Over 1000 model S reservations

It is a bit disingenuous to quote the base price (after a federal tax credit which may or may not still be in effect in 3 or 4 or 5 years when the car is actually delivered) and right along side it, quote the range of the much more expensive top of the line model with the largest available battery pack. Much more forthcoming would be to quote price and range for the base model, and then price and range of the longest-range model.

I do believe it will be a fabulous car. But $50,000 is not going to get the 300-mile range. Nor will it get any of the options many buyers will want.

 

I'm honestly glad the tesla is doing something. I have a feeling tesla is going to replace one of the current top three domestic automakers in the future. I would by a model S over a BMW or Benz any day. I do wonder how much the larger battery pack will be. Hopefully Tesla can drive down the price of the pack before they release the model s.

 

I'm sure you're right. Fortunately I cannot take your advice though (to look at a TV commercial) since I don't have a TV.

If I was looking for long-term investments, I'd think Tesla was a very good bet. At my age, though, I've got a very short time horizon.

 

How does it fit 7 (5 adults 2 children)? Do the kids go in the hatch or something

 

There were a number of these 'jump seats' in station wagons in the 80s.
I don't really count them until I can see them, but 'technically' it is correct.

 

I wonder if the battery pack will be different than the Roadster. The Roadster's pack is expected to last less than 5 years / 50,000 miles.

"Our testing and modeling indicate that a typical Tesla Roadster owner who drives 50,000 miles over five years should have about 70 percent of initial performance levels available. "
Source: Tesla Motors - FAQs

Industry standard for the end of life is 80% of initial performance. I wonder if Tesla use the price of the replacement battery to calculate the "total cost of ownership". If they simply compare the first 5 years of ownership then it is extremely misleading.

 

Do we have any idea as to what options will be available on the S? and how much that will drive the price up. I understand that the first model s's will be 80k+...

 

Now Evan,i have to ask...is that $40k refundable and do you think the Model S will make it to production for the masses?...personally i'd love one....now where did i put that life insurance claim form...on the Missus

 

The Roadster uses laptop batteries to keep the price down, and a liquid-cooling unit because the batteries are thermally unstable. LiFePO4 batteries were either not yet available, or in their first year of availability during the time the prototypes were being tested and developed.

The Model S is scheduled for production in three years, and I would add a year to that. I think there's a good chance they'll move to LiFePO4 by then, or to an even newer battery chemistry.

Of course this is speculation.

When they take $50,000 deposits for the Roadster, the deposit is refundable until your car goes into production, with your requested options and color. They inform you at that time and you can confirm or cancel your order. Any time before that, you can get a refund. However, you do not get interest on your money for the time they held it.

The above is what Tesla told me when I visited their HQ about two years ago.

I presume the procedure will be the same for the Model S: A full refund without interest at any time before your car goes into production, and an official notification when the time comes to specify color and options or back out.

I visited Tango at about the same time (here in Spokane). They also wanted a $50,000 deposit, but Tango put that money into an escrow account. Tesla does not. Therefore, if Tesla were to go bankrupt, your deposit could be lost.

My own opinion is that Tesla is here for the long haul and will build the Model S. Would I give them a $40,000 deposit on a car to be built in 3 or 4 years? No.

 

Daniel,i guess that's what i was getting at in relation to the deposit,going bankrupt is a real possibility for any company at present,
Who is bankrolling Tesla at present other than the people like Evan with their deposits?

 

Yes, that's why I mentioned the difference between Tango and Tesla. Tango puts your deposit in an escrow account, so it's safe. Tesla uses your money for operations. If Tesla goes bankrupt you may very well lose your deposit. However it is my opinion that Tesla is strong and a good risk, if you are willing to wait, as Evan apparently is. I don't know if Tango ever delivered its second car. George Clooney bought the first one, and I heard there were problems with it.

Tesla was founded and bankrolled by Silicon Valley multi-millionaires like Elon Musk and others. They're using people's deposit money, but it's a drop in the bucket compared with what the founders have invested.

Buyers put down a $50,000 deposit for a Roadster. Folks are giving them $5,000 early deposits on the Model S, and I guess $40,000 deposits for the special signature edition of the Model S. But it took hundreds of millions to start the company, do the research and testing, including crash-testing and whatnot. These guys are serious. Tesla is not a fly-by-night outfit.

The biggest risk I see in reserving a Tesla Model S is that some other company might come out with a lesser but perfectly adequate EV before them, and you could have had your EV sooner.

I just didn't want to wait. That's why I bought my Zap Xebra two years ago and I've been driving electric ever since. And it's why I ordered my Porsche EV conversion almost a year ago, on the promise that I'd have it in 2 to 4 months. Instead it took 11 months. But that's still quicker than I'd have gotten a Roadster. Now I'm waiting for the charging cable that the guy forgot to send with the car!

 

I'm rooting for Tesla (who isn't?). However, all kinds of alarm bells are going off with them taking deposits and promising cars in a few years......without even having the production facilities built.

 

I had the Tesla Model S order site up the other day and started to fill out the order form, but then I thought, here I am, 75 years old and ordering a car that is at least three years away and maybe more. At that point I decided to think about it some more

I think it might be better to opt for a Hymotion set-up if there ever is an installation facility close to here to install and service it. Too bad it takes up the spare tire space.