Gramsci wrote: Tue Apr 30, 2024 2:10 pm
Tesla is a brand not a manufacturer. The cars are boring, ugly and look cheap. That truck thing is ridiculous, looks like a boomer that read William Gibson late in life designed it.
Musk is an idiot. I suspect reality is coming his way soon. Fingers crossed.
While I agree about the truck and Musk himself, Tesla is a manufacturer by most definitions-- they have factories and build things in them. They've developed some good battery and charging technology and a some really bad/dangerous autonomous driving tech. They have employed some very smart people-- whether they'll stay is another question.
I probably should have said “Tesla makes batteries not cars”. Which you are right, they’re good at. But anything at any Musk company that Musk has any control over is worse for it. The guy's such a dope he evidently tried to stop the use of hazard yellow at Space X factories because he “was going through a bit of dark phase and I don’t like bright colours”.
Honestly I do think Musk is probably the dumbest rich guy since the British Empire stopped exporting morons.
There's a company in Southern California that does a lot of EV conversions of older cars using salvaged Tesla batteries and motors https://www.youtube.com/user/evwestdotcom
These videos can be a real time sink if you're not careful. I'm not a big car person, but I enjoy videos where people build things.
Giant Batteries Are Transforming the Way the U.S. Uses Electricity
They’re delivering solar power after dark in California and helping to stabilize grids in other states. And the technology is expanding rapidly.
Re: EVs (electric cars)
Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2024 2:42 pm
by LuciousSandwich
These won't likely be sold in the US (because we all need SUVs to keep us safe from people who aren't like us.... or something), but imagine a city fleet of these that could be borrowed by bands or DJs to put on shows in public spaces:
You could probably manage to integrate the PA/ mixer/speakers into the vehicle itself using some kind of hydraulic mounting arms so that nothing gets unplugged.
Re: EVs (electric cars)
Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2024 5:07 pm
by Adam P
I’ve driven a Tesla Model 3 for right around four years now. Perfectly fine car, probably the most enjoyable to drive of any car I’ve owned. We like it enough that we ordered a Model Y for my wife a couple weeks ago. Given our situations, which are that we both have daily commutes of 50 to 60 miles, and that electricity is incredibly cheap in Ohio, driving an EV here makes perfect sense. We have a charger in our garage, and I have free charging at work, so I pay almost nothing…in the past 12 months I’ve spent about $350 to charge and driven about 20,000 miles in that time. Unsurprisingly, I have noticed a huge boom in EV presence around my area in the last year or so, and not just Teslas either…I’m seeing lots of Fords, a good number of Rivians, and the occasional Polestar/Volvo, Lucid, Mercedes, BMW, and Porsche.
That said, I will readily admit that they are not for everyone. Short commutes, lack of access to free or cheap level 2 charging, high incidental costs (registration surcharges, insurance, etc.) and things like that could and should be dealbreakers for many. And Elon and Tesla fanboys suck, but I’m at the point where people who seem to exist solely to talk about how they suck are almost as bad.
I’m always happy to answer questions about EV ownership and I feel my perspective is pretty objective, should anyone be interested. GAMYF
Adam P wrote: Sun Jun 16, 2024 5:07 pm
I’ve driven a Tesla Model 3 for right around four years now. Perfectly fine car, probably the most enjoyable to drive of any car I’ve owned. We like it enough that we ordered a Model Y for my wife a couple weeks ago. Given our situations, which are that we both have daily commutes of 50 to 60 miles, and that electricity is incredibly cheap in Ohio, driving an EV here makes perfect sense. We have a charger in our garage, and I have free charging at work, so I pay almost nothing…in the past 12 months I’ve spent about $350 to charge and driven about 20,000 miles in that time. Unsurprisingly, I have noticed a huge boom in EV presence around my area in the last year or so, and not just Teslas either…I’m seeing lots of Fords, a good number of Rivians, and the occasional Polestar/Volvo, Lucid, Mercedes, BMW, and Porsche.
That said, I will readily admit that they are not for everyone. Short commutes, lack of access to free or cheap level 2 charging, high incidental costs (registration surcharges, insurance, etc.) and things like that could and should be dealbreakers for many. And Elon and Tesla fanboys suck, but I’m at the point where people who seem to exist solely to talk about how they suck are almost as bad.
I’m always happy to answer questions about EV ownership and I feel my perspective is pretty objective, should anyone be interested. GAMYF
I've been driving a Peugot e208 for about three years now, and will have to give it up in about a week as the company I lease from has gone bust. This makes me sad, as I'll have to switch back to a petrol engine and I honestly don't miss those one bit. I considered leasing a Tesla Model 3, but I simply cannot get over how insufferably cunty Elon Musk is, and that's a major hurdle for me when it comes to patronising his company. It's a shame, because I've driven my brother's Model Y and it's great.
Re: EVs (electric cars)
Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2024 1:48 pm
by joelb
My only EV experience: I rented a Model 3 from Hertz maybe two years ago, before the current selloff. It was quiet, fast, and spare on the interior, all of which I liked. I also liked standing by the supercharger on a breezy fall day in the sun for a half hour. Maybe I would not like that so much in February, or if I had two hungry screaming children in the back seat.
The materials and finish are cheap as shit and I could never own one for many other reasons. But in terms of drivetrain it beats a standard ICE hollow.
On the whole "cars are cars" thing - yes, anyone who doesn't truly have to drive into the city center of a major metro deserves what they get on the way. That includes me when I choose to do so. I'm a cyclist and commute regularly by bike, but most people don't and won't, ever. New York just got rolled by their governor on congestion pricing because elected official were scared commuter voters would bounce them from office. It's a battle of decades and generations, and the stuff we're doing now with EVs should have been happening in the 1980s.
Re: EVs (electric cars)
Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2024 9:58 am
by Krev
joelb wrote: Mon Jun 24, 2024 1:48 pm
It's a battle of decades and generations, and the stuff we're doing now with EVs should have been happening in the 1980s.
Like most other societal ills, we have Ron Reagan to thank for that.
