Tesla's Elon Musk promises sub-$30k all-electric car in less than four years
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted Jun 30th 2008 3:09PM
posted Jun 30th 2008 3:09PM
[Image courtesy of Edmunds]
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now we're talking...
so they heard engadget's blogger's calls for a cheaper vehicle ;)
bring it on...
So this is how it breaks down:
tesla $100,000
It is like the Lotus in that it is the smallest car in america, is all aluminum and uses a li-ion battery pack(the best out there but expensive). Has only 2 seats and a 200 mile range(lowered from the original 250+).
Will this new car be lighter? no
Will it have a longer range? no
Will it have better batteries? no
So explain to me how it will be $30,000 and actually useful?
Maybe they are getting a bunch of cheap compact car chassis and using that as a start. Like a Civic, Focus or Sentra as a base? Or maybe something like an older Mercedes Benz C-class, Nissan's FM platform, BMW 3, Audi A3/A4 or something?
I don't get your post.
The Lotus is smaller than any of those car and is all aluminum. Have you seen a elise? it's smaller than a Miata.
It weighs 1900lbs with a little engine. The Tesla weighs 2700lbs even with the aluminum and li-ion advantage!
If they make it really really slow like a Prius they should be able to get another say 40 miles from the same design(probably not). To get the price down something will have to give and for a $30,000 car everything would have to give a lot. The Prius sells for $25k in mass production and it would probably cost over $10k more to add li-ion batteries. And that would not be fully electric. Unless there is a way better battery or a way cheaper one I think this is FUD.
I don't think FUD means what you think it means.
@chris fredette
I think you are a bit mixed on low volume manufacturing and high volume manufacturing. The Elise SC (0-60 4.4 secs) probably the closest to the Tesla Roadster (0-60 3.9 secs) in performance already costs $55k base price. And it still uses a cheap toyota engine. Compare that to a corolla @ $15k or a yaris @ $12k. The difference in cost is very large between low volume manufacturing and high volume manufacturing. Also the roadster uses expensive carbon fiber. Also the range is 220 miles not 200. The Roadster is also burdened with being the car that is supposed to generate revenue of Tesla to use to fund the company. As you see with the Whitestar (or Model S), once things get going in higher volume the margins will be lower.
He's talking about a car that's 4 years away. 4 years is a long time for technology to evolve. We are on engadget right now, you should know that. He also didn't mention how many seats the $30k car will have or the performance or any details. Mitsubishi can make a 4 door EV and Subaru can make a 2 door one for ~$20k-$25k, maybe less, I don't see why Tesla can't make a useful EV for $30k, 4 years later.
http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/29/mitsubishi-shows-off-sporty-all-electric-i-miev-car-tesla-puts/
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/12/26/subaru-ev-could-arrive-as-early-as-2009/
The car Tesla just announced is going to be around $60k in case you are confusing this $30k promise with the $60k Model S.
Knowing Subaru their car is going to be awd standard. But the Mitsu you showed is a 2dr not a 4dr like you stated?
Yup, we sure are *talking*. For a company that makes one car a month, they sure are good at press releases. If I were running Tesla, I's shut up for a while and get some cars on the road. When you have 100s of people lining up to buy at 100k/per, why do you even *need* press releases? Maybe I'm getting too jaded, but I've been reading press releases from electric car companies for a bit too long. SHOW ME THE WHEELS!
Re "now we're talking". Yup, we sure are "talking". For a company that ships one car a month, Tesla sure is good at press releases. My suggestion to Elon is to shut up for a while and get some cars on the road. With 100s of people lined up for cars at 100k/per, why does Tesla even *need* press releases. Maybe I've gotten too jaded, but I've been reading electric car company press releases for 5 years. SHOW ME THE WHEELS! When will I see an Engadget post about a car you can actually get.
Wow. Tesla must have been reading the comments of the last Engadget post. That was fast.
I wish every company did that.
Well, I know I asked for a $5 blowjob machine. Did they not read all the comments? What gives, Tesla?
Yeah, it was totally all the comments on some crappy tech site that made Tesla consider building a cheaper electric vehicle. The fact that 100k is way too much normal car buyers had no role in their choice. Thanks everyone who posted, you really made this happen.
>_>
@ Brian. That's heresy talk 'round these parts son.
