Tesla Model S: First Impressions

theragingbull · 21st June 2013, 19:57

So a lot of you have been asking about the battery. Tesla revelead yesterday their battery swap system, which as promised by Elon Musk, will "swap out the battery pack faster than you can fill a gas tank." It took the half-million dollar system just 90 seconds to replace the whole battery pack! Watch the below video to see how amazing it is!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0-sHtlCZ7M

According to Forbes, while Supercharging costs a Model S driver nothing, getting a new, fully charged battery pack will cost around the same as about 15 gallons of gas (so, let's say around $60). Later, you can get your old pack back (again, fully charged and for another $60 fee) or you can pay an undetermined fee and keep the pack.

noopster · 21st June 2013, 20:08

Superb review. The amount of detail you have captured is commendable. And that is really not a bad range for a full-size performance car!

Funnily enough, this was the only car I felt tempted to shoot during my recent West Coast vacation. This beauty was charging at a public charging parking spot very close to the Golden Gate bridge.

Tesla Model S: First Impressions-20130526_205127.jpg

If electric cars are indeed the future then you have to hand it to Tesla and Elon Musk that this is the way to do it- in style! Good luck to them and every other manufacturer investing in such alternative fuel technologies.

INCLUDING Mahindra, whom some members were disparaging early on in this thread. Maybe the e2o is only a stepping stone to something like this? Let's see!

suhaas307 · 22nd June 2013, 02:39

Excellent review Theragingbull!

I'd watched a comprehensive video review of the Tesla S on YouTube a few months ago and your review is right up there with it! Needless to say, it's a very impressive automobile.

But I wonder if such a car will work in a country like ours where the yearly waterlogging will turn the Electric Tesla S with its floor-pan mounted batteries into a moving hot seat

Nevertheless, it's a great car and certainly a more honest and well engineered attempt at making a 'green' luxury automobile than the Fisker Karma.

crazydave · 22nd June 2013, 12:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by madhav14

The warranty on the battery is 8 years or 1,25,000 miles whichever is less as per their official website. No idea about the battery replacement cost though.

Leased model? I don't think so. Because they are implementing the battery swapping based model where they replace your drained battery with a new one for free of cost at their supercharging stations across U.S.

Great, thanks for the info on this. Just wanted to know this to compare against the Mahindra E20. Yes, I know its much a cheaper car, but Mahindra should really have looked at offering a battery pack with similar specs.

The Tesla's 8 years/125000 miles warranty basically means that you are pretty much covered for the full lifetime for a car nowadays, whereas Mahindra's current warranty on the E20 means you need to factor in a battery pack replacement if you want to keep the car for more than 4 years

_raVan_ · 22nd June 2013, 20:28

TheRagingBull, this is a splendid car that your uncle bought! Really impressed with the model and the specs, specially the mention of mono geared 400+ Nm torque at 0 rpm.

Saw this really good review on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kCG-WqpVnI

Ricci · 22nd June 2013, 21:09

@theragingbull,

Congrats to your uncle and to you for a superb review ! All previous images of electric cars shattered ! This looks and feels like a proper car should, only swapping out the powerplant and transmission for electric motor and battery pack. 370km is very very decent, and with development still on, batteries' energy density is bound to get better. Instant torque , constant all the way ! I'm sure motorheads will not only miss the growl of the internal combustion engine, but also the turbo lag and non-linear powerbands that make it involving, the gearshifts and engine braking. In a few years, enthusiasts will be talk in endearing terms of how their previous car required an upshift/downshift

Any claims or observations on range with use of air conditioning, audio/video systems , headlamps etc in use ?

Another thing : the chassis picture is much like a ladder frame. So how is the safety handled , since there is no monocoque shell to act as crumple zone. Is the remaining body the energy absorbing structure ?

theragingbull · 23rd June 2013, 02:16

I would convey all the thanks to my uncle. He deserves all the kudos since he bought it with his hard earned money. In fact, to provide a better answer to all the driving/battery questions, I have asked him to join team-bhp because I do not own/drive the car so I might not give the best opinion about the Tesla. The driving impressions are as my uncle described it to me and I would be in a better position to write more about it once I drive it on mountain roads.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricci

@theragingbull,

Congrats to your uncle and to you for a superb review !

