Forum Post: Tesla Motors Launches Revolutionary Supercharger Enabling Model S Electric Car To Travel On Pure Sunlight For Free
Posted 12 years ago on Sept. 25, 2012, 12:45 p.m. EST by Renneye
(3874)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
[Thats one giant leap for the environment, and a kick in the pants for the oil companies!
There is the matter of the pricey vehicle, but its a start for our planet...and a big one at that!]
Press Release:
Tesla Motors Launches Revolutionary Supercharger Enabling Convenient Long Distance Driving
Drive the Model S Electric Car Anywhere in the Country on Pure Sunlight for Free
HAWTHORNE, CA--(Marketwire - Sep 24, 2012)
Tesla Motors ( NASDAQ : TSLA ) today unveiled its highly anticipated Supercharger network. Constructed in secret, Tesla revealed the locations of the first six Supercharger stations, which will allow the Model S to travel long distances with ultra fast charging throughout California, parts of Nevada and Arizona.
The technology at the heart of the Supercharger was developed internally and leverages the economies of scale of existing charging technology already used by the Model S, enabling Tesla to create the Supercharger device at minimal cost. The electricity used by the Supercharger comes from a solar carport system provided by SolarCity, which results in almost zero marginal energy cost after installation. Combining these two factors, Tesla is able to provide Model S owners1 free long distance travel indefinitely.
Each solar power system is designed to generate more energy from the sun over the course of a year than is consumed by Tesla vehicles using the Supercharger. This results in a slight net positive transfer of sunlight generated power back to the electricity grid. In addition to lowering the cost of electricity, this addresses a commonly held misunderstanding that charging an electric car simply pushes carbon emissions to the power plant. The Supercharger system will always generate more power from sunlight than Model S customers use for driving. By adding even a small solar system at their home, electric car owners can extend this same principle to local city driving too. The six California locations unveiled today are just the beginning. By next year, we plan to install Superchargers in high traffic corridors across the continental United States, enabling fast, purely electric travel from Vancouver to San Diego, Miami to Montreal and Los Angeles to New York. Tesla will also begin installing Superchargers in Europe and Asia in the second half of 2013.
The Supercharger is substantially more powerful than any charging technology to date, providing almost 100 kilowatts of power to the Model S, with the potential to go as high as 120 kilowatts in the future. This can replenish three hours of driving at 60 mph in about half an hour, which is the convenience inflection point for travelers at a highway rest stop. Most people who begin a road trip at 9:00 a.m. would normally stop by noon to have lunch, refresh and pick up a coffee or soda for the road, all of which takes about 30 minutes.
"Tesla's Supercharger network is a game changer for electric vehicles, providing long distance travel that has a level of convenience equivalent to gasoline cars for all practical purposes. However, by making electric long distance travel at no cost, an impossibility for gasoline cars, Tesla is demonstrating just how fundamentally better electric transport can be," said Elon Musk, Tesla Motors co-founder and CEO. "We are giving Model S the ability to drive almost anywhere for free on pure sunlight."
About Model S
With the most energy-dense battery pack in the industry and best-in-class aerodynamics, Model S has the longest range of any production electric car in the world. Model S comes with three battery options to fit the unique needs of different drivers. The 85 kWh Model S has received a U.S. fuel economy rating of 89MPGe and an EPA rated range of 265 miles.
Model S is the first premium sedan designed from the ground up to take full advantage of electric vehicle architecture. A revolutionary powertrain sits under the floorboard of Model S, creating an ultra-low center of gravity. Paired with an aluminum body engineered for superior handling, Tesla has created a vehicle that raises the bar for performance and efficiency while meeting the highest standards for safety.
Without an internal combustion engine or transmission tunnel, the interior of Model S has more cargo space than any other sedan in its class and includes a second trunk under the hood. Model S seats five adults and two children in optional rear-facing child seats. Model S Performance models accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in under 4.4 seconds. The interior features a 17" in-dash touchscreen with internet capabilities, allowing for streaming radio, web browsing and navigation.
