Before we begin, take a look at the reviews from the most authoritative Motor Trend and Car and Driver magazine on cars in the United States.
2013 Motor Trend Car of the Year: Tesla Model S: http://v.youku.com/vshow/idXNDc0OTM1MjA0.html
Tesla Model S reviewed by Car and Driver: http://v.youku.com/vshow/idXNDcwMDUzNTAw.html
After reading many discussions about Tesla, I think one thing we cannot ignore is their official website, which provides a lot of information: http://www.teslamotors.com/
The following is the main text: On the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, Hong Kong was not as sunny as Tesla’s hometown, California, but there is a similarity between the Cyberport Building, located in the west of Hong Kong Island, and the technology buildings in Silicon Valley, California. The Tesla Hong Kong test drive event was held here, and my partner and I arrived early. There were two enthusiastic and professional Tesla staff in the hotel lobby. After a brief introduction to the characteristics of Model S, the staff checked our ID cards and driver’s licenses, and the test drive began.
Walking into the parking lot, a black and white Model S caught our eyes.
With 21-inch tires.
The staff introduced us to the highest power 85kWh Performance version. Model S is divided into four versions: 40KWh, 60KWh, 85KWh, and 85KWh Performance, with prices ranging from 600,000 to 1 million Hong Kong dollars. The first registration tax is exempted (as the Hong Kong government limits the number of new cars, there is a tax for new cars):
- The initial $150,000 is taxed at 40% of the taxable value
- The next $150,000 is taxed at 75%
- The next $200,000 is taxed at 100%
- The remaining taxable value (i.e., the balance over $500,000) is taxed at 115%.Therefore, for Hong Kong, there is no first-time registration tax, which is more attractive. The annual license fee for electric vehicles is only HKD 827, while for petrol vehicles with a displacement of more than 4.5, the annual license fee is more than HKD 10,000. The corresponding full-charge mileage for power is 260km, 370km, and 480km respectively, and the acceleration of 0-96km corresponds to 6.5s, 5.9s, 5.6s, and 4.4s for Performance version. Depending on the test environment, the results may also change accordingly, but these data will not be affected by differences in fuels both domestically and internationally. Recently, in the test between Model S Performance and Dodge Viper SRT10 on Dragtime, the result was 3.9 seconds for 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) and 12.731 seconds for a quarter mile, with a top speed of 110.84 mph (178.38 km/h).
Video link: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNTA4MzM4OTY0.html
The staff first introduced us to the appearance and luggage compartment of Model S. Since there is no engine, both the front and rear of Model S are luggage compartments. The front luggage compartment has a considerable volume and is large enough to accommodate one person. The rear luggage compartment is even larger. Due to its liftback design, the distance between the upper and lower parts of the rear luggage compartment is very large. If there are many suitcases, they can be placed vertically. The tailgate has automatic opening and closing functions, which is very convenient. Interestingly, two child safety seats can be installed in the rear seats, increasing the number of passengers from five to seven. However, it seems that many people are concerned about the safety of children sitting in the rear of the car. The electric motor that drives Model S is located at the rear, which is a rear-wheel-drive, rear-mounted car with a front/rear weight ratio of 50/50. The only shortcoming is that there is no spare tire. The staff explained that there is an original repair kit for sale. It is very powerful that Tesla has launched a new protection plan. The specific content can be found on Tesla’s official website. The general content is that during the maintenance period, Tesla will drive a latest and highest-equipped Model S or Roster to your doorstep, and you can drive this car during the maintenance period. Moreover, as long as it is a non-artificial battery failure, Tesla can help you replace it. This is more attractive than the existing eight-year unlimited mileage maintenance plan.
Front face
Front luggage compartment
The trunk at the back is spacious, and you can see enthusiastic staff demonstrating the depth of the trunk.
