Ooh ooh ooh, how do you like yours?

Great technology and great company. Fast and beautiful. The downside is it's notoriously hard to get in and out of. Especially for an old big guy. I'd like to trade it in for a Model S but my early adopter account is about empty.

In other news, a Tesla mechanic did yearly service on my Roadster today. He's based in Texas. (Dallas) They formerly serviced me from Chicago.

i've been seriously thinking about a model s... aside from sticker shock, my biggest concern is not having a local mechanic. how has out of state service worked out for you? have you had to have anything done besides maintenance? -M

Great technology and great company. Fast and beautiful. The downside is it's notoriously hard to get in and out of. Especially for an old big guy. I'd like to trade it in for a Model S but my early adopter account is about empty.
It's Lotus with an electric motor, the newer Proton Lotus cars are much smaller than the 80's Esprit that I was used to. Neat little car, I bet it handles great, makes my Z4 seem huge inside. I see quite a few of them running around Denver and have started seeing some Model S cars popping up, one at DQ last Friday night.

i've been seriously thinking about a model s... aside from sticker shock, my biggest concern is not having a local mechanic. how has out of state service worked out for you? have you had to have anything done besides maintenance? -M

Yes and no. Keep in mind I have a 2008 model that was born in April of 2009 and their cars and service abilities have changed and are changing. Production number is in the high 400s so it's pretty early. We also don't use it as a daily driver and it has low miles. Customer service has always been first class.

They came out at no expense a couple of times to perform upgrades or recalls in the first year we owned it. That was them calling us to tell us they were going to be here and setting up a time to work on ours while they upgrade everyone's cars in the area at the same time. It was firmware upgrades and some other minor stuff, like they put keeper hooks on the floor mats so they couldn't slide forward.

Annual service started out at $600 flat and it's required for warranty. Their stated travel rate to come and work on your vehicle alone at the time was something like $1 a mile from your service center, which was Chicago then. The first time they serviced it they didn't charge a travel charge. The next time they charged more and it was some kind of flat travel charge on top of the service charge but I don't remember what. This time they charged less than that, and it was $750. I called and set it up a couple of weeks ago. (They do that in your garage or driveway and it takes about four hours.)

The only other thing that has happened is they came up with an error on the battery reading in the data logs while servicing. That ended up with them hauling the car twice to Chicago at their expense. First time they replaced a "sheet" in the battery and brought it back. We had an error message appear on the screen after that, with the vehicle still driveable like normal. They picked it up, took it back to Chicago, replaced the electronics module and the motor, all under warranty. No issues since.

The first time they came to service it in a large van. The second time they came to service it they came in van with an enclosed car hauler trailer. This time he was in a truck pulling a long aluminum car hauler trailer. His next scheduled stop was to pick up a car and take it back to Dallas but something came up and he was headed to NW Arkansas to work on one so he was going to drop the trailer at his brothers house in Tulsa in order to not haul it around the hills of Arkansas. Everytime they have a schedule like that, but the service center is a lot closer now.

I've seen one other Roadster in town. I had a guy follow me home a few months ago and tell me he had ordered a Model S. I had a Model S pull up along side of us while we were driving down Wilshire. I've yet to see inside one.

The Tesla store at Park Meadows Mall in Lone Tree has had a Model S and a cutaway of a Model S in their store, it is very nice inside. I believe the service center in South Denver (close to I-25) opened up before the store did.

Saw a model S at 23rd and Broadway about 3-4 weeks ago. It really stood out.

I'm going to Chicago in a couple of months and may drop in the store there to check one out.

Saw a model S at 23rd and Broadway about 3-4 weeks ago. It really stood out.

I finally saw an S yesterday. It was black and heading north on Broadway Extension. Beautiful car - I liked the Roadster, but the S blows it away.

mkjeeves - how much range do you get if you drive your Roadster enthusiastically? I saw the Top Gear piece a few years ago and it was disappointing, but something didn't seem quite right about the verdict the petrolheads on the BBC arrived at.

Yes and no....

thanks for the info... given that i'm looking for a daily driver, the way service currently works might be a deal breaker for me. maybe they'll have an okc service center the next time i'm in the market for a car. -M

I finally saw an S yesterday. It was black and heading north on Broadway Extension. Beautiful car - I liked the Roadster, but the S blows it away.

mkjeeves - how much range do you get if you drive your Roadster enthusiastically? I saw the Top Gear piece a few years ago and it was disappointing, but something didn't seem quite right about the verdict the petrolheads on the BBC arrived at.