4 years is way too long... by then... there would already be green crude oil that is compatible with existing gasoline cars.
Yeah, I don't quite know about that.....
Yeah ummm...not so much.
Did you hear that? That's GM's boardroom screaming in horror.
I think GM's boardroom has been apathetic about electric cars when they killed the EV-1 6 years ago...watch "Who Killed the Electric Car"...it's eye opening...
I thought that it was the Stonecutters who hold back the electric car.
I guess you guys missed all the news about the Chevy Volt?
http://www.chevrolet.com/electriccar/
Yes it's real and yes they're shooting for 2010. Last I heard it will probably be priced higher than this, but to say GM is screaming in horror/apathetic about electric cars is completely wrong.
The Volt is a hybrid... not a full electric
I will believe GM is pushing electric cars when i see it. no sooner
who held back the electric car! We DOOO, WEEE DOOOOOOOOOOO!
@thatrotierkid
To be completely correct,the Chevy Volt is a plug-in hybrid.
And last time I checked,toyota is doing the same thing by 2012 I believe?
Admittedly the Volt is a plug in hybrid, but the gas isn't used for propulsion at all, it's only used to generate electricity for the car. Also, for most commuters it will be basically an electric vehicle due to the range of it. Plus, it's real, we haven't seen any evidence from Tesla of this yet. Considering all the shakiness before the current one came to market and the price of it, I'm quite skeptical.
Aw great... another idiot that believe that docutrash.
I'm still waiting for me quadcore laptop that gets 15 hours battery life on a 20 minute charge.
(I can't wait for an electric car, but anyone with a brain knows that it's the technology that's holding it back... GM's got nothing to do with it. Believe me, after their current losses they'd be scrambling for a profitable EV1)
Maybe you should watch "Who Killed the Electric Car?" too, it is enlightening.
Make sure to notice the guy from TH!NK (which was owned by Ford at the time) who says that they'd explain the limitations of electric cars to people and then they would expect to pay LESS for them than a gas car, when in fact they cost many times more.
The movie itself fingers many causes at the end, not blaming just GM. It blames nearly everyone (mistakenly exonerating battery technology).
Give it a real watch next time, you might find it interesting.
Sorry, actually, there isn't anyone in GM's boardroom, everyone's booked the day off to go play golf, as usual.
GM has a boardroom?
@Ace b: hmm when chevy produces a hybrid car i will laugh...at the gasmileage...
anyway...toyota has also promised to produce enough hybrids to balance out profits with gas powered cars by 2010, and they have promised to have a complete hybrid fleet by 2020.
chevy might produce its first hybrid by 2012, but lets see its production and sales records and then we'll talk.
Holy crap! Sweet!
Anybody else wondering what the odds are Tesla gets bought out by one of the big 3 before this $30k car hits the streets?
The Odds are 0.... the big 3 are poor and have no funds to buy out anybody
How about Apple or Microsoft, or Google. More likely by some oil rich country.
Not bloody likely. Tesla hasn't really got anything in particular to offer, other than a certain level of tech integration expertise. They don't actually produce their car(s) themselves, they source them from more established manufacturers (Lotus currently). They probably don't produce the batteries themselves, either, so what exactly is left? Perhaps some of the electronics and the software. They have a narrow window ATM while the large manufacturers are napping/revving up their EV skills, and once they have caught up Tesla may have a niche as a boutique high performance EV shop. I would wager a guess that any of the large manufacturers' EV research departments are probably bigger than the entirely of Tesla.
Actually, Tesla is in talks with the Diahmler Group (Mercedes Benz) to manufacture parts for the Mercedes A class electric car.
I think this may be the direction Tesla eventually goes. They'll make money by designing the electrical parts needed to go into cars versus manufacturing on there own.
Tesla doesn't have the infrastructure to build cars at the price point they are discussing unless they partner with one or more companies. To effectively build their cars for cheaper, they'll have to mass produce them. To mass produce them, they'll need to partner up.
Woo!
Don't f*ck this up Tesla!
At least commit to completely typing out fuck. We all know what you mean.
/sarcasm: The automakers say there's no demand for electric cars. The people at Tesla must be crazy.