View Original Image
How to charge Model S? Personally, I think this is the most concerning issue for Chinese buyers. The basic Model S consumes only 2.64L/100km. There were many comments before saying that Model S is suitable for driving in the United States, but in China, unless you have a villa or a private parking lot, you couldn’t charge it; for this problem, I consulted the staff. The staff introduced that currently there are three ways to charge Model S. One is to charge it with a normal power outlet, 110v or 240v, as long as you plug in the charger, you can start charging. The speed of this charging method is slow, but it is very convenient. Basically, wherever you are, as long as there is a socket, you can use it. It takes 30 hours to fully charge from zero battery (the second wall charging method is much faster, and I’ll introduce it later). You may think that 30 hours is too long, but think about it, most of us drive no more than 100 kilometers a day, especially when commuting. Therefore, if your car is fully charged, and after driving for a day, you only used one-fifth of the battery (referring to the 85KWh model), you can just plug in the charger at night and it will be fully charged again the next morning. In addition, the manufacturer also provides a NEMA 14-50 220V socket, which can be fully charged in 10 hours. The Single Charger and the Twin Chargers can shorten the charging time to 10 hours and 5 hours respectively after being connected. Later, I heard from an owner that even without an additional charger, just replacing it with a NEMA 14-50 220V socket, it can also be fully charged in 10 hours. If you only run more or less than 100 kilometers, it will be fully charged in one or two hours. Moreover, as long as you buy Tesla in Hong Kong, their company will establish an agreement with the owner and install a charging station in the garage, which is a very user-friendly service and makes charging very easy.
Normal power outlet charging cable placed in the rear trunk
View Original ImageThe second type of charging is wall charging, which is a fast charging that can be installed on home walls or parking lots. It takes only five hours to fully charge, and requires professional installation. However, the installation conditions are very low and simple. You only need to tell Tesla that you need this charging equipment, and their subsidiary SolarCity will contact the homeowner association of your residential area to coordinate the installation, which is not expensive. The most attractive thing is that the Hong Kong government implements a free charging policy for all electric vehicles, whether at home or in shopping malls. SolarCity’s photovoltaic leasing model in North America is also interesting, and interested friends can study it. The third type of charging mode is Supercharger, which is only available in North America and is generally located in large supermarkets and toll roads. This charging mode is developed for long-distance travel and can charge about 80% in 45 minutes. Overall, I believe that charging will not be a big problem for Tesla in China in the future. For more information about charging, visit the official Tesla website.
The car key is designed as a small car, which is lighter compared to Porsche\’s car key, but lacks texture. The door handle is hidden inside the body, and will automatically extend when you approach it with the key, which is a more technological design and can reduce the drag coefficient (drag coefficient 0.24).
The front face is very streamlined, and since there is no engine, Model S does not need engine accessories such as air filters, drive shafts, timing belts or chains, and the corresponding maintenance costs are lower. In addition, there is no running-in period, and maintenance is simple and fast, mainly checking the battery, tires, brake pads, software upgrades, etc. It is simpler and quicker than traditional cars.
The staff also emphasized that Model S is powered by a battery pack consisting of over 7,000 battery cells, and the batteries used are Panasonic-manufactured 18650 batteries. You may think that this is just an ordinary laptop battery, but the staff said that this is a special 18650 NCA power battery tailor-made for Tesla by Panasonic, with a capacity estimated at around 3100mAh. Its cycling performance is quite amazing, and its capacity and DC internal resistance maintain a relatively stable level after 1,000 charge/discharge cycles. Charging rate and temperature have little influence on the battery. The staff introduced to us that the 85KW version of the battery has an unlimited mileage guarantee for 8 years of maintenance, and even the lowest 40KWh version has a free maintenance warranty for 4 years and 100 thousand kilometers. This is undoubtedly a commitment to their own batteries. What will the battery be like after 8 years? Panasonic has already announced the release of a higher capacity 18650 in 2013, with a capacity of 4000mAh. If Tesla installs this battery, the range will increase by 29%, or 619km. However, it can be confirmed that the mass-produced car will not be equipped with it until at least 2015. Since the Model S battery with 85KWh has an unlimited mileage guarantee for 8 years of maintenance, it is very likely that the cruising range will be further enhanced during the maintenance period. As for the life of Panasonic’s 18650 series, Panasonic officially promises that its capacity will still be 70% after 1500 charge/discharge cycles. If calculated based on a range of 480km, it will be 480,000 kilometers after 1000 charges. After 1000 charges, its capacity will begin to decline, but the range reduction will not be significant. Even if it is as many as 500,000 kilometers, the theoretical range of the car is still 336km (480*70%), which is quite conservative. However, during this period, battery technology and capacity have already reached another level. Therefore, the 8-year unlimited mileage battery maintenance offered by Tesla is of little risk to the manufacturer.
