....
That isn't to say that my Tesla model S is perfect either. I ran into the infamous Pano roof creaking problem and they didn't properly detail the car before I got it and the alignment was way off. Fortunately Tesla addressed the issues fairly quickly. There are some features on the Fisker Karma I wish the model S had. Parking sensors would be nice and maybe even parking assist and I think the sun visors could be improved and the amenities for the rear seat could be improved, i.e. cup holders, USB charging ports and another 12v power outlet. The Karma also has rear seat heaters. I think the seats in the Karma may be a bit more comfortable as well, but the cramped feeling of the interior easily offsets any advantage that may have. Oh, I also love the paint on my father's Karma. It's a deep red similar to the Signature red but with glass flakes in it that make it sparkle nicely.
The Fisker Karma was overly ambitious and complex for a first vehicle from a new car company, especially when a lot of the engineering was farmed out to third parties. A123 for all of the battery technology and Quantum for the drive train. Fisker was a design company, not an engineering company, and what it comes down to is that they have a beautiful design full of engineering problems. Fisker also had unrealistic sales goals. They expected to sell 15-20K Karmas. Despite the fact that they haven't manufactured a car since last July and 300 were wiped out by Sandy you can still buy a brand new Karma.
Tesla's Roadster was a much less ambitious project. They started with AC Propulsion's design then realized that they had to engineer their own design from the ground up. They farmed out the transmission, which was a disaster until they did their own, and ended up having to heavily modify the Lotus design to make it work. They learned their lessons having spent a lot less money than Fisker did. Since then they've executed nearly perfectly. They built a state-of-the-art factory after hiring the best qualified people they could find for a song and bought equipment at firesale prices while other auto manufacturers were shuttering plants. They also tested the hell out of the model S to make sure that their design was solid. While they've had a few software glitches I suspect there will be a lot fewer software problems going forward as they've learned to improve their testing.
The fact is that both Fisker & Tesla Motors are immature companies trying to be "major players". Simply put, they're POSERS.
The bugs in the Model S are apalling for a $50K - $100K pricepoint luxury sedan. Buyers at this price point expect near PERFECTION, which it is clearly NOT. Model S sounds like a poorly executed "wannabe" design. The intent is there, but Execution is NOT.
Hate to say it, but Tesla Motors is simply delaying the INEVITABLE: failure (like Fisker)
"you scratch, the GAME'S OVER"
-- Mitch MacAleer, champion aerobatic hang-glider pilot
Somewhere down the line, there's gonna be a CRISIS. (every Mfr has them) Model S recall, which will kill off sales.
Tesla Motors doesn't have the "deep pockets" (critical mass), to survive a crisis.
There's a GLARING PROBLEM with Tesla Motors. It's based on MONEY, not IP (Intellectual Property)..aka R&D. The Roadster production delay highlighted a red-flag:
lack of R&D for the multi-speed gearbox mated to electric motor (instantaneous torque curve), high stress load
Xtrac & others simply didn't have the time for R&D to pull it off..
There was an Xtrac Development Partner (good friends with the team), who had the EXACT same problem as Tesla Motors/Roadster: gearbox BREAKAGE. It took them over a YEAR, to "get the bugs out" using Empirical Approach. I.e., return broken tranny to Xtrac, beef up the broken parts, do some 3rd party R&D (by Development Partner). They won their FIRST RACE the following year, followed by strong finishes in later races (podium & win)
The Model S is a "grenade waiting to go off", there is NO DATA for long-term Durability/Reliability. The buggy release of Model S is a real red-flag! Expect a crisis "down the road" which could take down Tesla Motors. It avoided bankruptcy in Xmas 2008 (down to 10 million cash), but just "set them up" for a future crisis.
Basically, Fisker & Tesla Motors are prototyping the following "Proof of Concept":
"we can spent a TON of $$ trying to be a veteran Auto Mfr, get an initial product out, but CAN'T SURVIVE long-term"
This whole thing is about to be a "giant waste of taxpayer $$'s" for some rich entrepreneur playboys. Following in footstep of other failures:
- Solyndra (500 million $$ wasted)
couldn't compete with Chinese inexpensive solar arrays flooding the market
- A123 (250 million $$ wasted)
couldn't compete with foreign companies (experienced), got bought out by Chinese company