Any claims or observations on range with use of air conditioning, audio/video systems , headlamps etc in use ?

Another thing : the chassis picture is much like a ladder frame. So how is the safety handled , since there is no monocoque shell to act as crumple zone. Is the remaining body the energy absorbing structure ?

The EPA range of the car is not with ideal conditions but with all the systems on like AC, media and lights. With all those switched off, you are looking at a better mileage.

Quote:

Originally Posted by e2p

Is it possible to access the internet while the car is on move? watching movies, playing games etc. for the non driver.?

Yes, as long as you have internet connection

allajunaki · 2nd July 2013, 11:21

Answer to you question in the Tesla Website itself. Interestingly, they have not announced any NCAP ratings (or maybe I missed it).
http://www.teslamotors.com/models/features#/safety

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricci

@theragingbull,

Another thing : the chassis picture is much like a ladder frame. So how is the safety handled , since there is no monocoque shell to act as crumple zone. Is the remaining body the energy absorbing structure ?

Tommie · 2nd July 2013, 16:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by e2p

This one has broken all the previous notions about an electic car. A spectacular review as well.

Is it possible to access the internet while the car is on move? watching movies, playing games etc. for the non driver.?

Exactly, Tesla has broken all the conventional thoughts about an electric car. Playing vidoes are disabled on the main screen, however, one could attend a Web-ex session. The whole internet radio is available and we will not miss our home city radio station.

frankmehta · 2nd July 2013, 17:40

I just watched a whole hour of Megafactories: Tesla Model S. ragingbull, if you haven't watched it, please download it or watch it online. FANTASTIC story on how the Model S is made. Fun watch.

WindRide · 2nd July 2013, 19:09

"What we have here then is an astonishing technical achievement - the first electric car you might actually want to buy. Its just a shame that in the real world, it doesn't seem to work" - Jeremy Clarkson on the Tesla Roadster, 2008.

Much sewage has flown down the the Cooum since then, and the Model S may be more reliable, but i have difficulty seeing this as "green"-er than a gasoline car. Remember where the electricity to run this car is coming from...

ajmat · 3rd July 2013, 10:49

I looked at one in Portland. Amazing but the screen is an awesome distraction. Must try and drive one next time around

madhav14 · 3rd July 2013, 12:10

Does any one have an idea of the customer feedback over there? and any source for the sales figures of Tesla in U.S. if possible?

All I could find out is the steep increase in their share price in the past 52 weeks.

Hoping if it is a big hit in U.S, then it will definitely come to India in near future.

theragingbull · 6th July 2013, 06:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankmehta

I just watched a whole hour of Megafactories: Tesla Model S. ragingbull, if you haven't watched it, please download it or watch it online. FANTASTIC story on how the Model S is made. Fun watch.

Yep I have seen it. Indeed, a great episode!

Quote:

Originally Posted by WindRide

Much sewage has flown down the the Cooum since then, and the Model S may be more reliable, but i have difficulty seeing this as "green"-er than a gasoline car. Remember where the electricity to run this car is coming from...

Tesla scored 99% in Consumer Reports reliability. The highest any car can get.
And as to where electricity for this car comes, my uncle has fitted his whole house with solar panels

He is generating so much electricity that some of it goes back to the city.

Quote:

Originally Posted by madhav14

Does any one have an idea of the customer feedback over there? and any source for the sales figures of Tesla in U.S. if possible?

Customer feedback has been immensely good. And the sales figures are only rising with a minimum waiting period of 6 months. Tesla delivered 4,900 Model S's in the first quarter, exceeding its target of 4,500 units, and the company raised its full-year target to 21,000 units.

aah78 · 21st August 2013, 03:16

Excellent!

I'm looking for a car and thought about considering the Tesla as a wild-card but it's going to be a pain as I live in an apartment bldg and charging points are non-existent around NYC (I haven't noticed any).

One plus point is the dealership is around the corner.

