Teslas battery swapper goes public on a limited beta test for LA to SF route.
28 replies, posted
[QUOTE]At an event in Los Angeles last year, we showcased battery swap technology to demonstrate that it's possible to replace a Model S battery in less time than it takes to fill a gas tank. This technology allows Model S owners in need of a battery charge the choice of either fast or free. The free long distance travel option is already well covered by our growing Supercharger network, which is now at 312 stations with more than 1,748 Superchargers worldwide. They allow Model S drivers to charge at 400 miles per hour. Now we're starting exploratory work on the fast option.
Starting next week, we will pilot a pack swap program with invited Model S owners. They will be given the opportunity to swap their car's battery at a custom-built facility located across the street from the Tesla Superchargers at Harris Ranch, CA. This pilot program is intended to test technology and assess demand.
[B]At least initially, battery swap will be available by appointment and will cost slightly less than a full tank of gasoline for a premium sedan. More time is needed to remove the titanium and hardened aluminum ballistic plates that now shield the battery pack, so the swap process takes approximately three minutes.[/B]
With further automation and refinements on the vehicle side, we are confident that the swap time could be reduced to less than one minute, even with shields. Tesla will evaluate relative demand from customers for paid pack swap versus free charging to assess whether it merits the engineering resources and investment necessary for that upgrade.[/QUOTE][url]http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/battery-swap-pilot-program[/url]
I wasn't expecting this for awhile. They're really pushing things out fast.
Here's a video, on mobile so can't put it in tags: [url]http://youtu.be/H5V0vL3nnHY[/url]
[Quote]At least initially, battery swap will be available by appointment and will cost slightly less than a full tank of gasoline for a premium sedan. More time is needed to remove the titanium and hardened aluminum ballistic plates that now shield the battery pack, so the swap process takes approximately three minutes.[/quote]
I was under the impression that this was going to be a free service?
If customers line up and each swap took 3 minutes, Tesla makes $600+ per hour just from one battery swap station.
EDIT;Here's the video. Just opening it in my mobile browser gives me the full link.
[Media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5V0vL3nnHY[/media]
Superchargers are free. The swap was always going to cost "about as much as a tank of gas."
[editline]19th December 2014[/editline]
So you'll have the choice of fast or free.
I was debating this in the car with my dad during long road trips. Currently charging an electric car takes too long and its far more inconvenient than quickly filling up your car with gas and continuing along. The battery swap fixes that as long as it is as common as gas stations.
[QUOTE=OvB;46752170]Superchargers are free. The swap was always going to cost "about as much as a tank of gas."
[editline]19th December 2014[/editline]
So you'll have the choice of fast or free.[/QUOTE]
How long is the "free" supercharger?
[QUOTE=Karmah;46752199]How long is the "free" supercharger?[/QUOTE]
Half charge in about 30 minutes is advertised.
[url]http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger[/url]
Do the Tesla stations have employees operating them usually? I have never seen one.
[QUOTE=OvB;46752170]Superchargers are free. The swap was always going to cost "about as much as a tank of gas."
[editline]19th December 2014[/editline]
So you'll have the choice of fast or free.[/QUOTE]
Hopefully, it will be fast [i]and[/i] free soon. The technology should become a lot better by the end of the decade.
[QUOTE=FordLord;46752139]I was under the impression that this was going to be a free service?
If customers line up and each swap took 3 minutes, Tesla makes $600+ per hour just from one battery swap station.
EDIT;Here's the video. Just opening it in my mobile browser gives me the full link.
[/QUOTE]
I hate stupid gimmick comparisons like that with one being a real world scenario and other being a perfect, in studio, setup. The guy getting gas had to:
1) Spend a good amount of time paying, which the Tesla guy didn't have to do, but would have to in the real world.
2) Finding a station... I would bet you that the guy getting gas won't spend nearly as much time getting there as the guy trying to find a Tesla stations with that capability.
3) The car being filled up has a 23 gallon tank... wat? I didn't even know they made regular sized cars with a tank that large.
4) The whole "fastest gas station" thing is just plain BS. The speed of a pump can vary massively depending on the time of day/week.
This is a cool thing and all, but at least sell it on what's actually good about it instead of hyping it up with fake comparisons.
[QUOTE=sgman91;46753294]I hate stupid gimmick comparisons like that with one being a real world scenario and other being a perfect, in studio, setup. The guy getting gas had to:
1) Spend a good amount of time paying, which the Tesla guy didn't have to do, but would have to in the real world.
