Departments



Articles

Less

Editorial: Myths, Misinformation and Propaganda
December 16th, 2008

Editorial: Editorial: Will Park Closure Just Make Things Worse?
November 29th, 2008

Editorial: Editorial: October and November Surprises
October 30th, 2008

Editorial: Is the Sky Falling?
September 24th, 2008

Editorial: Editorial: Who Reads Cedar Key News?
September 19th, 2008

Editorial: The First Hurdle for Every Child
September 3rd, 2008

Editorial: A View of China from Cedar Key
August 18th, 2008

Editorial: Who Killed the Real Estate Market?
August 8th, 2008

Editorial: Editorial: It`s Clamerica!
July 1st, 2008

Editorial: Can the City Commission Limit Noise?
June 6th, 2008

Editorial: Unintended Results Rock the Boat
May 29th, 2008

Editorial: Creeping Gas Prices
May 13th, 2008

Editorial: Cedar Key Election Soon
April 30th, 2008

Editorial: Questions fo the Candidates
April 2nd, 2008

Editorial: Coming Elections: National County and City
March 19th, 2008

More

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.

Click for printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend

 

 

© 2013
Cedar Key News

cedarkeynews@gmail.com