Customers can reserve a Model S at one of Tesla's retail stores or online.
About Tesla
Tesla's goal is to accelerate the world's transition to electric mobility. Palo Alto, California-based Tesla designs and manufactures EVs and EV power train components for partners such as Toyota and Daimler. Tesla has delivered more than 2,350 Roadsters to customers worldwide. Model S, the first premium sedan to be built from the ground up as an electric vehicle, began deliveries in June 2012.
Interested in keeping up with Tesla Motors?
Tesla forum: http://www.teslamotors.com/forum/forums/california-participation-west-coast-green-highway
Future Tesla charging stations map: http://www.treehugger.com/cars/tesla-unveils-its-supercharger-network-drive-free-forever-sunlight.html
Tesla Supercharger stations and map: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/24/tesla-supercharger-network-stream/
For more information on Tesla Motors and its products, please visit: www.teslamotors.com
For more information for Tesla Motors investors, please visit: ir.teslamotors.com
For the latest information from Tesla Motors, including press releases and the Tesla blog, please visit: www.teslamotors.com/press
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release including statements regarding future Supercharger locations and capabilities are "forward-looking statements" that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations. Various important factors could cause actual results to differ materially, including the risks identified in our SEC filings. Tesla disclaims any obligation to update this information.
1 Supercharging hardware is standard on Model S vehicles equipped with an 85 kWh battery and optional on Model S vehicles equipped with a 60 kWh battery.
Contact:
Press Contacts
Christina Ra , Tesla Motors , 650-681-5227
Shanna Hendriks , Tesla Motors , 650-681-5179
Tesla rocks.
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The lion is out of its cage now. It won't be long before all the other glorious uses for this technology are harnessed. Farm tractors, household, my god...HOUSEHOLD!! Just think of the possibilities!
I received a notice in my mailbox today, saying they had just installed a "smart meter" on my house. I had no choice in the matter, its a government bullshit scam “time-of-use” electricity price structure that is supposed to help us manage our electricity expenses. Its not working for anyone. Total government money grab at the expense of its citizens. Grrrr!!
Regular folk that are mechanically inclined will tinker in their garages with this Tesla tech to adapt it for other uses. Smaller companies will also use this, and variations of this technology to garner niche markets. Hang in there...it'll get here.
Oh I love it I love it I love it!! There is HOPE!!! YESSS, this is the day and the news I have been waiting for.
LOLOL!! Your enthusiasm is contagious Karlin! Hahahaha! Hello from southern Ontario!
Lets hope the production of the charging stations is going to be as expedient as they say! There are a number of forums one can contribute exuberance on, for this technology. I'm sure Tesla is keeping an eye on them. The more response to those forums the better! Thanks, my fellow Canuck! ^.~
Hi Renneye - Hello from the western side of Canada - Thanks for that. I hope Tesla is watching - both the company and the spirit of old Nicola
Boy do I want one of these Sunshine cars - but any EV that charges it's batteries with solar panels on the garage roof will do. Imagine driving around without paying anything after the initial purchase!!
HA! I don't know what's more satisfying...driving without having to purchase fuel...or kicking 'big oil' out on it's keister!!
I jest of course. The big winners are Mama Earth...and our great, great, great grand children! Words fail in relaying just how satisfying that is!!
Love the 'sunshine' in your posts!
Yup, gotta love them EVs... They are still friggin us around with them ya know... I can understand why the Tesla Roadster and this Sunshine one are expensive, but if they were mass producing a basic model it could be sold for under $10,000 I bet.
Sunshine back to you Renn
Well, we're all broke! Lol! So if they want us to buy their cars...the prices will have to come down. Not to mention, as someone pointed out to me, there will be a used 'sunshine' car market eventually too! Thanks! ^.~
Well thats true, who can afford a car these days... but it reminds me that some people are making their own EVs, and there was a garage in Vancouver or Nanaimo that would build you an EV on a used car frame.
What a concept! The 99% overcoming obstacles and thriving where the .01% failed us. Now there's karma!
