[quote]Dr. Pangloss wrote:
Some of my thoughts:
As a car guy, I know that the smell of gasoline and the sound of a car’s exhaust are undeniably intertwined with the mystique surrounding the automobile. My gut tells me that I don’t want to live in a world where a Ferrari sounds like my mom’s sewing machine. That being said, we already live in a world of electric cars, what we’re really talking about here is electric propulsion. We no longer have ignition points, we have electronic ignitions. An entry level sedan has enough electronics to have controlled the first space shuttle.
Manufacturers are moving towards electric power steering, electric ABS, electromagnetic suspension, etc. Every area of the auto has moved away from mechanical controls and towards electronic or electrical-based controls. It’s ignorant to think that propulsion won’t move in the same direction.
As an enthusiast, I look forward to the flat torque curve, the potential for a lower center of gravity, the potential for an overall lighter auto as battery technology progresses, and the new shapes designers are going to develop as they don’t have to accommodate an IC engine. I think the idea of each wheel having it’s own motor is terribly exciting.
That being said, I don’t think Tesla will be the company that brings us to this point. I think the existing major car companies have the dealer networks in place, the tooling for most of the car already written down, the R&D departments, the parts distributorships, etc…everything else that goes into 1) developing a car, 2) safety testing it, 3) bringing it to market and then marketing it, and 4) servicing the vehicle for both in and out of warranty claims.
Lastly, the move towards electric propulsion won’t come at the passenger car level. There are too many problems with range, charging stations, etc. It will start with fleet vehicles that do a days worth of short trips like UPS and Fed Ex trucks. These vehicles then go back to a central garage where they can be charged and serviced by specially trained mechanics.
I wouldn’t buy an electric car right now because there are next to no independent mechanics who are qualified to work on them. Another generation of mechanics will have to be trained before electric certified garages are as common as they need to be for consumer acceptance.[/quote]
A more likely scenario would be that Tesla comes up with some technology and licenses it to the other car manufacturers. Tesla doesn’t need all that infrastructure, they only need the technology.
I don’t know much about cars, though, so I’m not sure how close they really are.