Answers from Tesla

just got back from Kirkland (after a few detours on the way home) was not able to test drive it. they were in the middle of moving their showroom to a new location. but got some info on it. the salesman says Xebra not that good and they had a "Kurrent??" there and they were better for more torque and constant speed on hills. slower at 25 mph max, but can maintain that speed on hills and i live in an area with a lot of hills.

they also had a RAV 4 EV. for $52,000 with NiMH battery upgrade. also had a Ford Ranger EV with NiMH upgrade as well. both would do 120 miles and the Ford was only $29,000. if i didnt have a DESPERATE need for a 4 seater, i would have bought it right on the spot.

they also had a Ranger with the standard lead acid option for only $20,000 but the estimated 50 mile range is unacceptable for that much money.

all in all, an interesting trip. i have a friend in Salem who says there is a very large EV dealer down there so will probably road trip it down there as soon as i can.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tracysbeans @ Mar 17 2007, 02:45 PM) [snapback]407591[/snapback]</div>

Don't let the looks get in the way. WAY more stable and infinitely safer than the Sparrow wich protects the driver with... nothing.

I've heard this too... but nobody has been able to "turn the corner" with these cars get. The original company that built them sold them for about $25k... and they cost about $35k to build. Not much of a mystery why they went out or buisness!

Another option is a sedan with a small trailer. That's how I manage.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA @ Mar 17 2007, 08:06 PM) [snapback]407713[/snapback]</div>

??? NiMH upgrade? NiMH is the ONLY battery that the Rav ever had.

The Ford Ranger was offered with NiMH. I've not heard of ANYBODY actually upgrading one of the lead acid cars to NiMH, so my guess is just like the Rav - this is NOT an upgrade, but simply a NiMH car as it came from teh factory. $29k is still high for that vehicle.

This is the Ranger that I had. $20k is too mcuh. And 50 mile range is doable, but you won't do it more than a couple of times! Lead acid doesn't like being drained that low.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Mar 17 2007, 10:21 PM) [snapback]407676[/snapback]</div>

Hey Daniel I was just joking around with you on that spaceship EV. I wouldn't want to drive it either. Imagine the weird looks you would get :blink:

I know ALL about GM and what went down. I watched the movie "Who Killed The Electric Car" many times. I was just updating anyone who is wanting to follow them. I wouldn't get a GM Volt even if was available TODAY!

Hey what's up with Windstrings? When I first came on PC he was my buddy. He's now delusional? :huh:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA @ Mar 18 2007, 12:06 AM) [snapback]407713[/snapback]</div>

Yes, I totally agree that a stock Xebra is NOT GOOD. You you get an Xebra from Sean your getting a custom Xebra with mods to make it do more.

Your not going to want a Kurrent if it ONLY goes 25mph. That's TO slow for you. Actually though I did hear that did something to the Kurrent to make it go 35mph. I'm not sure how they are getting away with that but I guess so far they are since there still in business.

A stock Xebra goes about 35mph and have about 10-20 miles of range. Sean's Super Xebra goes about 40mph with about 40 miles of range. To me that should work for you.

Please don't tell Sean that you went to an Xebra dealer and there was NO demo for you to drive. That would make him SO angry. He is a stickler about making sure he has demos for people at anytime to test out. He things it's crazy for the dealers that don't. Did the people at Kirklands know you were coming??

Dave you say your close to OR right? Sean said he invites anyone to come try out the Xebras. He said you can even stay in their cottage there. He's in Grants Pass. Are you close enough? I think it would REALLY be worth your time to take a trip there.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Mar 18 2007, 01:47 AM) [snapback]407741[/snapback]</div>

Hey don't worry about it. I think the Tangos are a cute but just skinny. I'd take a black on if you will buy me one (Then assemble it to of course )

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Mar 18 2007, 01:47 AM) [snapback]407741[/snapback]</div>

Oh I never though of that. Well maybe Daniel wiill buy me a Obivo too. I'm sure he could get a deal on 2 of them! B)


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Mar 18 2007, 01:47 AM) [snapback]407741[/snapback]</div>

And I always had the feeling that Darell wasn't happy with his Ranger. (Just the feeling I got)

Daniel from what I heard when I was researching the "full featured" Evs is that the batteries and parts are hard at this point to get for the Rangers. I was advised to go for the ChevyS10 if I went for a used EV pickup. (The Chevy S10 with the better batteries--Can't remember now what those were) If I was a tinkier and could handle working on a used EV I'm sure one would be sitting in my driveway right now. (I like that I can plug my Gem into any 110v outlet instead of having to install and use a charging station. Especially since I have been out and had to recharge at a friends house a couple times)

 

I would love to get an electric car but until there's one that can get at least 100 miles on a charge at 60-70 MPH up and down some steep hills that doesn't cost much more than $20 k and has a decent amount of passenger space, it's unrealistic for my needs.

Stupid job being in the outer suburbs...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Mar 18 2007, 11:05 AM) [snapback]407859[/snapback]</div>

Yeah, what a wantonly reckless thing to do, eh? I bet he's in better shape than either of us and will outlive us both.

I agree with you about Scarlett Johanssen, but I think we have different tastes in cars. I think the Obvio 12 is sorta cute in a tree frog kinda way, but that Xebra is just plain ugly. And the Aptera? She is hot!

 

Man, I love how this thread meanders around the EV stuff. All good!

