What wasn't said.

[Canuck]

I am pretty sure they didn't say anything about the ability to flat tow. I would love to take this car with me everywhere and then have 200 miles around where I stop the RV to tour. Then plug into the 50 amp circuit and charge up overnight and back on the road again.

Or, just charge it up as you make your way to the next campsite...

 

[ohmman]

Canuuuuuuuuuuck!!

 

[Canuck]

View attachment 170754
Canuuuuuuuuuuck!!

Well that's a first. It's usually us Canucks that get the "not available in your country" message on Youtube. I found it here as well but without the subtitles on Youtube. Basically, the guy is stranded, so he needs a tow but is told by Nissan not to tow his Leaf because it will damage it -- does it anyway -- and ends up getting a charge...

Edit: Oh, and the "Canuuuuuuuuuck!!" sure gave me a good laugh.... especially since this relates to a video of a guy who is stranded with no charge! (Inside joke related to another thread here... leaving MX at home for 4 weeks alone - plug in or unplugged in garage? )

 

[stopcrazypp]

I am pretty sure they didn't say anything about the ability to flat tow. I would love to take this car with me everywhere and then have 200 miles around where I stop the RV to tour. Then plug into the 50 amp circuit and charge up overnight and back on the road again. I do have an electric motorcycle strapped to the back that I use in a similar way, but it's more like 40 miles on a charge.

I am pretty sure all electric cars cannot be towed all 4 wheels down, but I don't understand why they are built that way. At least make an easy disconnect so the wheels can spin free. I currently tow my 2000 Honda Insight and it's great, but growing old.

-Randy

The problem in EVs with a permanent magnet motor is that even if you set it to free spin (pack disconnected), the motor will be generating a voltage which can damage electronics. This is not an issue with an induction motor. However, other than that, most transmissions/gearboxes are easily damaged in a flat tow (mainly from overheating and lack of lubrication).

In general flat tow is more suitable for a manual transmission car, where you have a clutch to disconnect the drive wheels. However, having a clutch does not make sense in an EV.

 

[Transepoch]

I have always assumed that would be the case but didn't hear Elon mention it. I have a reservation down for the 3 but definitely want much more than the minimum promised range of 215 EPA. Will be getting the Dual Motor option and am hoping for a range of at least 260.

Didn't Elon mention there would be options for further & faster during the min address?

 

[Andyw2100]

The problem in EVs with a permanent magnet motor is that even if you set it to free spin (pack disconnected), the motor will be generating a voltage which can damage electronics. This is not an issue with an induction motor. However, other than that, most transmissions/gearboxes are easily damaged in a flat tow (mainly from overheating and lack of lubrication).

In general flat tow is more suitable for a manual transmission car, where you have a clutch to disconnect the drive wheels. However, having a clutch does not make sense in an EV.

As they explain in the following article, not the best idea, but...

In Russia, Tesla Model S Charging Gets… Interesting

 

[Andyw2100]

Didn't Elon mention there would be options for further & faster during the min address?

He did.

It's a given that there will be more than one battery option. The minimum EPA rated range that Musk quoted was, of course, for the smallest battery option that will be offered. So a larger battery will provide greater range.

 

[hiroshiy]

On a side note, Toyota Prius in Japan has TACC option bundled with A grade. The total price without tax and without incentives is under 3 million yen, which is $25K at 120 JPY/USD.

Another POV re paying per minute for a supercharge. In Japan most DCQCs are priced per minute. While very little people leave vehicle at the charging spot after finishing charge, people complain about the actual speed of charge. Some owners of chargers change power limit of chargers time to time, for example today 20kW and tomorrow 30kW, and nobody will know in advance. EV owners pay some fee, but get various amount of electricity as a result.

With superchargers this could happen. Some superchargers are power limited (due to A/B pairing, but not limited to) too. Those owners who get reduced power and paid per minute may be unhappy.

 

[scaesare]

However, other than that, most transmissions/gearboxes are easily damaged in a flat tow (mainly from overheating and lack of lubrication).

In general flat tow is more suitable for a manual transmission car, where you have a clutch to disconnect the drive wheels. However, having a clutch does not make sense in an EV.

Given that the Model S (and presumably the 3), doesn't have a transmission, and only a single casing that appears to combine both single-speed gear-reduction and differential in a single unit, I wonder it that's an issue, however.

From all the pics/comments/teardown videos I've seen, it appears to simply be a submerged gearset (as traditional differentials typically are), with no fluid pump. If so, then I suspect it wouldn't be a problem.

 

[Topher]

Nobody like taxes, but they are important to pay for common use things like roads.

How about things like Clean Air, and Stable Climate. When are ICE cars going to be taxed for that?

Thank you kindly.

 

[Topher]

Door handles are mechanical, but still cool looking

Let me be the first to say "Good." We get ice, and sometimes it freezes car doors shut. Having something firm to yank on can save you from walking home.

Thank you kindly.

 

[Red Sage]

In one of the ride videos, the engineer said there would be a higher battery option. I think it's pretty much a given that there will be 2 battery options - and that the bigger battery will ship first. they just haven't released specifics yet. I think the focus of this event was that the Model 3 is a 35K car - with the smaller battery.