It is worth mentioning that Tesla has also developed a mobile app for Model S, which can monitor the vehicle’s charging status, control the air conditioning and temperature in advance, track the vehicle’s location, and remotely open the doors, making it very user-friendly.
Tesla app
Side marker lamp
In the recent debate between the CEO of Tesla and the journalist from The New York Times, the main focus was on the battery and range capabilities. In response to the article by The New York Times, Tesla’s boss Elon emphasized the characteristics of the battery, stating that the car can function normally on the hottest Death Valley and the pure ice roads of Minnesota. Personally, I think this debate saved Tesla a lot of advertising costs, as the influence of The New York Times has caused more people to start learning about and paying attention to electric vehicles.
The position of the battery plate is quite low, creating a very low center of gravity for the car, with a height of 17.5 inches (about 45 centimeters), which is the same as the center of gravity of the Ford GT. In subsequent test drives, this low center of gravity left a deep impression on me. Due to the absence of the engine as well as auxiliary parts such as exhaust pipes and drive shafts, the rigidity of the body is high, which improves the car’s cornering ability and safety, especially the crumple zone at the front. With no engine, more cushioning distance was added. During a severe collision, the battery plate can automatically cut off the power, providing greater protection to the cabin due to the rigidity created by its location. In a recent accident in North America involving a Model S and a Honda, the performance of the Model S was excellent, while the Honda’s body was severely damaged, resulting in two fatalities. In contrast, the passengers in the Tesla only sustained minor injuries. Specific news videos and reports can be found by searching on Google: Tesla Honda accident.
Finally, I got into the driver’s seat and what caught my eye was the fully electronic dashboard and 17-inch center control screen, which are the two main features of the car. Apart from the hazard light and passenger storage bin buttons being independent of the center control screen, all control operations are completed on the center control screen. There are no complicated buttons and even people who do not speak English can quickly familiarize themselves with the operation. The control keys on the screen are large and responsive, which is basically no different from a large iPad. It should be noted that the Model S does not have a CD player, but it has full digital playback capabilities. The staff told us that the software on the center control screen will be updated and can be automatically updated online or over the phone in a Wi-Fi or 3G network environment.
Tesla 17-inch center control demo video: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNTM2NTc5NjY0.htmlExcept for that, the central control screen of Tesla also supports voice input, and it is believed that Chinese voice input will be added after entering the Chinese market.
The following video shows an American Model S owner demonstrating voice input:
http://v.youku.com/vshow/idXNTE2NDI1NTQw.html
There is also a question here, what if the system fails or is invaded by a virus? So far, Model S has not received similar reports, and there are no reports on the foreign Tesla forums either. According to reports, even if the central control fails, it will not affect normal driving and safety, nor will it affect the power system.
Model S is equipped with aerodynamic suspension and driving modes. The higher suspension can enhance passability, while the lower suspension can enhance stability when cornering. The adjustment of the driving mode mainly reflects on the weight of the steering wheel. Under the comfort mode, it is very light, while under the sport mode, whether at high or low speed, the steering wheel is relatively heavy, which increases the sense of control, and single-handed driving still requires some effort.
The central control and instrument panel are out of focus, but in fact, they feel very beautiful.
