Tesla to sell $35,000 model by 2017

[Captain Awesome]

I'm getting a feeling that Atomoa/Baggo views Tesla and solar energy as a proverbial wrench about to get tossed into the wheels of major corporations, oil business, and the establishment. Like the midget that killed the Giant with a slingshot, Tesla is about to create a revolution and finally send big corporations packing. Revolution is near! Solar is paving the way for democracy and prosperity! This is what happens when you bring teenage angst into political or economical discussion.

In reality, Tesla is just a corporation. It ain't the killer of the evil oil business, there's no magical revolution coming, no Evil vs. Good fight about to go down. Solar is a great thing, but guess who is the biggest player in solar business right now? Enbridge. Yes, the evil empire that Atomoa wants destroyed has been building and investing in solar farms for years - and profiting from both oil and solar.

Will Tesla gain some grounds? Of course they will. Little by little, they'll chip away at the market share of other automotive companies. But it ain't about bringing democracy or killing evil car manufacturers. It's just business. Like Apple used to be a rebel and was viewed by many as that little guy who is about to kill the giant (Microsoft) - Microsoft is till there, Apple is a giant now, billions of dollars are flowing in and out of it, and the whole "rebel" thing (cue in 1982 ad) was a nice marketing ploy to get extra market share. But hey, don't knock Apple as I happen to be a shareholder, along with Tesla ;)

[Dizzy1]

Just plug your car in, its as easy as that, nothing has to change ...

Ontario's overabundance of utility firms may pose a major roadblock to the province's plan to boost electric car ownership, some experts say.

The experts say Ontario's 75 independently operated utilities often overlap their efforts and breed inefficiency, holding back upgrades needed so the grid can support what the province expects will be an influx of electric cars in the next few years.

"A lot of work needs to be done (…) if Ontario is going to move toward infrastructure to support electrification of vehicles," said Hossam Gaber, an energy professor at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology.

"Having co-ordination is important to avoid waste of time, waste of resources and also, making sure we are not lacking or losing something important."

Plug'n Drive, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the move to electric cars, said about 2,500 of the province's approximately seven million cars are electric — less than half a per cent.

The province said in 2009 it aims for one in 20 cars to be electric by 2020 — at least 380,000, based on current figures.

Thomas Timmins, head of the global renewable energy practice at the law firm Gowlings, said grid upgrades are needed as demand for power grows exponentially with charging speed. Fast charging — under an hour — uses up to 10 times the power a household usually consumes.

"Everyone's going to be like, 'I need to charge in an hour. I need to charge in 15 minutes. No, no, I need to charge in five minutes,'" he said.

Some small-scale utilities have as few as three employees and are unequipped to handle the necessary changes, he said.

Horizon Utilities' vice-president of business development, Neil Freeman, said one way to better integrate electric cars would be to merge some of the utilities.

"It would be easier to implement those innovations and it would be of lower cost," he said. "There would be less administrative cost for larger utilities than 70 different implementations."

Provincial boards proposed some forms of merger in 1996 and again in 2012, but officials never acted on those recommendations. Some firms, however, did merge of their own volition after 1996, dropping the number of utilities — 393 at its peak in 1932 — to close to current levels.

Ministry of Energy spokeswoman Andrea Arbuthnot said the province will not force mergers, but expects firms themselves to form "innovative partnerships."

She said the government has pumped $50 million into research on smart grids — systems that provide feedback so utilities can identify high-demand areas — which should help ensure electric car owners get the power they need without overwhelming the grid.

About $14 million of the funds have been doled out so far but Arbuthnot said the province will announce where the rest will go in the "near future."

Meanwhile, some are taking steps to ensure the existing electric cars are integrating well into the grid in certain areas.

Plug'n Drive is providing lists of those who buy home chargers to 14 major utilities in the province to monitor usage, said outreach manager Ron Groves.

"The idea there is that if they see a cluster happening — of five, six, 10 electric vehicles in a neighbourhood — they can make a decision as to whether the infrastructure there can handle the load."

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... htm#119872

One out of 20 cars being electric in the next 6 years is much more realistic then Atoma's "prediction". But even for that, the infrastructure to provide electricity has to be built up. Look at the brown outs occurring in the summer months around the continent when everyone plugs their A/C in yet some honestly expect our current hydro system to be able to start charging an supposed onslaught of ecars and be able to handle it easy peasy. Dillusional.

[Queen K]

Osoyoos has two electric car chargers, side by side with a sign, "if you aren't charging the car, 30 minute parking only."

[Atomoa]

In reality, Tesla is just a corporation.

So was Ford and the model T. Apple and the iPhone.

Tesla is been around for awhile, now they have a "new product", which i would compare to the iPhone, yet actually beneficial and not just gimmicky. Governments and municipalities will want in on it. Business.

