1st Tesla Model 3 might be Produced Today!

[andyd]

Originally Posted By: itguy08
Originally Posted By: MarcS
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
I'm also not sure that the electric grids in many areas could support the large addition in demand that would be created by large numbers of daily-driver EVs.


Then tesla can sell them battery packs to supply the grid at peak hours.

Yeah more products that take more carbon and rare Earth materials to manufacture and dispose of. And what happens when you can't keep up with peak and off peak demand. Or there is no "off-peak"....
nuclear energy

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: andyd
Originally Posted By: itguy08
Originally Posted By: MarcS
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
I'm also not sure that the electric grids in many areas could support the large addition in demand that would be created by large numbers of daily-driver EVs.


Then tesla can sell them battery packs to supply the grid at peak hours.

Yeah more products that take more carbon and rare Earth materials to manufacture and dispose of. And what happens when you can't keep up with peak and off peak demand. Or there is no "off-peak"....
nuclear energy


Big thermals like a nuke negate the need for storage, storage is a necessary complement to smooth the often sporadic nature of intermittents. What is being discussed here is more localized issues with the distribution system as higher loads are imposed. Depending on the location of the weaknesses in the system localized storage as a buffer may offer no assistance or could make matters worse, taxing things further upstream. Then there is the expense and logistical challenges of supporting disparate banks of batteries owned both privately and publicly.

As was also mentioned, the idea of peak and off-peak and the pricing relative to that is something that one needs to keep in mind. If you increase peak periods and the use of peakers, you drive up generating costs.

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted By: andyd
Originally Posted By: itguy08
Originally Posted By: MarcS
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
I'm also not sure that the electric grids in many areas could support the large addition in demand that would be created by large numbers of daily-driver EVs.


Then tesla can sell them battery packs to supply the grid at peak hours.

Yeah more products that take more carbon and rare Earth materials to manufacture and dispose of. And what happens when you can't keep up with peak and off peak demand. Or there is no "off-peak"....
nuclear energy


Bingo!
Someday we'll figure out how to build fusion reactors that aren't nuclear weapons.

 

[oil_film_movies]

Originally Posted By: goodtimes
More vehicles means more competing to get into a charging station that's free.
Very true. I've experienced that, yet its common sense to understand they can be blocked and/or broken when you get there. Some do ignore that risk though.

Originally Posted By: goodtimes
Home charging at high amps is not feasible for many homes, and is expensive.

Not too expensive. Costs less than gasoline per joule.

Costs about $1,000 installed, all parts, to get a Siemens charger put in, which can draw just 3.3kW (3 blow dryers worth of power) to give you 100 miles in 10 hours a night charging. (Few people drive more than 100 miles per day, so a "3-blow-dryer" charge for 10 hours a night is enough.) Those few who need more than 100 miles a day, which is really living in your car in traffic, feel sorry for them, ... can get a 6.6kW charge rate at night for 200 miles per night.




Originally Posted By: goodtimes
What reason does anyone have to go 0-60 in three seconds? What's the point of it?

Fun. A certain amount of performance is practical in traffic, but yes, its possible to accelerate too fast.

Originally Posted By: goodtimes
The Chevy Bolt is already on the roads and with tax incentives and discounts in my area I could get one for about 23k plus tax and license. I don't like the idea of range anxiety though. It all is not quite as good as it sounds on paper. The first awakening will be waiting a couple hours or more for other people to finish charging at a Tesla station with nothing to do but wait.
The Bolt can get 230 miles on a full charge. Range anxiety is a lot less. I've always said don't rely on public charging stations unless you're feeling lucky.

Sure the Bolt is not a long trip vehicle, yet just by charging at night, it can more than take care of commutes, errands, joy-riding, frivolous 0-60 sprints. And the Bolt is a little rocket with its 0-60 = 6.3 seconds, not bad. And thats with 266 ft-lb from a standstill.

 

[oil_film_movies]

Torque News did a good job of finding some news on this:
https://www.torquenews.com/1/possibly-picture-first-tesla-model-3-sn1-tesla-factory

 

[oil_film_movies]

https://electrek.co/2017/07/08/tesla-model-3-production-elon-musk/ ----"Earlier this week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that he expected that the very first production Model 3 would come off the production line on Friday.

Albeit a day late, Musk has now confirmed that Tesla has manufactured the first Model 3 “production unit” at the Fremont factory and it is now “going through final checkout”.

It’s an important moment for the hundreds of thousands of Model 3 reservation holders who are waiting for the vehicle, but also for Musk himself more than anyone else since it’s actually his Model 3. Elon Musk on Twitter - first Model 3 is his!

