Tesla Birth Watch 37: We Ain't Afraid of No Myths

Frank Williams
by Frank Williams

Tesla's Spitfire Spinmeister wants to set the record straight on all the "myths" surrounding the Tesla Roadster. To that end, Daryl Siry has started a "Mythbusters" section on the company's web site blogs (no word on what Discovery Channel thinks about this). The first myth exposed: the Roadster won't have airbags. The second myth: the Roadster is a converted Elise. Daryl points out that the Roadster shares about seven percent of its parts with the Elise, while Lamborghinis share up to 10 percent with Audi. [NB: Lambo and Audi are all part of the same company, while Lotus and Tesla are separate entities.] The third myth is… wait a minute… there is no third myth. So Siry would "love to hear your thoughts on other myths to address in future installments." How about it, folks? Since we know Daryl reads us, he'll see any Tesla myths you list here. Hell, he might even respond (in his own special way). And just to show how fair-minded we are, we won't mention the myth that TTAC would get a test drive (started by Siry on this very site, posted March 26, 2007 at 3:56 ) or The Mother of All Tesla myths: production will start in summer 2007.

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  • Engineer Engineer on Mar 04, 2008
    And just to show how fair-minded we are, we won't mention the myth that TTAC would get a test drive (started by Siry on this very site, posted March 26, 2007 at 3:56 ) or The Mother of All Tesla myths: production will start in summer 2007. RUTHLESS! But done with just enough humor that it goes down easy. Gotta love TTAC!
  • Stein X Leikanger Stein X Leikanger on Mar 04, 2008

    OK, I've watched the video. It's a concept vehicle, and the car's filled with a whole lot of "this will be replaced" items -- but the mere notion that one can have a conversation at a normal voice level, with the top down, is very attractive. And can be had with other EVs, of course. Tesla have been wildly overoptimistic when it came to what was involved when putting such an EV on the road, and there are lots of issues that have not been resolved. The battery pack first beginning to drop in efficiency after 70K will be a surprise to other designers of battery packs - that really is new. :-) Still skeptical of the entire Tesla concept, as far as energy efficiency is involved, but what's happening is that now everyone's got an EV in the works, and that's a good thing - as it means we'll be seeing some real development take place. At the Geneva motor show this year will probably mark the end of the IC engine as we knew it, given the number of hybrids, EVs, plug-in hybrids, hydrogen vehicles and hamster powered cars on display. Elon Musk did a good job of keeping the story straight between what was possible and what was not going to happen, while driving. Bob Lutz should take lessons.

  • Thinx Thinx on Mar 04, 2008

    Busbodger: "Meanwhile we hear alot of FUD about how electric cars will NEVER work or how they are decades away." I don't think that is quite the point here. I don't doubt electric cars will work - I have merely grown skeptical of Tesla's ability to actually execute on their promises. I used to be a believer when I first heard about them; and I actually rode once in the Wrightspeed when Ian Wright was demo'ing it at an event.

  • Landcrusher Landcrusher on Mar 05, 2008

    Bus, Thinx is correct. The problem with Tesla is not the technology, it's the lack of candor. That is what is being discussed here.

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