Tesla to make "exciting announcement on Thursday" (correction Tuesday)

[aznt1217]

So... The amended numbers, exceeding production, upgrade/options changes, and all that was just announced Isn't what tomorrow is about? That's bananas.

 

[Zzzz...]

Tesla reveals Model S with 110+kWh battery pack option?

 

[JRP3]

PLEASE ANNOUNCE WIRELESS (PROXIMITY) CHARGING!!!!

Nope. Plugging in is too easy, cost effective, and more efficient.

 

[AnOutsider]

Nope. Plugging in is too easy, cost effective, and more efficient.

Agreed. While wireless would be cool, plugging in is so simple it's automatic for me at this point. Should they have that ability down the line though, I'd be all over it. My wife would never forget to plug in the X while juggling the baby

 

[JRP3]

Sure, I expect it to be an option at some point. Just not the announcement that Elon is talking about. Actually you can get wireless charging already from a third party but limited to 6kW I think.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Nope. Plugging in is too easy, cost effective, and more efficient.

However, wireless has the advantage of avoiding cables.
- Less concern about cable theft, vandalism or damage.
- Could be used at bus stops and taxi ranks where vehicles wait in a spot for indeterminate amounts of time.
- Space-efficient: by burying the charger you don't have to leave charger room by parking spaces. All negotiation and set-up could be done in the car.
- The device would be placed in the middle of the parking space so it would encourages better parking.

But another disadvantage is that without a cable it's strictly the car in the spot that gets charged.

 

[viperboy]

Is there an official time / livestream for this announcement tomorrow? Hope so, but if not, I'll just follow this thread.

As for wireless charging, if you could get enough amperage, you could either:
1) Line the first 30 feet at a stoplight, so while you're stopped you get free energy
2) Line the HOV lanes in Cali with strips several hundred / thousand feet in length. If done correctly, you'd never have to recharge. (Not sure about the technical challenges about this one)

 

[ckessel]

Is there an official time / livestream for this announcement tomorrow? Hope so, but if not, I'll just follow this thread.

As for wireless charging, if you could get enough amperage, you could either:
1) Line the first 30 feet at a stoplight, so while you're stopped you get free energy
2) Line the HOV lanes in Cali with strips several hundred / thousand feet in length. If done correctly, you'd never have to recharge. (Not sure about the technical challenges about this one)

Tesla is just too small. There's no way the announcement is going to be something that'd require massive government involvement across a multitude of states (which is what road changes would require).

Charging while driving is never going to happen. At least not in our lifetimes.

 

[sp4rk]

Is there an official time / livestream for this announcement tomorrow? Hope so, but if not, I'll just follow this thread.

As for wireless charging, if you could get enough amperage, you could either:
1) Line the first 30 feet at a stoplight, so while you're stopped you get free energy

Very interesting comment. I would look at it, though, differently. Outside the stoplight. Or, outside the box.
Stop lights are inherently inefficient.
In the USA I get so fed up with stopping and starting! At every bl00dy stop sign. Stop light.
In contrast, in Europe, so many "stops" are roundabouts instead. Far more efficient! Far less wear on the brakes. Far less gas consumed accelerating. Ergo, far less electricity used.
So, let's ban stop signs and install roundabouts!
Considering how much a set of stop lights cost vs. a mini-roundabout?

 

[AnOutsider]

Very interesting comment. I would look at it, though, differently. Outside the stoplight. Or, outside the box.
Stop lights are inherently inefficient.
In the USA I get so fed up with stopping and starting! At every bl00dy stop sign. Stop light.
In contrast, in Europe, so many "stops" are roundabouts instead. Far more efficient! Far less wear on the brakes. Far less gas consumed accelerating. Ergo, far less electricity used.
So, let's ban stop signs and install roundabouts!
Considering how much a set of stop lights cost vs. a mini-roundabout?

I lived in Central NJ for a while. There was a circle where route 202, 206 and a couple others met up and you'd swear the world just ended at that point. So many people couldn't wrap their heads around how to navigate this incredible geometric oddity and the fact that it had 2-3 lanes depending on which part of the circle you were in just blew minds. Can't see it happening.

 

[Larry Chanin]

He could announce quicker expansion of the Supercharger network (using his own money) and a deal with Daimler that allows future B-Class owners to use it for free, for the lifetime of their cars. Would be a good move towards world dominance!

