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Tesla Model S launch: Watch it ~~live~~ now on tape delay

Posted Jun 22nd 2012 6:45PM

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Tesla Model S first delivery. It's going on now, and you can watch it below. Not much more to say for now, but we'll have more later.

*UPDATE: The video has been archived and is still available below.

News Source: Tesla Motors

Category: EV/Plug-in, Tesla Motors

Tags: model s, tesla, tesla model s

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Grendal

Here is a video of a test drive:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz6xM-iRmiE

June 25 2012 at 2:17 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Grendal

Pretty much every review has been spectacular. The initial response to the production car is about as good as you can get. It's actually surprisingly positive even though the car is electric. You'd expect some petrolhead to bash the car just on anti-EV principle. That hasn't seemed to have happened which says the initial impression of the car is as good as they have said it would be.

June 25 2012 at 1:22 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Grendal's comment

Anne

"You'd expect some petrolhead to bash the car just on anti-EV principle."

Don't be afraild, there is a limit to how much brainless EV bashing you can do without losing credibility and looking like a complete jerk. If it's good, it's good, period.

June 25 2012 at 7:00 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to Anne's comment

Anne

@Dan,

But I guess some staunch petrolhead naysayers will be thrown into a severe identity crisis. This is good!

I completely agree with you on the range vs fast-charging issue. I've read with amazement people clamoring for an 800 mile battery! That is a whopping 1300 km! I'd say a real-world range of 200-250 km will suffice for most people as they need to stop every 200-250 km anyway to take care of certain biological processes.

One condition for this to be accepted is that fast chargers must be ubiquitous along the motorway. Every petrol station should have one, so you don't have to study the map to see where your next charging opportunity is. If every petrol station has one, you take the planning component out of the equation. Planning things is a big no-no for the masses. Just pull over and charge, that should be the principle.

June 25 2012 at 9:56 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down

Rotation

Fast charging would also have to be fast. Fast charging of an hour is not fast charging.

Of the current cars that can fast charge, the LEAF is the best one. It charges up to about 60 miles highway range in 30-40 minutes. That means if you want to drive a long distance, you spend only 2/3rds of your time driving. This means for example if you want to go 300 miles in a day, it will take you about 10 hours, and that assumes you take your meals while the car is charging.

Things will get better once Tesla deploys their network. Driving 200 miles and then charging for an hour isn't too bad. That means you'll be driving almost 80% of the time. You could go 300 miles in 6 hours, or even 400 in 7.5 hours!

Of course a gas car would still beat you handily (400 miles in 6.5 hours), but at least it's getting close.

June 25 2012 at 12:43 PM Report abuse Permalink -1 rate up rate down

thumbs up Telsa cant wait til they make a more affordable one closer to the 50k mark with the best range.

June 24 2012 at 2:08 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Anne

Another review: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/alternative/1206_2012_tesla_model_s_first_drive/
The last sentence says it all: "And I want one."

Interesting tidbit, the article seems to confirm my earlier guess on the expected EPA 5-cycle range for the 40 kWh version: 140 miles.

June 24 2012 at 6:33 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Ben Crockett

Great to see - have been looking forward to this day.

Congratulations to the team at Tesla.

Now I hope to see a RHD version soon.

June 24 2012 at 2:08 AM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Ben Crockett's comment

Marco Polo

Ben Crockett

Hi, Ben, good to hear from you ! it's been awhile !

A RHD, would be great ! But in Australia the Tesla 'S' would be priced at $200,00+.

June 25 2012 at 12:24 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

4 replies to Marco Polo's comment

Rotation

If they really only delivered 5 Friday I'm disappointed. Not because 5 isn't a triumph and a long awaited event, but because it means it'll probably be longer than I thought (a week) until I see one on the road. If they make 5 a week, it'll be a long time. Even if they make 5 a day it'll be weeks.

Oh well. Whether I see them or not, they're still out there leading the way.

June 24 2012 at 1:43 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Rotation's comment

Anne

There were actually 8. The first 3 were home deliveries. 2 for Chicago, IL, 1 for Palo Alto, CA.

June 24 2012 at 5:46 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Levine Levine

Union-bought-socialist-moon-beam Jerry Brown is there to soak up the business success story. How pathetic.

June 23 2012 at 4:42 AM Report abuse Permalink -14 rate up rate down Reply

3 replies to Levine Levine's comment

Anne

Regarding the discussion below of the model s weight, I don't think it is 4850 that Grendal came up with. I am seeing more a 3825 lbs (1740 kg). Like here:

http://www.rsportscars.com/tesla/2013-tesla-model-s/

That is about 200 kg heavier than the LEAF.

June 23 2012 at 2:42 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

4 replies to Anne's comment

Rotation

Looks great, glad to see the cars out there.

A coworker played with the telematics, he said the screen isn't great to use and the presentation (like moving maps) is slow.

I can't wait to see it for myself, I've never seen one doing anything before, just on display.

I rather expect to see one around town within two weeks.

June 22 2012 at 11:05 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to Rotation's comment

Anne

Did you coworker play on a production model or pre-production model?

June 23 2012 at 4:47 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

7 replies to Anne's comment