Tesla Travels over 700 Miles on a Single Charge with New Prototype Battery

[Riccochet]

Riccochet is talking truck, and more specifically, heavier duty trucks (3/4 and 1-ton frames) -- there isn't not uncommon at all, because you need ~loaded~ range.

Charge times matter any time you go someplace there isn't a charger to tap into when you are at your destinations - ranches, parks, homes of friends and relatives, an awful lot of retail destinations.... Sure, if you can just let it charge while your at your destination doing whatever it is you were going to do anyway, it's awesome, and better than needing to stop at a gas station! But we aren't quite there yet.

Exactly. If a truck doesn't have 600-700 miles unloaded range it'll have rather poor loaded range. Take the Model X. Has like 350 miles of range. On TFL they tested it towing and it went from 100% to 0% in under 100 miles. I think it was 91 miles before they had to have it towed. I could live with 250-300 miles of towing range.

Then, there just isn't the infrastructure in place to support electric vehicles that tow. No drive through chargers. Hell, not even super chargers right off highways, like gas stations. It's impractical. We're decades away from electrifying all vehicles.

 

[Grimlakin]

It seems to me that you are making excuses rather than raising valid problems. The only range you need in your daily driver is what covers your daily commute and say 50% extra to be safe in case of the unexpected. If you want to go cross country once a year you can hire a big SUV to do that, you don't "need" it year round.

You clearly don't know how often my family does something like this on a whim. 2-3 times a year... always hauling or towing or carrying some trailer or another...

As an example my family... wife and inlaws love online auctions. They make it a reason to take a road trip. Last time as an impromptu trip to see the grand canyon when they won an auction. They had a good time but drive a crap ton of miles over empty country to do it.

 

[Zarathustra]

It's the apple design philosophy, I hate it too, but it's not what's preventing adoption, I mean people are buying iphones liket here is no tomorrow.

It has nothing to do with self driving, correlation is not causation. Teslas currently only have a glorified cruise control. Only the delusional musk fans believe that their 2012 Model S will be fully self driving with a software update any time now.

You are projecting your own values, there were plenty of cars with that non driver centric arrangement that were popular with the non car guys. I'm european and I see a ton of Citroen Xsara Picassos on the road. If that's popular, then it's not the design that prevents mass adoption of Tesla.

Yeah, you and me we and a few others don't want that, that doesn't mean the general public wouldn't be fine with it if it was affordable.

Yeah, the second half of my post was intended to explain why I don't want one, not to project on other people.

I understand there are plenty of people who just want dumb simple designs. I don't like this fact, but I lack the ability to change it. To me the devil is always in the details, and I demand as much complex detail as possible in all products I buy, and it annoys me to no end that the mass public simply does not care, and that products are developed primarily for them, so I can never get what I want.

 

[MadMummy76]

I've made the trip from Philly to Tampa dozens of times. About 1200 miles. I've done it in 15 hours straight through.

LOL, my bs radar is going off. So you were averaging 80 MPH the whole trip, Including stops?
If that's true you should go for the cannonball record. Alex Roy's record where they were hitting 160mph at times only had a 90 average speed.

 

[Grimlakin]

LOL, my bs radar is going off. So you were averaging 80 MPH the whole trip, Including stops?
If that's true you should go for the cannonball record. Alex Roy's record where they were hitting 160mph at times only had a 90 average speed.

It was hyperbole I'm sure.

 

[Riccochet]

LOL, my bs radar is going off. So you were averaging 80 MPH the whole trip, Including stops?
If that's true you should go for the cannonball record. Alex Roy's record where they were hitting 160mph at times only had a 90 average speed.

Ever driven 95? 80 mph is the average. It's not hard to do 90 mph on 301 and 75 and Florida.

I did get a ticket on 75 driving home from that trip. Clocked me doing 95 while I was passing traffic doing 90, ticketed me for 75.

 

[Zarathustra]

Riccochet is talking truck, and more specifically, heavier duty trucks (3/4 and 1-ton frames) -- there isn't not uncommon at all, because you need ~loaded~ range.

How often do you really need that though?

And does it really make sense to own something that you only need once in a blue moon when rentals exist?

Makes much more sense to structure your vehicle purchases around your daily drive, and then rent something on the occasion you have greater needs.

Trucks are great and all, but unless you are a professional contractor who needs to load up the truck daily, or something like that it is probably a complete waste, and there would be better vehicles that suit your day to day needs better.

Heck, even most professional tradesmen are probably better served by a Ford Transit Connect than by any truck.