I stomp on it every chance I can...safely. We mostly use if for errands and weekend stuff, so it's in and out with multiple stops, freequently across town and back. We plug it in whenever it is at home and I never get near being out of power.

The electronics give you idea range, how many miles you could get with ideal driving and conditions, and an expected range that is based on how you have driven it the last 30 miles or something. Those also differ if you put it in range mode or performance mode, versus standard mode, both of which alter the levels you can discharge the battery to. It might even change the allowed discharge rate in performance mode, I'm not sure.

Long story short, when we got it four years ago, the ideal range in standard mode was 220 and actual was maybe 190-200. Now as the battery has aged it's like 160 and 120 or something. We never get close to running it down unless I drive it and don't plug it in for a week and then drive it a lot again. We did take it on one out of town trip when we first got it just for drive/charge/drive fun, but that's a long story and I have to get to work.

You should watch any response by Tesla on the Top Gear piece. They are like, "umm, well, we have all the logs and they are flat out lying". It's good online drama/comedy.

I love Top Gear - great entertainment - but that particular test just didn't seem quite right. It is similar to the more recent story about the S that Tesla responded to with - shocker - actual data!

Whenever Tesla came the first year to do "firmware" upgrades, they always did a download and then a reload. It would take 30 minutes or so of actual transfer time with a notebook computer plugged into a usb port on the car.

When they did that to my car, they had hundreds of cars on the road in all sorts of real life driving conditions. If they logged all the data and downloaded it, they would have one whopping huge pile of valuable EV performance info. The largest in the world. I suspected that might be part of development but after the NYT debacle of a few months ago they claimed that doesn't happen, general logging and access of end user driving data.

Whenever Tesla came the first year to do "firmware" upgrades, they always did a download and then a reload. It would take 30 minutes or so of actual transfer time with a notebook computer plugged into a usb port on the car.

When they did that to my car, they had hundreds of cars on the road in all sorts of real life driving conditions. If they logged all the data and downloaded it, they would have one whopping huge pile of valuable EV performance info. The largest in the world. I suspected that might be part of development but after the NYT debacle of a few months ago they claimed that doesn't happen, general logging and access of end user driving data.

I wonder if they considered asking for permission from owners to use the data in that manner? I bet a decent number would be willing. I honestly think Tesla is the company that will be credited with starting the shift away from ICE vehicles. They have proven every naysayer wrong and have produced a phenomenal sedan. The SUV will create even more momentum assuming it is engineered and executed as well as the S.

Agreed they will get the credit and I think they deserve it.

It may be they did use the data for development and now they don't. Or they aren't being honest, which I do not think is the case.


Tesla has been using its early lead to collect data about the driving habits of its early-adopter EV customers. When Tesla technicians service the Roadsters, they can download information, such as how the Roadster batteries perform in various conditions. That means Tesla has been able to use hard data to tweak the design of the Model S based on one of the largest bodies of knowledge regarding how EVs drive in everyday life.

Tesla Roadsters Rack Up Collective 10M Miles ? Tech News and Analysis (http://gigaom.com/2011/03/28/tesla-roadsters-rack-up-collective-10m-miles/)

I haven't seen them confirm that and there was some backlash accusations of spying with Musks rebuttal of the recent NY Times article. That's when Musk came out and said they do not look at the data as a general rule but had learned to not trust the media and thus logged that trip to be able to protect themselves.

The Roadster does collect data. They have a way for the customer to download the file to a thumb drive and email it to them so they can have an idea about service needs in advance. I did that when we had the one service alert. The tech told me once a few years ago the long term plan was if you had an issue and connectivity, they could dial up your car and diagnose it right then from where ever.

Here's someone who figured out how to hack the file and see what's there. How a Savvy Coder Hacked His Tesla (http://jalopnik.com/5684749/how-a-savvy-coder-hacked-his-tesla)

If you haven't kept up with the NYT affair, you can backtrack from here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/20/nyt-vs-tesla-feud-reaches-end-of-road_n_2720770.html

I think they learned their lesson after the Top Gear incident. I don't blame them for logging the data on vehicles used for media stories.

I think it would be interesting to log the rate of battery discharge under the different settings you mentioned previously and combined with g loads on the chassis. I have been a car nut for years and love to hear a high performance engine scream. I have been around everything from NASCAR V8's to F1 V10's to 5.0 Fords to high output turbo fours, but Tesla is by far the most impressive automotive technology I have ever seen. If they continue the development trend they have thus far, their next generation batteries and vehicles will likely cause traditional auto manufacturers to begin shifting more effort into electric power.

