

 

Very nice. Tesla just opened its 500th supercharger (225 in north america), with 2238 chargers, about 1 charging spot for every 218 tesla's sold in north america.

Mercedes gave people an electric option on their cars in 1906. Once cadillac introduced the electric starter ev sales declined. Modern electronis and materials research make all the difference, and I'm sure carl benz would have been making bevs if they had tesla's technology..

 

"An all-electric vehicle, it offers a week’s worth of driving on a single charge from any one of a nationwide network of free solar-powered charging stations."

Somebody's buying the PR. Just where is that nationwide network of solar-powered charging stations? Not in Virginia where the subcontractor was electrocuted. Not in New Jersey at the malls.

 

It costs enough more than a Prius that, with fuel around $2, it would take me how long to make up the difference? My electric utility is dirty, the area is awash in coal ash.

How much longer would it take to make that 600 mile plus trip to Tampa in one day I'm planning? How many charging stations in Beaufort SC are there? At Disneyworld?

I like the car. Like the mileage. Like most about it that I know.

But I don't need that acceleration, do need more fueling speed occasionally, and I won't pay that price even though I could.

 

Less time than it would take to make up the difference between a Prius and an Audi A7

 

Tesla is lead by an educated engineer who understands technology vastly better than the CEOs of other auto companies. Tesla is hardly done innovating while the other companies are in catchup mode...to a moving target. The Model S keeps improving significantly from year to year.
The biggest problem facing Tesla is the cost of batteries...so they are addressing this in spectacular fashion. More surprises yet to come.

 

This is a follow up to the picture I posted earlier of the Tesla Charging center that just opened up. At 4:00 pm this afternoon all chargers were taken. So, if I was in a need and a hurry for a charge, how long would I have to wait?

At least with the a FCV and the proposed new pump stations at normal gas stations, I will be filled up and back on the road within 5 minutes or less!

 

I second the question, where is that located?

As for your hypothetical, if you are looking out at proposed Hydrogen pumps, you shouldn't compare it to present day super chargers. Take a look at the 2016 SC planned rollout.

Edit--- I think that is the new Burbank SC.

2nd edit -- Nope, it is Fountain Valley. Very popular area apparently and very welcome by locals. First in that county apparently. Supercharger - Fountain Valley (went LIVE 08-28-2015) - Page 14
It has 8 stalls, two to the side.

I suspect what was seen was testing, but I'm not sure. All the pictures posted show one Tesla at a time. From the sounds of it though it will be a busy spot.

 

why can't they have an attendant there, like a gas station?

 

So what is the ratio of hydrogen stations to charging stations?

Of course we won't comment about every owner's garage plug versus their hydrogen hose. That would be rude.

Bob Wilson