Not really, when you consider how long ICEs have existed, and how little their their efficiency has improved in the last century. In a best-case scenario, a modern ICE will be roughly 60% efficient, and that's when you're revving it to the redline without much load. In most scenarios, they're around 40% efficient. Remember - there is a lot of power loss by the time the power reaches the wheels. There just isn't a whole lot left to improve. So, manufacturers are left to figure out alternative ways to improve fuel economy, like taking things off the timing belt (such as power steering), more complex transmissions, and weight reduction. Diesels, meanwhile, have improved significantly in efficiency, but that comes at the price of their robustness. You can't run a modern diesel on vegetable oil without expensive modifications (diesels were originally designed to run on veggie oil). I don't think it's so much a matter of liking the alternatives but rather they're not viable in modern society. A bicycle is not ideal in bitter cold and icy winters. Having an electric moped that you recharge via solar panels isn't going to go fast enough on the highway. Most people aren't within walking distance of the places they need to go. Not everyone has access to public transportation. I take your point, but I sincerely believe them with this. Their claims are very believable - in case you're not aware, that is the largest building (horizontally) in the world and the entire roof of it is solar panels dedicated to its needs. Worst case scenario, all they have to do is slow down the charge rate of their completed cars/batteries. But, it wouldn't surprise me if they have enough solar energy to sell to wherever the nearest city is. Why? I don't know about next year's model, but for 2017 the Leaf is an objectively worse car. Despite being up to 6% lighter, the Leaf's range is much worse, the efficiency is slightly worse, and it has worse safety ratings (though the Bolt apparently isn't great for children). For more subjective things, many critics enjoy the Bolt more, and the Leaf is pretty ugly. Though the Leaf isn't the worst all-electric car on the market, I would also pick the VW e-Golf and Mercedes B-class over a Leaf. But, to each his/her own.

1st) I´ve already read that ICE engines is already reaching the end of it´s possible evolution but i think the same can applied to the electric engine right??? After all an electric engine is as old as the combustion engine and as remain pretty much the same after it was invented. The real breakthrough regarding electrical cars is regarding the batteries that finally have a decent range and are "cheap" enough for normal cars. And it seems while ICE engines waste a lot of energy when it reaches the engines a lot of electricity is also wasted from the powerplants until it reaches our homes. Someone correct me if i´m wrong please. 2nd) the alternative i was talking about is banning EVERY car from cities and use only public transports. It solves almost all the problems regarding pollution, it´s much cheaper than changing every ICE car to an electric one and solves a very big problem that even the electric car doesn´t solve: traffic in cities! But no one wants this solution because very few would accept stop using their personal car and because car companies would lose billions, including Tesla! 3rd) regarding Tesla´s solutions i think they´re too optimistic like the model 3 that was supposed to be release some years ago... Also Tesla wants to sell a complete package regarding their electric cars so it´s normal for them to hype and over promise things. For example they said wonders about model 3 but forget to mention almost everything wonderful was optional... 4ht) about Leaf, i´m talking about the new one that is going to be presented on the next month not the current one. That one is garbage.

@Denial The problem isnt with the use/recycling of the li, its getting it out the ground, refined, shipped etc thats adding emissions/pollutants. Not even talking about the few countries that have them and the control over it...

That is very unreasonable way to look at it. Entire price of mining operation, ... is reflected in final product. Your statement is same as saying, that gasoline cars should not use platinum in catalyst because: "getting it out the ground, refined, shipped etc thats adding emissions/pollutants". Same can really be said about any other hard to get element/mineral. And it would be senseless statement too.

1st) I´ve already read that ICE engines is already reaching the end of it´s possible evolution but i think the same can applied to the electric engine right??? After all an electric engine is as old as the combustion engine and as remain pretty much the same after it was invented.

