It there a "Tesla is Motor Trend Car of the Year" thread?

[kalm]

Clearly you haven't checked with John StWrong...
nobody seriously looks at Tesla vehicles

I know I live in NoVA, but Teslas are in demand here. A Tesla in the Mid-west, South, or Big Sky country might not make sense (at least now), but people are snatching them up in the Northeast, Cali, and East/West Coasts (bias). As already proven, the market is there.

Plus we should be rooting for Tesla. It's an American company...representing American ingenuity...building cars in America...named after a great American. What the hell is there not to like?

Liberals.

[AZGrizFan]

With respect to the quote below: As I said, you think a Tesla makes sense for you. And that's fine. I think everything in your quote below until you get to the part about "..they've reached the "range" point where it's virtually a non-issue for 95% of the drivers and miles driven."

No way on that one.

And the difference between your Ford F150 and a Tesla is that, regardless of the circumstances, you are going to be able to find somewhere to fully "recharge" your Ford 150 in less than five minutes. That may not matter to you if you're confident that you're always going to have 10 hours or so to charge your vehicle while you're doing other things. But I think that if that's the case you are the exception rather than the rule.

Here's another tidbit of clarity, John: My 2013 F150 is "rated at 15/20. Guess what, I have NEVER gotten 20, I average about 14.2 and have never gotten higher than 18.5. You know why? Because the temp isn't "ideal", I don't drive 55, it's not perfectly flat, it's windy, sometimes I turn the heater or the AC on, etc., etc. NO vehicle achieves it's "rated" mileage. Your revelation about the Tesla isn't exactly earthshattering.

But at the end of the day, my truck spends 9 hours per day parked at my work garage (where it could be plugged in) and about 14 hours per day in my garage at home (where it could be plugged in). My commute is 17 miles each way. On the weekends I put an average of maybe 200 miles on the truck, and (as I said in an earlier post) there is only ONE trip I've taken in the past year where I couldn't have taken a Tesla and been just fine (and in reality, THAT was because I needed to tow something).

I've done the math, and the 5 year cost of ownership of my F150 is about $67,500. The 5 year cost of ownership of a Tesla is about $63,600 (with the $7500 tax credit). So in reality, Tesla has ALREADY reached the price point where it makes financial sense to consider one, and they've reached the "range" point where it's virtually a non-issue for 95% of the drivers and miles driven.

I didn't say I would ALWAYS have 10 hours to charge the car. But I WOULD have 9-10 hours 95% of the time, and in those long periods of inactivity I would be merely topping off the battery, since the commute to work is only 17 miles. And even if your commute was 50-75 miles, you'd STILL be able to completely charge the vehicle during the day/night prior to the next time you needed the car. And my situation applys to about 90% of the people in America.

[YoUDeeMan]

I know I live in NoVA, but Teslas are in demand here. A Tesla in the Mid-west, South, or Big Sky country might not make sense (at least now), but people are snatching them up in the Northeast, Cali, and East/West Coasts (bias). As already proven, the market is there.

Plus we should be rooting for Tesla. It's an American company...representing American ingenuity...building cars in America...named after a great American. What the hell is there not to like?

Liberals.

Well, it's Tesla (little, progressive car guy fighting against the huge, established, rich, Conk dealers/producers) versus George Clooney (Liberal) and the King of Lemmon Laws (ostensibly a man who works for the poor, trampled little guys against the huge, rich, Conk car dealers/producers)...so who the hell is going to win that battle?

[kalm]

Liberals.

Well, it's Tesla (little, progressive car guy fighting against the huge, established, rich, Conk dealers/producers) versus George Clooney (Liberal) and the King of Lemmon Laws (ostensibly a man who works for the poor, trampled little guys against the huge, rich, Conk car dealers/producers)...so who the hell is going to win that battle?

Hopefully the consumer!

[Grizalltheway]

Well, it's Tesla (little, progressive car guy fighting against the huge, established, rich, Conk dealers/producers) versus George Clooney (Liberal) and the King of Lemmon Laws (ostensibly a man who works for the poor, trampled little guys against the huge, rich, Conk car dealers/producers)...so who the hell is going to win that battle?

Hopefully the consumer!

Consumers never "win", we exist solely to serve the producer class.

[houndawg]

Tesla may not survive the lawyers, but the product will be made.

Espandexthongman doesn't think so.

Exactly.

[kalm]

Hopefully the consumer!

Consumers never "win", we exist solely to serve the producer class.

Oh.

[houndawg]

Consumers never "win", we exist solely to serve the producer class.

Oh.

You'd think they'd take better care of the goose that poops gold for them.