How much of our food/product costs direct relate to transportation, which relates directly to fuel costs?

The automotive selling industry is fighting Telsa tooth and nail. That is your first clue. Think about something. Tesla made the best car - ever made. That received "mixed fare" news coverage in North America. Imagine if Ford did it. There would have been parades.

They are the first in line of the oil pack. The consumers of oil. Next comes the producers of it.

Who knows what will happen. Is this a guarantee? Am I saying 100% that Tesla can shake the foundations to the roots of the earth? Maybe. Wouldn't be the first time it's happened on our planet.

Also Telsa is known for surprises. I wouldn't put it past them that the price of this new e-car drops. Say it's going to sell for 35K. Announce it 3 years from now at $29.995.

To clarify. I'm fighting the pipeline, not "Enbridge". I'm fighting the lies that are pushing the "need" for the pipeline and the impacts of it on my country. The fact that Enbridge has so much influence on our government/laws is something that I don't agree with and am also fighting against - but the boys in the board room are just greedy people who have purchased power from - governments! That is allowed and encouraged due to our economic system and electoral process that is flawed, dominated by money and is disproportionate to the population.

If you are going to attack my character, at least try to understand it.

[maryjane48]

For such a business friendly poster, I'm surprised to hear such a "can't do" attitude.

its called owning stocks in a oil company lol , i knew exactly what you meant when you said cell phones and you are right . to say people will not buy a under 40 thousand electric car that people can really use is like saying people wont breath air anymore, once the electric flood starts , it wont be stopped :P

[Dizzy1]

Also Telsa is known for surprises. I wouldn't put it past them that the price of this new e-car drops. Say it's going to sell for 35K. Announce it 3 years from now at $29.995.

You can pick up a Mitsubishi I-MIEV for $27K today, a Nissan Leaf for $31K, a Chevy Volt for $35K. I don't see the streets lined up with them. Why do you figure in 3 years time people will be lining up for a Tesla? Hybrids still have a very small slice of the market, never mind full electric. Hate to burst your bubble, but there is still a very large gap between reality and what you're hoping for. The gap will get smaller over time, but it won't be nearly as fast as your hoping.

[Gilchy]

To be fair, the existing cheap electrics are all nearly double the price of their respective competitively equipped gas counterparts. The Volt is double the price of the Cruze, Leaf is nearly triple that of the Versa, and the miEV is hot garbage.

The Model S succeeds because it is directly competes with the 5-series, E-class, Panamera, etc, for price, fit and finish, and performance. If Tesla can do the same with the Model E, they'll have a winner. If not, it will fail like the others.

[Dizzy1]

Its not the price that's going to be a game changer - its going to be the capability of ecars such as range. Until ecars provide comparable range for a reasonable price, internal combustion engines will remain king

[Atomoa]

Hate to burst your bubble

I really doubt this statement.

As Glitchy already mentioned, the Model S competes directly (and beats out) its classed competitors, even with your range worries.

Have a fun read:

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/tesla_model_s

Edit in : Telsa says their supercharging stations will always be free.

[Dizzy1]

I really doubt this statement.

As Glitchy already mentioned, the Model S competes directly (and beats out) its classed competitors, even with your range worries.

So you are now suggesting that Tesla is outselling their competitors?

I can assure you that the majority of 3 series cars won't be abandoning their cars for a Tesla because of two simple reasons - range and convenience

[GordonH]

Once we get more electric cars on the road (which is a good thing), do you honestly believe they'll be giving electricity away? The more ecars on the road, the more its gonna cost to charge.

Efficient vehicles are bad for government coffers because people spend less on fuel, and by extension fuel taxes. Therefore, I believe that we will see more and more toll highways in the future to make up the difference.

I'm sure those who come up with tax idea's (Provincially & Federally) will find a way to recoup lost tax revenues.

[Dizzy1]

I'm sure those who come up with tax idea's (Provincially & Federally) will find a way to recoup lost tax revenues.

Once they have enough people hooked on - they will.

[Atomoa]

Yeah, doom doom doom.

Even if they get the range figured out, they will tax you to death. Better stick to diesel.

[Atomoa]

Yeah, doom doom doom.

Even if they get the range figured out, they will tax you to death. Better stick to diesel.

[Captain Awesome]

It's like talking to your average Apple fan boy: "APPLE IS THE GREATEST COMPUTER OF ALL TIMES AND ANYBODY WHO DISAGREES IS WRONG! ALSO ANYBODY WHO DOESN'T IMMEDIATELY PROCLAIM THEIR LOVE FOR APPLE IS THE WORST HUMAN BEING ON THE PLANET AND SLAVE TO MICROSOFT CAUSE APPLE IS AWESOME I CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT IT!!!"