Nice car, runs on coal

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Sunday, June 30. 2013

A friend drove a Tesla msp85 around 100 miles last weekend. The guy knows cars. Said it was the best car he had ever driven, by a long shot.

He said the power, comfort, and design were stunning. Goes about 400 miles before a 6-8-hour recharge with the super charging device. Consumer Reports says it's the best car they have ever tested.

I don't want one, even without the $125,000 price tag of that model. I'd be happy to try one out, though.

Each Tesla is made to order. When you think about it, they basically run on coal but the coal-burning is remote.

Posted by The News Junkie in Hot News & Misc. Short Subjects, Our Essays at 13:14 | Comments (17) | Trackbacks (0)

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Best car depends on what you need it for. If you can only afford one car and need to make the occasional 800-1000 mile trip -- not that unusual, the Tesla is overpriced and inadequate. If you've got a big family, it is too small and airfare for nine is a bit steep, not to mention the transportation on the other end. I think calling the Tesla the best car ever is ridiculous because it is such a niche product. Tesla advertizes a 300 mile range at 55 mph. Who drives 55 mph on a long trip or even in LA? Seems to me that 80+ would be closer to normal speed and throw in air conditioning in hot weather, heating in cold, and I expect the range would drop considerable.

Teslas are fine for rich folks with a hobby, as a working car I think they are limited.

#1 chuck on 2013-06-30 13:26 (Reply)

I have been talking about the "coal powered" aspects of electric cars for awhile, and it seems to catch listeners by surprise. And then they reluctantly realize the truth of the origins of the power source.
Now I wonder how the war on coal will affect the price of electricity and how costly to run these electric vehicles will become.

All that fracked natural gas and tar sand oil might just come in handy to run your "electric car."

#2 scottJ on 2013-06-30 14:08 (Reply)

I'm not sure if the Tesla has the same issues as the Prius (or other hybrids) with the heavy metals in the batteries. But if so, it's hardly a particularly 'green' car, when you consider how most electricity is produce.

I'm don't think it's even necessarily better on 'gas' (comparable cost of covering a stretch of ground), though I've heard the Tesla is pretty close on some of its not so sporty models.

Tesla's "big announcement" last week wasn't related to speedier recharging (as some pundits assumed it may be), but accommodating battery replacement in certain regions of the US, to keep the recharging time on longer trips out of the equation.

I've driven hybrids. I haven't felt comfortable in any. I haven't driven a Tesla, but I'll tell any and all that my Mini Cooper Clubman is as comfortable a car as I've ever been in, and I'm 6 feet tall.

#3 Bulldog on 2013-06-30 14:51 (Reply)

The problem wasn't the chargers - it was cold weather charging and discharge times. They might work great in weather above 50°F. but below that, the performance falls off significantly. So does the mileage.

#3.1 Tom Francis on 2013-06-30 19:49 (Reply)

Best car for $125,000. I'll take the used car I bought for $1,500, which has so far lasted four years, and should be good for another five. Good enough for $1,500 beats best for $125,000- at least for me.

#4 Gringo on 2013-06-30 15:11 (Reply)

$125K now and how much for a new battery pack when it goes out?

It may be run on coal in some parts of the country but Obummer is working to change that. He wants them run with solar and wind - what a smart guy he is!

I admit that I once thought about buying one of the original roadsters for $100K - thinking it would be cool to never have to buy gas or oil again - but I'm super glad I didn't. If you deplete the battery - the car is a brick and has to be loaded on a flat bed (not towed) and sent to the dealer to be fixed for a large sum, no doubt. I can buy a lot of gas and oil for the $80K difference in price to the 2005 Mercedes C class I got. It's not worth it.

#5 mudbug on 2013-06-30 15:47 (Reply)

East/left coast toy developed and made with my money.

#6 BillH on 2013-06-30 16:28 (Reply)

A recent local news story talked about a study that did the calculations and determined that because of our extremely high electricity prices, the per mile cost for an electric vehicle is much more per mile than gasoline (something like 30%) and is also using more energy (since all our electricity is made from oil fired plants here). An electric car only makes sense if you have photo-voltaic on your roof and can afford to leave the car charging during the day at your house. Then, of course, the fuel is basically free (not counting the amortization costs for putting in the system).

A hybrid makes more sense, since it is using things like running downhill and decelerating to generate supplemental electricity to make your car run more efficiently.

#7 Jim on 2013-06-30 16:38 (Reply)

If I were going to spend that much money on a car, I'd live out my fantasy and get a Porsche 911, or else blow 2-3 times that much on a babe-magnet Ferrari. The name is Cooper...Dale Cooper.

#8 Agent Cooper on 2013-06-30 18:42 (Reply)

Consumer Reports - I wouldn't trust Consumer Reports to evaluate a cupcake mix never mind a car. They are now run by greenies and hippies and their reviews are worthless.

#9 Tom Francis on 2013-06-30 19:51 (Reply)

Agree. I gave up on them years ago when they started giving less weight to actual performance and more to things like safety features. A tool that doesn't do the job isn't worth having, safety features or no. OTOH, I've found the ratings at places like Amazon to be helpful.

#9.1 chuck on 2013-06-30 20:05 (Reply)

How right you are. Consumer Reports is now an advocate for every socialist, greenie cause to roll down the pike. I seem to recall when they termed the Mustang's acceleration as "brutal". Now they are car enthusiasts? I guess if you never leave Connecticut, 400 miles is a big trip!

#9.2 Clint on 2013-06-30 20:20 (Reply)

I guess I can add Consumer Reports to the scrap heap of formerly good magazines and yearly subscriptions I've dropped when they went either greenie, AGW, lefty or all three.
Popular Science
Popular Mechanics
Scientific American

#9.3 John the River (Link) on 2013-07-01 00:58 (Reply)

We gave up on CR when they started to include articles on personal and family finance. They hadn't a clue. But then, they were writing for the really Low Information Consumer. And the consumer household products they did review were too often a year or more out of date and no longer sold except perhaps in the second-hand market. We get along just fine without their advice.

#9.4 Agent Cooper on 2013-07-01 03:02 (Reply)

Nothing new abt/ CR leaning left. CR started as a publication of the Consumer's Union which HUAC called a Communist front group decades ago.

#10 Mr. Dart on 2013-07-01 10:32 (Reply)

Electric cars are a lark. A plaything for the rich. They are neither affordable nor practical. The new Chevy VOLT( since discontinued), the Gov't subsidized car of the future. Only 250K to build and 40K out the door thanks to robber barony has an effective range of 40 miles. 100 years ago electric cars had an effective range of... 40 miles. Is the Tesla a "nice" car? For $125K it darn sure ought to be. Is a Imperial Federal Gov't subsidized Prius a "nice" car. Not by a long shot.
I agree with the commentor Gringo. My $800 dollar 92 Olds makes much more sense from a "green" standpoint than any new hybrid or electirc vehicle. It is practical, affordable, gets near 30mpg and I didn't have to ask other tax-payers to fund it for me. For that matter my 11mpg 2002 Dodge half ton 4X4 makes more sense thatn a Prius.

Let's get the Imperial Federal Gov't out of the car business. Give capitalism a chance.

#11 Jeffersonian on 2013-07-02 00:43 (Reply)

Nice endeavor inside this particular web portal. My husband and i took pleasure checking out the idea, and so definitely will keep returning repeatedly, hunting for everything completely new.

#12 Hcg Drops (Link) on 2013-07-02 23:31 (Reply)

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Sunday, June 30. 2013

Nice car, runs on coal