Now we are getting somewhere!! A shift in thinking - we don't have to accept what the market offers us - we can produce a lot of it and get most of what we need locally, which effectively cuts out the corporate control over us.
Very true! This can be achieved on sooooo many levels. From the simple backyard garden...to local barter/money systems like they're doing in Greece right now, and on and on. You've just reminded me to look into something I had on the back-burner for a while....a backyard bio-dome for year round vegetable/fruit growing. I checked into the product about 6 months ago. "Kacper's" bio-dome is the best one on the market I think, Great guy too, when I spoke with him. Its reasonable and relatively easy to put together. The biggest obstacle if any will be a permit. We'll see how that goes!
We all really ought to be doing something on an individual level to take the power out of the hands of the oligarchs.
Food for sure - it is so basic a necessity, and prices have doubled in the past 5 years it seems? I am eating carrots and tomatoes I greew, + beets peas and strawberries - and I live in a tiny apartment!! I got the landlord to make little planter boxes out front of the building.
And energy - if we could take energy away from corporations it would be a major thing.... bit by bit,. It does take investment $ but it will all come back and more after a few years. Egs
It is so cool Karlin...that you grow your own fruits and veggies! Its so inexpensive to do, there is little excuse as to why we shouldn't all be doing it. Power to you Karlin! And Happy Thanksgiving!
I, nor my family (thank goodness) are religious...and I know all the BS behind all the various holidays...but I still love the festive weekends. Family, good food, lots of music (musical family), and good spirits! And today...I am in fine 'spirits'! ^.~
In the 'spirit' of your message, and humanity taking our lives back from the corporate oligarchs...these words are very fitting...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2l5Z9T_x8A
Oh wow, the link - thats great - message music for anti-corporate green power, free energy.. Its been awhile. The recording industry sold out to the corporate culture 20 or 30 years ago and nobody got anything recorded and promoted that was revolutionary.
Its part of the control of what authot Daniel Quinn calls "Mother Culture" where every message fits "the story" they want us to believe {book: "Ismael" about a telepathic Gorrilla; I am just getting started reading it.}
I am non-religious too, and I miss the communion, the ceremony affirming our morality; like at supper we could be acknowledging where our meals come from [i.e. nature, the good earth] . We need something like that for atheists and people who reject organised religion. Maybe even sunday morning get-togethers for an uplifitng declaration of what is good, something like that eh?
I had Tonka trucks and Hot-wheels like that. Well until Hot-wheels got all of those accessory kits anyway.
Really? They had battery packs and solar chargers? I've seen those litte quad machines for kids that run on battery packs, but they are plugged in to charge
No no no . . . all kid powered - no f'n batteries. You could actually ride a Tonka Truck down a rough hill and not break it or end up wearing it as a new part of your anatomy.
Great post. It provides a glimmer of hope regarding climate change which I am pretty pessemistic about. Tesla might hold potential to slow global warming, and even reverse it if this technology becomes the norm over the internal-combustion engine. But this transition will be a tight race between retirement of the old technology and the line at which the "runaway" Greenhouse Effect becomes irreversable.
Interesting times ahead for humanity as it races to save itself from cooking itself in the carbon blanket.
A proper stimulus program? Electric cars for the needy - trade in your old fossil fuel burners - those who qualify will get deals like 0 interest loans if they have a good and steady but low income or a free car if living off of social security. Instead of feeding trillions of dollars into a fucked-up wallstreet banking system - feed trillions into American Domestic Manufacturing.
Yes, You are thinking along the right lines. I hope your ideas take hold in this forum or in your communities.
Yes DK. Good idea.
Should do the same kind of thing for in trouble Home Buyers - homeless individuals. As well as for updating our power grid. {:-])
Excellent
Normally, talking about a car that costs $60k - $100k on the Occupy forum wouldn't be a very popular thing to do.
You're right TJ...its not without its problems, but it is a start, and solutions have to start somewhere.