A lot of this truck stuff is just bullshit macho image, and has nothing to do with actual needs or practicality.

 

[Brian_B]

LOL, my bs radar is going off. So you were averaging 80 MPH the whole trip, Including stops?
If that's true you should go for the cannonball record. Alex Roy's record where they were hitting 160mph at times only had a 90 average speed.

All depends on DC area and Atlanta traffic — if you can hit those to spots at the right time, and not get caught by highway patrol, its very doable. Straight shot down a large interstate highway

 

[Riccochet]

Nope. Don't need either of my trucks at all. Nope. Just some macho bullshit.

 

[Zarathustra]

Nope. Don't need either of my trucks at all. Nope. Just some macho bullshit.

View attachment 1423

If you are honest about it, how often do you actually do stuff that requires having a truck, and how often are you driving the truck just because you have it, when a much smaller car could have done just fine?

That ratio really determines things. I see you have a boat. I presume like most people you put it in the water once in the spring, and take it out of the water once in the fall? Alright, that's two trips requiring a truck a year.

I can't quite tell what else is in that picture. Looks like a camper? How often do you camp with it? Once or twice a year? That's two more trips requiring a truck a year.

How often do you buy new furniture (that doesn't get delivered by the company you bought it from) or move big stuff? Once or twice every 2-5 few years?

If you are anything like most people, you may have the need for a truck occasionally, but 99% of your driving could probably have been done in a Honda Civic, costing you much less, especially once fuel prices are considered.

You see where I am coming from?

 

[Riccochet]

If you are honest about it, how often do you actually do stuff that requires having a truck, and how often are you driving the truck just because you have it, when a much smaller car could have done just fine?

That ratio really determines things. I see you have a boat. I presume like most people you put it in the water once in the spring, and take it out of the water once in the fall? Alright, that's two trips requiring a truck a year.

I can't quite tell what else is in that picture. Looks like a camper? How often do you camp with it? Once or twice a year? That's two more trips requiring a truck a year.

How often do you buy new furniture (that doesn't get delivered by the company you bought it from) or move big stuff? Once or twice every 2-5 few years?

If you are anything like most people, you may have the need for a truck occasionally, but 99% of your driving could probably have been done in a Honda Civic, costing you much less, especially once fuel prices are considered.

You see where I am coming from?

Every weekend from late March to mid October we're camping, fishing or riding dirt bikes/quads. Or we're going to our friends property in Hickory that's well off paved roads. Or I'm heading to my hunting lease during deer season. Driving to Snowshoe WV, yup, need something with 4wd for that.

We're using one or both of those trucks all year for something that requires a truck. If I wanted a car I'll go buy a car. I have no use for a car. It would sit as more than my Ram does since I work from home.

I didn't buy an RV to have it sit. Nor my boat. Or our off road toys.

Oh yeah, also have a Wrangler Rubicon that we rock crawl with. Guess what? I trailer it to the trails.

See where I'm coming from?

But, yeah, most people that have trucks don't "need" one. But guess what! This is America. You can drive whatever the hell you want.

I might just go buy a Hellcat Challenger now. Just because it rubs me the wrong way when people say "you don't need something". What I need, want or have, and the reasons for it, is really none of anyones business.

 

[Brian_B]

Nope. Don't need either of my trucks at all. Nope. Just some macho bullshit.

View attachment 1423

The most pansy, rainbow-loving, tree-hugging rigs I've ever seen in my life. You'd fit right in Downtown Miami, or SanFran.

/s

 

[MadMummy76]

Ever driven 95? 80 mph is the average. It's not hard to do 90 mph on 301 and 75 and Florida.

I did get a ticket on 75 driving home from that trip. Clocked me doing 95 while I was passing traffic doing 90, ticketed me for 75.

I've tested my old car's top speed which was 136 mph, so yeah I've driven at 95, I almost do that daily. 80 average is ridiculously high.

I'm from Europe. I've driven cross country through Germany plenty of times on the unlimited sections doing 120+ and still couldn't get an average over 75 for longer trips. (ie needing to stop to refuel at least twice) I also have to add, that driving above 110 is extremely tiring, constantly being on the lookout for slower traffic accelerating and braking all the time. When you are going that fast it is inevitable that someone slower will pull in front of you even in relatively sparse traffic.

Also why would the police ticket you for 75 if you were clocked at 95? Is this a flea market haggling system?

 

[Dogsofjune]

How many cars have 700 miles on a tank? Every car I’ve owned has been between 300-350 on a tank, so I’d have to stop twice to fill gas that one charge would provide.