2) Finding a station... I would bet you that the guy getting gas won't spend nearly as much time getting there as the guy trying to find a Tesla stations with that capability.
3) The car being filled up has a 23 gallon tank... wat? I didn't even know they made regular sized cars with a tank that large.
4) The whole "fastest gas station" thing is just plain BS. The speed of a pump can vary massively depending on the time of day/week.
This is a cool thing and all, but at least sell it on what's actually good about it instead of hyping it up with fake comparisons.[/QUOTE]
The guy driving a Tesla only has to worry about *any* of this when on a long trip. The guy in the gas car will have to fill up periodically regardless of distance. The Tesla normally just charges at home.
[QUOTE=sgman91;46753294]I hate stupid gimmick comparisons like that with one being a real world scenario and other being a perfect, in studio, setup. The guy getting gas had to:
1) Spend a good amount of time paying, which the Tesla guy didn't have to do, but would have to in the real world.
2) [B]Finding a station... I would bet you that the guy getting gas won't spend nearly as much time getting there as the guy trying to find a Tesla stations with that capability.[/B]
3) The car being filled up has a 23 gallon tank... wat? I didn't even know they made regular sized cars with a tank that large.
4) The whole "fastest gas station" thing is just plain BS. The speed of a pump can vary massively depending on the time of day/week.
This is a cool thing and all, but at least sell it on what's actually good about it instead of hyping it up with fake comparisons.[/QUOTE]
FYI, the most driven route by far according to Tesla telemetry is the SF-LA corridor, so for now this beta test covers the biggest amount of users
[QUOTE=GunFox;46753392]The guy driving a Tesla only has to worry about *any* of this when on a long trip. The guy in the gas car will have to fill up periodically regardless of distance. The Tesla normally just charges at home.[/QUOTE]
Honestly, if there was a swap on my way to/from work, I wouldn't even bother with home charging.....
Not to mention the Tesla tells you where all the charging stations are and can navigate you to any of them. Or that it probably will charge you automatically after picking up the battery since Tesla has all that information already.
Tbh I would want to have a tesla almost just because the company that makes it is owned by a guy who also helps design rockets.
That and the fact that they are built well, dont use gas and that they look pretty sexy.
[QUOTE=GunFox;46753392]The guy driving a Tesla only has to worry about *any* of this when on a long trip. The guy in the gas car will have to fill up periodically regardless of distance. The Tesla normally just charges at home.[/QUOTE]
Based on a couple Google searches the Tesla model S's range is around 265 miles (with the larger battery)... the car used in the demo (the Audi A8 with the 23 gallon tank) get's anywhere from ~440-660 miles per tank depending on the city/highway driving time.
Also, they made the time thing an issue, not me. I'm just saying that they shouldn't try to sell it on how fast it is while doing a BS comparison that doesn't even take many of the factors into consideration.
TBH, if they made a less luxury cheaper coupe version with that same power, I would most likely buy one. Would be a good DD to and from work.
[QUOTE=sgman91;46753505]Based on a couple Google searches the Tesla model S's range is around 265 miles (with the larger battery)... the car used in the demo (the Audi A8 with the 23 gallon tank) get's anywhere from ~440-660 miles per tank depending on the city/highway driving time.
Also, they made the time thing an issue, not me. I'm just saying that they shouldn't try to sell it on how fast it is while doing a BS comparison that doesn't even take many of the factors into consideration.[/QUOTE]
But that's 265 every morning when you wake up. Unless you go on a trip or have a super long commute you will never need a Tesla Station. As opposed to gas cars where the need for a station will eventually arise wherever you are.
[QUOTE=OvB;46753604]But that's 265 every morning when you wake up. Unless you go on a trip or have a super long commute you will never need a Tesla Station. As opposed to gas cars where the need for a station will eventually arise wherever you are.[/QUOTE]
I get it, I really do, but TESLA made the point that their changing station was faster than getting a gas fillup. I didn't make that point, TESLA made that point. All I said was that it bothers me when companies use BS comparison.
I didn't say anything about it being bad. I didn't say anything about Tesla's not being good cars. I didn't say anything about gas and electric being directly comparable. I took their example and stated why it was misconstrued.
[QUOTE=OvB;46753604]But that's 265 every morning when you wake up. Unless you go on a trip or have a super long commute you will never need a Tesla Station. As opposed to gas cars where the need for a station will eventually arise wherever you are.[/QUOTE]
That's a poor argument. Not everyone has their own home and not everyone's apartment/renter will let them just plug in their car. Tesla Stations will be the ONLY method of charging for some people.....
