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Tesla is beginning to deliver a small number of Model 3 cars, but there are concerns that Tesla will not be able to produce enough cars to meet demand:
Wall Street finally got to see all the details of the Tesla Model 3 during the car's launch event Friday. So far investors have given it the thumbs down with the electric car maker's shares down more than 2 percent midday Monday.
"We believe the Model 3 was as good as or better than expected, and pricing was as expected with considerable initial upsell. That said, the rubber now hits the road, and the fundamental questions remain unanswered," Bernstein's Toni Sacconaghi wrote in a note to clients Monday. "CEO Elon Musk sounds increasingly squeamish about the production ramp." The analyst cited how the $35,000 Model 3 car will not be available until early 2018 with only a higher-priced $49,000 model available this year. He also noted Musk's comment to employees to prepare for "production hell."
Speaking of "production hell", Tesla employees in California are threatening to unionize:
Employees at the electric automaker's factory in Fremont, California, have been agitating for a union since Jose Moran, a production associate, wrote a Medium post in January detailing difficult work conditions at the flagship plant. The bulk of the demands has since centered on improving equipment to reduce workplace injuries.
[...] Musk originally called injury allegations at the Fremont plant "disingenuous or outright false" but has since told employees to report injuries directly to him.
Although the base price of the car is $35,000, that can rise to $55,000 or more after options.
Also at MarketWatch, Ars Technica, and CNET.
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Tuesday August 01 2017, @01:48PM (5 children)
Also, add in things that get included in the Model 3 but are extra on the Bolt, such as a 240V charger, then the Bolt isn't such a good deal.
I didn't see that about the Bolt. I did see that the 120V charger was an optional add-on, which makes sense: why on earth would you ever use 120V for charging unless you really had to?
(Score: 4, Informative) by RS3 on Tuesday August 01 2017, @05:03PM (4 children)
I work for a guy who bought a Bolt a few months ago and he absolutely loves it. He only has the 120V charger that came with the car and he has had no problem. He often uses it for more than 200 miles a day with no problems. You can vary the charge rate- I've heard him mention 8 and 12 amps (@120V). That's all I know about that. He is considering buying the 240V charger but so far it's not a problem.
I've been in it many times (not driven it yet) and it's really nice. It does not have full autopilot but it has some auto-braking that has saved his butt a few times. It also has optical and RADAR sensors which have warned him about other cars, obstacles, etc.
(Score: 2) by Whoever on Wednesday August 02 2017, @03:58AM (3 children)
Then he is using some other charger. 120V chargers only charge at around 5 mph (~1kW and roughly 4 miles per kWHour). It takes a long time to get enough charge for 200 miles at 5mph.
(Score: 2) by RS3 on Wednesday August 02 2017, @04:51AM (1 child)
Nope, sorry, I know him extremely well, and we're both BSEEs. He has only had the 1 charger that came with the car. I've plugged it in several times myself. You can control the charge rate on the dash app. I know of 8 and 12 amps, selectable by user. Not sure if there are other rates.
I'll get the details from him and post back here re: charge rates, etc., but I assure you he has only the one charger. He is considering another and has been discussing with me whether to buy the mid-level or the super charger. Pretty sure he'll get the mid-level one, but that's as much as I've bothered to learn about the subject.
(Score: 2) by Whoever on Wednesday August 02 2017, @06:14AM
You claim to be a BSEE, but answer this: what's wrong with my math?
I gave you the important figure that you might not know (approximately 4-5 miles of range per kWH). You know the voltage and current from a 120V outlet. It's a simple sum from there.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 02 2017, @12:49PM
Chevy says about 4 miles per hour of charge with Basic 120VAC charging,
https://www.chevyevlife.com/bolt-ev-charging-guide [chevyevlife.com]
It's pretty easy to guess what's going on: The car is driven much less than 200 miles on most days, so the battery is kept topped up. Every now and then there is a 200 mile day, and it takes several days to get back to full charge after one of those long days.