Model S Specifications, Teases and Leaks

TEG said:

Let me try to extrapolate:

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Here's what the green car reports has to say on the battery pack

-BATTERY CELLS: Advanced lithium-ion chemistry yields 20-percent improvement in energy density, 50 percent more energy output over Roadster.

-BATTERY PACK: 8,000 commodity cells; standard 42-kWh pack gives 160-mile range; 230-mile (50-plus kWh) and 300-mile (70 kWh) packs to come later for rental or purchase; quicker to change than a gas tank. The 300-mile pack will use an entirely different cell chemistry than the other two.

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Tesla Model S: Technical Specs - Green Car Reports

Don't know which one will have 8000 cells.

Just to throw it in there, gizmodo has good pictures on the touchscreen:
http://i.gizmodo.com/5185966/first-look-at-tesla-model-s-fantastically-giant-touch-lcd-console

With the weight of the 300 mile range battery, I am sure that will start affecting performance of the vehicle. So it makes sense that would only be for a rental and not your regular daily battery.

The truth is, I think it would be a waste to drag around that heavy battery every day. Why have the weight in your Model S if you only drive about 100 miles per day or less?

So I will likely get the 160 mile version of the battery so that the car is not so heavy and will handle better. If I need the long 300 mile range, I can go to the Tesla store in Seattle and rent that battery for the trip.

The more I think about it, the more sense that makes.

My one key demand of Tesla Motors is that my HPC work with both the Roadster and the Sedan. If I am forced to buy another HPC for $3,000 then I am going to be ticked off. My 240 volt 30 amp mobile charger better work on both of them also.

I was actually talking to the guy online who gave the pics to Kevin Rose. So I actually saw them even before he did! :biggrin:

Thread on Pistonheads: Tesla Model S

I had to laugh at this comment about the 7 seats...

I'm here for my new car.

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TEG said:

Possibly a mis-quote...
I heard this: "replacement cost would be under $500 kWh"...

So for a 42kWh pack that works out to ~<$21K

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I guess we'll learn more about this in the coming weeks. It DID sound like a "too good to be true" kind of quote.

SteveF said:

I am hopeful that means Roadster owners can also expect battery pack costs to be well south of the 20 to 30K that has been speculated? I know the packs are different, but if battery technology has advanced to the degree that such a statement can be made for the Model S, I would think it benefits Roadster owners, too.

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Me too. JB said that batteries have dropped 20 percent since the start of the Roadster project.

stopcrazypp said:

Just to throw it in there, gizmodo has good pictures on the touchscreen:
Cars: First Look At The Tesla Model S Electric Car's Giant Touchscreen Dashboard

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In looking at the touchscreen, I'm not quite convinced that it'll be better than traditional buttons. I kind of like the click feedback I get when adjusting, say, the temperature.

SteveF said:

I am hopeful that means Roadster owners can also expect battery pack costs to be well south of the 20 to 30K that has been speculated? I know the packs are different, but if battery technology has advanced to the degree that such a statement can be made for the Model S, I would think it benefits Roadster owners, too.

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That makes sense.

I'm more interested in longer range. I'd happily pay $15k-$20k for a 350+ mile Roadster battery in 5-7 years.

Another thing that was said (JB?) is that they have figured out how to drop the size of the battery pack by some amount (20%?) packing more power in a given volume -or was it mass?

I know this post is nearly useless but may someone can find a video or audio of the speeches...

TEG said:

Also, again, we have to be careful about the different pack variations.

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From what I can work out the 160 & 230 mile packs will use the same cells as the Roadster. That means as they have said, the 160 pack is smaller than the 230 pack. The 300 mile pack will use the cells with better volumetric energy density so it will stay the same size as the 230 pack except it has more range.

TEG said:

I think they meant "20% more energy storage in the same volume"...
Packaging efficiency I guess.

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So I'm no engineer, but can we assume that if these batteries were put into a battery pack for the Roadster, the range could go from 244 miles to nearly 300 miles just like that? (244*1.2 = 292.8 miles)

Brent said:

In looking at the touchscreen, I'm not quite convinced that it'll be better than traditional buttons. I kind of like the click feedback I get when adjusting, say, the temperature.

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I don't know. After using the iphone for a while I went and tried the new blackberry touch screen, which has to be pressed to activate any function, and it seemed annoyingly archaic and inefficient, a step back from the iphone. But at the same time, it is nice not having to look away from the road to find a knob to twist or slide. I usually just feel for the knobs.

SteveF said:

So I'm no engineer, but can we assume that if these batteries were put into a battery pack for the Roadster, the range could go from 244 miles to nearly 300 miles just like that? (244*1.2 = 292.8 miles)

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Yes, provided the electronics can handle the extra current and the battery enclosure/mounts can handle whatever extra weight of the battery cells (though it shouldn't weigh much more, if at all) you can basically do that since the cells are all the same standard 18650 size.

stopcrazypp said:

Yes, provided the electronics can handle the extra current and the battery enclosure/mounts can handle whatever extra weight of the battery cells (though it shouldn't weigh much more, if at all) you can basically do that since the cells are all the same standard 18650 size.

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I LIKE IT! :smile:

First Look at Tesla's Stunning Model S:

The Model S will use a liquid-cooled motor with a peak output of 300 kilowatts, or about 402 horsepower.

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Amazing what some additional cooling brings. 300kW is a lot, even by today's sport luxury sedan's standards. Feeding it from 42kWh pack could mean some very short meals, like 8 minutes. Of course, you cannot constantly draw peak power under realistic driving conditions, even by constantly flooring it up the hill.