Well, my Silverado says 745 before empty when I fill up.
35 gal tank at 22 mpg.

 

[MadMummy76]

Well, my Silverado says 745 before empty when I fill up.
35 gal tank at 22 mpg.

What the car says when you fill it up is usually BS, see what the trip computer says you actually driven when it's close to empty.

 

[Brian_B]

If you are honest about it, how often do you actually do stuff that requires having a truck, and how often are you driving the truck just because you have it, when a much smaller car could have done just fine?

Different people have different needs. I have a work truck, with a loaded tool box and pipe rack. I don't always need those tools and the space to haul stuff, but I don't always know when I'm going to need them either. Even if I'm just going to the office - with my job I'm on call and could get pulled out into the field any time to go help troubleshoot something.

Could I get by with a van? Yeah probably - wouldn't make much difference, so long as I can get a full sized pallet in the back and 20' conduit and ladders on top. But it would still be burning gas.

My wife doesn't need a truck at all. She needs enough room to haul the kid around, a couple of his friends when they carpool, and enough room for groceries and dog food. She needs a back seat and a big trunk, but that's about it.

My wife can drive about 20 miles one-way and get to school or the store. For me to go into work, it's a 55 mile trip one-way with almost 4000 ft elevation change. More if need to go to one of our plants; most are within a short drive of my office, the farthest is halfway across the state, and California is a big state.

So, my wife, yeah, she could get by with an electric, with a little bit of lifestyle change. She does go down into town about once a month, but that's manageable. Myself, I don't think I could quite yet.

For other people - maybe they can, maybe they can't. Maybe they don't want to own two cars, or rentals aren't an option. Asking someone to consider a different car is one question; asking them to change their entire lifestyle because of a car is a much bigger ask.

 

[Riccochet]

I've tested my old car's top speed which was 136 mph, so yeah I've driven at 95, I almost do that daily. 80 average is ridiculously high.

I'm from Europe. I've driven cross country through Germany plenty of times on the unlimited sections doing 120+ and still couldn't get an average over 75 for longer trips. (ie needing to stop to refuel at least twice) I also have to add, that driving above 110 is extremely tiring, constantly being on the lookout for slower traffic accelerating and braking all the time. When you are going that fast it is inevitable that someone slower will pull in front of you even in relatively sparse traffic.

Also why would the police ticket you for 75 if you were clocked at 95? Is this a flea market haggling system?

95 is an interstate highway that runs along the east coast of the U.S. Speed limit varies from 60 to 75 MPH, but average traffic runs at 80 MPH.

Like someone mentioned. Getting through DC, Baltimore, Richmond at the right time is key. Like when I go to Philly from Charlotte I leave my house at 2 AM, through Richmond at 6 AM, through DC and Baltimore at 8 AM and 9 AM. It's timing to not get screwed.

Police in the U.S. have no obligation to issue a citation for anything. They basically have carte blanche. He could have given me a warning or wrote the ticket for any other speed. When you're nice and cooperative they generally cut you a break. A 5 over ticket is basically a get out points on your license kind of ticket. Any good lawyer can have it reduced to a non-moving violation and simple fine.

 

[Dogsofjune]

What the car says when you fill it up is usually BS, see what the trip computer says you actually driven when it's close to empty.

654 miles

 

[Riccochet]

What the car says when you fill it up is usually BS, see what the trip computer says you actually driven when it's close to empty.

DTE rarely takes in to account reserve fuel. In my truck the EVIC can say 0 miles till empty, but there is roughly 50 miles of range left in the tank.

It's to keep idiots from running completely empty.

 

[MadMummy76]

95 is an interstate highway that runs along the east coast of the U.S. Speed limit varies from 60 to 75 MPH, but average traffic runs at 80 MPH.

Like someone mentioned. Getting through DC, Baltimore, Richmond at the right time is key. Like when I go to Philly from Charlotte I leave my house at 2 AM, through Richmond at 6 AM, through DC and Baltimore at 8 AM and 9 AM. It's timing to not get screwed.

Police in the U.S. have no obligation to issue a citation for anything. They basically have carte blanche. He could have given me a warning or wrote the ticket for any other speed. When you're nice and cooperative they generally cut you a break. A 5 over ticket is basically a get out points on your license kind of ticket. Any good lawyer can have it reduced to a non-moving violation and simple fine.

I see, I thought driving at 95 mph. Here the speed limit on highways is 130kph ~80mph, but most people drive at 140-145 (88-90mph) We have fixed penalties and the first category is 15 over.