Electric Vehicles: General topics

[quagmire]

I don't see a way to set it specifically, either there's something in the xLights config that defines it (you load a model/channel definition file), or it's some kind of pre-defined Tesla firmware value. I'm not even 100% sure what the channel is called unless it's Channel 3 / SIGNATURE

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This is a visual map to the light element for the channels:

Darn.

I have a song in mind that would make the headlights say something song related would be awesome. Or just modify the stock one to say merry Xmas instead.

 

[DT]

Darn.

I have a song in mind that would make the headlights say something song related would be awesome. Or just modify the stock one to say merry Xmas instead.

Have you messed around with XLights at all? There's native Windows and Mac apps, the latter is a little crusty in terms of UI, but it's serviceable. It's a super popular app to do light sequencing for Christmas light displays, I even heard it mentioned by name one time on the Great Christmas Light Fight

Basically you add the channels/model files, then in the sequences panel you have access to all the lights and "closures" (windows, charge port, etc.), here's mine up and running:

 

[DT]

Oh, and assuming you got 44.30, no new features for Model 3, but apparently it fixed a few dark mode issues (specifically on the map), and tweaked the fonts a bit.

 

[Herdfan]

New MB concept EV:

New Mercedes could be Tesla killer with 47in TV on board and 620 mile range

MERCEDES-BENZ has finally revealed its Vision EQXX electric car. The vehicle could be set to rival Elon Musk’s electric Tesla and looks like the perfect mashup between classic and futuristic.…

www.the-sun.com

 

[Eric]

New MB concept EV:

New Mercedes could be Tesla killer with 47in TV on board and 620 mile range

MERCEDES-BENZ has finally revealed its Vision EQXX electric car. The vehicle could be set to rival Elon Musk’s electric Tesla and looks like the perfect mashup between classic and futuristic.…

www.the-sun.com

Imagine being Mercedes, once THE name in one of the mostly highly regarded car manufacturers for decades, having to compete on this level with Tesla.

Tesla went all in functionality, pricing and ease of buying/software and are leaving the others behind so you get the desperation of Mercedes here.

Tesla's quickly becoming the most popular luxury car in the US, now outselling Mercedes

More people registered Teslas than Benzes in the US through September of this year. Elon Musk's company still trails behind BMW and Lexus.

www.businessinsider.com

 

[SuperMatt]

Imagine being Mercedes, once THE name in one of the mostly highly regarded car manufacturers for decades, having to compete on this level with Tesla.

Tesla went all in functionality, pricing and ease of buying/software and are leaving the others behind so you get the desperation of Mercedes here.

Tesla's quickly becoming the most popular luxury car in the US, now outselling Mercedes

More people registered Teslas than Benzes in the US through September of this year. Elon Musk's company still trails behind BMW and Lexus.

www.businessinsider.com

I believe it is something close to desperation for luxury manufacturers. Teslas are not cheap, and are definitely supplanting other luxury sales.

That being said, the current stock valuation of Tesla is a bit crazy. If you take it on face value, the assumption seems to be that they will become the only car manufacturer on the planet. I believe they will continue to be a top luxury brand into the future, but the mid-to-low cost EV market will be much more diverse.

 

[Eric]

I believe it is something close to desperation for luxury manufacturers. Teslas are not cheap, and are definitely supplanting other luxury sales.

That being said, the current stock valuation of Tesla is a bit crazy. If you take it on face value, the assumption seems to be that they will become the only car manufacturer on the planet. I believe they will continue to be a top luxury brand into the future, but the mid-to-low cost EV market will be much more diverse.

Not cheap but comparable and I think that's key because they've streamlined the buying process/pricing options to be as easy as buying an iPhone. The prices are basically fixed, it took me all of 20 minutes to fill out the online application, download the app and complete the transaction all without speaking to a single person from the comfort of my couch. Last time I bought my BMW I was in the dealership for 4 hours haggling and filling out paperwork. The difference is day and night.

 

[DT]

I believe it is something close to desperation for luxury manufacturers. Teslas are not cheap, and are definitely supplanting other luxury sales.

That being said, the current stock valuation of Tesla is a bit crazy. If you take it on face value, the assumption seems to be that they will become the only car manufacturer on the planet. I believe they will continue to be a top luxury brand into the future, but the mid-to-low cost EV market will be much more diverse.

The evaluation is also driven from the Tesla power products, and they've made some really powerful strategic purchases - for example: materials for batteries, and some real advancements like full frame casting. I think there's a lot of lift over their IP, massive charging network, ability to actually produce cars.

I mean, of course, it's zany inflated, but the whole EV space is nuts.

 

[DT]

Not cheap but comparable and I think that's key because they've streamlined the buying process/pricing options to be as easy as buying an iPhone. The prices are basically fixed, it took me all of 20 minutes to fill out the online application, download the app and complete the transaction all without speaking to a single person from the comfort of my couch. Last time I bought my BMW I was in the dealership for 4 hours haggling and filling out paperwork. The difference is day and night.

Yeah, it was kind of surreal, select a couple of options, pay $100. Then get a couple of email/message prompts for financing all done online in about 5 minutes it's done, prompt for proof of insurance, upload a card, done - get a "your car is ready for pickup, choose one of these dates/time, click done.

As much as I love cars, I detest the purchasing process.

 

[Eric]

Yeah, it was kind of surreal, select a couple of options, pay $100. Then get a couple of email/message prompts for financing all done online in about 5 minutes it's done, prompt for proof of insurance, upload a card, done - get a "your car is ready for pickup, choose one of these dates/time, click done.

