Gripe for today

[8ntruck 7,022]

I ran across a news release for the new Tesla Roadster today.  The pictures show a car with what looks like a non-removable top.  THAT IS NOT A ROADSTER!

 

A proper roadster has no top or side windows.  Think MGA, Trimuph TR3, MG TC, or Jag XK 120.  The tops and side windows on those were temporarily and sort of makeshift structures.

[Mickwhitt 4,642]

Looks like a small section of the roof does remove for storage in the boot (trunk).

This is not a Roadster either, it is a Targa top.

Mr Musk really ought to learn a bit about cars, and possible speed limits. Why make a luxury electric car that can do 250+ mph with a 0 to 60 time of less than 2 seconds?

Why not make a smaller car that can drive longer and be affordable.

If Ford had made the model T in the same way no one would be driving these days except the super rich. 

 

[ebinmaine 67,695]

3 hours ago, 8ntruck said:

NOT A ROADSTER

Agreed. 

"Drove"  me nuts years ago when folks would cross contaminate the two. 

 

1 hour ago, Mickwhitt said:

Why make a luxury electric car that can do 250+ mph with a 0 to 60 time of less than 2 seconds?

 

Publicity. Fame. Attention. Senseless.  

[JoeM 7,874]

4 hours ago, 8ntruck said:

THAT IS NOT A ROADSTER

Never really gave that much thought. So wondering what is proper relative to being a roadster, I ask Google.

You are spot on, per Google, it is not a roadster. Borderline with the top thing, but mostly because it has four seats!

 

And as far as needing a super galactic fast automobile....not for me......but I will say it is good stuff and has a silver lining.  The filthy rich, who will by these cars, are paying the way through technological advances that will find their way into the everyday drivers needs. Kind of like NASCAR. I can't imagine the amount of safety and performance knowledge gained from building 200 mph circle burning cars.

 

My gripe of the day; I can't have one. Oh well back to CL looking for a real no top horse that I might drive down the road!

 

 

 

 

road·ster

/ˈrōdstər/

Learn to pronounce

 

noun

 

1. an open-top automobile with two seats.

   • a horse for use on the road

      

Edited February 12, 2021 by JoeM

[ebinmaine 67,695]

7 minutes ago, JoeM said:

a horse for use on the road

Are you sure that part was in there?

[JoeM 7,874]

8 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Are you sure

Yeah, google roadster definition. I couldn't believe it either.

 

The Webster version

roadster

 noun

Save Word

To save this word, you'll need to log in.

Log In 

 

road·ster | \ ˈrōd-stər  \

Definition of roadster

 

1a: a horse suitable for riding or driving on roads

b: a utility saddle horse of the hackney type

2a: a light carriage : BUGGY

b: an automobile with an open body that seats two and has a folding fabric top and often a luggage compartment or rumble seat in the rear

Edited February 12, 2021 by JoeM

[953 nut 55,329]

        @8ntruck, if that is the biggest gripe you have today I would say you are living a charmed life.      As for Mr. Musk and his choice of names for his creation, I guess the golden rule applies,   "he who has the gold rules".            

5 hours ago, Mickwhitt said:

Mr Musk really ought to learn a bit about cars, and possible speed limits. Why make a luxury electric car that can do 250+ mph with a 0 to 60 time of less than 2 seconds?

Why not make a smaller car that can drive longer and be affordable.

In 1962 the Chevy 2 was introduced. It was a light weight affordable car with a four cylinder engine that delivered great gas mileage. The first thing the automotive magazines of that time did was figure out how a 327 V8 could be installed. (they knew the 348 would never fit)

In the end the four cylinder engine was not a popular choice and most buyers went with the optional six cylinder engine. A couple of years later the second generation Chevy 2 came with a popular optional V8 engine.

[Tractorhead 9,064]

13 hours ago, Mickwhitt said:

Looks like a small section of the roof does remove for storage in the boot (trunk).

This is not a Roadster either, it is a Targa top.

Mr Musk really ought to learn a bit about cars, and possible speed limits. Why make a luxury electric car that can do 250+ mph with a 0 to 60 time of less than 2 seconds?

Why not make a smaller car that can drive longer and be affordable.

If Ford had made the model T in the same way no one would be driving these days except the super rich. 

 

 

 

Let me think another Way.

 

The Electric Powercars are *gg*  sensenseless, without useful clean to produce Energy Storage.

What will benefit a Car with even 600HP and a speed up to 300mph in a 2 sec. when the battery drops after 150 miles distance.

3h break while quickchargers the most of the time ain‘t work.

We had last year a Customer, that arrives with a Tesla, 5 hour‘s too late.