Part of the solution should be that our manufacturing base be brought back to our shores so there are more jobs for people to be able to help with affordability. Not that I think vehicles should be anywhere near the cost of what they are!
One of the reasons why we manufacture things like batteries in other countries is that it would be impossible to manufacture them here because we're too concerned about our environment here. So we take advantage of places like China that are not so worried about polluting their rivers with toxic chemicals.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/09/24/johnsoncontrols-shanghaiplant-idINL4E8KO69C20120924
Noted...but every item down to the last nut and bolt on these (all) vehicles, as well as the manufactured items necessary for the building and maintaining of the charging stations should be made on our shores.
Then which state are we going to flood with toxic chemicals? Americans can't even handle the idea of an oil pipeline. Manufacturing these batteries in the US is just not realistic.
Why flood anywhere with toxic chemicals? The idea is for all manufacturing for all industries - to become clean in their operations - and that means proper handling and recycling of materials.
Well then that means no iPhones and no electric cars. Unfortunately the price of a lot of the gizmos that Americans love is pollution. We just do the polluting in other countries since it would never be allowed here.
BusinessWire · Aug. 27, 2012 | Last Updated: Aug. 27, 2012 4:01 PM ET
Molycorp, Inc. (NYSE:MCP) today announced the start-up of its new Project Phoenix heavy rare earth concentrate facilities at Mountain Pass, California, which will produce heavy rare earth concentrate from freshly mined Mountain Pass ore that will then be processed into high-purity, custom-engineered heavy rare earth products in Molycorp’s globally integrated production facilities.
Molycorp also announced that its on-site Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant will begin feeding low-cost, high efficiency electrical power and steam this week to its Mountain Pass facilities. Molycorp's CHP plant is fueled by clean-burning natural gas fed to the facility by a recently completed natural gas lateral supply line that connects the facility to a nearby interstate natural gas pipeline operated by Kern River Gas Transmission Company.
http://www.financialpost.com/markets/news/Molycorp+Announces+Start+Heavy+Rare+Earth+Concentrate+Operations/7151623/story.html
Rare earth processing is one of the riskiest operations for environment pollution, but necessary to produce the magnets required for high-tech electrical engines, and generation systems.
Will be worth watching this company closely. I read somewhere else that they will probably be processing their ore/s offshore just for that reason.
Yep. Look at how upset people are about an oil pipeline, when there are already hundreds of oil pipelines criss-crossing the country. Or the people upset about fracking.
I'm not discounting the people who question the wisdom of trading a clean environment for oil or natural gas or batteries or iPhones. It's definitely a question worth asking. But over five million people bought new iPhones in the last week or two without thinking about it at all, because the pollution is hidden away in other countries that we don't care about.
You're missing the point.
This company is at least making an attempt to do the right thing by the environment, and create jobs at home.
You need to look into the Koch bros operations within the US of A, and focus on why the EPA does nothing about that massive pollution "problem".
Who's we???
You obviously have a computer or else you couldn't have just posted that message.
You're must be talking about YOU then, because I've been bitching about pollution for ages now.
You see, I didn't ask them to run away and pee in someone else's back yard. They did that on their own.
I asked them to stay here and clean up the messes they've already made, but like spoiled children they peed elsewhere..
You bought a computer, so you did participate in polluting the China and the rest of the planet whether you want to face it or not.
Face this.
Repeating yourself, especially without further elaboration, does not make it so.
If you are going to actually respond?
Please do so from a real word perspective, I am not, nor do I have the desire to become Amish.
I know you firmly believe in that whole "money is speech" thing, but please try a different angle, as that one has become tiresome.
That's fascinating. So you've been talking about pollution for ages, but you haven't thought very much about the pollution that manufacturing your computer or your other electronic gizmos cost the environment.
It's all about your idiotic insistence that if I purchase any product at all, that I am responsible for all the pollution that the manufacturer of said product produced in it's manufacture.
As though ANY consumer can follow the twisted trail of lies and deceit, those manufacturers create to hide that pollution.
Sorry to break it to you but you ARE partly responsible, yes.