I have been a Tesla fan ever since I first saw a Roadster. Had I won that huge Powerball, I would have a Tesla S and Audi R8 in my garage now!

I'm not so much a car nut but I've been casually interested in EVs since the '70s and followed the development of the Tesla from the start. I feel lucky to have one.

The tech told me we have a pair of doctors in the metro who own three, his and her Model S and a Roadster at their vacation home.

I wonder if they considered asking for permission from owners to use the data in that manner? I bet a decent number would be willing. I honestly think Tesla is the company that will be credited with starting the shift away from ICE vehicles. They have proven every naysayer wrong and have produced a phenomenal sedan. The SUV will create even more momentum assuming it is engineered and executed as well as the S.

One of the articles came up about the reporter test driving an Tesla did not agree with there story. It was stated it is an opt in option for people purchasing it, though after the Top Gear segment they started making it be on a requirement for reporters if the car was loaned to them for a story.

One of the articles came up about the reporter test driving an Tesla did not agree with there story. It was stated it is an opt in option for people purchasing it, though after the Top Gear segment they started making it be on a requirement for reporters if the car was loaned to them for a story.

I wish Tesla the best but I would never buy one, the simply don't fit my style of driving. I drive way too much and love to drive off road. I bought a new Jeep Wrangler last summer and spent a week four wheeling through the Rocky Mountains last summer. The other thing at least for now is the cost. Maybe if I win the lottery.........

Tesla speeds up free nationwide charging network, 20-minute quick repower | Motoramic - Yahoo! Autos (http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/tesla-speeds-free-nationwide-charging-network-20-minute-183456360.html)

Maybe I should try the PowerBall more often.... hmmm.

Question (I've read a similar article this morning and it brought up a good point):

We currently have a gas tax that is used as a source of money for road maintenance, which is a good thing. Obviously, electric cars don't use gas, so how will this be handled? Obviously, it isn't fair for EV drivers to get to use the roads virtually free while gas vehicle drivers pick up the tab. So, do we increase taxes on electricity? Obviously, this wouldn't be fair to those drivers who still use gas. Any thoughts?

I always assumed it would eventually become a mileage tax. Some states, like Oklahoma, don't have the annual inspections so it would either have to be reinstated or transmitted from the car to sensors as you passed them by. I don't see an easy solution to the problem.

It would have to be done as part of the tag renewal process. People could pay a monthly amount and get a credit/bill once a year or just pay it once a year at tag renewal time. It would also happen any time a car is sold (unless someone wants to pay someone else's tax).

The most interesting part is what that tax rate would be. Would they make it revenue neutral or would they raise it to cover the cost of road construction and maintenance instead of getting that money out of the general fund (remember that the gasoline tax was supposed to cover construction and maintenance - but hasn't done so since the late 1950's).

I always assumed it would eventually become a mileage tax. Some states, like Oklahoma, don't have the annual inspections so it would either have to be reinstated or transmitted from the car to sensors as you passed them by. I don't see an easy solution to the problem.

You're saying doing away with the gas tax for maintenance and implementing a mileage tax, or having both?

I think it will happen sooner than you think. We need the money.

Gas tax alternative drive takes wrong turn: Our view (http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/05/13/gas-tax-virginia-mileage-fee-oregon-editorials-debates/2154565/)


When it comes to building and repairing roads, states are going nowhere fast. Starved of revenue, they have been underfunding construction and maintenance by as much as $185 billion per year, according to the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission.

...and if we don't do it... where does that take us?

I don't think we can do away with a gas tax completely. There has to be a way to capture cost of driving on Oklahoma roads for out of state drivers without making every road a toll road. I'm thinking interstate trucking in particular. That might be handled through a better weigh station management plan.

I don't think we can do away with a gas tax completely. There has to be a way to capture cost of driving on Oklahoma roads for out of state drivers without making every road a toll road. I'm thinking interstate trucking in particular. That might be handled through a better weigh station management plan.

You bring up an interesting situation but it is one that already happens everyday anyhow. I drove across Alabama, Mississippi, and chunk on Louisiana without stopping for gas so I essentially drove on their roads for free. The main problem would be people going to Dallas for the weekend and buying gas in Texas. They would pay the mileage tax in Oklahoma on the whole trip and pay a gasoline tax in Texas. They would be better off filling up in Thackerville on the way out of state (of course they would have to wait in line with all the Texans wanting to fill-up in tax free Oklahoma).