It’s also a historic moment for the automaker, which is counting on the production of the Model 3, a $35,000 long-range electric car before incentives, to reach the mass market.

As usual, Musk made the announcement on Twitter, where he also said that pictures are coming:"

 

[dishdude]

Pretty sharp looking car. I wouldn't buy one, but can't blame anyone for being interested in it.

 

[oil_film_movies]

dishdude, It does look good, yet you won't be able to tell it from a Hyundai Elantra from a distance:

... and I think the size is almost identical too.

 

[dishdude]

Originally Posted By: oil_film_movies
dishdude, It does look good, yet you won't be able to tell it from a Hyundai Elantra from a distance:


... and I think the size is almost identical too.


I was thinking more Mazda 3, tbh.

 

[oil_film_movies]

Drum roll please:

FIRST production Model 3, the i-phone of cars for the next 20 years:

 

[turtlevette]

I think you mistakenly got a Pict of a Camry.

 

[oil_film_movies]

Doesn't look quite like a Camry, yet the Model 3 looks like a cross between the Elantra and Dart, so we'll call the Model 3 the "LawnDarta".
The outgoing obsolete Dart does look a lot like the 3:

 

[Nick1994]

Porsche in the front, Hyundai in the back.

 

[oil_film_movies]

The looks are kind of cool, very good, not anything radical, very mainstream. Can't wait for some intense road test reviews to wring it out.

For $38,000 (before possible government tax rebates), its not a bad deal. If the $7,500 fed IRS rebate is still valid for deep into the production run for many, they are getting a good deal.

The BIG party that will make the news will be when the first batch of 30 get delivered to Elon Musk (he personally gets the 1st one!!!) and the first owners in a ceremony-party around July 30 or wheneve the cars are actually ready, so the date is tentative.

 

[Hootbro]

Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
Tesla has a lot of detractors who really want to see the brand fail.

I don't get it.
It's great technology. And the cars are fast and quiet.


You are right, you do not get it. Most "detractors" as you say are not against Tesla being successful, but that Tesla competes on a level playing field with no govt. subsidies, tax breaks and hand outs at the Federal, State and local level. Without it, they would have failed as the market does not bear out what they are doing as cost effective without all the tax help.

 

[oil_film_movies]

Originally Posted By: Hootbro
You are right, you do not get it. Most "detractors" as you say are not against Tesla being successful, but that Tesla competes on a level playing field with no govt. subsidies, tax breaks and hand outs at the Federal, State and local level. Without it, they would have failed as the market does not bear out what they are doing as cost effective without all the tax help.


Its the elected officials in gov that make the laws, not the "detractors".
Seriously, you need to vote for congressman that will not reward innovation with tax subsidies, and ones who will let the Chinese and other countries surge ahead of the U.S.. Also, you need to vote for people that want more city pollution from tailpipe emissions.

Complain all you want, but we elect people in this country to make the decisions. Its their call. They make the laws.

 

[dareo]

Model 3 makes a tempting offer. I cant say i wont consider getting one. As much as i love changing oil, cheap electric rwd and good style are all compelling.

 

[CKN]

This new fangled technology will never fly-somebody on here will say this. So I thought I would.

 

[oil_film_movies]

Originally Posted By: CKN
This new fangled technology will never fly.


"New"? Nope.

"Here in the U.S., the first successful electric car made its debut around 1890 thanks to William Morrison, a chemist who lived in Des Moines, Iowa. His six-passenger vehicle capable of a top speed of 14 miles per hour was little more than an electrified wagon, but it helped spark interest in electric vehicles.
Over the next few years, electric vehicles from different automakers began popping up across the U.S. New York City even had a fleet of more than 60 electric taxis. By 1900, electric cars were at their heyday, accounting for around a third of all vehicles on the road. During the next 10 years, they continued to show strong sales." --- energy.gov

Thomas Edison kinda liked 'em:

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: oil_film_movies
Originally Posted By: CKN
This new fangled technology will never fly.


"New"? Nope.

"Here in the U.S., the first successful electric car made its debut around 1890 thanks to William Morrison, a chemist who lived in Des Moines, Iowa. His six-passenger vehicle capable of a top speed of 14 miles per hour was little more than an electrified wagon, but it helped spark interest in electric vehicles.
Over the next few years, electric vehicles from different automakers began popping up across the U.S. New York City even had a fleet of more than 60 electric taxis. By 1900, electric cars were at their heyday, accounting for around a third of all vehicles on the road. During the next 10 years, they continued to show strong sales." --- energy.gov

Thomas Edison kinda liked 'em:

I think CKN was be sarcastic.

But I'd be remiss if I didn't point that, in 1890, there wasn't a gas station or repair shop on every corner either. Pretty sure there wasn't paved highways either.