A lot of so called "green" people seem to resent the tesla roadsters....

[danny]

something I like a lot because it keeps certain minded people from ruining the reputation of the roadster as a performance car.
These people see it as another car for the rich people who take money from the poor to buy cars for themselves.
I don't know if the people interviewed in "Who killed the Electric car" feel this way about the roadster, but I find it odd
that they thought the EV-1 looked like a corvette and was a sports car.
What are all your thoughts on this.

 

[tonybelding]

I know Chris Paine (director of Who Killed movie, for those who didn't know) has ordered a Tesla Roadster, so he is definitely not among those who resent it.

I think it's funny too, how many blog comments I've seen from folks gnashing their teeth over the Tesla Roadster because it's not an el cheapo car for the masses. I think many of those commentors are well-meaning: they feel it's urgent to get our country off gasoline, and huge numbers of electric cars will be needed to accomplish that, and the Tesla Roaster isn't going to do it. They can be reasoned with. Just point out to them that Tesla's business plan is all about moving toward lower costs and higher volumes. They're working on it.

However. . . There are also a few who see cars as wicked things: symbols of rampant consumerism, wasteful excess, maybe even the Marxist class struggle. Any kind of sports car, especially an expensive one, will draw their disdain (second only to large SUVs of course). It's sinful! They would have all us peasants driving "punishment cars", if we must insist on having cars at all.

I have no sympathy for them, but I don't think there are really too many people who fall under that attitude.

 

[danny]

thats well said, I agree with you

 

[DDB]

I have no sympathy for them, but I don't think there are really too many people who fall under that attitude.

I agree. But even at $100,000, it is the most affordable EV yet, that is available for purchase, with the best specs. It isn't that expensive. Go buy a gasser that does 0-60 in 3.9...and I'll bet you're in the same class. Maybe the issue is just jealousy. I am. I can admit I want one to stick it to OPEC.

 

[asdar]

I think I understand this resentment, not to get all amateur Phsychologist.

People see the environmental problems and they get all frustrated that nothing is being done, so they hook onto any new idea coming up the track. The problem is when they think they know the solution they latch onto that and close their eyes to reality.

In the case of electric cars they think that the solution is everyone driving electric cars, so they don't want to see the reality that people won't change directly to punishment cars. They can't see that the Tesla is one step forward because anything less than what they want they consider a failure. That goes into the whole instant gratification thing within the U.S.

Along with that is some kind of ego thing, where people want to be involved in saving the world. When they can't because of money they're frustrated. I understand this because I'd love to have a roadster, but there's no way I can pull that off.

People that got hooked on Fuel Cell Cars think anything that alters the path to fuel cells is wasted time and money. You can throw facts at them, like the fact that it costs more energy to generate Hydrogen than you get out of the Hydrogen or the high cost and low supply of Platinum, but they don't care. They heard something easy and so they're hooked on that and anything less is a failure of someone else's part.

Then there's also the people who fear change. I love the sound of a 68 Camaro, the deep rumble and the shifting gears will be hard to drop for any gear heads. Not only will they miss that sound and feel, but electric cars does away with working on the car, and there are tons of people that I know that go to the garage as a pastime. Nascar race fans in particular idolize the gear shifting ICE, they don't want to go electric because their way of life will change.

Those are the four main reasons I see so many people bashing Tesla.

 

[WarpedOne]

>> Nascar race fans in particular idolize the gear shifting ICE, they don't want to go electric because their way of life will change.

Sometimes, something has to die away to give place for new things to come into existance. I'm sure EVs will have at least so many tweaking possibilites as ICE cars do, they'll just be different.

Problem is, it is much easier to see what you have in your hands, than what you could have in your hands

 

[david_42]

Three words: Too much fun!

It's a little like a vegan restaurant that went belly up in Las Vegas. They figured, if you were a vegan you hated food that actually had flavor. So, boiled this, and steamed that, & under-cooked crunch. They were so hardcore, that there were no salt shakers in the place!

Just about no one is buying electric punishment cars, so let's build more of them and pass laws to force people to buy them.