Just after I commented in the last post about how that price was too much for me they announce a car half the price? Great feedback, guys. Now, I demand your next announcement is of an electric scooter that costs $70, and gets 800 miles with 4 AA batteries.
No, you don't get it. The $30,000 model IS the scooter...
I would consider purchasing this vehicle. I bet it feels awesome to drive an all electric car.
Quiet + great acceleration = yes please.
2 cents per mile is also enticing :-D
How about you wait until we see the pictures unveiling a plastic ball with wheels.
That is why I said "consider"...if it is a plastic ball on wheels, I will definitely buy it. We'll just have to wait and see.
And it's gonna fly, too! And the onboard robots will drive for you!
Pretty easy to make promises without specifics.
in soviet russia onboard robot drive you
@phanbouy
now thats what im talking about right there... ya baby ya ;-)
As soon as I opend my mouth on the other tesla blog about 20 to 30 thousand price range cars, this had to blow me out of the water hahahaha. Josh you sly fox lolz.
Look at you Tesla type all awake and stirring things up. I suspect it could be that VC funding time of year again?
It will be interesting to see how their 30k car will compare to Toyotas all electric when it comes out in 2011. Raise the bar baby.... gas guzzling is passe.
So if the electric car was killed once what is to say it won't get killed again?
Because there are no more excuses anymore.
Because the price of gas is going through the roof, people are holding back their money. The American Auto companies are literally hurting and are being trampled by foreign car companies.
They know they NEED to make electric cars in order to survive and to beat out Japanese vehicles. If they don't, they are basically committing suicide.
Last time they were killed because it was just an experiment, this time we are in a crisis with gas prices going almost double as well as the obvious effects from global warming.
In less than 4 years everyone else will have a sub $30k all electric on the road.
I love Tesla... they make eco and gas friendly cars that actually look sexy. The other automakers should take note and stop building the monstrosities they are making. Just because you are an electric car driving man that doesn't mean you have bad taste or dignity.The future is looking green.
Stupid comment system... my first post was supposed to say this...
IM GETTING MY AUTOMOTIVE NEWS ON ENGADGET STILL??
Told you already, we've got rocket axles.
You guys dont realize how much money Elon has. He owns a private company here in California called Space-X. He owns Tesla and recently just sold paypal. The guy has more money than you could ever imagine, he WILL not be bought out, instead I could picture him buying the big 3.
You missed one. He owns Solar City as well
http://www.solarcity.com/
now that Bill Gates has time on his hands maybe he can work for telsa. Steve would be so jealous
Blasphemer! no please no windows on my car... or blue windshield of death! don't even mention that and give the guy ideas.....
Have you seen the Sync system in Ford Motor Co cars, their system is very nice and have a nice interface so I have heard. Unless you are being sarcastic.
YA BABY!!!
Ummm when the fuck was 60K affordable for a car? Maybe if payments are on a 12 year plan they would be but if I'm dropping 5-7 hundred per month on a car.....
im sorry sir. im afraid the atricle you are looking for is on behind the door to the right
reading comprehension: check minus
it says 30K, learn to read the article before you go about running that mouth of yours.
@tchapp
"Granted, a $60,000 car _*is affordable*_ but still quite steep for most buyers"
Reading comprehension, glass houses/stones, you know the rest.
I think that the tesla company is just a front to give people hope that ev cars will be sold to the mass public(maybe) and to distract the public from the fact that there are some cars out there that can be converted to all electric for around 10k in parts.
YA BABY!!!
I love the way Tesla's rolling out with these great cars but the main issue is IT WON'T GET ME TO VEGAS!!! Driving from Los Angeles will barely get me to Barstow. What is there to do in Barstow for 3.5 hours? I still love the look of Tesla's Roadster though.
I been told some nice friendly women. I know there are some in San Bernardino and Barstow isn't that far away.
Here is a link saying Tesla is "looking" to build the new sedan inthe bay area, so hopefully this calms down the outsourcing conspiracytheories
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/30/BATH11GGP2.DTL&type=tech
way ahead of you pal...
http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/30/tesla-announces-the-model-s-a-60k-all-electric-five-passenge/
sorry everyone.....just testing to make sure my new avatar works.....
The bottom is chopped off and it looks like somebody took a bite out of it. Also, the colors are all wrong.