21st June 2013, 20:08	#62
noopster Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Pune Posts: 9,238 Thanked: 12,904 Times View My Garage	re: Tesla Model S: First Impressions Superb review. The amount of detail you have captured is commendable. And that is really not a bad range for a full-size performance car! Funnily enough, this was the only car I felt tempted to shoot during my recent West Coast vacation. This beauty was charging at a public charging parking spot very close to the Golden Gate bridge. If electric cars are indeed the future then you have to hand it to Tesla and Elon Musk that this is the way to do it- in style! Good luck to them and every other manufacturer investing in such alternative fuel technologies. INCLUDING Mahindra, whom some members were disparaging early on in this thread. Maybe the e2o is only a stepping stone to something like this? Let's see!
	(1) Thanks

22nd June 2013, 02:39	#63
suhaas307 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 8,830 Thanked: 12,251 Times	re: Tesla Model S: First Impressions Excellent review Theragingbull! I'd watched a comprehensive video review of the Tesla S on YouTube a few months ago and your review is right up there with it! Needless to say, it's a very impressive automobile. But I wonder if such a car will work in a country like ours where the yearly waterlogging will turn the Electric Tesla S with its floor-pan mounted batteries into a moving hot seat Nevertheless, it's a great car and certainly a more honest and well engineered attempt at making a 'green' luxury automobile than the Fisker Karma.
	() Thanks

22nd June 2013, 21:09	#66
Ricci BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Pune Posts: 809 Thanked: 1,177 Times	re: Tesla Model S: First Impressions @theragingbull, Congrats to your uncle and to you for a superb review ! All previous images of electric cars shattered ! This looks and feels like a proper car should, only swapping out the powerplant and transmission for electric motor and battery pack. 370km is very very decent, and with development still on, batteries' energy density is bound to get better. Instant torque , constant all the way ! I'm sure motorheads will not only miss the growl of the internal combustion engine, but also the turbo lag and non-linear powerbands that make it involving, the gearshifts and engine braking. In a few years, enthusiasts will be talk in endearing terms of how their previous car required an upshift/downshift Any claims or observations on range with use of air conditioning, audio/video systems , headlamps etc in use ? Another thing : the chassis picture is much like a ladder frame. So how is the safety handled , since there is no monocoque shell to act as crumple zone. Is the remaining body the energy absorbing structure ? Last edited by Ricci : 22nd June 2013 at 21:13.
	() Thanks

2nd July 2013, 17:40	#70
frankmehta Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 4,000 Thanked: 3,577 Times View My Garage	Re: Tesla Model S: First Impressions I just watched a whole hour of Megafactories: Tesla Model S. ragingbull, if you haven't watched it, please download it or watch it online. FANTASTIC story on how the Model S is made. Fun watch.
	(1) Thanks

2nd July 2013, 19:09	#71
WindRide BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 682 Thanked: 479 Times	Re: Tesla Model S: First Impressions "What we have here then is an astonishing technical achievement - the first electric car you might actually want to buy. Its just a shame that in the real world, it doesn't seem to work" - Jeremy Clarkson on the Tesla Roadster, 2008. Much sewage has flown down the the Cooum since then, and the Model S may be more reliable, but i have difficulty seeing this as "green"-er than a gasoline car. Remember where the electricity to run this car is coming from... Last edited by WindRide : 2nd July 2013 at 19:12.
	() Thanks

3rd July 2013, 10:49	#72
ajmat Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 14,861 Thanked: 27,962 Times View My Garage	Re: Tesla Model S: First Impressions I looked at one in Portland. Amazing but the screen is an awesome distraction. Must try and drive one next time around
	() Thanks

3rd July 2013, 12:10	#73
madhav14 BHPian Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 194 Thanked: 225 Times	Re: Tesla Model S: First Impressions Does any one have an idea of the customer feedback over there? and any source for the sales figures of Tesla in U.S. if possible? All I could find out is the steep increase in their share price in the past 52 weeks. Hoping if it is a big hit in U.S, then it will definitely come to India in near future.
	() Thanks

21st August 2013, 03:16	#75
aah78 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: NYC / BOM Posts: 4,662 Thanked: 3,257 Times View My Garage	Re: Tesla Model S: First Impressions Excellent! I'm looking for a car and thought about considering the Tesla as a wild-card but it's going to be a pain as I live in an apartment bldg and charging points are non-existent around NYC (I haven't noticed any). One plus point is the dealership is around the corner.
	() Thanks