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Editorial: Independence Day
July 2nd, 2006

Editorial: Once Again...
June 25th, 2006

Editorial: Home Ownership
June 24th, 2006

Editorial: Mosquito Control in Cedar Key
May 11th, 2006

Editorial: Will Gas Prices Go Up?
April 30th, 2006

Editorial: Tree Ordinance Violations
April 26th, 2006

Editorial: Why Worry about Global Warming?
April 21st, 2006

Editorial: The Purpose of Government?
March 23rd, 2006

Editorial: Air Boat Regatta, Guests or Pests?
January 29th, 2006

Editorial: The East-West Management Plan
December 21st, 2005

Editorial: Water, Water, Water
December 13th, 2005

Editorial: Bad News for Print News, Good for Online
November 14th, 2005

Editorial: A Bad Tradition
November 10th, 2005

Editorial: For the Birds
October 17th, 2005

Editorial: If It Killed the River....
October 4th, 2005

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Automotive Turning Point

Automotive Turning Point

Editorial

In late July, Tesla Motors announced a high-performance sports car powered by batteries alone. Not a hybrid, but a fully electric two-seater designed in collaboration with the legendary Lotus engineers. The Tesla website displays sleek styling and promises 0 to 60 mph in FOUR seconds. That catches the eye of car enthusiasts and natural born skeptics with a technical bent. It also gives a clue that the price will be high.

The Tesla website explains the designers' philosophy and business plan. The philosophy is that electric cars get us away from oil as a fuel for passenger cars. The business plan is extraordinary: Start with and expensive ($89,000) performance car, then market a high-end all-electric sedan and follow up with a mass produced $25,000 family sedan. (This is the reverse of Henry Ford's business plan whereby millions of Model T's paved the way for luxury car products.) Note that very expensive main-frame computers prepared the public for inexpensive personal computers.

Readers of the Tesla website have been voluminously responsive with blog comments. Skeptics warn of economic doom at the hands of Big Oil and Washington bureaucrats. Others suggest that if General Motors and Ford could not do it, "How can Tesla Motors succeed in producing an electric car?" (Think Apple Computer.)

May we suggest Cedar Key as a test market. Tesla plans to begin marketing in California, Chicago and Miami. On the other hand, Cedar Key has an electric vehicle tradition. We love the quick acceleration of our golf carts. Most of us would be quite happy with recharging batteries after 250 miles. And being able to do 120 mph on emergency trips to Gainesville has a certain appeal. CKPD might even try out (or need) a blue and white Tesla.

Even if a Tesla convertible doesn't make you salivate, if you are interested in history, you may be witnessing Tesla Motors making automotive history, a turning point in automotive design.

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