NISSAN SOLD ON ELECTRIC CARS, NOT HYBRIDS

[dnalexander]

Dale I know what you are saying. Where I live I see so many Prius that I have no idea how many there are. I see electric(or various alternative energy source)l scooters, cars, skateboards,or  motorcycles that I may have a skewed perception of how common they are. With the size of California and our obsessive love\need for cars I see all of this having a good possibility of a tremendous benefit to the United States. Also, being a child of the space program, avid sci-fi reader, and self proclaimed dreamer this thread gives me great hope.

David


Waldo I knew you would have good info on right on the tip of your tonque.

[frawin]

There are lots of Prius on the road here in Bartlesville and NE Oklahoma and more showing up all of the time. Patrick, with all due respect, the Hybrid, Electric and other Energy efficent automobiles of the future are not being developed to run on Elk County roads. The day is coming when we will have much higher priced gasoline and when the price will not be the only problem, having gasoline at any price will be the problem. China and India have just began to increase their energy consumption and  there is very little spare producing capacity available in the world. Gasoline in Western Europe is already $10.00 to $11.00 a gallon. The worst is yet to come and I think there will be successful Electric and other powered cars to come. Our selfish, childish, do nothing Congress is setting the stage for the possibility of fuel rationing sometime in the future.

[W. Gray]

A Denver radio station played a recording on the senate floor:

On July 31, 2008, Senator Mitch McConnell, Kentucky, brought a unanimous consent proposal to the senate floor requesting that the Senate immediately consider a resolution to allow drilling in the outer continental shelf if the price of gasoline reached $4.50/gal.

Senator Ken Salazar, Colorado, immediately voiced an objection.

McConnell then suggested $5.00 per gallon gasoline should inspire the senate to vote. Salazar again objected.

McConnell then suggested $7.50 per gallon gasoline should inspire the senate to vote. Salazar again objected.

McConnell then suggested $10.00 per gallon gasoline should inspire the senate to vote. Salazar again objected calling it a "phantom" resolution.

McConnell then pulled his proposal.

The Democrats, at this point anyway, appear unwilling to drill for more oil even if the price of gasoline hits $10 per gallon.

[dnalexander]

Daimler takes a stake in electric carmaker Tesla

By Jim Jelter, MarketWatch

SAN FRANCISO (MarketWatch) -- Germany's Daimler AG has bought a 10% stake in California electric carmaker Tesla Motors Inc., a deal grounded in a common interest in lithium batteries.

"This investment deepens the relationship between the inventor of the automobile and the newest member of the global auto industry," the companies said in a joint statement Tuesday.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, though company officers speaking to reporters in Stuttgart said it was worth a "double-digit million dollar sum."

As part of the deal, Herbert Kohler, Daimler vice president of E-drive and Future Mobility, will have a seat on Tesla's board of directors.

While further financial details remained under wraps, reasons for the stepped up collaboration are fairly clear.

Tesla, based in San Carlos, Calif., is marketing a high-priced, high-performance electric roadster in a bid to demonstrate that electric vehicles have a place on the freeway, not just the golf course.

At its core is the lithium battery pack and all the electronics that make it work.

Daimler /quotes/comstock/13*!dai/quotes/nls/dai (DAI 35.50, +0.23, +0.64%) has a keen interest in further developing those same battery packs and electronics as it pursues what it calls its sustainable mobility strategy.

Toward that end, the company had already teamed up with Tesla to integrate Tesla's lithium battery pack and recharging system into the first 1,000 units of Daimler's electric version of its diminutive Smart car, expected to debut on the test track later this year.

Daimler, which owns Mercedes Benz, brings its expertise in automotive engineering, production and supply chains to the relationship, areas industry fledgling Tesla Motors is still developing.

Tesla has struggled with production schedules, pushing back commercial delivery of its $101,500 Tesla roadster. The company is now trying to roll out a more modestly priced Model S sedan in hopes of developing a customer based that extends beyond a few well-heeled electric vehicle enthusiasts.

