Tesla Motors announces new network of SOLAR-powered electric car charging stations!

[LongTomH]

Elon Musk has also said he wants to offer a new line of affordable electric cars!

Edited to add: Elon Musk is also the person behind SolarCity, the largest provider of solar energy systems in the US, and SpaceX, the private rocket company which promises to revolutionize the space launch industry.

Musk has frequently compared to the fictional Tony Starke (Iron Man).

[gateley]

1. that's always been their goal, I think -- offer

more affordable cars. I love everything about Tesla!

[Heather MC]

2. What is Tesla's definition of Affordable?

I heard that they were going to make a 50K electric car. If that's their idea of Affordable
they have bumped their head.

I would love to own an environmentally friendly car, but I am not going to carry an overloaded extra burden of a ridiculas car loan to do it.

In my world 10k or lower is affordable.

They plan on making a 10K or lower car. Or at least something that would go for 10K used
Then I would be happy to own a Tesla, as long as it can fit 2 bikes, a go cart, roller blades for 4,and a bloc rocker
because you always need music blasting when you are blading

[gateley]

3. I think the $50K car is the second step, the first being the $100K+ Roadster.

And to keep going from there. Initially they hoped to use the revenue from the higher priced models to pay for the increasingly lower priced ones, and although they had to go public and take advantage of some government programs, they seem to be moving forward pretty much according to plan.

[HopeHoops]

17. Vehicle cost will quickly be recouped in absent gas charges.

[gateley]

18. Agree.

[godai]

6. Free charging for Teslas at these country wide charging stations.

How much do you spend for gas? With a Tesla, fuel cost will be zero. Another excellent idea from Elon Musk.

[Heather MC]

12. Not having to spend money on fuel would be awesome but....

Until the cost comes down to something that doesn't require a monthly payment of $400.00++
Then its not economically feasible. believe I am watching the market closely, right now I have a 10 year old vehicle with 150k miles on it. And I will hang on to for another 50k as long as it keeps going, because it's paid for. So I am planning in another 2- 5 years (god-willing) to get another vehicle I would love to get an energy saving fuel-free vehicle, but I have no desire to take on a massive car loan. so hopefully they will become my definition of affordable

[wysimdnwyg]

13. Give it some time

One of the interesting ideas in Tesla's strategy is that while they work to make electric cars more affordable (eventually down to the point where anyone looking to buy a new car can get one), the cars they make are not just more expensive versions of the cheap cars. Unlike Toyota's Prius, which is really a $20,000 car with a big battery and a $10-15,000 premium, Tesla is making luxury cars. The Roadster was a high-performance sports car. There was nothing about that car that didn't fit into the $100,000 price range. Now the Model S is a luxury sedan. The $50,000 starting price range is well under the starting range for comparable Mercedes (S class) and BMW (7 series) cars, and even the top end Tesla is well within the range of those other luxury cars.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

8. How about an interest free loan with zero down and half off?

We could do that through the government if it was a priority.

[Hutzpa]

5. I have bunch of ways to get this thing on the road

I've just got an assignment that needs completing.

Good job guys.

FORWARD!

[JeffHead]

7. California has got to really annoy the oil companies...

They absolutely do not allow oil drilling off their coastline, emission controls. And now this? Other than the initial cost of the car, this is encouraging. Seems like they are not only building the cars, they are also building an infrastructure to run them on. Cool! This is only the beginning.

[midnight]

9. This is so cool.... I hope they are able to continue to build this technology, because I'm ready for

it in the midwest....

[SunSeeker]

10. Bitchin!

[Lars77]

11. Some more info here. Seems like it doesent work for the Roadster.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2012/09/the-truth-about-teslas-charging-stations/

[gateley]

14. Interesting clip.

[godai]

15. Next will be Tesla X.

http://www.teslamotors.com/modelx

[HopeHoops]

16. That's all well and good, but until the electric car industry standardizes the charging ports...

It will be stuck in the muck the cell phone industry was before going with micro-USB (Samsung led that charge, so to speak).

Gas ports were standardized a long time ago - wider diameter for leaded, smaller for unleaded. Chevy, Tesla, and Toyota all need to come together and find common ground on that one.