Some of that equalizes I imagine. People drive through without filling and some fill up paying local taxes and then actually use it traveling in other states. Then there is the discrepancy of taxes paid by gas hogs over gas savers when there can't be that much difference in road use between some of them.

The State of Oklahoma registers electric vehicles in a category of their own, as electric vehicles. I assume that's so they can track them easier and determine when and how they might need to tax them.

This looks like a heck of a deal to get into an electric:

Honda has just announced a deal for those who are looking to lease their Honda Fit EV. Starting in June, Honda will cut the lease price of the Fit EV from $389 a month down to $259. This price reduction will apply to current customers, as well.

The three-year lease seems like a pretty sweet deal with no down payment, unlimited mileage, routine maintenance collision coverage and 240 volt EV home charging station equipment (not including installation) from Leviton.

Honda Fit EV Lease Down To $259/Month | CleanTechnica (http://cleantechnica.com/2013/05/31/honda-fit-ev-lease-down-to-259month/#ysYmb2h6JhpzKbM9.99)

Looks like it may not be available here yet...

“Further, the network of qualified Fit EV Honda dealers in California, Oregon, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Rhode Island and Connecticut will expand from 36 to more than 200 by the end of June.”

Tesla Motor?s ?Generation 3? Sedan Will Go For About $30k | Wall St. Cheat Sheet (http://wallstcheatsheet.com/stocks/tesla-motors-generation-3%E2%80%B2-sedan-will-go-for-about-30k.html/?a=viewall)

Consider the game changed if this happens. I would be in line for a $30K Tesla in a minute.

Auto Dealers Aim to Ground Tesla's Direct Sales Pitch - WSJ.com (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324049504578541902814606098.html?m od=WSJ__MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsTop)

Not new news, but an informative update on the challenges Tesla is having selling directly to consumers, entirely bypassing dealers. The hang-up is with franchise laws written a century ago by individual states which protected the local dealers by prohibiting manufacturers from selling directly to individuals. Tesla's founder, Elon Musk, says that franchise laws don't apply to Tesla because it has never had franchise dealers. Current status:

Stores allowed in NY, NJ, MA, CA, FL, WA, PA, IL & DC.
Single stores allowed in CO & OR.
Galleries (cars may be viewed but not driven or sold): TX, AZ & VA.
No stores or galleries: NC (but customers may place order by phone or Internet). A Charlotte customer bought his Model S online, and it arrived on a flatbed truck bearing temporary California tags.

Dealers say laws passed over the decades to prevent car makers from selling directly to consumers are justified because without them auto makers could use their economic clout to sell vehicles for less than their independent franchisees.

So let me get this straight. The dealers think we should keep laws in place that result in artificially high prices. The very fact that this is even considered reasonable by any elected official shows how messed up this country is.

Thomas Paine was spot on...


Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil in its worst state an intolerable one; for when we suffer, or are exposed to the same miseries by a government, which we might expect in a country without government, our calamities is heightened by reflecting that we furnish the means by which we suffer!

So let me get this straight. The dealers think we should keep laws in place that result in artificially high prices. The very fact that this is even considered reasonable by any elected official shows how messed up this country is.

Thomas Paine was spot on...

regardless if they think the laws should be kept in place or not .... the state has a responsibility to enforce the laws that impact business

regardless if they think the laws should be kept in place or not .... the state has a responsibility to enforce the laws that impact business

Tesla is a business.

regardless if they think the laws should be kept in place or not .... the state has a responsibility to enforce the laws that impact business

Business that operate with franchises should follow the franchise laws or work to get them changed. Tesla doesn't have any franchises. I suspect the big issue is really that internet sales aren't taxed - and that is why these states are interested in stopping internet sales on a $70,000 item.

Business that operate with franchises should follow the franchise laws or work to get them changed. Tesla doesn't have any franchises. I suspect the big issue is really that internet sales aren't taxed - and that is why these states are interested in stopping internet sales on a $70,000 item.

You pay taxes when you register a car where you reside, regardless of where or how you purchase it.

i don't want to be that guy, but how many of you that think this law is wrong and should be changed are actually going to talk to a legislator about this? i'm not calling anyone out for posting their dissatisfaction... but don't expect things to change if the extent of your actions is limited to a message board. -M

Ya, know. If they were fighting the battle at the federal level or at the Oklahoma State level, I would do my part. They aren't fighting anything in Oklahoma AFAIK. They are selling online and delivering cars per their plans.