Glad you're fascinated. So happy to help you.
Now will address what I actually said, instead of repeating yourself?
I'm now considering the pollution that you are creating, as well as those you seem to think I don't..
Not that I know it's unlikely you will have a germane response, don't expect me to respond again, if you don't.
You won't have a response germane to what I said.
Now. Make liar of me. I dare you.
Looking back through this thread, I can't even figure out what you're demanding that I respond to. To the question, "Who's we???" I already responded to that by including by you and me in "we".
Dude, you asked only one question in this exchange "who's we" and TechJunkie answered it right away.
Good to see you're hedging now.
Did you often use the excuse .......Mom! He made me do it?
If someone becomes disabled and needs an electric scooter.
Would you hold them even partially responsible for all the pollution created in it's manufacture?
If you purchase a bit of metal, are you responsible for all the slag the mining corporation left behind when it declared bankruptcy, after it "took" all the profit out left that shit behind and reformed to do it again in another area?
No. It's the backriding investors that create these situations.
Their profit comes long before the cleanup.
What you are doing is like blaming the end user for all the bugs in a particular piece of software.
It's just not true.
Yes, if you burn gasoline then the pollution that you create is partly your fault. You're creating demand for products that create pollution. I'm sorry if that makes you uncomfortable but it's true.
Yeah I can understand why you would say that.
But as in the same business economics sense as in any manufactured product - The More That are Manufactured - The More The cost to Manufacture comes down - the more cost to buy comes down - the more cost to maintain comes down.
I see (not hear) a lot of electric cars where I live. Teslas and Fiskers and the occasional Volt. Rich people drive them, mostly. But hopefully you're right about the cost coming down some day so that the people who actually need to save on gas money can buy them.
The cost coming down is not a hope it is a well established fact. The more that are made the more the cost of tooling for the parts comes down as that is spread over a higher volume of parts manufactured. Also over time the new electric vehicles become used electric vehicles and are resold on a less costly used market - expanding the base for maintenance and maintenance parts which expands the manufacturing of parts and service centers and continues to drive down costs.
Hopefully so. But the high price right now isn't just because they're a low-volume thing. Batteries are still very expensive, heavy and inefficient. Battery technology needs a breakthrough to make batteries orders of magnitude more efficient, not just incremental increases due to increasing sales volumes.
Battery tech is also growing - fueled in large part by the electronics industry and the drive to continually sell the next best communications or computing device to the public. As the sales of electric vehicles increases so will the development of better and better batteries - due to the growing market for them and the drive to capture that market drives development.
On a smaller scale, battery chargers/reconditioners are getting so much better than ever. I use a lot of Lith-ion tools in construction, but I also go through heaps of batteries in filming/camera work.
I just invested in a Maha Powerex MH-C9000, and I'm reviving all my old "dead" NI-MH AA's and AAA's that my old charger said were buggered completely. Simply amazing device that lends the lie to the claim that you have to spend a lot of money on the "best" batteries on the market.
I'm impressed.
Awesome - I always figured that if the elements inside the battery had not been destroyed - that there really should be a way to extend their use. One technology I am gonna make use of as time goes by - is to replace my Compact Fluorescent bulbs with LED bulbs as the compacts lose their life.
I use a trickle charger on my scooter's sealed battery and it is still good after three years.
I have a 100 amp hour gel acid battery that is on its seventh year, running my fridge, lights, and occasionally pumping stream water into a storage drum for drinking water. Gotta love those LEDs. Better light for reading than the compacts, and no heat output.
So far I only have the one led bulb - though I have a few strings of solar powered rope lights outside. The indoor ( well it can also be used outdoor ) LED also will change through a spectrum of colors besides emitting a nice white reading light. I love it 95% efficiency.
I know that light you mention.
We used one of those as a marker when night fishing in a boat, so we could find where we left the car. The most effective LED lighting I've found is the strip lighting that has a self-adhesive backing. It was made for inside cupboards, and under benchtops. Simple and flexible, and runs on a wing and a prayer.