Sort of. Electric motors don't scale the same way as engines do, in terms of size, wattage, and RPMs. This makes a difference in how you approach an electric vehicle. Though I'm not sure electric motors can be made a whole lot more efficient than they are now, they are a much younger technology and there are many crafty ways to work around their inefficiencies. It's also important to consider an ICE still uses fuel when idling, whereas an electric motor uses nothing. Engine-braking an ICE can contribute toward oil burning, while regenerative braking recharges the battery.

The real breakthrough regarding electrical cars is regarding the batteries that finally have a decent range and are "cheap" enough for normal cars. And it seems while ICE engines waste a lot of energy when it reaches the engines a lot of electricity is also wasted from the powerplants until it reaches our homes. Someone correct me if i´m wrong please.

You are entirely correct. This is why in my first post I said that [all-]electric cars are only environmentally friendly if you use renewable energy or a biodiesel generator. However, new battery technologies are being looked into. Though lithium ion is the best mass-producible battery technology for cars, it is still VERY wasteful and inefficient. Now, if graphene batteries could be made affordably in mass quantities, that would be the absolute demise of new ICE commuter cars, and probably shipping vehicles too.

2nd) the alternative i was talking about is banning EVERY car from cities and use only public transports. It solves almost all the problems regarding pollution, it´s much cheaper than changing every ICE car to an electric one and solves a very big problem that even the electric car doesn´t solve: traffic in cities! But no one wants this solution because very few would accept stop using their personal car and because car companies would lose billions, including Tesla!

Many cities and their residents would probably be willing to work that way if they could, the real problem are commuters from/to outside the city. Not a whole lot you can do about them. Many cities already work much in the same way you described. Boston (the capital of my state) is notoriously bad for driving in and the city takes any incentive it can to prevent individuals from driving, with various public transportation (taxis, busses, subways/trains, rickshaws, amphibious vehicles, Uber/Lyft), free to use bicycles, high(er)-speed carpool lanes, hefty bridge tolls, footbridges over massive intersections, and expensive parking everywhere.

3rd) regarding Tesla´s solutions i think they´re too optimistic like the model 3 that was supposed to be release some years ago... Also Tesla wants to sell a complete package regarding their electric cars so it´s normal for them to hype and over promise things. For example they said wonders about model 3 but forget to mention almost everything wonderful was optional...

I agree, Tesla (and Elon Musk for that matter) is overly-optimistic, but that doesn't detract that the Gigafactory is a very eco-friendly facility (which was my primary point).

4ht) about Leaf, i´m talking about the new one that is going to be presented on the next month not the current one. That one is garbage.

I'll have to look more into that.

I'm still not convinced by electric cars being environmentally friendlier

From a metric crap ton of calculations by non biased sources (which I do not remember because alzheimer's) at the time in 2016 they were equal to gas cars in terms of environmental impact in the absolute worst case scenario. In an average scenario they were slightly better, but the big takeaway though was that it would dramatically improve per year. If I remember any of that stuff correctly, electric cars definitely are the way to go from now on.

There was also a time when they told us diesel cars polluted less than petrol, that didn't turn out so well! Sure, diesel might be better in terms of climate impact but as far as air toxicity goes it's now regarded as being highly dangerous to living organisms. No matter how many calculations they do, there is always the potential to miss something important.

Pretty sure they ain't enough rare earth metals to make all batteries required for electric cars, lithium is struggling now with all mobiles phones it's required for? never mind millions of electric cars planned.

My Tesla Model S is being delivered in a few weeks and I cannot wait! Switched to a 100% renewable energy provider, got solar on my roof and will be adding more and a battery to the house in a year or two. EV's are the future, go drive one and tell me you don't want one! 🙂 The instant torque is amazing, even in smaller EV's you'll beat most things to 30mph in the city, even the basic Tesla cars will beat most things to legal limits (unless you live in Germany). With Tesla's supercharger network and using CHAdeMO as a backup you can drive anywhere you want all over Europe without any worries, it just might mean you need to plan your "bio-breaks" a little better before a long trip. I'll be embarking on a two week holiday around Scotland about 2 weeks after picking mine up and will easily clock up 1500+ miles in a couple weeks and I have almost zero worries about running out of juice 😀

