dpeilow

Is this the first confirmation of a version 2.0 drive train on the the Roadster? If the target is to reduce costs (I'm assuming), do we know where there is scope to do this?

Michael

Has anyone gotten the notice yet that the battery pack specs are changing? The new standard battery will have 27 kw and an aptional battery with 53 kw will be added to the options list for an additional 20k.

If "anything can change", then what else will be removed from the standard vehicle content?

Although the above is only speculation, is there any reason we can point to that would make it not possible to happen?

DrTaras

I was an ideologue for Tesla awaiting a car that I had put down a 50% deposit 2 years ago with no interest & then ‘locked-in’ the remainder of the price and options in November, 2008 for a car that had been delayed until April, 2009. Now they pull the rug up from underneath me and want to charge nearly $10,000 in options? Shady is an understatement! I hope there is a mutiny! Go here for more info: Tesla Increases Prices on Locked-In Orders - Tom Saxton's Blog

A few years ago I opened escrow on a house on a Friday. That next Monday they wanted $10K more and through a loop hole they were able to ask for it & had another buyer lined up (remember those days when the housing market was riding sky high?). Though the house was "worth" the extra $10K and we were emotionally attached, I told my broker & my wife, that on principal I could not continue with the deal. The $10K I thought was just the beginning of something nefarious and not the end. After we walked away we found out that the blue prints for the pool that they had displayed when we walked in to see the house for the 1st time and that were going to be given to us for free so that we could use them to build a pool were useless as the city had determined that the soil was unfit to build any pool there!

So I put to those of you who have "locked-in..." what is Tesla not telling us? And those who have yet to "lock-in" and don't seem affected... what might happen to you when they call your name early because others have dropped out? And those of you who think that $100K is a lot for any car and can't ever dream of spending that kinda dough on a car, ever... How about if it was a $10K car and you were in a similar situation and they told you the price was the same as you had locked it in with that $5K deposit, but the steering wheel was a $1K option?

"All that is needed for evil to succeed is that decent human beings do nothing." -Edmund Burke
"Abusus non tollit usum" - Translation: "Abuse is no argument against proper use"

Tdave

You're joking, right?

Michael

I seriously hope so, but how can we be sure it won't happen?

dpeilow

OK - so you were laying flamebait. With the current stories circulating, I don't think we need to be courting any more controversy.

Tdave

Indeed. Folks, please identify sarcasm appropriately.

vfx

First off I would like to take back many of my thoughts and statements about Daryl Siry. This new idiocy still went down even with a new PR team so it's obvious that the spokes-people cannot handle the CEO.

This bodes poorly for the company's future. Elon clearly knows technology but is clueless about people. These actions are exactly oppostite of what they should have done. [New Elon mantra. "What would Apple do?"] Better yet, Hire Guy Kawasaki and let him run the company.


A smart team would suck it up and embrace the early evangalists not anger them. Even if this move was absolutely required to keep the company from going under (more Elon money notwithstanding) then approach the problem with a you-scratch-my-back solution.
State your case (FIRST) and then offer something later in return. Those that put down money have been waiting a long time. Why not do it again on a much smaller scale? Offer an equivalent discount on the next car, or a rebate check in 2 years, a new battery upgrade etc. There are many delayed ways of getting money now and amortizing it into the next season's profits.

The locked in buyers have already shown their support. They are your friends. Friends help each other. Go for the pat on the back not the stab.

__________________
.
.
.
.
.
.
The world loves to be deceived.

James

I honestly believe that if Tesla Motors had simply presented the new options as exactly that... new options to improve your Roadster, most owners would have likely bought a few of them.

I think many of us were mentally preparing to purchase a hardtop, either painted or clear carbon fiber. That was a $3,200 or $5,000 upgrade in revenue.

Many 2008 VINs that had an HPC included, were likely planning to purchase a mobile charger at $600 or $1,500.

Many of the other new upgrades are really cool and do raise the quality of the Roadster. There are more carbon fiber options, a Sport option, etc.

If Tesla Motors had just kept the current locked in 2008 VINs at the current level of quality (HPC, wheels, windshield), and then offered the options in addition, then Tesla might have averaged $10,000 in additional revenue per Roadster. Tesla might have even sold a bunch of prepaid replacement batteries at $12,000 and gotten more interest free loans.

But the way this has been done, by downgrading the quality of the Roadster for locked in customers, just has a lot of 2008 customers upset, and rightfully so.

I don't think it is too late to fix this. Perhaps Tesla Motors could reconsider and backup a bit. It is never too late to say, "oops, sorry we weren't thinking this through logically because of the rush going on at the Detroit Auto Show. Here is the fix."

__________________
Tesla Roadster Foundry aftermarket accessories

The Roadster Foundry Mobile Connector (RFMC)

lbaroody

I had heard that in order to get some speed and momentum on deliveries given all of the delays, gliders were being transported by air from the UK to California. This may explain the extra $1,000 delivery charge. It's one more way to pass on their higher costs (which Tesla by itself chose to incur). Tesla is behaving very naively and stupidly - that somehow the risks of starting the business need to be passed on to their early customers who helped get them started.

The increase in $25 for the floor mats says it all. This is the ultimate nickel and diming.