video here: http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/t...ideo#more-3296

 

This is a cool idea. It makes me wish they'd made something for the regular car market, not the $100k sports car market. I'd love to have an electric car, especially with a 250 mile range, but I sure as hell don't want an opulent car like that, and certainly don't need it to be a sports car. How about a plain model for the regular folks who can't pay that kind of money for a lotus? Or how about a small pickup or suv? Great start, maybe those millionaires can prove that an electric car will work then they'll roll 'em out for the masses.

 

Seeing that car gives me hope, that one day I can with a clear conscience buy a sports car

 

The Tesla was on display at the science museum in San Jose during the SolarPower2006 trade show. I was super cool. Plus I got to shake the Governators hand. That was cool too.

 

http://www.phoenixmotorcars.com $45K for all electric truck or suv with 400+ hp, and enough battery to go 250miles. In production for delivery end of this year to fleet buyers, and on sale to the public in 2008.

 

Tesla motors plans on coming out with a "sedan" version in a couple of years if their roadster is succesful. They would use the profit off of the roadster to get it going. They figured they could make money off of the roadster because it is a specialty car, and with that money they can make a car more people can afford. Word is that it may be half as expensive? Still expensive, but when you're not buying gas, you might be able to do some fuzzy math and convince yourself its worth it!

 

Wow that looks very interesting. Seems this idea is getting off the ground, I hope these outfits can make it work. We need it so badly...

 

One quick question came to mind when I went to their website:

Is there any point in making an electric vehicle that is so expensive that few people can buy it? What sort of message is it sending to the rest of us?

 

You'll buy ALOT of fuel for MANY years to coming close to offseting the cost of buying one of these. Essentially, you have to be very well to do.

I think stuff like this will be detrimental to the progress of electric vehicles...because public perception will not take kindly to alternative energy choices when they are completely priced out.

 

Tesla did a lot of branding and strategic research and discovered it was easier for a car manufacturer to go "down market" i.e., think of a BMW3 Audi A3 or Volvo S40 compared to their more presitgious brethern-- than it was for a company, like VW to go "up market" i.e., the $100,000 VW Phateon they stopped making 'cause no one wanted to spend $100kk on a "VW."

IMHO, they're doing the order of the cars correctly. Their goal is to bring electric cars to everyone. But when you take on entrenched interests in a market with such high barriers to entry, you can't change the world over night.