His excuse - all Quickcharger on the route are out of order, just normal charging was available , so he hopped from charger to charger

all the quickchargers have an System error..😂 - yap, sensefully technic..

That can maximum be a „lookwhatihave“ but never a senseful alternative transport system.

 

And what means Clean, what about sustainability?

They shall be clean - right?

When the cars will be used - mostly at day i guess.

Where did the energy came from to recharge ?      from Solar - huh in the night - you believe in that?

from Windmill‘s - not only  we using upright 30-40% of renewable energy at present.

 

I never see Solar systems they work well in the night, so the power in the night just can be taken from Windmills.

that drops clean energy to about 20-25% down.

Cable Powerlines to move the energy from north to south doesn‘t exist but they be felt zillion times discussed if they make sense yes/ no..

About 30% of the Offshore Windmill in the Northsea doesn‘t have at all Powerlines to transfer their Energy,

because of unclear or spreading laws and rules and country borders.

Several of this Energy plants ( the unused) instead must be put each week with hundrets of litre Diesel into Generators to give the windmills moving and power to keep them movable and prevents them from fixing by rust. 

 

Next point is our actual Powerlines in the cities and at outback have to be massive improved if everybody have to use an electric Car.

Especial in bigger Cities they grown the last years massive they never be planed for such additional Powercapacity needs.

So for now in my opinion we are definitely not ready for the big E- Car Structure, independently how cheap this things are.

What about repair and fix up? 

All the comfy is allway’s nice, as long as it works.

The most things on the „new economy“ was designed to last just short timeline and be exchanged soon after warrany is gone.

What is in 15 or maybe 20 years with that cars if first parts be worn out, or electric have a failure are they available ?

can they be fixed or repaired or will they be built like dishwashers and fridges for the trash and buy new concept?

 

 

 

if you ask me if a E- car that cost me a dollar, i would stay with my old Car.

it run‘s now since 25 years, after i change worn out parts to bring it back to life, it will last another several years.

That is more sustainable instead trash and buy new.

Compared to my Wheelhorse - it was produced and it runns - would i trash and exchange with an electric one? Nope

 

Hybrids instead can be a good way until we be ready for the next step.

 

Changing the consumption from Fuel to hydrogen can be sensefully idea,

but it is not enforced or supported. I knew BMW did 20years ago a Fieldstudy with at least 50 Cars.

They had their own filling Station on their Property. Than they experimented with hydrogen fuel cell.

They told they had massive Storage problems of Hydrogen - what i doubt a little.

If they be that High tech Companies as they will be, this issues can be solved, if not - hum....

hydrogen Engines are the inbetween future in my opinion.

 

[Handy Don 12,246]

14 hours ago, Mickwhitt said:

Mr Musk really ought to learn a bit about cars, and possible speed limits.

I think he knows a lot more than you realize. Early adopters who will pay premium prices frequently want the sizzle more than steak.

Tesla's S, 3, and Y performance versions outsell the basics right now.  Will that change in future? I'm sure it will (and I'm holding out for a true electric estate wagon to replace my Volvo)! But there will still be a Tesla in that future because of these performance sales that buoyed the company at startup.

Important to remember, too, that the T was replacing horse carriages and there was no significant penetration of autos in the market. His vehicle was faster and accelerated quicker and he could win on an economic basis. Tesla had to prove EVs were viable. Different market situation, different product tactics. And while it was "low cost" it was not cheap. He raised the wages of his employees and provided financing so that they would buy his T's! 

And need I point out the thread here on the forum whose contributors like fast movers? 

[8ntruck 7,022]

Truthfully, my wife and I could get by just fine with a battery powered car for our daily use.  Only problem is, when we travel, it is usually a trip of 500 or 700 miles.  The battery recharge time to get that sort of range is nowhere as quick as the 'recharge' time of a gas powered car.

 

In the future, we might consider a battery powered car for local use when we are replacing one of our gas powered cars - provided the price is not too high.  We would keep a gas powered second car for long distance travel.  The last several 'new' cars we'vs gotten were actually used cars.  We let somebody else take the bulk of the depreciation hit.  I'm not convinced that a used battery powered car is a good idea yet.

 

 @JoeM - the Jag XK 120 line came in 3 models: a roadster (no top or windows), a drop head coupe (convertable top with roll up windows), or a fixed head coupe (permanent hard top with roll up windows).  

[tom2p 2,394]

this Tesla roadster looks proper - and has traveled at speeds in excess of 50,000 mph making it the fastest roadster ever produced 

 

Edited February 13, 2021 by tom2p

[Tractorhead 9,064]

7 hours ago, Handy Don said:

 

And need I point out the thread here on the forum whose contributors like fast movers? 