I love LED - it was so made to be an efficient source of electric light. Now you can light your house and set mood for a party or whatever for next to no cost.
Possibly the best of the simple "inventions" yet.
LEDs have been around for ages. I see that new cars are using them, as well as instrument panels, and video lighting. Good to see, I reckon. Might have been some resistance from producers of lighting because LEDs last so long.
Exactly - they last a long long time. So then manufacturers need to find their balance - cost of manufacture life of bulb to replacement date and asking price at point of sale. This is a whole different aspect of consideration - life of product - necessary stock to cover demand - rate of production to meet demand and stock to meet demand. This coupled with market for what can you manufacture in long life high efficiency product to meet various application requirements - how wide is your field of application and how flexible is your manufacturing line in changing between products.
Hopefully so.
When Apple introduced the iPod Nano in 2005, everybody was surprised that they would release a device with flash storage instead of a hard drive. But part of Apple's goal was to drive down the price of flash storage technology by increasing volume. It worked, or else we would all be walking around with thick mobile phones in our pockets with hard drives in them. But that was a case of a simple increase in volume leading to lower prices, there were no breakthrough discoveries involved. Battery technology is a lot more complicated.
Interesting - you should attach any links you have for this article as well as links to Tesla. Then tweet the post.
We need to circulate share promote all good alternatives to fossil fuel use.
That's a great idea DKA. I put in a few more links. Thanks!
Tweeted - BTW awesome update = Links.
Now people stop and consider.
Do you own a car or a truck?
What do you spend on gasoline(?) per week - month - year ?
Don't worry about figuring in the oil changes and stuff right now.
How much do you spend on gasoline in a year?
Well if you were refueling ( electric ) free - ummm - forever(?) - Would that allow you to make a car payment?
Thanks DKA! I spend roughly $700 (Canadian) per month on gasoline. So the answer is yes, I would have enough for a monthly car payment. However, I've never bought a new car in my life and have no intention of ever doing so, so other factors would have to come in to play. Last month I bought a 1998 Dodge Caravan in great condition for $500...so you see where my mindset is. But that doesn't alter my thoughts on the Tesla technology emerging now. For a multitude of reasons, it is absolutely a step in the right direction...especially for the environment.
It will be great when these vehicles start hitting the used car market as well. That will be a gr8 day for lower income people as they can then partake of the benefit of green technology transportation.
Exactly DKA. And it won't be long either...what with all the doorknobs out there that have to have a new one every two years.
Let em and let em feed the used car market - when I was still working I bought a used Honda Insight - it was my only way into a Hybrid at the time - A true hybrid using electric motor assist to stretch gas mileage - not a fake hybrid which just uses bio adulterated fuel. The success of the Tesla car project could be the turning point in clean cars that society needs. Someday - hopefully soon - I would like to have a totally clean car - and it will have to be from the used car market.
Old cars cost more money than new ones, because you constantly need to repair them.
So what of it trashy? I paid $500 for a used vehicle, which is in impeccable condition. I have someone who knows vehicles to fix it, so it costs me very little...and when the price of fixing it becomes so that it isn't worth it, I'll recycle it. Those are the options right now for me and many people like me. Snob!
I guess you spend so much money on gas because you use old motors that have lost their efficiency. Way to help destroy mother earth!
700$ a month! It's SUV users like you who destroy the planet. I never owned a gas powered car and never will.
Maximus Stupidus. First, its one of the smallest minivans, not an SUV. It still gets great mileage...and how the hell would you know how far I have to drive every day?!
Thank you trashy...we're all refreshed & challenged by your 'unique' point of view.
Probably because you can't get licensed to drive - Hey?
An interesting conversation to go along with an interesting post.
And how would this company have succeeded without crapitalism ?
This pic is relevant - why don't OWS campaigners use this as placards?
http://i45.tinypic.com/2e17pj7.jpg
Technological innovations won't bring the political and economic innovations that Occupy is striving for.
Stay focused.
Finally, a posting by Renneye that doesn't come from the Alex Jones network.