Mitsubishi's no Tesla

[DanS]

That's not what you were addressing. You were addressing the battery replacement price. It's nothing near $30,000.

[Dinner]

Tesla Motors Model S. Starts at $57,500. 160 - 300 mile range.

On sale 2011.

Part of the reason for the more limited range on vehicles like The Chevy Volt or this new Mitsubishi has to do with extending the life of the battery. The best Lithium Ion batteries we have now only last a couple hundred cycles of being fully charged and fully discharged and then the cells start to die. Thus GM and Mitsu both limit how much the battery can be charged and how much it can be discharged hoping that doing this will extend the life of the $15,000 battery pack. GM only allows the batteries on the volt to be charge to 80% and discharged down to 30%; yes, they could double the range in the new car by allowing full charging and full discharging but then the batteries would likely become useless in a few years.

I suspect the Tesla doesn't limit charge and discharge the way the big companies are doing and that is why they get so much better range. Of course, a five year old Tesla will probably need an entirely new battery pack which will not be cheap.

[Dinner]

The Mitsubishi looks like a Tata Nano and is 20 times more expensive.

And I admit, the Tesla looks beautiful. It actually looks a lot like an Aston Martin, but the price?! This is in the range of a BMW M3, which is a superior car.

Yes, but the M3 uses gasoline while the Tesla is all electric.

[Arrian]

I'd love to see a company come out with an electric commuter car, priced at $20k or less. I'd be interested, when I want to replace my 2004 Civic. But it's got to make sense for me. My Civic is giving me 33-34mpg. An electric car needs to equal or beat that, and be in a reasonable price range for me to buy it instead of another used civic/corolla/etc.

-Arrian

[Kuciwalker]

I would take an electric car priced competitively with a regular commuter car in a flash, even if it got worse mileage. AIUI maintenance is much, much easier on an electric car because they have so few moving parts.

[Ben Kenobi]

That's not what you were addressing. You were addressing the battery replacement price. It's nothing near $30,000.

I had that in my post originally, and I see now I had accidentally edited that out. My bad.

The battery was just a throwaway comment, something that won't make or break the deal but needs to be taken into consideration.

IMO, if they can get that electric car down to about the 30k range and have it look like a car, and not a toy, they will get some sales. As it is now, you are saddled with both an uneconomical and ugly preposition.

For me, personally, the big issues are:

1. Range. I want to be able to drive about as far on a charge as on a tank of gas.

2. Price. I have to be able to afford the car.

3. Heating/safety. Is it useable in winter conditions? Is it going to be able to survive a crash on the road?

4. Looks. I would rather buy a car that looks like a car. I loved my old 88 mustang, because it looked and drove like a car.

5. Cargo space. Can I take passengers, or is it a one person deal?

Right now electric cars give me none of the 5.

[Krill]

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?t=186027&page=3

[Ben Kenobi]

AIUI maintenance is much, much easier on an electric car because they have so few moving parts.

Really?

Learned something new. Thanks Kuci.

[Zopperoni]

AIUI maintenance is much, much easier on an electric car because they have so few moving parts.

Except when the Italians make one.

[SlowwHand]

Tesla Motors Model S. Starts at $57,500. 160 - 300 mile range.

On sale 2011.

This is sexy enough to at least date. I might marry it.