The article says they are considering working on it at the federal level but nothing is currently in the works.

It is a valid point but frankly, Tesla doesn't need our help. Elon has the billions to fight this. They will, and they will win. In the meantime, lawyers are standing by to make all the $.

i think you're right... if tesla builds a better product, then people will beat a path to them in spite of laws that are built to protect the dealer model. it's early and i guess my mind was stuck at the 30,000 foot view... in general, how many of us complain about the laws we have and yet don't do anything substantial about it. -M

Some do reach out and some don't.

I support both with money and personal involvement some groups that work, lobby and promote issues I'm interested in both personally and professionally. I'm past president of a local industry group specific to my industry and the group is very involved in city, state and federal laws.

I have picked up the phone, written letters, sent emails, attended legislative receptions at the state capital, and stood on the side of the road holding protest signs before too. I have not done anything specifically for Tesla, (tax paying; being an early adopter; personnel promoting the issues; supporting conservation groups who support Tesla and the technology notwithstanding.)

Elon will first try to change laws in states where he can sell the greatest number of cars: NY, NJ, CT, CA, TX. Don't expect him spending much time/money lobbying the Oklahoma legislature because Oklahomans won't be buying a lot of Teslas (no offense, mkjeeves!).

I empathize with the plight of distributors of all kinds who stand between the manufacturer and the customer because their days are numbered.

I wouldn't even be surprised to see the Federal Government get involved if they have to to protect 'interstate commerce'.

Mr. O'Connell (Tesla director of business development) said the company has been looking at a federal legal challenge based on limits to interstate commerce and at pursuing new legislation in Congress. The company is committed to selling direct, he said. Tesla doesn't break out its spending on lobbying, but its first quarter overhead costs rose 53% to $47 million, in part because of hiring in sales and marketing.

Thomas Tallerico, a senior lawyer at Bodman PLC in Detroit who has represented auto makers and franchised dealers, said the chances of overturning franchise laws are dim.

"It is difficult to understand what the legal basis is by which Tesla could persuade a federal judge to strike down state laws designed to protect dealers, particularly when every state in the country has passed such laws and there is a federal law that protects dealers," he said.

Auto Dealers Aim to Ground Tesla's Direct Sales Pitch - WSJ.com (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324049504578541902814606098.html?m od=WSJ__MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsTop)

Not new news, but an informative update on the challenges Tesla is having selling directly to consumers, entirely bypassing dealers. The hang-up is with franchise laws written a century ago by individual states which protected the local dealers by prohibiting manufacturers from selling directly to individuals. Tesla's founder, Elon Musk, says that franchise laws don't apply to Tesla because it has never had franchise dealers. Current status:

Stores allowed in NY, NJ, MA, CA, FL, WA, PA, IL & DC.
Single stores allowed in CO & OR.
Galleries (cars may be viewed but not driven or sold): TX, AZ & VA.
No stores or galleries: NC (but customers may place order by phone or Internet). A Charlotte customer bought his Model S online, and it arrived on a flatbed truck bearing temporary California tags.And we call our market, a "free" market lol, ok. ;)

Business that operate with franchises should follow the franchise laws or work to get them changed. Tesla doesn't have any franchises. I suspect the big issue is really that internet sales aren't taxed - and that is why these states are interested in stopping internet sales on a $70,000 item.Or we could just create and internet sales tax.

Elon Musk is a big thinker, and I imagine that Tesla will become a financial success. His industry model (not simply his business model) is very different than what exists today. If he succeeds, then he will have simplified the ways that customers pick, buy, use and maintain their cars, and if he starts to offer internal combustion or dual fuel cars that appeal to the masses, then he will turn the entire industry on its head. That is probably the long view that scares the daylights out of legacy auto manufacturers and the dealers.

I snapped this at St John's Town Center a few days ago. Thought some of you might like it.

http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/KerryinJax/IMAG0204_zps6b8120ef.jpg

2015 Tesla Model R Concept Boldride.com - Pictures, Wallpapers (http://www.boldride.com/ride/2015/tesla-model-r-concept)

Tesla will not develop cars with gasoline/diesel engines. The are approaching ranges already seen in ICE vehicles and the technology is evolving/improving rapidly. His goal is to remove those cars from the market by making electric cars the obvious choice for consumers. The only reason electric cars don't appeal to the masses is because of a perception of them being less convenient. As they evolve the technology, that perception will shift I suspect.