I am talking about expanding Superchargers as a new line of business for Tesla through deals with other EV manufacturers, in particular those who use Tesla's battery tech. If Tesla expands Supercharger access beyond their own cars they could have a shot at becoming the dominant charging station operator in the EV industry, like ExxonMobil or Chevron dominate gas stations for fueling ICE cars today.

Also, Elon likes to think bigger than Tesla, he wants to get to all electric automotive transportation as quickly as possible. For the greater good of the planet!

Teaming up with a major car manufacturer, such as Daimler, to accelarate expansion and share the Supercharger network would be a big deal. However, it won't start with the B-Class EVs. They only have 28 kWh batteries. Before Tesla cancelled the 40 kWh Model S they had determined it too small to be practical for Supercharging. They are not likely to permit a smaller Mercedes to use the network if they've ruled out entry-level Model S reservation holders.

Larry

 

[DriverOne]

My speculation is that Elon will invest in some sort of eatery (e.g. Starbucks) who will then commit to Supercharger installation cross-country.

Food's where your mouth is at, after all.

 

[sp4rk]

I lived in Central NJ for a while. There was a circle where route 202, 206 and a couple others met up and you'd swear the world just ended at that point. So many people couldn't wrap their heads around how to navigate this incredible geometric oddity and the fact that it had 2-3 lanes depending on which part of the circle you were in just blew minds. Can't see it happening.

You'd have had to have grown up with them. Took my driving test on them. And stick shift. Er, manual transmission.
However, have to ask ... technically, was it a roundabout or a circle?
Circles ... right of way for those approaching, roundabouts the opposite.
And I understand how people might get confused.
In some places in the UK, they terrify me ... for example in High Wycombe, they have 5 (4?) roundabouts in one. Four perimeter ones, one big one. And you see the whole thing when approaching from a hill from the exit from the M40.
After 3 or 4 goes I got used to it. But I understand your "world just ended" comment!

 

[Volker.Berlin]

Charging while driving is never going to happen. At least not in our lifetimes.

I hope you’re wrong.

 

[ckessel]

I hope you’re wrong.

Me too, but given the bureaucracy involved I just can't see it. We can't get funds allocated to rebuild crumbling bridges (well, in the US), I just don't see making roads into EV chargers happening. The scope is way beyond what Tesla could finance. Just doing one town would exceed the entire supercharger budget.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

You'd have had to have grown up with them. Took my driving test on them. And stick shift.
However, have to ask ... technically, was it a roundabout or a circle?
Circles ... right of way for those approaching, roundabouts the opposite.
And I understand how people might get confused.
In some places in the UK, they terrify me ... for example in High Wycombe, they have 5 (4?) roundabouts in one. Four perimeter ones, one big one. And you see the while thing when approaching from a hill from the exit from the M40.
After 3 or 4 goes I got used to it. But I understand your "world just ended" comment!

For Americans (and other aliens) the technical term for what he has just described is a "Magic Roundabout", named after a very popular children's (and, let's be honest here, adult's) TV series. It's so called because for people familiar with them, they work extremely well as they help divide flows of traffic while those unfamiliar watching the flow can only believe that magic makes it work.

In Maine's capital city, Augusta, there is a roundabout and a rotary! (Gasp). A smaller roundabout was re-designed into a rotary and it's much better than it was, as long as everybody knows where they're going and gets into the correct lane before they enter. Occasionally somebody unfamiliar does an unnecessary lane switch but otherwise it flows pretty well.

- - - Updated - - -

I hope you’re wrong.

I think it's unrealistic because wireless charge-on-de-move (ho ho) would be expensive to install and involve large energy losses. I think it's more realistic to hope for improvements in charging rates and ubiquity in highway rest area parking lots (with expanded rest area business).

 

[Joyrider]

I'm pretty sure they're still the largest fast food chain in the nation.

Guess they got over your break up

I am sorry but I just have to take issue with this statement. I agree that McDonalds is large. I agree that they are fast. But I can't stomach the word food and McDonalds in the same sentence. :biggrin:

 

[Morristhecat]

Elon did promise a $50k model s. Now that they nixed the 40kw battery, the 60Kw will be repriced to $50k, and we will all get a nice refund.

 

[doug]

I went through the options listed in the wiki and have added a poll to the thread. You guys have today to vote on the option you think is most likely.

 

[JRP3]

I lived in Central NJ for a while. There was a circle where route 202, 206 and a couple others met up and you'd swear the world just ended at that point. So many people couldn't wrap their heads around how to navigate this incredible geometric oddity and the fact that it had 2-3 lanes depending on which part of the circle you were in just blew minds. Can't see it happening.