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Ride in a Tesla

Discussion in 'Tesla' started by IABoy987, Jan 19, 2022.

  1. Zythryn

    Zythryn Senior Member

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    I don’t believe it works that way.
    To my understanding, the number of cells in the pack has a primary goal of supplying range. The power is basically a happy coincidence.
    You will notice the lower ranged Tesla’s have less power. Again, this is simply a function of the lower number of cells.

    As far as unneeded power, that is fine if you don’t like that. I don’t like driving a space heater, that happens to provide some motive power. This is why I am looking forward to Toyota’s new beyond zero vehicles.
     
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  2. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    A battery big enough to power those motors also means a long range per charge when driven at a typical manner on streets to avoid tickets. The non-performance Teslas of a model have a longer range with the same battery, but there can be other variables in effect, like weight and wheel size.

    Short range BEVs have a place, but Tesla's philosophy is that BEVs can replace ICE cars. For that, they need range, and all a smaller battery does is reduce that. Unless you can get some big efficiency gains. Which is probably hard for Tesla, as they are already at the top there.

    Now, your 500hp motor example is a bit of a strawman. The Model S is rated for 670hp, from two motors. So the motor you saw was likely one from the Model S Plaid. I completely agree that is an unreasonable car to own, but it isn't a model made for large sales. It is made for bragging rights, and will be sold in small numbers to people that would otherwise drop an equivalent six figures of cash on an ICE car of equally unreasonable power.

    Tesla does make your '250hp' BEV. It is the Model 3 RWD standard range. I can't say what the ratio of sales are between it, the AWD long range, and AWD performance, but this is Tesla's biggest seller. The starting price is still high, but it is a lot cheaper than a Model S.
     
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  3. mikefocke

    mikefocke Prius v Three 2012, Avalon 2011

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    Did cost less to make than with those mega castings perhaps. Though I suppose the design, machines to make them and the crash testing would not be cheap. .But no Tesla costs less to a customer than they did 2 years ago.
     
  4. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Hummmm.
    <AHEM> What is cheaper today?

    Bob Wilson
     
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    flights? :cool:
     
  6. 3PriusMike

    3PriusMike Prius owner since 2000, Tesla M3 2018

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    Not quite.

    You can use the other controls on the steering wheel to do a lot:
    - left stalk button, triggers a single wiper wipe and a long press emits washer fluid and several wipes
    - left stalk push: high beams
    - right stalk changes gears (drive/reverse; park via button press)
    - you also use the right stalk to enable/disable cruise control and auto pilot
    - the left scroll wheel changes volume and other audio controls
    - the right scroll wheel adjusts cruise control set speed
    - pressing the right scroll wheel initiates voice control
    - and, of course the motorized seat position is controlled by buttons on the seats
    - interior lights and hazard lights are controlled from buttons above

    When using the touch screen to do things like adjust the side mirrors you use the steering wheel scroll wheels to make the adjustments

    There are probably a few others that I've forgotten

    Mike
     
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  7. DavidA

    DavidA Prius owner since July 2009

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    Couple of comments here. The F&R megacasting machines Tesla now uses to produce the 3's and the Y's are not necessarily to save the customer any money on the cars - the prices won't be reduced by utilizing those in the production process. They exist more for Tesla to produce more cars, more efficiently and more accurately. The structural battery pack in the middle of that design is just frosting on the cake.

    What 3PriusMike mentions is a good point, as long as Tesla keeps the stalks in the cars. I fear the stalks won't be included in the next refresh cycles. But there is the huge list of voice controls that might help.

    I found the following spreadsheet of commands at the Tesla Motor Club forums... [ EDIT... Err - weird, I didn't think this would embed... ]
    I can remove the spreadsheet if this isn't allowed, or if the author doesn't want this here. It is kept on-line as a semi-private resource. Also note that many have reported that some of these commands don't currently work, or have been depricated in recent firmware updates.

     
    #27 DavidA, Jan 22, 2022
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2022
  8. DavidA

    DavidA Prius owner since July 2009

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    Gads! I just looked at the big official Tesla Map of Superchargers, showrooms and service locations for Vermont. You're right. Except for a few Supercharger stations, the area is a black hole. As many electric, PHEV and hybrid cars that are rolling around in Vermont, I'd think that state would be a shoo-in for Tesla. Well, that sucks. And I want to move (retire) there someday. Perhaps in a few more years they'll up their game. One can hope. Can Tesla not legally do biz there yet?
     
    #28 DavidA, Jan 22, 2022
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2022
  9. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    The casting machines are part of all efficiency improvements that reduce product cost. For example, Tesla has suppliers delivered in trailers parked normal to the assembly line so unloading pieces is straight to the line ... not to storage and then to line. More importantly, Tesla encourages rapid innovation by everyone making their EVs. There are more examples of which the casting machines are an important part.

    One recent improvement is building the battery pack with seats, dash(?), and internal wiring on top. This whole assembly is inserted into the body and attached. Previous practice was to build the body and insert dash and seats through the doors like building a model ship in a bottle.

    Just to give a heads up, the 2021 Q4 financials are coming up January 26, 2022. The Q&A will have a lot of nuggets about what Tesla is doing to improve their manufacturing.

    Bob Wilson
     
    #29 bwilson4web, Jan 22, 2022
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2022
  10. dbstoo

    dbstoo Senior Member

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    If there is one phrase I learned to hate when working in Computer Operations it was "rapid innovation". It almost always includes some iterative process where crap is produced and QA/QC are forced to accept it with the promise that "it will be fixed in next week's version". If third parties are making assemblies for the Tesla line, and unload directly from the trailer to the production line, at what point is the quality control functions performed? I suspect that they take the vendor's word for the validity of the QC inspections.

    Castings, done right, are marvelous mechanisms for mass production. Done wrong, you end up with hidden stresses that only show up over time as warping and cracking.
     
  11. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    There is a reason for an independent integration and test team. They have a terrific ability to identify cr*p code.

    Bob Wilson
     
  12. dbstoo

    dbstoo Senior Member

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    That's absolutely true. The key here is independent, since a test department that's under orders to accept " good enough" will detect and pass that crap code (or defects in design/workmanship) on to the production line with the admonition that the problem has to be fixed on the next iteration.

    While that's bad enough in a software environment, it's even worse in a production line.
     
  13. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Supporting two satellite missions:
    • Coding departments pushed release of their cr*p code
      • notorious for violating quality coding and gutting QA
    • Integration and Test (I&T) established version control and application of test procedures
      • friends of QA because they document what works and doesn't
    • Operating system programmer(s), me, served the I&T team as the coders would rather walk on hot coals than ask my advice
      • the operating system is the only code that has to work
    As for the manufacturing line, Musk famously said words to the effect, "Do not continue building something that is known to be broke." My understanding is there is an I&T area that every Tesla goes through before release. So there are rapid changes through out the year that continues to amaze Sandy Munro:

    Tesla implements the Deming rules of quality manufacturing.

    Bob Wilson
     
  14. dbstoo

    dbstoo Senior Member

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    Unfortunately, rapid innovation is not just in the software domain. It also has to do with hardware changes. I can easily imagine the scenario where the seats can't be removed from a car built as posted above. That post said they were building the car body around the battery tray with seats already attached.
     
  15. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Not Tesla's problem but there is opportunity. Independent body shops have an excellent opportunity to increase their labor hours dealing with the 'seat problem.'

    Butt seat repair does not wag the Tesla dog. However, it will shake 3d party, insurance company claims.

    Bob Wilson
     
    #35 bwilson4web, Jan 22, 2022
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2022