[QUOTE=Silence I Kill You;46753631]That's a poor argument. Not everyone has their own home and not everyone's apartment/renter will let them just plug in their car. Tesla Stations will be the ONLY method of charging for some people.....[/QUOTE]
Let's be honest here. People who don't own a home/nice apartment aren't going to be buying a Tesla (or shouldn't be buying a Tesla).
[QUOTE=Silence I Kill You;46753631]That's a poor argument. Not everyone has their own home and not everyone's apartment/renter will let them just plug in their car. Tesla Stations will be the ONLY method of charging for some people.....[/QUOTE]
if you're living in an apartment/a place where a landlord doesn't let you plug in
then a tesla is probably not affordable for you anyways?
[QUOTE=LordCrypto;46753638]if you're living in an apartment/a place where a landlord doesn't let you plug in
then a tesla is probably not affordable for you anyways?[/QUOTE]
Not now maybe. But soon enough they will be more widely available. Tesla won't be able to continue innovating by only catering to those who can afford $70,000 vehicles. Unfortunately, I don't think socio-economic statuses will change enough so everyone will be living in houses.
Landlords don't have to let you plug in. It not only opens them up to liability (if someone else were to mess with it), and some apartment buildings may not have the accessibility of power near where the parking areas are.
[QUOTE=Silence I Kill You;46753675]Not now maybe. But soon enough they will be more widely available. Tesla won't be able to continue innovating by only catering to those who can afford $70,000 vehicles. Unfortunately, I don't think socio-economic statuses will change enough so everyone will be living in houses.
[B]Landlords don't have to let you plug in.[/B] It not only opens them up to liability (if someone else were to mess with it), and some apartment buildings may not have the accessibility of power near where the parking areas are.[/QUOTE]
actually GUESS WHAT
"This bill would, for any lease executed, renewed, or extended on and after July 1, 2015, require a lessor of a dwelling to approve a written request of a lessee to install an electric vehicle charging station at a parking space allotted for the lessee in accordance with specified requirements and that complies with the lessor’s approval process for modification to the property."
"This bill would void any term in a lease renewed or extended on or after January 1, 2015, that conveys any possessory interest in commercial property that either prohibits or unreasonably restricts, as defined, the installation or use of an electric vehicle charging station in a parking space associated with the commercial property."
thanks jerry brown you're the best
[editline]19th December 2014[/editline]
[url]http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201320140AB2565[/url]
[QUOTE=LordCrypto;46753752]actually GUESS WHAT
"This bill would, for any lease executed, renewed, or extended on and after July 1, 2015, require a lessor of a dwelling to approve a written request of a lessee to install an electric vehicle charging station at a parking space allotted for the lessee in accordance with specified requirements and that complies with the lessor’s approval process for modification to the property."
"This bill would void any term in a lease renewed or extended on or after January 1, 2015, that conveys any possessory interest in commercial property that either prohibits or unreasonably restricts, as defined, the installation or use of an electric vehicle charging station in a parking space associated with the commercial property."
thanks jerry brown you're the best
[editline]19th December 2014[/editline]
[url]http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201320140AB2565[/url][/QUOTE]
I never knew Teslas were only going to be sold in California ever....
[QUOTE=Silence I Kill You;46753792]I never knew Teslas were only going to be sold in California ever....[/QUOTE]
something like 36% of teslas are sold in California
[QUOTE=LordCrypto;46753806]something like 36% of teslas are sold in California[/QUOTE]
So because 36% of teslas are sold in California, and California has that law, nobody in the country will ever have to rely solely on Tesla Stations.
Your argument makes no sense....
[QUOTE=muffinmastah;46752186]I was debating this in the car with my dad during long road trips. Currently charging an electric car takes too long and its far more inconvenient than quickly filling up your car with gas and continuing along. The battery swap fixes that as long as it is as common as gas stations.[/QUOTE]
Honestly I don't think it takes that long. Using the chargers, it only takes an hour and you can go grab a drink or get dinner every 300 miles. That's generally when people would take breaks anyways.
Waiting for the first story to come out about some coal rolling bubba being turned into a piece of charcoal by trying to take a sledgehammer to a charging station.
[QUOTE=LordCrypto;46753806]something like 36% of teslas are sold in California[/QUOTE]
One of the big reasons for this is that California gives one of, if the the largest, state subsidies for buying a Tesla (~$10,000).
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.