Daimler's cash infusion will also likely bring some financial relief to the upstart carmaker. Tesla recently applied for low-cost federal loans after its latest venture funding round failed to raise adequate capital from outside investors.

[Varmit]

No thanks, I'll stick with my older cars.  01 dodge ram.  The thing that gets me is the safety issues with smaller cars, how do cars like the prius, telsa, and others hold up in a wreck against say, a durango or a 300?

[dnalexander]

No thanks, I'll stick with my older cars.  01 dodge ram.  The thing that gets me is the safety issues with smaller cars, how do cars like the prius, telsa, and others hold up in a wreck against say, a durango or a 300?

Actually a Tesla beats both of them in crash tests. Many cars beat a Durango and a 300. I take it you are a Dodge fan? Any way that is not the point of the discussion of electric cars.

David

[Varmit]

No thanks, I'll stick with my older cars.  01 dodge ram.  The thing that gets me is the safety issues with smaller cars, how do cars like the prius, telsa, and others hold up in a wreck against say, a durango or a 300?

Actually a Tesla beats both of them in crash tests. Many cars beat a Durango and a 300. I take it you are a Dodge fan? Any way that is not the point of the discussion of electric cars.

David

Really, thats interesting when you consider that the Telsa hasn't been crash tested yet....

2009 Tesla Roadster Safety Review
   John Voelcker
Editor-in-Chief
     SAFETY | 6 out of 10
The small, carbon-fiber frame of the 2009 Tesla Roadster doesn't inspire the most confidence in the world when it comes to crash-test scores, but until we get official results, it's hard to know just how well this Tesla 2009 sportscar will hold up. Unfortunately, in an effort to keep weight down, the Roadster doesn't offer many of the latest safety gear options, either.

With all the money that the federal government seems to be throwing around these days, maybe it's surprising that NHTSA hasn't been given a couple hundred grand to crash test the Tesla Roadster. Then again, with a base price tag north of $100,000, perhaps it isn't that shocking. Either way, the 2009 Tesla Roadster has not yet been crash tested by either NHTSA or the IIHS, and chances are good it will be a long time before this low-production model sees a crash-test dummy sitting in the driver's seat. As soon as results for the Tesla Roadster are available, however, TheCarConnection.com will bring you the updated information.

The Tesla Roadster is still more an experimental vehicle than a mainstream one, so you can’t expect the latest safety gear. According to reviewers at The Detroit News, the Tesla 2009 Roadster does feature "4-wheel ventilated disc [brakes] with ABS," which are a virtual necessity given the Tesla's performance aspirations. Cars.com adds that "standard [safety] features include...traction control and a tire pressure monitoring system." TheCarConnection.com's staff of experts is pleased to note the availability of a Valet Mode on the Tesla Roadster, which keeps both parking lot attendants and teenage children from enjoying the Tesla too much.

One of the major knocks on the 2009 Tesla Roadster's overall safety rating is the lack of rearward visibility. One quick look at the styling of the 2009 Tesla Roadster is enough to explain this criticism, and Autoblog reviewers lament the "absence of visibility past the B-pillar," where the Tesla's carbon-fiber bodywork creates significant sightline barriers.


Conclusion
Small, light, and fragile are promising, but the 2009 Tesla Roadster's handling should help you steer out of troublesome situations.
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I think that if you are going to have a discussion on electric cars you should cover all aspects..

[dnalexander]

Tests have been done just not published since it is in very limited production. You need to google better than that Billy.

[Varmit]

David I backed up my claims with proof, can you???  Also, if the tests haven't been published how do you know about them?

[dnalexander]

David I backed up my claims with proof, can you???  Also, if the tests haven't been published how do you know about them?

Billy I know because I am very aware of Tesla since I live a few blocks from them and know the founder. Also, I research better than you do. Finally, as I told you before I am not your errand boy go do your own research. I am still waiting for you to come up with a good topic for our pay for view, no holds,  knock down drag out. In the mean time I love tweaking your nose. How is that for honest.

David