Honestly, this is something that concerns me. I suspect Tesla Motors will try to offer three battery capacity options for Model ☰ from the outset. I would hope they learned from Model S that is a bad idea. Because though they expected the majority of their orders would be for the lowest capacity Model S 40... It turned out the opposite was true and the vast majority of buyers got the highest capacity Model S 85. Interestingly, the Model S 60 still got the same approximate amount of interest as they had predicted, while the 40 kWh and 85 kWh flip-flopped. No matter what they do, the highest capacity battery pack WILL be their best seller for the first 18-to-24 months, at least.

So, in my opinion, they should just skip the rigmarole, and just offer one, single, highest capacity from the outset at all trim levels. Sure, that might cut into margins a bit for the base Model ☰, but at least people would actually BUY it. And, more frugal people would probably add options to that anyway, thereby improving profitability.

I'm mostly insane and stuff, so I'd just release the car with a 100 kWh battery pack from the outset. Then, after that 18-to-24 month period, I'd offer a 70 kWh version for a base price between $25,000 and $30,000. My guess is that Tesla Motors will instead have a 60 kWh version at $35,000 and a 90 kWh version at $42,000.

 

[Drivin]

It would be like you sitting at a gas station after you've already pumped your car: of course that should be punished.

Which gas stations punish people for that?

 

[Drivin]

Or, more harshly, to separate the so-called 'unwashed masses' from those who have 'earned the right' by paying more for their cars. C'mon, MAN!

There is absolutely no need to adopt a 'pay per use' model for Supercharger access -- AT ALL. None. Doing so simply confuses the issue unnecessarily. Who can use a Supercharger? Where? When? The answers should simply be Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime. Period.

I regret that I have only one "like" to give to this post.

Either Tesla believes in the EV revolution, Secret Master plan, etc or they don't.

Putting up roadblocks for EV usage with elitist programs is the wrong approach. Do they want locals, who *gasp* live in apartments or other situations where they can't charge at home, as customers or not? Why does someone who drives 101 miles a day get better privileges than someone who does not increase the traffic load, pollution, road wear and tear, etc than someone who only drives 10 miles a day?

 

[Drivin]

But, honestly, haha: it's not a problem for gas stations, so why would they waste time making up a punishment scheme?

Yeah, it seems like those lowly ICE drivers are more considerate than the enlightened EV drivers. Maybe EV drivers can learn from this.

 

[Drivin]

It was always about the congestion that was further exacerbated by the actions of those who were [ICEHOLES]

I think you mean "E-HOLES" Unless ICE owners somehow were plugging in and not coming back.

If you live in an apartment without a way to charge, and your workplace doesn't provide charging, then you really aren't a candidate for owning an EV. At least not at this time in your life.

Today I learned that you have to be a candidate for owning an EV and pass some sort of requirements (besides, you know, paying for a car)...but maybe, just maybe, you can one day be deserving.

Yeah, not elitist at all. Where are the Occupy Wall Street people when you need them?

 

[ohmman]

mod note: moved a lot of posts here (including mine) to the Model 3 Supercharging thread.

 

[Red Sage]

I think you mean "E-HOLES" Unless ICE owners somehow were plugging in and not coming back.

Just using the term as it would have been employed by Roman Moronie.

 

[Drivin]

Just using the term as it would have been employed by Roman Moronie.

View attachment 171505

Oh! I never realized that icehole was from a 1984 movie.
It seems people here use it to refer to ICE vehicle owners as opposed to a general term.
Maybe it needs to be X-hole where X is a variable based on the car you drive (ICE or EV)...but then it sounds like Model X, so that doesn't work.

 

[MP3Mike]

Honestly, this is something that concerns me. I suspect Tesla Motors will try to offer three battery capacity options for Model ☰ from the outset. I would hope they learned from Model S that is a bad idea. Because though they expected the majority of their orders would be for the lowest capacity Model S 40... It turned out the opposite was true and the vast majority of buyers got the highest capacity Model S 85. Interestingly, the Model S 60 still got the same approximate amount of interest as they had predicted, while the 40 kWh and 85 kWh flip-flopped. No matter what they do, the highest capacity battery pack WILL be their best seller for the first 18-to-24 months, at least.

So, in my opinion, they should just skip the rigmarole, and just offer one, single, highest capacity from the outset at all trim levels. Sure, that might cut into margins a bit for the base Model ☰, but at least people would actually BUY it. And, more frugal people would probably add options to that anyway, thereby improving profitability.

I'm mostly insane and stuff, so I'd just release the car with a 100 kWh battery pack from the outset. Then, after that 18-to-24 month period, I'd offer a 70 kWh version for a base price between $25,000 and $30,000. My guess is that Tesla Motors will instead have a 60 kWh version at $35,000 and a 90 kWh version at $42,000.

What makes you think that they will offer three battery sizes? (But at the end of your post you say they will only have two.) I think they learned on the Model S to not do that. Just like the Model X only has two choices. There will be a small, ~215 mile, battery and a large, ~300 mile?, battery. While it would be great if they could just give everyone the larger battery I don't think they can eat the ~$7,500 cost and keep the price at $35k.

I think your final guess is pretty close to what will happen, though the larger battery might be an 80 kWh instead of 90.