 

No, but it doesn‘t make the fun with the right „ Accoustic“

The soundambiente must fit to a fast mover, only a sirring noise - meeeh

[tom2p 2,394]

7 hours ago, Handy Don said:

I think he knows a lot more than you realize.

 

agree - knows just a little more  lol

 

Musk is the current generation Thomas Edison 

 

few people that will occupy the earth will have the impact Elon Musk has - he has revolutionized the auto industry and also revolutionized the space industry 

 

[Tractorhead 9,064]

15 minutes ago, tom2p said:

agree - knows just a little more  lol

 

Musk is the current generation Thomas Edison 

 

few people that will occupy the earth will have the impact Elon Musk has - he has revolutionized the auto industry and also revolutionized the space industry 

 

Sorry for my ignorance, 

 

https://newsroom.porsche.com/de/produkte/taycan/historie-18533.html

 

 

but Porsche did it as a pioneer allready a complete electric Car with Wheelmotors.

Sure the power and torque of electromotors improves dramatically in the last years and even battery‘s get better (lithium)

 

but i didn‘t see up to the last vew years not a lot of porsches riding only electric.

The most up to now was just propellered by an Fuel engine.

That wonders me, because electric drive that‘s their roots.

 

I compared mr. Musk sometimes with Steve Jobs.

they both are visionaries with great ideas, just Musk is better in marketing as Jobs was.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 13, 2021 by Tractorhead

[lynnmor 7,315]

With nuclear, hydro, wind, natural gas, fuel oil, pump storage and waste burning power plants in my area, I am looking forward to a great clean future of electric cars, yeah, right.  With 100 percent of the riverfront property in my municipality taken by power companies, pipe lines and power lines crossing in all directions, when will we see that this nonsense has taken too much from us?  Put the power generation where the bulk of it is consumed, like Times Square for example.  Personally, I like generating power only when needed, like under the hood of a car or tractor.

[JoeM 7,874]

Having worked in the dirty old coal business for almost 4 decades, I too have a high resistance factor to change. 25 years ago 55% of electricity was coal.....now 25%. Say we need cleaner fuels. No doubt, but the automobile is a major contributor to heat and environment. One issue no one wants to, (me too), give up the convenience. 

Electric cars on the other hand do use energy. The energy is supplied at a source that has the control on emissions. Whatever is used, coal, gas, solar, windmill, nuclear, it is in a most efficient atmosphere. See were I am going with this?

Go to Germany for instance. They got cars but also have a superior mass transit system. I worked there some about ten years ago. The ICE train is awesome. Gasoline $5-6 a gallon. Makes that train look pretty good. All a mother of necessity having to import high dollar fuels. 

So the big boys know the ins and outs and the direction of the country.  Turning off the XL pipe line, whats that telling you? Maybe going to force the issue of mass transit / electric vehicles through higher fuel prices? If we also have to import high dollar fuels invention will prevail.

The big picture might look like this; If you are going to go on a 300 mile holiday trip, you'll jump in your electric car and drive 15 miles to your transit and away you go!

And don't forget those big boys might be getting some handsome R&D money from the government. And a super Roadster is born.

That car might be able to go 200+ miles an hour but has a 600+ mile normal driving range!  Technology is there and getting better.

Who knows, maybe we'll end up with modular battery change out stations. Taking less time to swap a dead one for a fresh one in less time then it takes to pump 15 gallons.

All subjective, with a dash of real!

 

[Tractorhead 9,064]

59 minutes ago, JoeM said:

 

Who knows, maybe we'll end up with modular battery change out stations. Taking less time to swap a dead one for a fresh one in less time then it takes to pump 15 gallons.

All subjective, with a dash of real!

 

 

That would be a solution, that i can imagine as a future Solution.

 

The only thing what is missing now is a standart for Battery Systems.

If such a standart is established, i be sure that will be a huge improvement about the acceptance on electric Cars.

 

 

[JoeM 7,874]

3 hours ago, Tractorhead said:

The only thing what is missing now is a standart for Battery Systems

Grab on to that @Tractorhead.......might just be the new "Henry Ford" of Electric Vehicles!

 

I did find this in the local paper business section today, ironic. 

 

 

[Tractorhead 9,064]

Yap, they made a lot‘s of Stock but what is about selling.

 

to be not missunderstood, i compare Mr. musk with Steve Jobs, both are great inventors.

Both can imagine things that others don‘t believe.

Like Steve Jobs, he revolutionarie the Cellphones from thumb mobilephones to the smartphones we have today.

A all in one solution, great solutions to have a Office in the Pocket.

 

Steve simply combines computer and cellphones to a so called Smartphone.