View original image
Hong Kong is a right-hand drive, while our test drive car is a left-hand drive of the American version. The staff introduced that the first batch of Model S to arrive in Hong Kong will be Signature and Signature Performance of the right-hand drive, with a worldwide limit of 500, which will be divided between the three markets of Hong Kong, Australia and Japan. The route we drove was arranged by the Hong Kong Transport Department, with a short distance but a combination of straight, winding, ups and downs.
The vehicle driving permit of the Hong Kong Transport Department
View original image
Starting up Model S is very easy. As long as you sit in the cockpit and step on the brake, the car starts. There is no sound. The gear lever is designed by Mercedes-Benz, and the operation is basically the same as that of Mercedes-Benz. When it is put into D, press the accelerator pedal, and there is still no sound. The car drives out of the parking space. In order to reduce exhaust emissions, the Hong Kong government has a regulation of “stop the engine and turn off the key”. The full name is “Motor Vehicle Idling (Fixed Penalty) Regulation”, which stipulates that the idling time of a motor vehicle in a 60-minute period shall not exceed 3 minutes. This has caused many cars to turn off the engine when waiting for a red light in the summer. However, Model S does not have to worry about this problem. Whether stuck in traffic or waiting on the side of the road, you can drive with confidence and enjoy the air conditioning.Driving on the test drive road, the speed is about 60 kilometers per hour, and the interior of the car is surprisingly quiet. You can’t hear the sound of the engine running or the sound of the gears rubbing. I think many mechanical enthusiasts might not be interested in Model S because it doesn’t have the roar of an engine, the sound of a blow-off valve, or even the popping sound of an ignition system. Even from a modification perspective, there are fewer options. However, this quiet feeling is really good, and I hope everyone will test drive it in the future.
On a section of straight road without cars, the staff signaled to test the straight-line acceleration. Stop the car, don’t adjust any buttons, and don’t jump start by pressing the brake and throttle with one foot each. Just press the accelerator pedal to the fullest, and there will be a new sense of acceleration. Since it is electrically driven, you don’t have to wait for the speed to increase. The maximum torque (60 Nm) is available at any time, and since there is no fuel system, the response time is basically zero seconds, and horsepower is available on demand. Plus, there is only one gear, so there is no jerky feeling when shifting, and there is no worry about the speed of shifting. The highlight is that throughout the process, there is no roar of an engine, it is very quiet, and you have already completed what the factory data should be done in 4.4 seconds. You can vaguely hear some tire noise and motor rotation noise, but it is very faint, giving you a feeling of sitting in a maglev train, which is really good.
When you release the accelerator pedal, there will be a forward feeling. This is the kinetic energy recovery system, which uses inertia to recharge the car’s battery. Of course, it can also be adjusted to a smooth mode, and the forward feeling will disappear, and the corresponding recovered power will also be reduced. The brakes are very sensitive, but unfortunately there is a car behind, so there is no test of 100-0. The foreign media test data is very impressive, and 96-0km is 108ft (about 32.9 meters).
The performance testing video can be found here: http://v.youku.com/vshow/idXNDc1MDE0NjMy.html
The cornering performance is the most praiseworthy, with very little body roll. This two-ton car is quite agile to drive, which is really not easy. However, due to the short distance of the test drive road and the slightly complicated road conditions, it is difficult to push the car to the limit, and I cannot make a more detailed assessment here. Please forgive me. But within a limited distance, Model S still left a deep impression on me. I believe that in the future, after Tesla enters China, everyone will have more opportunities to test drive and experience it.
Rear air conditioning vent after viewing the original image.
Center console screen after viewing the original image.
View the original image
The details are where Tesla has room to rise in the future. The interior and rear seating can make another leap forward to attract more consumers, especially rear-seat buyers. However, it is not easy for a relatively new manufacturer to produce such a car. No wonder it was named the 2013 Car of the Year by Motor Trend. In the annual article by Motor Trend, it is said that cars are better today than ever. Quality is up. Power is up. Efficiency is up. Safety is up. Today’s cars are also more high-tech than ever. Direct injection, turbocharging, variable camshaft timing, and lightweight materials are no longer just for exotic, high-performance cars. What were formerly cutting-edge technologies are finding their way into the most mainstream, utilitarian vehicles.
