how will future family members view us??

[jmanning]

The year is 2042 and through research your great-great grandson discovers that you owned the first generation of electric car that was mass produced and the tipping point of society to change from oil to electricity. How proud they must be !!!!

Thoughts??? Talk amongst yourselves....

I pose this after writing a genealogy book on one side of my family and am in the middle of writing a second one for the other side.

 

[Pete90D]

The year is 2042 and through research your great-great grandson discovers that you owned the first generation of electric car that was mass produced and the tipping point of society to change from oil to electricity. How proud they must be !!!!

Thoughts??? Talk amongst yourselves....

I pose this after writing a genealogy book on one side of my family and am in the middle of writing a second one for the other side.

That our clothes were hideous and boring and why in gods name were we driving cars when we could just teleport. I joke, but it's probably not far off... sigh

In all seriousness I don't know if it will matter to that many. Now there will be some that think the cars are cool, just like how people (including myself) love the Shelby Cobra. I also see the side of it where it's a shift in advancement, but maybe not as big a shift. Cars themselves have been needed, but in the US we really dropped the ball on trains and public transportation and that fueled more need for cars. So we created something awesome, but also dropped the ball on something awesome. Gas/oil was not a motivator for me getting my Tesla, but I'm sure not many will say moving away from gas/oil was bad. I just don't know that it will be viewed as big a shift as self-driving cars. I'll be happy if I'm wrong though.

 

[roblab]

That our clothes were hideous and boring and why in gods name were we driving cars when we could just teleport. I joke, but it's probably not far off... sigh

In all seriousness I don't know if it will matter to that many. Now there will be some that think the cars are cool, just like how people (including myself) love the Shelby Cobra. I also see the side of it where it's a shift in advancement, but maybe not as big a shift. Cars themselves have been needed, but in the US we really dropped the ball on trains and public transportation and that fueled more need for cars. So we created something awesome, but also dropped the ball on something awesome. Gas/oil was not a motivator for me getting my Tesla, but I'm sure not many will say moving away from gas/oil was bad. I just don't know that it will be viewed as big a shift as self-driving cars. I'll be happy if I'm wrong though.

I know a lot of people who ride horses, shoe horses, keep horses, clean up after horses. I read old old books with horses. Oh, and trains, too.

I think some people will remember. 30 years ain't so long ago when you're old.

I wonder how many will still have, and drive, their 2012 Model S, with the new, lighter, 170 kWh battery pack.

 

[Pete90D]

I know a lot of people who ride horses, shoe horses, keep horses, clean up after horses. I read old old books with horses. Oh, and trains, too.

I think some people will remember. 30 years ain't so long ago when you're old.

I wonder how many will still have, and drive, their 2012 Model S, with the new, lighter, 170 kWh battery pack.

True, but the people I know with horses ride them for recreation, they don't really talk about their use for transportation. I think the view becomes more "how did anyone ride this all day every day" instead of "man the car was such a great invention".

He mentioned great-great grandson so my perspective was more about how I view changes I've witnessed since IMO that makes the difference. For example, I'm 33 and my earliest memories are around 4yrs old, so roughly 30 years ago. I remember the cars my parents drove, cassettes vs records vs 8 track, clothes, etc. I never viewed an 8 track as a great thing in comparison to a record because the impact on me was different. I can say a cassette was way better because I used all 3 and how DVDs are better than VHS because I have had both. I have a record collection and I can comment on the difference of sound and how much I like them even though MP3s are higher quality.

Granted, music is different than changing the environment, but the cassette changed a lot. You could copy your buddy's bootleg, or make a mixtape for the boy/girl you liked, and record over them again and again. Then it was CDs, MD, MP3s, and now internet radio. I doubt many people think about the impact a recordable format had on our culture, or the introduction of digital music on CDs.

So in 30 years when I'm 63 and I look back at Tesla and compare it to a flying car or whatever it will be, I can comment on how amazing the Tesla was and what a game changer it might have been. However, I think the 30-somethings I talk to will probably not view it as such a game changer because things will happen in between now and the time they are 30 that may be bigger game changers. Like self-driving cars, flying cars, teleportation, whatever it might be. It doesn't mean they won't think they are awesome and think we were lucky that we got to actually drive a car (if they are gone), but more that I don't think we'll be viewed as changing the world by owning them.

 

[Max*]

The year is 2042 and through research your great-great grandson discovers that you owned the first generation of electric car that was mass produced and the tipping point of society to change from oil to electricity. How proud they must be !!!!

Thoughts??? Talk amongst yourselves....

I pose this after writing a genealogy book on one side of my family and am in the middle of writing a second one for the other side.

Ahh, I see you're using EMT (Elon Musk Time) also! By 2042 the Model 3 will finally be mass produced!

 

[Irish Dan T]

1 Your Grt Grt Grt Grt Grandfather had one of the first Cadillacs in town.
2 Your GGG Grandfather was one of the first to use chemical fertilizer on wheat land.
3 Your GG Grandfather was one of the first to have a rubber track tractor and he had the third Tesla all electric car in town.

Don't try to be the first just to be the first, but do be an early adopter of new ideas. If it's new and different, give it a try just like your ancestors.

 

[jmanning]

Alright fellas, let's say the year 2150, cars are still in use because teleporting hasn't been created yet and people still want their independence of going where they want in an automobile. Remember automobiles have been around for over 100 years. The hyperloop will be a revolutionary concept when developed. But going to places within short distances cars will probably still be a choice of transportation for most people. ASSUMING cars are used and are all electric 2150, how would our ancestors look at us ???

 

[Discoducky]

How will we be viewed? Well, my grandfather bought a VCR in 1978 with a wired remote and I had no idea he was an early adopter. Of course I had to learn to program it at 5 years old. I feel that my now 5 year old son will hopefully do the same with our S. I hope he views this in a positive light and does the same for his kids. It will be his generation that puts a spin on what we've supported.

I find it an interesting thought to think how many original S's will be on the road in say 20 years and how many original batteries will still be in use. This could be a good indicator of how early adopters will be viewed. I know some owners are taking very careful care of their car and 'babying' their batteries. Some degradation curves show this to be very possible so I can imagine this to happen. These cars might be similar to the original Lexus LS in 1991. Some would call that car the original 'new' luxury car when it arrived on the scene. I've seen a few that are meticulously cared for and beautiful and love to hear the purchase story from the original owner.

When the S becomes vintage and the interior is refreshed with new carpet and seats, lumbering along with it's heavy aluminum frame in 20 years will it still be cool? Like an old fedora and a classy suit I expect. Sure it won't be the sleekest and sexiest car on the road, but will be a testament to attempting to change the status quo because it will most likely be a changed environment we'll live in.

And Tesla will most likely look like a different company and my hope is that we'll see it transform into a true energy company that maybe still makes cars. For instance I don't see other companies actually producing batteries, but rather branding them for their different markets and line of businesses to suit their needs. Many, if not all, made by Tesla, powering the world.