Looks like the UK is about experience widespread petrol rationing in the wake of some ridiculous union action just in time for the national Easter holidays, not helped by the govt increasing fuel taxation as well. Last time this happened I remember roads being remarkably empty of cars and lorries for days. This could be an opportunity for a selection of UK Tesla drivers and Leafs etc, to show that there is an alternative transport future without a dependency on petrol. EG, organise a photo shoot from a motorway bridge over the M45 (or some such) that shows both sides of the motorway devoid of ICE cars, and a dozen EV's driving each direction instead ! Or, fill up a supermarket car park with EVs Or, fake someone being caught speeding at XYZ mph on a deserted motorway in a Tesla wearing a Chris Huhne face mask or sumthin and let the Daily Mail have it for their usual treatment etc Or … Your suggestions please :smile:
How about just trying to a petrol station and parking outside it and take a picture of the massive queue, gloating.
… there's a whole new business to be had in EV-Taxi's ... In many countries EVs are allowed to use Bus Lanes to get about quicker than all the queuing traffic … If you had a fleet of Leaf's ferrying commuters in and out of London at normal Taxi rates you be making a far better margin due to electricity costing less than 1/10th petrol rates per mile, and getting about without so many delays due to ICE cars … and not paying road tax, or congestion charges, and being able to write the EV purchase cost down against company taxes, and lease them at rates to be offset against taxes, and offering a door to door taxi serivce that would be cheaper than commuting on trains/tubes etc etc etc … Hmmmmm ...
Some serious queuing at the garage tonight. Damn I wish I had that Ampera already. I drove on past it but I'll definitely be on the train tomorrow.
Does anyone know if Tesla has a Model S in the London showroom? If they don't, they need to overnight one ASAP. They'd probably get a couple hundred impulse buys if they were already available. As it is, they could probably get quite a few pre-orders.
Can they set up a temporary shop like the did in Colorado (I think it was there to take advantage of a tax break window)? Not sure it could get done that quickly.
Totally agree. Whatever it takes. This is an opportunity moment. Rent one of the advertising buses/trucks and have a beta Model S driving behind it giving test drives. Get on the BBC news somehow, promoting the new Model S. You're going to get a bunch of sales and get the Tesla name and ideas out there.
I think they class their London showroom as the one in Maidenhead - if that still exists? Not sure if it's a showroom, I thought it was. Now looking at Tesla's site I think it might just be an office!
Customer prospects will be disappointed to learn that the RHD version of Model S will come to UK no sooner than mid 2013. So I'm not sure if that will get enthusiasm or frustration for Tesla. In a "crisis" situation, people want a solution NOW.
It is just an office really, but is where I got my Roadster test drive and where I picked it up from.
Good point. Maybe they should still rush to set up shop but wait until this initial event has passed. People likely won't forget about this by fall so would be a perfect time to reintroduce people to Tesla and the Model S saying 'remember the gas rush of the spring?'.
I wonder what it would take to start such a strike in the U.S.? (Funny how multi-millionaire sports stars go on strike but low-paid truck drivers never do?)
One beef over here in the UK is that the average union tanker driver apparently earns £45,000 PA = $72,000 ...