[Skjellyfetti]

Ford’s F-150 pickup truck is about as American as a vehicle can get.
+
Not only has the iconic truck been the country’s top-selling vehicle for 32 straight years (and the top-selling truck for 37); they are also the most American-made. The giant F150 topped cars.com’s American-Made index last year, which measures where parts come from, where the car is assembled, and sales.
+
But that could soon change. According to Morgan Stanley, Tesla vehicles could soon claim the top spot on that list, once the company’s much-vaunted $6-billion gigafactory to produce its own lithium-ion batteries is up and running.
+
By then, more than 90% of the stuff used to build Tesla’s cars might be from America, according to Morgan Stanley, compared to 75% for the F-150.
+
Of course, Tesla must first build the gigafactory, and then start producing batteries, before this even starts to become true. Here’s the company’s own projected timeline for the enormous project, which is expected to employ up to 6,500 people and produce more lithium-ion batteries than the entire industry currently does by 2020.

http://qz.com/197241/the-future-of-made ... -not-ford/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[clenz]

I have an F150 and I know I can get a long way on one tank. Chizzy has a regular old F150 IIRC. Smallest tank available is 26 gallons. At 15 mpg, which is probably low, that is 390 miles. Tesla at 60 mph with largest battery option is 283 miles. Even your buddy's F150 at 11 mpg has a better range.

Note to Chizzy - I get your point. Tesla is a more practical car in an urban environment.

Well, I wasn't kidding about the Tundra I had. Many, many tankfuls that I didn't get 300 miles out of.

didn't you also have some huge/aggressive tires on that bitch? That will kill mpg quick

[SeattleGriz]

Well, I wasn't kidding about the Tundra I had. Many, many tankfuls that I didn't get 300 miles out of.

didn't you also have some huge/aggressive tires on that bitch? That will kill mpg quick

Total pussy review.

You are totally gay, aren't you.

Bring it...fat pussy.

[AZGrizFan]

Well, I wasn't kidding about the Tundra I had. Many, many tankfuls that I didn't get 300 miles out of.

didn't you also have some huge/aggressive tires on that bitch? That will kill mpg quick

I had '32's on it, with a 3" leveling kit. On the '10 Ford F150 I had 35's with a 6" Pro-Comp lift kit...

[clenz]

That *may* have had something to do with it....maybe..

[AZGrizFan]

That *may* have had something to do with it....maybe..

Yes, Einstein, I'm aware of that.

[HI54UNI]

That *may* have had something to do with it....maybe..

I don't think there is any "may" to it. It did.

And Z, what's with all the big tires? Are you some kind of urban cowboy?

[HI54UNI]

I wonder what the range would be if you put 30s on a Tesla?

[kalm]

didn't you also have some huge/aggressive tires on that bitch? That will kill mpg quick

I had '32's on it, with a 3" leveling kit. On the '10 Ford F150 I had 35's with a 6" Pro-Comp lift kit...

You must have a really big co...never mind.

[Grizalltheway]

I had '32's on it, with a 3" leveling kit. On the '10 Ford F150 I had 35's with a 6" Pro-Comp lift kit...

You must have a really big co...never mind.

[AZGrizFan]

You must have a really big co...never mind.

I bought both vehicles that way...I like the LOOK of a lifted truck...just not very damned practical.

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

I bought both vehicles that way...I like the LOOK of a lifted truck...just not very damned practical.

Once you get out of high school that will fade away probably...I mean you wouldn't want to be an old feller driving around with a "look at me! I'm an early to mid 20's douchebag with large mudders on my truck while driving around on regular streets and roadways all the time!"

type of look.

[AZGrizFan]

I bought both vehicles that way...I like the LOOK of a lifted truck...just not very damned practical.

Once you get out of high school that will fade away probably...I mean you wouldn't want to be an old feller driving around with a "look at me! I'm an early to mid 20's douchebag with large mudders on my truck while driving around on regular streets and roadways all the time!"

type of look.

I know. I can't wait. Only 2 more months!!

[JohnStOnge]

Clearly you haven't checked with John StWrong...
nobody seriously looks at Tesla vehicles

Good GRIEF. I didn't say nobody seriously looks at Tesla vehicles. What I said, basically, is that they haven't gotten the range and charging issues solved to the point that MOST people will end up concluding that it's practical for them.

AND I said that they are getting there. You can see that progress is being made and that it's plausible that a day will come when that won't be the case.

[YoUDeeMan]

didn't you also have some huge/aggressive tires on that bitch? That will kill mpg quick

I had '32's on it, with a 3" leveling kit. On the '10 Ford F150 I had 35's with a 6" Pro-Comp lift kit...

You should drive around on four of those little donut tires playing, "Low Rider" on the stereo. Great gas mileage...and even better street cred.

[Chizzang]

Clearly you haven't checked with John StWrong...
nobody seriously looks at Tesla vehicles

Good GRIEF. I didn't say nobody seriously looks at Tesla vehicles. What I said, basically, is that they haven't gotten the range and charging issues solved to the point that MOST people will end up concluding that it's practical for them.

AND I said that they are getting there. You can see that progress is being made and that it's plausible that a day will come when that won't be the case.

John... I enjoy playing with you in our sandbox here (thank you)