Let's talk about the future of Tesla Motors Club

[dsacks6]

Thanks, I am thinking your may be right about perhaps at least waiting some more. Its just that if I could find a way to make a general EV place that was very accommodating to tesla motors, that would be ideal. Because I don't want the site to lose the Tesla Motors people. They made this work, and I don't want them abandoned. But I also, as I said don't want to be dependent on Tesla Motors. I have no idea what people will think of them in the future.

So basically what I'm suggesting is simply to spread the investment to other people as well. But anyways you are probably right that its too early to do so.

Please continue with your comments, I have not drawn any conclusions and will appreciate your opinions and ideas.

[dsacks6]

I will look into the paypal thing.

I also will look into the server issue and stability issue however I want to try and get an idea of where I am going with all this first so that I can try and do everything at the same time.

[dsacks6]

Oh, and another thing, I always liked the idea of the site, if it were to be more general the Tesla, to remain more concentrated in performance vehicles or sporty vehicles. I would be inclined not to put a chevrolet volt section although I suppose if there was enough interest and calling for it, I would probably make it happen. But anyways, I don't really want to try and make this forum dominate the entire electric car market. I would prefer it to be a electric sports car site. There a many sites that are sports car forums for example that focus on a select few like porsche ferrari and so on.

[malcolm]

We all found this site because of the Tesla name and while Tesla continues to hold such a high profile position within the industry (and such a high hit rate online), it would make sense to stick with it - especially if we wish to mantain the healthy background of "Guest" useage (which is the seedbed of new membership).

I'm happy with a change. After all Electric Performance was originally a separate site. One that didn't do too well, if I recall. Another reason for sticking with the Tesla name.

Looking at the stats there are around 140 of us who are "active members" out of a total membership of around 490. So there is potential to get new threads which encourage broader discussions. I don't think we need to support GM's Volt - this site needs to support the smaller manufacturer/individual dreams and projects. Ideally it would be good to see the same "tesla" format of forums used for other companies. Aptera and Think are two obvious choices. Although some may argue that quadracycles shouldn't be included. Personally I'd like to see Aptera with its own forum because they are pushing the design envelope much more radically than anyone else.

But how much do new forums cost per month?


Edited to Add: My 2c

Media Forum: keep as now with "News, Articles and Events" and "Videos" but drop Tesla Motors from the sub-heading.

(start arranging manufacturers alphabetically)

Aptera Cars Forum: "The Typ-1" "Future Cars". Good place for sub-forums on "Drag Coefficients" and "Quadracycles"

Tesla Motors Forum: keep as now with "Tesla Roadster" "Future Cars" and "Tesla Motors" - add "Model S" at some point?

Th!nk Cars Forum: "New City" "Future Cars". Good place for a sub-forum on "Battery Leasing"

Energy Optimisation Forum: "Batteries and Battery Management" (maybe a sub-forum on "Capacitor systems"? - gotta have somewhere to file those EEstore press releases "Motors and Generators" "Vehicle Lightweighting"

Electric Performance: Change the name to "Grass Roots" - greater emphasis on ideas, one-off projects and conversions, Technical Issues plus "EVs and Renewables" and of course, "Environment" and "Off Topic"

[Finkenbusch]

I would basically stay as is but slowly incorporate other high end cars (for dicussin) like the lighning.

So establishing this cultivated thread over time as a one following not monopolistic only tesla but the high end EV world (minus golf cart similar shoeboxes and ev cheap-charlies and deadbed contenders) only.

A strategy who would stand on more high class legs would cut in a small but sharp and elegant market niche

[Kevin Harney]

I am open to changes. As a matter of fact I am in full support of it. I was thinking it would be great to have a site where ALL ZEV's were discussed not just electric.

I would love it to be the ZERO EMMISION AUTHORITY.

Have sub categories for each manufacturer. And maybe one for general news as we have now. I would think that maybe you could attract as many people that are as enthusiastic about other cars as we are about Teslas. Maybe one for batteries, air power, Hydrogen etc.... ie fuel sources

I can see Tesla Category and sub-categories for Roadster, S and Bluestar etc. for each manufacturer.

Hopefully all of the other manufacturers will have as many dedicated fans as TM does and they will all post just as interesting stuff on their particular car. Maybe have 1 moderator for each category to lessen the work for one or two individuals - that are currently doing a GREAT job BTW !!! Find the person posting the most in each category and ask him or her to moderate.

That way all would be coming to the site but each forum would be dedicated to a few really interested people or those that were interested in general info on all cars could view the ones they are interested in ...

[doug]

I don't think we should change the name of this place. Tesla Motors Club already has a relatively high profile. It's even been the source of a several news stories. (Some threads have a ton of linkbacks.) With cars finally being delivered, we've seen increased participation and we're just getting to the point of organizing social gatherings. Now is not the time for drastic change.

I appreciate the original purpose of the Electric Performance Forum, and it might make sense to start that up again as a separate site, but right now I don't think there is enough content to support it. When I first heard about Tesla in 2006, they already had 2 working prototypes. Fisker and Lightning may be close, but don't really have much to show yet. They are not yet at the point Tesla was a couple years ago. Certainly not to where I'd care to chat about such minutiae as the location of the cup holder, etc.
Maybe there's a way to setup Electric Performance as a separate front end (showing slightly different thread organization) and yet still share the same content as this site.

Part of the reason I gave up my moderator status here was that Tesla PR referred to it as a "hostile" site which isn't something I want to be associated with.

I thoroughly understand this sentiment. It was really disappointing that Tesla PR chose to take that stance. Kinda like having the girl you had a crush on call you a jerk. I think there can be a mentality in the PR world that you have to control the message. And if you can't control it, kill it. But talking to some Tesla folks on Saturday, I have a feeling that they've come back around to appreciating this site. It particularly helped that a few owners expressed to Tesla that they value this forum.

[vfx]

My thoughts are aligned with Kevin's but keeping it to exceptionally fast EV's. There are plenty of other sites that can handle Think and Nano news. Ours would be the anti-punishment car site.

If someone searches for, links-to or types in TeslaMotorsClub they should go here where everything is unchanged minus a few non Tesla categories.

This site may be a part of an Hot EV or Performance EV site but it would be a link to these pages unharmed. Other sections of the Fast EV site would have Fetish, Lightening, Karma, etc links.

There would also be a general EV tech section that applies to all EV's. Batteries, in wheel motors. EV specific accessories. (like spray-on brake dust. It fools street racers into thinking you have and ICE motor!) off topic, etc, those could be stripped from this site to get them started.

As for advertising. I am concerned that we can not say what we feel. Tesla already has dissenters walkng on eggshells. If Nissan wants to advertise and we want to dis their new Bugly EV for stupid design choices, then we should be free to do so. The mainstream press has enough problems with this and I would rather Paypal to keep our freedom of speech.

Dave did a good job on this one. Remember there was another Tesla fan site Tesla Talk - Home that did not do as well.

[malcolm]

Maybe someday someone will create F.E.V.E.R - The Fast Electric Vehicle Enthusiasts' (web) Ring.

[dsacks6]

I would don't see how a sponsor could get rid of freedom of speech.
If they don't like what we say, they can just quit sponsoring.