The Secret Tesla Motors Master Plan (just between you and me) | Blog | Tesla Motors (http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/secret-tesla-motors-master-plan-just-between-you-and-me)

One thing to keep in mind, these cars are built from the ground up as electric cars and you can't simply add an engine to them.

i would say that cost is the biggest reason not "perception of them being less convenient" the new model S is selling as well or better than its competitors the 7 series bmw and the high end audio and benz

No, you are right. But that's their current market position. I'm referring to their future one (Mass market) as it was called earlier. Situated with a cheaper car, I submit their largest obstacle will be convincing people that this car that is the same price as a new Charger, is just as convenient to drive/own. Or something like that.

that is just it the model s was to be the mass market car ... the next model coming out is an "SUV" around the same price .... until they get the price under 40k .. there will continue to be limited adoption ..

The biggest challenge to Tesla (or any electric car) in the long-term is the availability of electricity at affordable prices. Many metro areas already suffer from rolling brown-outs. Could you imagine the energy demand in LA if just 10% of the cars needed to be recharged?

that is just it the model s was to be the mass market car ... the next model coming out is an "SUV" around the same price .... until they get the price under 40k .. there will continue to be limited adoption ..

Whatever you want to call it, the Model S was intended to compete exactly where it is competing, with potential buyers of high end BMW and Benz like you said. I don't think of that as mass market.

I read a recent article saying the Tesla that will come after the X will be a $30,000 sedan. If they can maintain a decent range and their quality at that price, consider the game changed. And watch the legacy automakers scramble......

This was the plan. I think the image came out at the time of the IPO. I believe they still would have the flexibility to adapt power supplies within the platform. I haven't kept up with any changes to the gear box and motor but I think the plan was to continue to roll with what they already spent millions developing, testing and getting in production.

http://www.ultimatecarblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Tesla-platform-sharing.jpg

IIRC the former NUMMI factory they bought for their production has plenty of space for additional assembly lines. I don't think they will be limited by capacity for quite a while. Are they operating 24/7 production shifts now? Hopefully Tesla will not get "Tuckered".

IIRC the former NUMMI factory they bought for their production has plenty of space for additional assembly lines. I don't think they will be limited by capacity for quite a while. Are they operating 24/7 production shifts now? Hopefully Tesla will not get "Tuckered".

No kidding on having plenty of space, they use spare space for an indoor test track

When Elon says he wants 50% of the world to be driving Teslas in the next couple of decades, he doesn't think he is going to accomplish that with S price points.

Does he say where all the electricity is going to come from?

Does he say where all the electricity is going to come from?

With increasing numbers of these stations, what is the potential impact to the electric grid?

Deloitte looked at precisely this issue recently, in its report Charging Ahead: The Last Mile. They interviewed numerous utility planners summarized “Surprisingly, we found that in general, the electric utility infrastructure is already prepared to meet the President’s 2015 challenge. Our research revealed that utilities will not likely need to upgrade or expand transmission or generation capacity in the next ten years specifically to meet electric demand from EVs at projected adoption rates….However, the research did identify near-term impacts to the electric infrastructure that deserve further study at the local distribution level, ‘the last mile,’ including possible clustering of EVs on low-capacity distribution transformers, such as 25 kVA , and the potential impact on local transformers of any capacity if clusters of EVs charge simultaneously during hours of peak electric demand. The research also showed that utilities are studying and addressing these impacts”.


Electric Cars and the Power Grid: How Are They Coming Together? - Forbes (http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterdetwiler/2013/01/28/electric-cars-and-the-power-grid-how-are-they-coming-together/)

"at projected adoption rates" - what does this mean? Elon says 50% of the world in the next 20 years. Are our current adoption rates on track for that or is he planning something that will change the current adoption rates (like affordable cars that have a longer range)? On a side note - what will this do the demand for new freeways as driving becomes an even less expensive transportation alternative for the car owner? Will this result in 'drive till you qualify' home construction being taken to a whole new level?

"at projected adoption rates" - what does this mean? Elon says 50% of the world in the next 20 years. Are our current adoption rates on track for that or is he planning something that will change the current adoption rates (like affordable cars that have a longer range)?

Maybe try reading the article since what the writer is talking about is covered in the first paragraph?

Maybe try reading the article since what the writer is talking about is covered in the first paragraph?

Elon says he wants to blow 'current adoption rates' out of the water. What does that do to the assumptions and results presented in your article?

Elon says he wants to blow 'current adoption rates' out of the water. What does that do to the assumptions and results presented in your article?

It's your argument. Maybe you can make it with something other than (end of the times) imagination?