Safety: For me there are many different aspects. Almost too many to count. Plus, there is safety and "managed risk" which I also think are different.

To many American drivers "safety" means being able to survive a crash. To many Europeans "safety" means being able to avoid getting into a crash. For people like me, safety means "how do we keep the most people from injury or illness?" And my easy answer to that is, "get people out of automobiles." But that gets way the heck off the topic, so I won't go there. I'll stick with my second best, which is, "get people to stop burning oil for fuel."

Some folks find bicycling on regular roads to be foolhardy and dangerous. UNsafe, if you will. Yet if I have the option of riding my bicycle at 25mph, and having fantastic control - braking, acceleration, agility - at disposal, I consider my situation as being FAR safer than if I'm in a Xebra or Gem going the same speed without nearly as much control. Yes, there is more crap around me, but when the missle coming at you is 3,000 pounds (and way up!) that bit of extra "protection" is all but meaningless. My big plan is to avoid the crashes as much as possible.

The health aspect also goes hand-in-hand with the managed risk part. If I drive my Sherman tank to work for "safety" and lead a sedentary life - I don't find that "safe." I find it a poor way to stay in good health. I might not get killed in a crash, but I'm pretty likely to kill others that I crash into! And how many will I make ill - or outright kill - from the fuel I burn?

OK, I'll get off that horse! I'm just having so much fun riding these days I can barely stand it. I'm basically addicted to the speed, exhiliration and exercise now. When I'm stuck in a car going somewhere and see somebody humming along on a bicycle, I want to leap out of the car and pull the bike out from under the rider. My wife is now sick of hearing me say "Man, this would have been a nice day for a ride!"

It is just a damn good thing I don't have to buy all this expensive gasoline. No way I could afford my bikes if I had to pay for automotive fuel.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Zzyzx @ Mar 18 2007, 02:18 PM) [snapback]407919[/snapback]</div>

Well be prepared to wait a good while which is what you'll be doing.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Mar 18 2007, 03:21 PM) [snapback]407938[/snapback]</div>

I consider myself FAR safer in my Gem then I would on a bike or my moped. Yeah I'm won't be as someone in a "full featured" car but I am safer in my Gem than in my moped.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tracysbeans @ Mar 18 2007, 12:43 PM) [snapback]407948[/snapback]</div>

I am If my job were closer to me, it would probably be downtown at which point I'd probably just take the bus. It's not though, and the only way there requires 15 miles of freeway driving one way (along with some surface streets to get to the freeways) and there's some pretty big hills along the way. I'll keep reading because I'd love to go that route, but it's not going to be something that I expect to be able to do soon. When and if the conversion kits are sanely priced, I'll do that.

 

Tracy, Grants Pass is a drive but that can be done. would be a lot for one day so might have to wait for a month or two before i try that one. probably have to push it two days. so what is the cost of the upgraded xebra?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Mar 18 2007, 02:06 PM) [snapback]408016[/snapback]</div>

And I totally understand! My wife didn't learn to ride until she was an adult, and most of her family (in San Francisco) can't ride a bicycle to this day. I'm just starting to ride with some adult neices that began riding just a few years ago. It only takes a moment to recognize the signs of what I call a "non-native" rider. Nothing seems to come naturally, and every sensory input requires a reaction. Riding is like walking and breathing for me, as I was too young to remember when I actually learned how. My daughter began on two wheels when she was three, and I couldn't be happier. Biking is just a way of life for us.

Wow. That's awesome!

That's quite true, and it is a risk I'm willing to take to "live" if you know what I mean.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA @ Mar 18 2007, 11:13 PM) [snapback]408163[/snapback]</div>

Dave, Well Sean did put out a invatation to anyone who wanted to come down/up to Grants Pass to check out the Xebras. He defaintly reccomends it and said he had a cottage anyone can stay in.

The upgraded price I think is $15,000 but that would include EVERYTHING but the shipping for Seans upgrades. Otherwise through Zap the new controller is $400 through Earthday and $695 after that. Zaps new upgraded batteries are $1,200. Since I don't need more speed if I get an Xebra I will probably just get the new controller and upgraded batteries. That will get me a range at right about 40 miles they way I drive. (no reason in my opinon to go with stock when you can get something better one way or another.

I'm actually hoping that my buddy down the street will be getting an Xebra when he gets his settlment in May. I may jumo in and do the same since he's can then take care of both our vehicle B) (adding new stuff to them etc)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Mar 19 2007, 11:36 AM) [snapback]408350[/snapback]</div>

No the $15K would include everything you would need. I mean the Xebra already comes with all the regular options at around $10K. (stereo, heater, batteries etc) I mean I can't think of anything else you would need besides what already comes with the Xebra and the upgrades you get from Sean. I mean if you want different rims and stuff ok then all that kinda stuff could get you up over $20K. BUT for the standard stuff that already comes with the Xebra and the stuff Sean adds your at $15!

Now Gemcars is where you need to add tons of stuff since when you buy a Gem it's just a base vehicle and doesn't even come with the normal usual standard stuff like stereo, heater, door etc. This is especially so for people who are in the cold areas and have no choice but to get the hard doors, heater, gel batteries etc.

Even though I currently drive a Gem I feel I have to tell someone to get an Xebra over a Gem just for the reasons above.

 

thanks i will give him a call as well. i am planning a trip to Salem to visit a friend and check out the electric car dealership there. dont know what they have other than Xebras but my friend says its a pretty big place.