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 eDrive - Tesla Motors 1
The first car produced in a larger series by Tesla is a roadster derived from the Lotus Elise, which contains 6,831 commercial LiIo cells and a 215 kW (292 hp) powerful engine. Since the engine provides full torque
from 0/min to its rated speed, unlike the internal combustion engine, there is no need to worry about lack of acceleration (0-100 km: 3.7 s) and a peak of 220 to 250 km/h depending on the gear ratio.
56 kWh sounds unusually good as a battery size at that time, but still means the energy content of 6 litres of super petrol. If you then assume a usable capacity of only 80 percent and a minimum consumption of about
12.5 kWh per 100 km, under ideal conditions 'only' 350 km range remain, but at the same time show the good feed conversion of electrical energy. In 2014 the capacity of the battery was increased to 70 kW/h.
However, charging the batteries is only possible in single-phase mode. This means charging times of 3 to 24 hours, depending on the current at the connection. Meanwhile, the durability of the batteries is also viewed
less skeptically. 150,000 to 200,000 km are possible with sensible use, even if this means a loss of another 20 percent. The demand is for 92,000 dollars, which corresponds to about 70,000 euros at the exchange
rate at the time.
It was a huge step away from the previously known maximum range of 100 km, more timid acceleration and hardly any loading volume, which the Tesla Roadster did not have either. The Lotus company was probably
also chosen because of its almost unbeatable lightweight construction. The Roadster is said to weigh just over 100 kg compared to its production pedant with a combustion engine. Although approx. 2,500 vehicles
were sold, it was not a financial success.
By the way, the man of the hour was Martin Eberhard. He just sold his internet company. The now famous Elon Musk was already involved. He sold his shares in a predecessor of PayPal in 2002 and has been
considered a billionaire ever since. He took over the management of the company during its financial crisis in 2008. An investor was found. In 2010, Tesla-Motors went public. Except in the third quarter of 2016, the
company has never made a profit again until today (2017).
Nevertheless, it is now valued higher on the stock exchange than Ford and even GM. The 'blame' lies with the charisma of its boss, who, together with his employees, is able to well-prepared public relations work. The
fans read his lips like a book. In addition, he is California's hope for entering the automobile production of the future, although he has set up the Gigafactory for simultaneous car and battery production in Reno
(Nevada), just across the border.
With Musk as CEO, an unprecedented production offensive has begun. First comes the Model S, a larger limousine costing about 70,000 dollars in various capacity levels. These are extendable to 100 kWh and to be
equipped with a second drive at the front. Second is an SUV launched on the market as Model X. When there came a performance version of it, it was probably the best accelerating production saloon in the world, but at
twice the basic price.
Inside the car is rather simpler than comparable luxury objects equipped with a combustion engine. Almost all functions can be performed by a seventeen-incher. The letter 'X' is then available for the following SUV, but
the Model S could also be equipped with two additional child seats, but in the opposite direction.
Model X
Additional front drive in the Models S and X
Much more comfortable is the rear seating of the Model X, where the doors can be lifted and access to the rear five seats can be realized even when space is limited. However, the design is depending on the ceiling
construction in multi-storey car park not completely safe from contact. Together with both models, a worldwide network of so-called superchargers was being created outgoing from the USA, which is becoming
increasingly dense. Together with the range of the two models even a trip from Spain's south to the North Cape should not be a problem.
Tesla Dependance in Tilburg (NL), the brand symbol is derived from parts of the engine invented by Nicola Tesla.
And to top it all off, the 'refueling' at the Supercharger is free of charge as well as fast (80% in just 30 minutes). However, there are first twitches, this principle from 2018 on to a to reduce a certain amount of electricity
per year. In general, you have to study carefully whether it is a supercharger or a more common electricity tank, e.g. in a pension. Here has Tesla made certain compromises.
At the same time, Musk run a company that is already transporting things and may be people into space with reusable rockets on behalf of ESA, perhaps at some point people to Mars without returning. For transport of
the same in approx. half an hour from Berlin to Munich he has a tube company which pumps these almost empty of air and appropriately shaped cabins with more than 1000 km/h through it.
Model 3
But like every 'normal' person, even Elon Musk has his defeats. Suddenly a Model S is burning after an accident. This can still be explained by the reference to the in such situations not better cars with petrol engines. It
became more difficult when his campaign for autonomous driving was suddenly stopped. His engineers allowed too much in the Teslas delivered in USA, so that a car with this system drove into a white transverse
semi-trailer unbraked.
Since then, there have been, among other things, stronger speed limits and apparently a better swearing of the owners to leave their attention and certainly not their places. The so far last visible problem is the missing
of the urgently needed production targets of the Model 3, a much smaller and with 35,000 dollars much cheaper planed sedan in the USA. After all, a deposit of 1,000 dollars has already been paid on almost the entire
production forecast for 2018.
It's easy to imagine the competition celebrating. For the first time in mass production, Tesla is showing the difficulties that Musk probably underestimated. In general, the two greats, Daimler and Toyota, except for a
small remainder of shares, a sign that they took him seriously as an opponent by now. Musk would not be Musk if he were not also in
the crisis, announces in all this trouble a truck and a four-seater roadster.
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