How much will it cost in electricity, to power up these cars? Electricity is pretty expensive too, so will it actually be cheaper to run one?
it will cost about 5x and take as much time as charing your cell phone!
I believe Tesla has said 2 cents per mile for their other model(s), I don't suppose this one is too far off of that mark.
The big question is...how often and how expensive is the battery change?
It probably won't cost you less by much. But I have heard people saying power plant can produce power 6x more efficiency than car engine, don't know if it includes all the transmission and conversion back and forth.
The Tesla Roadster has a 53 kWh battery system. With a 90% conversion rate from your home's AC to the battery's DC, you're looking at around consuming 58 kWh for charging completely drained batteries. The EPA range on the roadster is 220 miles.
According to rates from the DOE, it'd cost this much to fill:
CA: $8.32
WA: $4.29
OH: $5.10
TX: $6.75
Assuming they use the same battery system in this new car, when was the last time you were able to fill up your car for under $10?
@ Danakin
That's not bad. I can char my cell phone pretty quick if the grill is hot enough.
Its funny, ever single blog post on electric cars have the same comments/questions asked by uninformed people.
1. Yeah, but how much does it cost to charge it?
2. Yeah, but you have to replace the battery in a couple years.
3. Yeah, but the power plant still burns coal to produce electricity.
4. Yeah, but it takes 8 hours to charge it.
And so on.
And everytime, someone who knows what they're talking about; usually Steve, will clue them in. I guess it will be a very slow process to correct all the myths people believe.
finally, some talk about an affordable electric vehicle. When can I sign up for this one? and where?
How much will charging cost? If it boosts my home electric bill up $400 extra a month...I'm not so excited. On second thought, getting out from under the middle east would be worth it.
Scott
Good stuff...I can't wait to own one! You Rock My Socks Off Tesla!
Liar, Liar, pants on fire.
This car should have been built before the sedan. There is a much greater need for a sub $30k commuter car than another inaccessible electric sports car.
Its called supply and demand.....
affordable electric vehicle not my cup a tea, an affordable electric vehicle with gas backup would fit my life.
Typically a commute would trigger a highly efficient gas driven aspect but on the longer trips (IE: >100 miles) it would recharge the batteries and the help drive system.
I typically do put on 600 mile in a week with four out of 5 commute days less than 50 miles.
The electric power should be the primary but not the sole source of power to drive a vehicle. Adding in Photo-electric paint/surface would also help supplement the vehicles power system.
But a straight electric vehicle will be a difficult sell, especially to me.
You dont have to charge it once a week. Plug it in when you get home from work.
Maybe Elon Musk should first launch his Space-X rockets. He has had two launch failures, and just delayed the third for yet another month. He's going to be out of money soon - if he can't launch his rocket, how is he going to get his tesla-motion on?
the US airforce is paying him to send payloads into space now. he just got a contract with them and NASA, dont you worry...he'll do things right.
Hopefully the green movement and the no B.S. nature of the blogosphere will keep people focused on the importance of a car like this and not let the same thing happen again like the EV-1 in California. Let's not let the big $ that runs everything in the world mess this up again. Eyes on the prize people.
A mainstream electric car is great and all, but from what i recall CA in recent years had rolling blackouts due to energy issues. Has anyone thought about what exactly will be needed for a large city/state to support millions of cars charging during a swealtering summer. What kind of infrastructure will be needed to support this and where exactly will that energy come from? I understand this is going to be a long, gradual process, but it's still something I haven't heard anyone address.
It's been addressed.
1. Enron went bankrupt and the execs got jail time. Watch "The Smartest Guys in the Room"
2. Generally peak power usage is mid-day to afternoon, when it's hottest. It is most likely that recharging will be done between the hours of 7PM and 5AM, when there is an excess of power available on the grid.
Im sure California has plenty of empty desert space to make solar power plants and wind turbine farms...
Um yea, until people are charging with the 220 - 70 amp plug for 3.5 hours a night. Not sure how this equates to 2 cents a mile either. Someone please enlighten me.
"As I sat in the Roadster, Tesla's Joe Powers explained, "The Roadster can handle charge from a 110 or 220 Volt circuit, and be adjusted to charge at rates between 15 amps and 70 amps. This can take anywhere from 3.5 hours (70 amps at 220 V) to over 24 hours (15 amps at 110 V)."