My wife’s current car, a Honda Pilot is 7 years old and she expressed interest in getting a new vehicle. She prefers the safety provided by the sheer mass of a large vehicle and began researching options. What she came back with stunned me. All the technological advances in the last seven years have led to the creation of vehicles that averaged 3-4 FEWER MPG than my wife’s Pilot. Even a 2014 Pilot yields zero increase in efficiency.
I began to think about whether these companies were even trying, or if we have reached the pinnacle of what is possible for an ICE. But then I began to look at myself and ask whether I was trying either.
I knew what Tesla was doing but always brushed off the notion of buying one as a pipe dream. While impressed with the car the thought of spending that much money did not sit well with me. As the son of immigrants who worked hard just to put food on the table it seemed like a waste of money.
But as I began to think about it more I began to realize that the true waste would be to continue supporting companies and technologies that did not have any kind of vision for our future. All these new models were just prettier packages wrapping up the same inefficient engines, lipstick on pigs if you will. Some had very nice lipstick but at the end of the day the pig was still there.
A co-worker took me for a ride in his new M5 a few months ago and I sat in it with little sense of excitement. It was just another gas burning engine which, stripped of its leather and speakers and other luxuries, was no different really than my current 2009 Nissan Versa.
Tesla is a company that is trying. I am not going to say they are perfect. Yes they are quick but other cars are quick. They are refined but other companies do refined better. But what those other companies don’t have is a vision for what is possible and what we should be aiming for. They seek more lipstick while Tesla looks to do something better.
But no matter how noble the aspirations without people to support that vision Tesla may end up as an asterisk in a history book. That’s why last week I completed my order of the model S. The S60 I ordered is what many would consider the base model, but is still literally more money than I have spent on all my cars in the last 28 years I have driven combined (not including cars purchased for my wife). It is an extravagant expense, but one we can comfortably afford.
I am under no delusion that Tesla is some charitable organization. I understand that if the company becomes as successful as we all hope that people involved in the company are going to get very rich. But I believe that we can all benefit as well.
I am not a car guy. I will likely not be putting exotic paint protectors or fancy wheels on my Tesla, though I may allow my kids to come up with a name for it. To me a car is something to get me from point A to B in as safe a manner as possible and now my family can do it while helping to pave the way for something better. I have appreciated all the advice and stories though and I will probably share my delivery story to pay back the community here. Having said that, I will likely have the same stupid grin on my face as everyone else when I hit that pedal for the first time in December.
I began to think about whether these companies were even trying, or if we have reached the pinnacle of what is possible for an ICE. But then I began to look at myself and ask whether I was trying either.
I knew what Tesla was doing but always brushed off the notion of buying one as a pipe dream. While impressed with the car the thought of spending that much money did not sit well with me. As the son of immigrants who worked hard just to put food on the table it seemed like a waste of money.
But as I began to think about it more I began to realize that the true waste would be to continue supporting companies and technologies that did not have any kind of vision for our future. All these new models were just prettier packages wrapping up the same inefficient engines, lipstick on pigs if you will. Some had very nice lipstick but at the end of the day the pig was still there.
A co-worker took me for a ride in his new M5 a few months ago and I sat in it with little sense of excitement. It was just another gas burning engine which, stripped of its leather and speakers and other luxuries, was no different really than my current 2009 Nissan Versa.
Tesla is a company that is trying. I am not going to say they are perfect. Yes they are quick but other cars are quick. They are refined but other companies do refined better. But what those other companies don’t have is a vision for what is possible and what we should be aiming for. They seek more lipstick while Tesla looks to do something better.
But no matter how noble the aspirations without people to support that vision Tesla may end up as an asterisk in a history book. That’s why last week I completed my order of the model S. The S60 I ordered is what many would consider the base model, but is still literally more money than I have spent on all my cars in the last 28 years I have driven combined (not including cars purchased for my wife). It is an extravagant expense, but one we can comfortably afford.
I am under no delusion that Tesla is some charitable organization. I understand that if the company becomes as successful as we all hope that people involved in the company are going to get very rich. But I believe that we can all benefit as well.
I am not a car guy. I will likely not be putting exotic paint protectors or fancy wheels on my Tesla, though I may allow my kids to come up with a name for it. To me a car is something to get me from point A to B in as safe a manner as possible and now my family can do it while helping to pave the way for something better. I have appreciated all the advice and stories though and I will probably share my delivery story to pay back the community here. Having said that, I will likely have the same stupid grin on my face as everyone else when I hit that pedal for the first time in December.