My Tesla Model S is being delivered in a few weeks and I cannot wait! Switched to a 100% renewable energy provider, got solar on my roof and will be adding more and a battery to the house in a year or two. EV's are the future, go drive one and tell me you don't want one! 🙂 The instant torque is amazing, even in smaller EV's you'll beat most things to 30mph in the city, even the basic Tesla cars will beat most things to legal limits (unless you live in Germany). With Tesla's supercharger network and using CHAdeMO as a backup you can drive anywhere you want all over Europe without any worries, it just might mean you need to plan your "bio-breaks" a little better before a long trip. I'll be embarking on a two week holiday around Scotland about 2 weeks after picking mine up and will easily clock up 1500+ miles in a couple weeks and I have almost zero worries about running out of juice 😀

Nice, I wanna see some photos ! What options could you choose from?

Nice, I wanna see some photos ! What options could you choose from?

I ordered a Model S 75D with premium upgrades pack (HEPA filter, cornering lights, winter pack, premium sound, better interior etc) it is in Deep Blue Metallic, with sunroof so I can use roof bars for my bikes 🙂 Really excited, never spent anywhere this much on a car before but I really wanted to get rid of my diesel for an EV so threw caution to the wind! I'll post some pictures when I get it, should be early September 🙂 As a massive tech geek the Tesla cars are amazing, once you've taken one for a test drive you will struggle not to want one!

People are stupid... you could buy a used car and pay for gas like normal and still pay less in the car and gas than the price tag and charge prices for the tesla... over 10 years.... when you wont even have the tesla for 10 years...

People are stupid... you could buy a used car and pay for gas like normal and still pay less in the car and gas than the price tag and charge prices for the tesla... over 10 years.... when you wont even have the tesla for 10 years...

You can just buy a bike, or walk too - but I don't see you suggesting that. It's almost like there are other benefits to cars and owning a Tesla.

People are stupid... you could buy a used car and pay for gas like normal and still pay less in the car and gas than the price tag and charge prices for the tesla... over 10 years.... when you wont even have the tesla for 10 years...

If you're going to call people stupid, you might want to consider there are a lot more reasons to buy a vehicle than price: 1. Keep in mind many people here are Europeans or live in island nations, where fuel is often 3x as expensive as it is in the US. So, check your privilege. 2. Even if price was THE factor to go by, electricity is cheaper than gas, even in the US. Buy a Tesla and you get free charging stations (not sure which countries this applies to). Also, the price can drop by thousands of dollars due to tax breaks. And, what's to prevent you from buying a used electric? 3. ICE cars with comparable performance to a Tesla cost as much or more. In other words - buying a new car is expensive, period. 4. Are you not aware of the benefits of an electric car besides fuel economy and instant torque? I challenge you to find a used car in safe working condition that offers a similar driver/passenger experience to most modern electric cars (or plug-in hybrids) that will remain cheaper to run after owning it for 10 years. Don't forget maintenance costs. Keep in mind, I'm not trying to glorify electric cars here. I personally own a Subaru - a brand that took a real shoddy effort at a hybrid and is not known to have the fanciest or most fuel-efficient vehicles on the market. I also think buying used is usually a wise choice. But your reason for calling people stupid is objectively wrong.

Nice, so there's a model S owner that managed to ride his car for 670 miles / 1000km on one single charge of the battery – a new record distance for electric vehicles. There's a bit of a ... Tesla Model S travels 670 miles / 1078km on one charge

how long does it take to do 1 charge ? and if they want people to switch to electric cars they need to make it more afford able the then gas cars N ikola (why is N ikola censored?) Tesla was a genius for his time and if westing house didnt pull funding from him we would all have wireless free energy by now pulled from the earth it self by seeing he proved it back then it worked. If that actual happend we be living in diffrent world and imo much less polluted world too.

