I was sitting in a business networking meeting this morning and one of the attendees owns a auto repair/maintenance shop (he claims to be a Tesla tech because he worked on an electric Rav4). There was another attendee talking to another person about how he wanted to buy a Tesla. The mechanic quickly chimed in and said, "Tesla is going down!" He was talking like there was going to be a battery apocalypse. He claimed that ALL Tesla batteries will either lose all their charge in a few years or explode. I've heard of this ICE-blocking tactic before and never seen it in action until this morning. All I could say to him is wow, you really are freaked out about electric vehicles.
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He meant the price is going down, you know with the introduction of the Model 3!
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it."
--- Upton Sinclair
--- Upton Sinclair
Three60guy
Member
In a different era those people were called Luddites. Someone who is opposed or resistant to new technologies or technological change.
I can only assume a percentage of people will always be that way.
I can only assume a percentage of people will always be that way.
HookBill
Member
These are the same people who would ask a 5 year old child to figure out why their smart phone/computer isn't working right.
The first time I showed off my model S to my co-workers they went crazy at the fact that there was no engine. Then one of the guys was asking about the exhaust. I told him that there was none. Immediately after the everyone goes to the back of the car and all drop down to their stomachs to take a look beneath the car and one of them exclaims 'There's nothing!'
Electric700
Active Member
Maximus8, I think it's good to try to educate people who may not understand the technology, such as the person you encountered. Tesla batteries are engineered well and could last 20 years or longer. They do come with an 8 year/unlimited mile warranty.
As for the fires/explosions concern, there was one incident with a Model S recently but in that case, the driver was warned ahead of time and was able to get out without injury. These cases are extremely rare and when you compare the number of Tesla EV fires (less than 10) vs. ICE fires (many thousands per year), Tesla wins the safety case. They are also improving their designs year over year to further reduce the already unlikely chance of there being an incident.
As for the fires/explosions concern, there was one incident with a Model S recently but in that case, the driver was warned ahead of time and was able to get out without injury. These cases are extremely rare and when you compare the number of Tesla EV fires (less than 10) vs. ICE fires (many thousands per year), Tesla wins the safety case. They are also improving their designs year over year to further reduce the already unlikely chance of there being an incident.
Akikiki
A'-Lo-HA ! y'all
No one can speak with greater authority on conviction on any given subject than he who is not inhibited by the facts. Tell that to your "Rav4 tech'.
rolson1011
2016 P90DL, Model 3 on reservation
I've come to the conclusion that most of the masses are as dumb as a box of rocks.
rolson1011
2016 P90DL, Model 3 on reservation
No one can speak with greater authority on conviction on any given subject than he who is not inhibited by the facts. Tell that to your "Rav4 tech'.
I used to have the Rav4EV. I think Toyota gave Tesla mounds of information by using a pre-production Model S motor and ironing out all of the battery and driveline issues. They've had about a 40% failure rate on the motors due to gear lube getting all grimy. It let Tesla fine tune as much as possible for the Model S and alleviate a major failure problem which would have been even worse than the existing early Model S had.
I do miss the Rav4EV, it had tons of space for things and a decent towing capacity. Much more SUV feel than the ModelX.
You can surely understand his position. In the next 15 years there are going to be some major readjustments taking place in the industry and it will be quite difficult for some of the folks who have been in the business for their whole lives.
Morristhecat
Member
Not all ICE mechanics hate Tesla. The mechanic that we always take my wife's car to always asks me questions about my car, in keen and enthusiastic car nut kind of way. Mind you, he is not your usual mechanic. He runs the shop with one hat, and with his other hat he teaches auto mechanics at a local college. He has to prepare the next generation of auto mechanics, and perhaps in the back of his mind he has to get them ready for the EV revolution.
alseTrick
Active Member
That's a rather telling, and true, quote. And, I feel it applies to other aspects of life, especially around this time of the quadrennium.
Gizmotoy
Active Member
Teslas need fixed too. I don't think mechanics have much to be worried about. Does your shop service hybrids? Well then you already have a pretty good idea what's involved. And it's not like ICE vehicles are disappearing overnight, either.
People can be so irrational.
People can be so irrational.
While your story reads like fantasy, I am going to take you are your word that it is true. What year did that experience occur in? It is hard for me to imagine that could happen recently in Minnesota given that Tesla has been in volume production for around four years now, and Nissan has been producing large numbers of Leafs for even longer.
This is the wrong kind of paranoia. A lot of folks forget but when GM first came out with the EV1, nearly all mechanics loved it because maintenance was actually A LOT easier. They didn't come home smelling like fuel, oil, & covered with oil stains -- needless to say, they were in shocked!
