Austin Man's Roadster Goes Fast--Without Gas

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You know I am as patriotic as anyone,I would love to buy american, these lazy car manufacturers in this country have for YEARS sat around on their fat (bleep) and forgot to compete. In my opinion they deserve the problems they are now encountering.The cheap inferior product they have offered is pathetic.

George baker of AL 8:44AM May 03, 2009

$12K every 5 years for battery replacement? $100K initial price? $ up front = energy invested; you have to pay this back before you see any energy savings. It looks like a scam to me. Shouldn't it be battery replacement every so many miles? Is the vehicle crashworthy? How come a more practical vehicle wasn't designed from the outset? The exotic battery materials will actually go up in cost with mass production.

Dick of MI 12:02PM April 28, 2009

Electric cars like the Tesla Roadster won't require any of the existing services and few of the existing parts used by GM's existing ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) fleet. No oil changes, no tune ups, fewer parts and assemblies, etc. This means that all of the contractors and suppliers that GM has relationships with stand to lose lots of money by GM releasing an electric car that inherently requires less maintenance and uses fewer parts. This is why it takes a start-up, with none of these "strings-attached" relationships, to take this first step.
If companies like Tesla create enough market demand, then two things are likely to happen: 1) big car companies like GM will finally get back on board (watch "Who Killed the Electric Car" about GM's EV-1), and 2) costs will drop as the number of electric-car-related contractors and suppliers increase, innovation gets more funding, and manufacturing efficiencies and economies of scale are attained.
Many technical innovations come from start-ups that aren't shackled by the politics and bureaucracy of their industry. Massive corporations are to the growth and progress of the economy what morbid obesity is the individual - both are extremely unhealthy.

Justin of NY 2:58PM April 27, 2009

GM had billions to spend in research over the last few years - and they have nothing? They should have a car or cars better than what a startup company can produce.

jim of MN 1:53PM April 27, 2009

GM had billions to spend in research over the last few years - and they have nothing? They should have a car or cars better than what a startup company can produce.

jim of MN 1:53PM April 27, 2009