View the original image
In the past, our top-notch technology gradually became popular in our lives. Do you still remember in the movie “Never-ending Story,” the character played by Fu Biao wanted to buy a used Mercedes-Benz and boasted one of the features to Ge You was cruise control. Now, cars that cost as little as a few tens of thousands also have this feature. We can’t help but wonder what cars and transportation will be like in the future.
Compared to traditional cars, electric cars still have room for improvement in reliability, charging speed, and convenience, but Model S has already shown us that electric cars are already on par with traditional cars in many aspects and even surpass them. During my college years, I and several friends discussed the development of future transportation and the government’s policies. Now that electric car technology is gradually maturing, why not imagine future transportation modes.In North America, there is a car-sharing company named Zipcar. With the help of the mobile app, users can locate the nearest Zipcar to them. Simply by registering online with a credit card and driver’s license, members can use their phones to unlock and drive the car of their choice. This new rental model has gradually reduced car ownership since using Zipcar is significantly cheaper than taking taxis (which require an additional fee) and drivers do not have to worry about any vehicle maintenance issues. As a result, not only has car ownership decreased, but the idle time of cars has also been reduced, thereby decreasing emissions and reducing road usage. Of course, there are some idealistic thoughts associated with this. Let’s continue with the idealistic view.
If all of Zipcar’s vehicles were electric cars, then the emissions would be even lower. You may argue that even electricity production from power plants creates emissions; however, clean energy is within reach. Wind power, solar power (including SolarCity, a sibling company of Tesla, which promotes leased photovoltaic systems in North America), as well as nuclear fusion (which Gates is currently investing in) are all examples of clean energy mediums. Additionally, even in vehicles driven by electricity produced by power plants, the emissions are still much lower than traditional vehicles when traveling 100 kilometers.
Google’s autonomous vehicles have safely driven over 500,000 kilometers. Imagine if electric cars, Zipcar, and autonomous driving were all combined. When you need to go out, you can use your phone to find the nearest car and have it wait for you at your doorstep. Once inside the car, simply tell it where you want to go, and the vehicle will automatically drive itself – you won’t even see red lights, as the autonomous vehicle’s computer program will calculate the timing of passing through intersections. Moreover, because every vehicle is connected by the Internet of Things, each vehicle knows the next action of its adjacent vehicle(s), and thus there is no need for large spaces between vehicles. Since efficiency is increased, roads can become narrower and there will be less need for parking lots, resulting in an increase in available city space. Perhaps there will still be a few lanes designated for self-driving cars, for those who still want the thrill of driving – and traditional cars will still be seen. When your car stops to recharge, you can find wireless charging stations scattered throughout the city.The vision of high efficiency and low emissions was born, but is this vision far from us? In addition to government policies, comprehensive technology, and user support, traditional car manufacturers and oil suppliers are major obstacles to the popularization of electric vehicles. Seven of the top ten companies in the Fortune Global 500 are oil suppliers, and the policies of different interest groups regarding environmental protection in various countries also exist. If electric cars become popular and people are no longer enthusiastic about traditional cars, the oil economic chain will be affected, which will be detrimental to the development of electric vehicles and related industries. The positioning of the Model S as a luxury car is a wise move because its narrow audience and sales will not cause shock to traditional cars and the oil economic chain. Although we have reason to believe that the popularization of electric cars will still be a long process, it is undeniable that Tesla has taken a correct and important step.
In the future, Tesla will also launch affordable cars with longer range, more convenient charging, and lower prices. From now on, the Model S has already conquered many customers with its performance. Has a revolution in cars begun? Let’s wait and see.
Finally, here’s National Geographic Channel’s program on Tesla’s Model S Super Factory. You can learn more about Tesla’s factory and Model S in the video.
http://v.youku.com/vshow/idXNTQ2NDgyNTky.html
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.