I need to see a few of them on the roads. At first I didn't like the new front at all, but it's growing on me.

As for the comparison to a Ford Fusion, I don't see that at all. IMHO the Model S is one of the best looking cars on the road, and really doesn't look like anything else.

 

its so boring looking ... classy but boring. Someone has it that lives near me, nobody would know it is advanced vehicle unless I point it out to them.

 

I fell in love with Tesla's driveline instantly.
Can't wait till Lexus gets into EV.

Toyota's hydrogen FCV requires energy conversion twice: firstly at the plant using electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, and secondly under the bonnet to re-join hydrogen to oxygen to release energy to recharge the NiMH battery, thus overall the hydrogen FCV is at least a slightly less efficient process.
However hydrogen refilling is mechanical and fast, while hydrogen storage density is high, thus FCV's have an excellent range for Toyota's big commercial range including their Landcruisers etc.

Today, rather than recharging our Nokias weekly, we get used to recharging our iPhones nightly.
In the same way, I suspect we will get used to topping up our EV's nightly, rather than refilling our fuel tanks weekly.

The Model S has a great 17" capacitive touch screen.
There are rumors that touch screens are making a comeback, because we now have head up display HUD for easy above the dash visibility.

I think the Tesla Model S styling is bland, while the Model X is worse, while the forthcoming Model 3 is worse again.
One must sit in the back of a Model S, and notice how the rear passenger floor is too shallow for the legs to drop down?
In the long term, I don't think the Model S will be any more reliable than a Ford.

That's why I like the Model S, but I want Lexus to get into the act.

 

a bot OT but i think the key with model 3 is the time to market. if the wait time is really 3 years long, it's going to be a problem. this is a 30k car, a lot of young buyers. they don't wait long.

and the bolt also keeps the pressure on tesla too.

back on the model s (and ev), yup, that acceleration is very pleasant. and the way it "brakes", very interesting but makes total sense

 

The problem is range on a trip. Its great to say that we will get used to recharging nightly, but what about if I need to get in it and drive it 500 miles in a day? Recharge stations and such are great, but what if I drive it to rural WV once or twice a year like I do my cars now? I don't see them adding superchargers along i-64 in the George Washington Forest. If we're talking about the Model X as a family car, a family needs to be able to take a trip in it.

What about when I get to my destination in rural WV? Where am I going to charge it? Sure it works for my daily life, but I need my vehicles to perform in whatever situation I may need them to.

I think most americans are like me, that desire for your vehicle to perform in all situations is why people buy AWD vehicles and SUVs when it snows once a year, or a huge 3 row vehicle when 364 days a year its just them in it. Until you can charge an EV instantly, anywhere they will never be mainstream.

 

I think the beauty is that the supercharger network can help in some cases, but when it can't, you can just rent a car for cheap for the trip. seems easy enough

 

Just as we traditionally have had gasoline and diesel to choose from, I suspect we will have both full electric EV and hydrogen FCV to choose from as well.
Just as diesels are presently particularly popular with commercial vehicles, I wouldn't be surprised if hydrogen FCV's were particularly popular with future commercial vehicles.

And just as some present sedans and SUV's are available in diesel, I'm sure future sedans and future C/SUV's will be available in hydrogen FCV too.

But a full electric vehicle like the Teslas are easy and quick to get up and running as far as infrastructure is concerned, whereas the hydrogen FCV's require a massive upgrade in infrastructure with the creation of transport and storage tanks.

 

Hydrogen needs a whole new distribution network and it's a very difficult, leaky gas to handle in large amounts, especially when chilled and compressed. I don't see how hydrogen infrastructure could be built to compete with the existing electrical grid. Hydrogen would probably be restricted to commercial stations for trucks and buses, much like LPG/CNG stations are now.

As for needing to drive 500 miles in a day, most urban locations in the US have charging stations already. It's a lot harder to find a charger out in the woods, that's true, but I can see a future where small towns have chargers linked to decentralized, renewable energy supplies. As for now, you could always rent a car if you needed extra range or hauling space. I think it's dumb to buy a monster SUV to haul people once a year, and then drive solo for the rest of the year.

 

Toyota is betting that hydrogen FCV will be the future. I think they are going to be proven wrong, if the new Tesla 3 is a big hit (which it looks like it will be), someone who can charge their Tesla at their home is not going to switch brands and then drive out to a hydrogen station and fill up their Toyota FCV with hydrogen. The new LS is going to have a FCV model, I think Toyota should of just make a Tesla style plug in with super car performance.

 

But I don't want to have to to do that, I want to drive my own car. If it doesn't become easy and what people are accustomed to it will never be mainstream...

 

The car rental idea is a good one and would work for a lot of people. For me, for now at least, I'd want more flexibility from my $50k-$100k vehicle. It would be the one I'd want to take on a road trip, vacation etc.

Last year we went to Lincoln, NE from Chicago for a graduation. Out of curiosity I looked to see what the trip would look like if we had an EV (Tesla). It's normally a 6-7 hour drive depending on stops straight west on I-80. The trip in a Tesla would have required an additional 6 hours or so each way for detours to superchargers. I'm sure the SC network will increase, but for now it's just not there yet for me.

 

Then the car isn't for you. If you want a car that can handle 100% of your automotive needs, an electric car will not fit the bill unless charging gets much, much faster and the charging infrastructure gets much larger. If you are okay with a car that can handle 90-95% of your driving needs, then an electric car is something to consider.

Personally, I'd definitely consider a Tesla for my next car. We're a dual car household so if we need to go on longer trips, it'll be in my wife's car. That being said, if I was a single car household, there'd be no way I'd get any car I wouldn't be able to fill up in 5 minutes.

 

I guess different mentalities here. On the rare occasion that I will need to leave 200 mile radius of my home, I almost always rent. No use putting extra miles, rock chips, etc on my cars.

I think an electric car would fit my lifestyle really well. I hardly drive more than 50 miles a day and there are charging stations at work. However, they are almost always full when I get there. Until they expand it, I can't risk it.

 

Again guys, remember I'm talking about what it would take to make an EV car truly mainstream. Right now people are buying them that are early adopters, tech minded people, etc. If we want someone to buy an EV instead of a Camry, or a Lexus ES, somebody that is not an enthusiast buyer, they need to serve 100% of their needs or anxiety over that 10% it won't serve will keep them from buying.

People don't want to have to rent a car for that 10%, that's why they drive vehicles that are designed for that 10% need 100% of the time. Hence the guy who drives the suburban himself all day every day, etc.

I totally don't understand renting a car I drive on a trip when I've paid $50-$100,000 for my cars. I want to drive my car that I bought because I enjoy driving it. Why spend the money on a great car just to drive some crummy rental car on a long trip? Long trips are when I enjoy my car the most.

 

Presently, both EV and hydrogen FCV's co-exist, and I'm sure it will be like that in the future.