This short summary explains why there's a Tesla Model S in the garage, the most expensive car I've ever bought.
This is our only habitable planet, but we don't own it--we just borrow it from generations that follow. Placing it at risk with the world's biggest chemistry experiment is immoral to our fellow humans, other species, and to future generations.
Period.
Climate scientists "get it," and they study the climate as their profession.
But many don't let the facts get in the way of a good story because on the other hand we have the oil and gas industry. Let's pick just one company: ExxonMobil.
In 2012 ExxonMobil's profit was $44.9 Billion. That works out to 123 MILLION DOLLARS, every day, for 365 days of the year, and it wasn't even a record year. To be clear, this wasn't revenue, it was daily profit. And that's just one company of the thousands in the fossil fuel business. That kind of money creates a large incentive to spread misinformation (or just lie) about the existential risks of dumping billions of tons of carbon into the atmosphere and oceans. (It also funnels trillions to some that want to murder us and potentially helps influence many politicians.) Thus, all Teslas are fully electric—no internal combustion engines.
As Upton Sinclair said, "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it."
One might assume that those in the oil and gas industry are very well paid to not understand . . . .
Supporting facts:
See also:
wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchants_of_Doubt
Even better: Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors, tweeted in May:
"Those who would deny climate change should ask themselves what happens if they are wrong"
www.twitter.com/elonmusk
So how much is a Tesla Model S?
In the US it may seem pricey starting at ~$62k, but it's not that expensive on further review. Tesla's website shows it can be only ~$600/month if you credit what you
don't spend on gasoline, and some Federal tax credits; it's much less if used for business. Even Clark Howard, CNN's “Most Frugal Man in America,” has one and that speaks volumes as you'll see on his video here at Headline News:
www.hlntv.com/video/2013/06/11/clark-howard-reviews-his-new-tesla.
**Important note: in 2016 Tesla Motors will be selling a slightly smaller model that costs ~50% less.**
How far can it go and how long does it take to charge?
The EPA-estimated range is 265 miles, but some have driven 423 miles under optimal conditions. At Tesla Stations one can “fill up” at a rate of ~400 mph (all for free, if equipped correctly). Most Tesla owners don't worry about range because it's not an issue—simply charge up at home overnight (and in only a few hours) and leave your home with a full "tank" every morning.
How much does it cost to charge?
For some with solar panels at home: Nothing. Likewise, at all Tesla Supercharger Stations Tesla charges nothing to charge, for the life of the car. Using the average cost of electricity in the US, the cost would be about
We live in Texas, one of the 14 states in which SolarCity operates. SolarCity is the largest solar system installation firm in the US and our PV system is a huge benefit to us as we charge our Tesla Model S at home at nearly no cost.
Is it any good?
The non-profit Consumer Reports, which accepts NO advertising, purchased a Model S for testing. They summarized their extensive tests with this comment: “This car performs better than anything we've ever tested before. Let me repeat that: Not just the best electric car, but the best car.” Search YouTube.com for “Consumer Reports Tesla Model S” and watch their very impressive videos:
Here's their "Talking Cars" Episode #5, in which they spent the entire show talking about their Model S:
(Typically, these CR engineers can be rather jaded as they evaluate 50 to 60 new cars every year, all purchased anonymously by Consumer Reports. Yet they can't seem to stop gushing about the Model S. That speaks volumes about just how incredible this car is and how Tesla Motors has bested the oldest names in the automotive industry. Well worth watching.)
Is it fast?
Very! Consumer Reports measured a 0-60 mph time of 5.6 seconds, and they didn't even buy the “Performance” Model S which is about as fast as a 2014 Corvette (0-60 mph in ~4 seconds).
Where do I get it serviced?
There's very little service needed—no oil changes, or air, fuel, oil filters, fuel pumps, spark plugs, starters, alternators, belts, etc. But there are dozens of Tesla Service Centers around the world.
How do I get one?
Visit
www.TeslaMotors.com to order your Tesla exactly as you'd like and they'll deliver it to you in 1 - 3 months. It's just that simple. (And you'll never need to buy gasoline again!)
In closing, if you care it's time to Do Something. One of the best ways to "do something" is to buy a Tesla or other electric car.
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.”
--Albert Einstein
Another take:
http://digitaltoaster.blogspot.com/
Are you the sort of person who buys European luxury cars?
The latest iteration of Tesla’s Model S luxury sedan has All Wheel Drive and can go zero-to-sixty in 3.2 seconds. This puts the Model S at the top of the heap among luxury sedans, beyond BMW, Audi, and Mercedes Benz. And the Tesla does this at 1/5 the energy cost, with no CO2 emissions when charged from renewable sources.
Tesla's latest performance breakthroughs have come not a moment too soon. It is vitally important that car buyers begin taking electric cars seriously, beginning with luxury car buyers.
EVERYONE who can afford a Tesla should be driving one.Why? Because the environmental clock is ticking. The most recent United Nations report on global warming is a stark reminder that things are going to get a lot worse if we don't start taking aggressive steps toward C02 reduction. Think you're not part of the problem? Gasoline powered automobiles are the leading source of CO2 in the atmosphere—the primary cause of global warming.
This is not politically-motivated theory; it is scientific fact and is supported by leading climate scientists around the world. There are no unanswered questions. Over the next five years, high-performance EV technology will become less expensive, allowing greater numbers of people to make the switch to an electric car. In the meantime, those who can afford to make the switch now should not hesitate to do so. It will help spur growth in this vital technology. These cars are so much fun to drive and so easy to maintain, you'll wonder why you waited.
But will a few hundred-thousand Tesla's really make a dent in global CO2 when 90 million new gasoline cars are manufactured every year? Yes they will, but not only by creating less CO2.
A Tesla Model S is more than simply an electric car; it's a rolling announcement about the arrival of electric transportation. It is vitally important that drivers of gasoline cars get this message. Tesla has shown that an electric car can actually be a
better car. Growing public demand for reasonably priced electric cars with realistic driving range will spur car manufacturers to build them.
To get the maximum benefit from electric cars, it is also important that we convert the world's electric power plants to renewable sources of energy, such as solar. While it’s worth noting that electric cars charged from coal-fired power plants are still 60% cleaner than gasoline cars, a solar powered electric grid will have many other benefits as well. If you add solar panels to your home, you can reduce your electric car's CO2 footprint to zero, while also lowering demand for electricity from the power plant. This technology exists right now and will actually save you money on energy.
It's time to leave your luxury gas guzzler behind and adopt the new normal.
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