As much as I love cars, I detest the purchasing process.

I gotta say it was odd to just be told to pick it up from the lot and linked up to the phone without even talking to anyone or go into the dealership. Key cards were in the car and it was already paired with my device, we just drove up and grabbed it. You can see how that's hard to compete with for other dealerships.

 

[DT]

I gotta say it was odd to just be told to pick it up from the lot and linked up to the phone without even talking to anyone or go into the dealership. Key cards were in the car and it was already paired with my device, we just drove up and grabbed it. You can see how that's hard to compete with for other dealerships.

Did you have any interaction with the Service Advisor ? Even though it was Sunday, there was a ton of people picking up (the Tesla SC about 30 minutes away), and everyone had an SA going over the final details.

The day we picked up it was raining really bad, our SA told us to sit in the car and he ran back and forth with an umbrella

 

[Eric]

Did you have any interaction with the Service Advisor ? Even though it was Sunday, there was a ton of people picking up (the Tesla SC about 30 minutes away), and everyone had an SA going over the final details.

The day we picked up it was raining really bad, our SA told us to sit in the car and he ran back and forth with an umbrella

You mean the dudes who run around helping people out on the lot? Briefly because they ran up and asked if we needed anything, just asked a couple of questions like "wait, we can really just get in this car and drive it home?".

 

[SuperMatt]

Not cheap but comparable and I think that's key because they've streamlined the buying process/pricing options to be as easy as buying an iPhone. The prices are basically fixed, it took me all of 20 minutes to fill out the online application, download the app and complete the transaction all without speaking to a single person from the comfort of my couch. Last time I bought my BMW I was in the dealership for 4 hours haggling and filling out paperwork. The difference is day and night.

I’m happy that Tesla has moved this market forward. I was way too poor for it, but when they released their original Roadster, I wanted one very badly.

That being said, I find myself more excited by the steady flow of new EVs from other manufacturers. The competition is likely to make all EVs better.

As for the purchase process, avoiding the dealerships entirely was genius. Does ANYBODY like going to the dealer?

 

[DT]

This is just an experiment, no idea about thermals over a wide range of use, and it added like 700-lbs to the car, but I'd say it's a good preview of things to come in the short term ...

Our Next Energy, also known as ONE, installed one of its battery packs in a Tesla Model S and managed to have it travel 752 miles on a single charge.

The Model S is Tesla’s longest-range vehicle with up to 405 miles of range on a single charge depending on the configuration.

CEO Elon Musk has often said that Tesla could make it have an even longer range by jamming a 120 kWh battery pack in it, but the automaker instead focuses on achieving a longer range through better efficiency.

In order to showcase its own battery technology, Our Next Energy (ONE) has now installed its own battery system in a Model S.

The company did a test drive with an average speed of 55 mph and achieved a range of 752 miles:

Our Next Energy, Inc. (ONE), a Michigan battery technology company, has demonstrated a proof-of-concept battery that powered an electric vehicle 752 miles without recharging. The vehicle completed a road test across Michigan in late December with an average speed of 55 mph. The results were validated by a third party using a vehicle dynamometer where the test vehicle, a Tesla Model S retrofitted with an experimental battery, achieved 882 miles at 55 mph.

They released a video of the range test:

 

[Eric]

I’m happy that Tesla has moved this market forward. I was way too poor for it, but when they released their original Roadster, I wanted one very badly.

That being said, I find myself more excited by the steady flow of new EVs from other manufacturers. The competition is likely to make all EVs better.

As for the purchase process, avoiding the dealerships entirely was genius. Does ANYBODY like going to the dealer?

Couldn't agree more, it's definitely the future and each manufacture seems to have unique features. Additionally, hopefully it'll push Tesla into providing some fo the more standard features (like being able to plug your house into the car for example) that others seem to be adopting.

 

[Herdfan]

I believe it is something close to desperation for luxury manufacturers. Teslas are not cheap, and are definitely supplanting other luxury sales.

Maybe not only the luxury manufacturers:

Titans of car-making are plotting the overthrow of Elon Musk

The world’s two biggest automakers — each sold roughly 10 or 11 cars for every one Elon Musk did last year

www.livemint.com

 

[Eric]

Maybe not only the luxury manufacturers:

Titans of car-making are plotting the overthrow of Elon Musk

The world’s two biggest automakers — each sold roughly 10 or 11 cars for every one Elon Musk did last year

www.livemint.com

It's just a matter of time, just ask Tom from MySpace.

 

[Herdfan]

It's just a matter of time, just ask Tom from MySpace.

I was thinking Tucker from, well Tucker. But Tom works just as well.

 

[DT]

re: my post about ONE above

Can you imagine in the next 1-2 years, having an EV, where, for example, my family could jump in and drive from NE FL, down to Tavernier, FL (in Key Largo) or Atlanta or Charlotte, with an easy 30-40% charge left.

It also has powerful implications for PHEVs, like a reasonably efficient ICE implementation, let's say 30MPG, a 12g tank, so 360 miles gas range, but a battery that supported 100-125 miles range, so a huge number of use cases would easily be handled by battery only, and close to 500 miles in hybrid mode.

 

[User.45]

I just learned that wIth AT&T discontinuing it's 3G network, my BMW will lose its remote capabilities. So if I understand correctly, I won't be able to remotely check the charge, lock/unlock, preheat, etc. I'm so incredibly fucking pissed about this. If BMW thinks this will make me want to buy a newer bimmer, they are quite wrong...