Tesla Model 3 Revealed - 115,000 pre-ordered before reveal

[SodiumChloride]

This is what I'd like to know. Is it even changing the batteries or is it charging them and how often do you have to charge it? In other words how long does it keep a charge? It would suck to plan a trip somewhere and the car runs out of energy after like 3 hours of driving. Then also not only that but where do you even go to charge it. I haven't seen any charging station around where I live so I would assume there's not many out there.

You know, I wonder if there are any manufacturers working on "electric hybrids".

Instead of being powered mainly by internal combustion engines with electric motors as a supplement, you have a primarily electric car but with a small internal combustion engine that will charge it's batteries as and when needed.

[Gheld]

You know, I wonder if there are any manufacturers working on "electric hybrids".

Instead of being powered mainly by internal combustion engines with electric motors as a supplement, you have a primarily electric car but with a small internal combustion engine that will charge it's batteries as an when needed.

The Chevy Volt essentially.

[Dug]

Eh, there are superchargers in the populated areas of Texas. 98% of the year, you'll probably be driving around your hometown. The few occasions you need a longer range car, you can always rent, using the money you've saved on gas.

True. I don't travel that often but going from the lower Rio Grande to say San Antonio alone is about 277 miles but yeah could always just rent a car or go with someone else that owns a gas run vehicle.

[Reeve]

How often do you have to change the batteries? 10 years? and what's the cost

According to Quora, the P85 battery pack costs about $12,000 to replace after 10 years of use. The Model 3's battery pack is about 2/3 of the size, so probably around 2/3 of the cost, though it may be less by the time the Gigafactory is really churning the batteries out. So let's say $7,500. That comes out to about $750/year in deferred maintenance. Not all that much worse than the cost of the oil changes you don't have to get (my oil changes cost $100 every 4 months or so). Meanwhile my gasoline currently costs about $960/year. When the oil price goes back up, it'll likely be nearly $2,000. The electricity would be a fraction of that.

[Kujako]

The Chevy Volt essentially.

Or the BMW i3 with the optional "range extender". Basically a little generator you stick in the trunk.

[SodiumChloride]

The Chevy Volt essentially.

The ICE is connected to the drivetrain no?

I was think along the line of just electric motors with a small ICE connected to the batteries.

[Ghâzh]

True. I don't travel that often but going from the lower Rio Grande to say San Antonio alone is about 277 miles but yeah could always just rent a car or go with someone else that owns a gas run vehicle.

Heard an interview of this Finnish celebrity who talked about his model S. He said he swaps cars with his friends whenever he has to go a longer distance. Which usually isn't hard thing to convince people of since the car makes +500hp (people are curious to test it).

[In Ogres We Trust]

The fact that so many people pre-ordered this car without seeing or knowing anything about it reminds me of Apple people. Always camping out every couple years to get their new phone. Not because they actually need it but because it's Apple and they have to have every Apple phone that comes out because all praise Apple. Are these people the Apple sheep of the car industry?

In any case the car at least looks nice and it's cool to see electric cars actually becoming a thing now. Maybe someday when they perfect it I'll get myself an electric car. I'd like to do my part in reducing the amount of CO2 going in the air.

Well, in that case, you'll need to find a way to generate electricity that isn't primarily the byproduct of fossil fuels (not to neglect the environmental issues associated with the batteries within the vehicle itself).

[SodiumChloride]

Or the BMW i3 with the optional "range extender". Basically a little generator you stick in the trunk.

Yupe. This is what I'm talking about.

[Reeve]

35k for the car, charging at superchargers is free, the car has a range of 215 miles so you have to recharge every 215 miles, which could either take a few hours in your garage or a few minutes at a supercharger iirc.

The P85D takes about 45 minutes to fully charge at a supercharger. The Model 3 seems to have 2/3 the range, so presumably it'd take about half an hour to do a full charge, but you'd more likely do a half charge at 15 mintues or so. I spend at least that long when I stop at Bucee's in my gas car.

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That's the thing. Unless Musk wants to build a bunch of supercharging stations in the middle of nowhere, basically anybody west of Southern Ontario is screwed.

He actually has built a lot of stations in the middle of nowhere, at least in the US. I'm sure Canada will follow suit. And if he sells as many Model 3s and Chevy sells as many Bolts as people think, there will start to be private supercharging infrastructure being built.

[Morssoe]

I'll wait couple years, save money, then buy used tesla.

[Ghâzh]

You know, I wonder if there are any manufacturers working on "electric hybrids".

Instead of being powered mainly by internal combustion engines with electric motors as a supplement, you have a primarily electric car but with a small internal combustion engine that will charge it's batteries as and when needed.

I think the reason for against that is mainly the efficiency and cost. What's the point of charging your batteries with the gasoline engine when you can just run the car with that engine when you run out of electricity? No need to build a specific generator, just use the same power train.

[Jotaux]

That's the thing. Unless Musk wants to build a bunch of supercharging stations in the middle of nowhere, basically anybody west of Southern Ontario is screwed.

The only supercharger stations are about 4-5 hours out of vancouver. I would be able to charge at home but would have to get an electrician in to install one of their wall connectors.

[Reeve]

Well, in that case, you'll need to find a way to generate electricity that isn't primarily the byproduct of fossil fuels (not to neglect the environmental issues associated with the batteries within the vehicle itself).

In Texas there are 100% wind energy electric plans you can buy.

[Kujako]

I'll wait couple years, save money, then buy used tesla.

Based on other electrics, there is almost no used market. Basically, you would want to replace the batteries on any used electric car, which nullifies most of the cost savings from buying a used vehicle.

[Gheld]

As far as environmental hazards of the batteries go, you just bury the waste in Yucca Mountain and then let future generations worry about it, duh.

[Reeve]

The only supercharger stations are about 4-5 hours out of vancouver. I would be able to charge at home but would have to get an electrician in to install one of their wall connectors.

The closest Supercharger to Vancouver, BC is in Squamish, 64 km away. THe next closest is in Hope, 152 km away. There are also 14 "destination chargers" in the city of Vancouver itself.

[stabetha]

I was driving to San Diego a couple months ago and stopped in a small town in the middle of nowhere called Gila Bend population of like 1300 and there was a Carl's Jr just off the highway that had like 6 superchargers in the lot.

[Kujako]

As far as environmental hazards of the batteries go, you just bury the waste in Yucca Mountain and then let future generations worry about it, duh.

Or recycle them...

[Reeve]

As far as environmental hazards of the batteries go, you just bury the waste in Yucca Mountain and then let future generations worry about it, duh.

You can recycle the batteries.