Ill stick with my v8 HEMI! I did not suggest walking or a bike because I do not plan on doing that 670 miles... feel free to walk 670 miles let me know how your feet are doing and if you ever get to your destination. A bike usually only has like a 5 gallon tank.... so that wont do. I do not like filling up every couple hours and try riding a bike 670 miles.... its not easy and not fun to do all the time at all.

Ill stick with my v8 HEMI!

Well, that sure explains everything. Fitting into the stereotype I see.

feel free to walk 670 miles let me know how your feet are doing and if you ever get to your destination. A bike usually only has like a 5 gallon tank.... so that wont do. I do not like filling up every couple hours and try riding a bike 670 miles.... its not easy and not fun to do all the time at all.

Feel free to drive 670 miles in a v8 HEMI and let me know how your wallet is doing. Ironic you think filling up a bike would be a burden in comparison to that. The average fuel economy of a motorcycle is 43.5MPG (likely combined fuel economy, not just highway), though many modern ones can go a bit higher. With 5 gallons, that's 217.5 miles. That means you would need to fill up about 3 times on a 670 mile trip - not bad at all. Now let's take a 2017 Ram 1500 Tradesman (with a v8). That has a 26 gallon tank and a combined fuel economy of 18.5MPG. That gives you 481 miles on a single tank, meaning, you'll have to fill up at least twice on a 670 mile trip. Even if we only consider the highway fuel economy (22MPG) you're still going to fill up twice. Gee, filling up ONE more time on a motorcycle is SUCH a burden [sarcasm]. Don't forget - smaller tank means shorter fillup time.

I saw a video about this. You can choose between 6-7 basic colours, very few options and then 5000$ for each upgrade pack. There are two of them and they mainly affect the self-driving experience.

You'll need the self drive mode given that whatever idiot designed the cockpit thought that having all the key info the driver will need (like what f*cking speed you're doing) laid out on an off centre display that requires you to look away from the direction of travel to see it and whoever thought using your smart phone to start the car was a brilliant idea needs to be taken aside given a good shake and told to get a f*cking grip.

Feel free to drive 670 miles in a v8 HEMI and let me know how your wallet is doing.

Who cares, he'll get their a day earlier than the Tesla owner and have a huge smile on his face because he won't have had to do the journey at 30Mph, in the freezing cold or blistering heat.

670 miles in 29 hours, Is that not horse back speed

I know...why don't Tesla buyers simply consider a horse and buggy?...;) I mean, if you are going to go 23mph and turn of the ac, eh? What do you need a *car* for?...;) People can be very inventive when trying to make themselves feel good about their purchases, can't they?...;) "Owner's Rationalization," it's called...;)

People are stupid... you could buy a used car and pay for gas like normal and still pay less in the car and gas than the price tag and charge prices for the tesla... over 10 years.... when you wont even have the tesla for 10 years...

Battery warranty expires in eight years--and that's not replacement-cost, AFAIK, long after the warranty on everything else has expired...;) If they didn't warranty the batteries like that no one would buy a Tesla.

I'll be embarking on a two week holiday around Scotland about 2 weeks after picking mine up and will easily clock up 1500+ miles in a couple weeks and I have almost zero worries about running out of juice

With the 3 Superchargers we have in the country at least according to Tesla's own website and nothing not even one of their backup slow mo chargers in Glasgow... well I guess taking a mediocre handling car on some of the best driving roads in the country is a 'trip' and not knowing weather you'll make it to the next charger at least adds some excitement.

With the 3 Superchargers we have in the country at least according to Tesla's own website and nothing not even one of their backup slow mo chargers in Glasgow... well I guess taking a mediocre handling car on some of the best driving roads in the country is a 'trip' and not knowing weather you'll make it to the next charger at least adds some excitement.

Scotland is one of the best places to drive an EV, they have a massive amount of free to use chargers. Also there are plenty in Glasgow, just not a Tesla supercharger. https://www.zap-map.com/live/ http://chargeplacescotland.org/