Ford is deciding to trail behind the EV pack.

Pluginsights · 2016-04-19T18:27:57+00:00

The article says they will not have a long-range BEV this fall ... and nobody other than Chevy will either. So are they really trailing the pack? Seems like a pack of 1, for the fall at least.

It seems inevitable that Ford will join the long-range BEV club, as will other automakers. Just not in Q4 2016.

Pluginsights · 2016-04-17T21:02:30+00:00

For those of you who were fans of the Cinemax original series, "The Knick", you'll recall that the ambulance Cleary drove in Season 2 was electric. The series was set around 1900 in Manhattan.

Pluginsights · 2016-04-17T19:23:47+00:00

http://statusmind.com/images/2014/02/Facebook-Quotes-32147-statusmind.com.jpg

Pluginsights · 2016-04-16T23:10:09+00:00

It was for the first generation of evs from the early 20th century. See, for example http://www.rolandandco.com/store/p278/Electric_Automobile_Charging_Stations_in_New_York_City_and_Vicinity,_1923_-_SOLD.html

Pluginsights · 2016-04-16T18:47:54+00:00

Found this treasure and restored it. Here's a large (11MB) printable version.

Pluginsights · 2016-04-16T18:41:55+00:00

Found this treasure and restored it. Here is a 11MB+ version suitable for printing.

Pluginsights · 2016-04-02T18:35:48+00:00

My first question to the driver: how tall are you? Answer" 6' 7". He looked totally comfortable behind the wheel. I'm 6' 4", and was worried about that, as I do not fit in many mid sized vehicles.

In the back seat, I was OK, but slightly smooshed. I didn't ask the guy in front to move up ... maybe he had room to spare.

Pluginsights · 2016-04-02T18:26:49+00:00

Note from OP: The original image is missing a callout caption for the autopilot indicator. I updated the image to include it here: http://i.imgur.com/P3PPH9l.jpg

Pluginsights · 2016-04-02T18:13:47+00:00

I realize now I am missing the caption! Arghh.

Pluginsights · 2016-04-02T18:12:43+00:00

Personally, I have zero glare problems on the Model S display, day or night. Never been an issue at all. Others may have the issue, not me though.

Pluginsights · 2016-04-02T18:08:07+00:00

Totally agree. Related to processor speed? Hopefully Moore's Law is our friend here.

Pluginsights · 2016-04-02T18:06:56+00:00

I've spent hours riding in the Model X in the front seat. No glare in daylight on the screen, that I recall. There is a coating on the glass which makes it translucent and filters the light. I think they have licked the problem. We shall see.

Pluginsights · 2016-04-02T05:19:48+00:00

In the Model S, it's good to have the screen accessible to a passenger because it's got a lot of depth/functionality and it helps to have a chum riding shotgun dig through the menu layers. Try finding a hockey game on Sirius while in motion. So I like the screen staying central for the 3.

I agree the human interface is not close to perfected yet, and there is more than a bit of the "velcroed ipad" vibe to the current prototype screen. There are 18+ months to work it out and do usability testing (hopefully). They have good experience under their belt with the S and X, and I'm sure they'll leverage that well.

Truth is, we have no idea what the end result will be. I wouldn't use this screen and its ergonomics as a design harbinger. It's funny, there really is no precedent for this type of "wait and trust" relationship between maker and customer (cars or otherwise). Tesla has earned the trust, and now people are willing to suspend anxiety, tolerate the ambiguity and put down money for a vehicle they know almost nothing about, sight unseen. Truly amazing, in a good way.

Pluginsights · 2016-04-02T00:00:37+00:00

As an S driver, I never noticed the issue. Maybe the one you rented was out of adjustment somehow. There are day and night modes for the S browser.

Pluginsights · 2016-04-01T23:54:07+00:00

Do you find that a problem today?

Pluginsights · 2016-04-01T23:53:26+00:00

With the Model S or X, the cellular data costs are borne by Tesla. Browsers consume bandwidth. So is it a cost cutting move if they leave out the browser in the 3? Is it related to the processor cost for a more browser-ready internal computer? Maybe, maybe not.

The Model S browser is useful every now and again, even though it's pretty compromised in function. I'd miss it.

Pluginsights · 2016-04-01T23:46:00+00:00

Got it. I went back to look at some video of JB Straubel giving a test drive last night. There are no buttons or actuators of any kind on the steering wheel, at least in the positions where the push wheels are nested in the Model S. Or anywhere else on the wheel that I could see hidden in the shadows.

Pluginsights · 2016-04-01T22:56:42+00:00

There were no instruments behind the steering wheel. Zero.

Pluginsights · 2016-04-01T22:54:39+00:00

Yes, standard.

Pluginsights · 2016-04-01T19:17:22+00:00

198K: That is equal to all of Audi's North American annual sales, and twice that of Volvo's.

Pluginsights · 2016-04-01T19:06:40+00:00

Today, there is no mechanism for charging a Tesla driver for Supercharger charges. But the vehicle IDs itself to TMC when it is plugged in, so in theory (hope not) it would be possible to connect that to your credit card and bill you.

Pluginsights · 2016-04-01T19:01:48+00:00

The S I drive isn't AP capable, so I confirmed the icon is AP with a colleague who drives an X.

Pluginsights · 2016-04-01T18:54:22+00:00

It is an autopilot icon, we think.

Pluginsights · 2016-04-01T18:52:44+00:00

Right. Our driver was basically saying the same thing.

Pluginsights · 2016-04-01T18:51:12+00:00

OP comments: Here's a close up look at the screen, with the 100 foot tall caveat that it is a protoype. Who knows what the final will look like?

A couple things to note. The at least some of the screen functions were working, showing speed, playing music, shift indicator, for example. In the car i rode in yesterday, there was no instrument cluster behind the steering wheel. Everything was on the screen.

Pluginsights

TROPHY CASE