At the beginning iPhones didn‘t had that run until other manufacturer copies the idea.

Microsoft had their Windows CE systems in this timeline, but no WinCE Phone get‘s a bigger marketsegment.

Even Nokia phones flops with CE.

Handling was more complicated and more Computer oriented.

 

iPhone was more usedfriendly based, give the customer the solutions for real needs.

 

 

i see that similar with Tesla.

as long as each manufacturer build their own battery system, a wide spread is hard to do.

what about on a battery change- will it be possible or must i buy than a new Car because of profitability?

The base inventions be done long before,

but to build a new Achievement by combining that invetions sensefully IMHO is the challenge in this time now.

 

No doubt, Mr. Musk is far ahead, but even a giant can be falling deep with the wrong decisions what the past show‘s us.

 

And about stock options - they just tells us, where investors like to invest

but that have absolute nothing to do with real sales or the value of a Company, Stockoptions are imaginary Values.

See the last „ new economy bubble“ there was no real worth behind on the Company and their Stock values.

 

 

 

[JoeM 7,874]

More ironic new in the paper.

 

Edited February 13, 2021 by JoeM

[Handy Don 12,246]

8 hours ago, Tractorhead said:

they both are visionaries with great ideas, just Musk is better in marketing as Jobs was.

I mostly agree. History will have good things to say about both of them.

But don't discount the day to day influence on product, direction, and motivation that both of them provide in addition to what us outsiders see.

Jobs was no slouch at marketing, IMHO. Both of them aim, at profit of course and by their own standards, to improve peoples lives just as Edison and Ford did.

 

I was once offered a job at a company and told during my final interview that I'd be reporting to a genius. I didn't share what went through my head: "Hey, I'm pretty smart, but what will a genius think of me? This might not be fun at all." Turns out we got along well since part of his genius was knowing how to harness what his team did well--for example, he did not do interviews--he relied on others to choose the staff!

[Tractorhead 9,064]

You nailed it.

 

When i tubing arround, i sometimes touch at vids from so called „influencers“.

I have my own meaning about lot‘s of them, i don‘t like to talk about in detail.. 😎

They can do their thing, i have no problem with.

 

On the flip side i thinkering who in the heck follows them on each of their thumb try‘s.

Some seems to have the worse taste of the“ idiot of the day“ like the gorillaspray „Hairstylistin“ 😂

 

Does they have no own ideas or no own projects?

To see some other ideas to be inspired for a own project couldn‘t be a mistake.

but just hang on the lips on any influencers - 😎

 

 

That some of them have so much followers that scares me sometimes a little.

[tom2p 2,394]

On 2/13/2021 at 3:47 AM, lynnmor said:

With nuclear, hydro, wind, natural gas, fuel oil, pump storage and waste burning power plants in my area, I am looking forward to a great clean future of electric cars, yeah, right.  With 100 percent of the riverfront property in my municipality taken by power companies, pipe lines and power lines crossing in all directions, when will we see that this nonsense has taken too much from us?  Put the power generation where the bulk of it is consumed, like Times Square for example.  Personally, I like generating power only when needed, like under the hood of a car or tractor.

 
unfortunately too many don't see this or understand - they only see the final product or end result

 

( and don't understand what it takes to produce the product and for the product to continue to sustain or produce or work )

 

Edited February 14, 2021 by tom2p

[tom2p 2,394]

On 2/13/2021 at 1:15 AM, tom2p said:

agree - knows just a little more  lol

 

Musk is the current generation Thomas Edison 

 

few people that will occupy the earth will have the impact Elon Musk has - he has revolutionized the auto industry and also revolutionized the space industry 

 

although the Edison - Musk analogy might not be ideal (Edison more of a true 'inventor') - I sold Musk short by omitting mention of PayPal

 

so - Elon Musk has revolutionized the financial payment industry - auto industry and the space industry 

 

Musk is also into other areas - including underground boring / tunneling with The Boring Company

 

but his most significant accomplishment is SpaceX

 

like most areas Musk got involved in, there were a number of early failures and the future was a question mark - but SpaceX now looking good and has delivered:  more / quicker launches at a fraction of the cost 

 

Edited February 14, 2021 by tom2p

[tom2p 2,394]

On 2/13/2021 at 4:59 AM, JoeM said:

 

Go to Germany for instance. They got cars but also have a superior mass transit system. I worked there some about ten years ago. The ICE train is awesome. Gasoline $5-6 a gallon. Makes that train look pretty good.

 

unfortunately US did not leverage and expand rail - and instead rail has been an afterthought 

huge fail in my opinion 

 

Edited February 14, 2021 by tom2p