Re Electric anyone here considering?

[Deleted User 1874]

Whilst Tesla may make a profit per sales Teslas debt is currently $10 billion, I cannot see how they can reduce that to long term survivable rates without drastic action.

This is an interesting article. If true then it's not necessarily the big problem that the media are currently focusing on.

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/201 ... -be-right/

[Deleted User 1874]

Whilst I have never driven a Tesla I do like the look of the S and X, not a fan of the ipad displays but for me they are to big, as it is a Macan is bigger than what I want but there is no alternative. I have driven an i3 and quite liked it for what it is and this sized car would be perfect for me.

Yes they are both big cars. The X is slightly bigger than a Cayenne on the outside and much bigger inside! Having now lived with the "iPad" for a few months, I've grown to appreciate its benefits and wouldn't want to go back to a conventional dash setup. Split display of maps, Spotify etc is perfect and anything smaller would become fiddly to operate. A lot of thought clearly went into this display. The large portrait screen on the Volvo XC60/90 is nowhere near as responsive or intuitive to use.

[Nuclear Nick]

Whilst I have never driven a Tesla I do like the look of the S and X, not a fan of the ipad displays but for me they are to big, as it is a Macan is bigger than what I want but there is no alternative. I have driven an i3 and quite liked it for what it is and this sized car would be perfect for me.

Yes they are both big cars. The X is slightly bigger than a Cayenne on the outside and much bigger inside! Having now lived with the "iPad" for a few months, I've grown to appreciate its benefits and wouldn't want to go back to a conventional dash setup. Split display of maps, Spotify etc is perfect and anything smaller would become fiddly to operate. A lot of thought clearly went into this display. The large portrait screen on the Volvo XC60/90 is nowhere near as responsive or intuitive to use.

Are you right or left handed Peteski? And how often do you find you need to operate the screen on the move? How distracting is it if you use it while driving, or do you get your front seat passenger to do it?

[Deleted User 1874]

Are you right or left handed Peteski? And how often do you find you need to operate the screen on the move? How distracting is it if you use it while driving, or do you get your front seat passenger to do it?

Great questions!
Firstly I'm right handed, so not ideal having to use my left hand. It would certainly be easier in a left hand drive car or for someone left handed. But you soon get used to it and the buttons are mostly so big it's really hard to miss them.

Operating the screen on the move is not much of a challenge due to its size and location. The only time I regularly need to operate it on the move is when browsing music on Spotify, although once I've chosen a playlist I can skip tracks and adjust volume from the steering wheel buttons/scroll wheels. I can also adjust cabin temperature from the steering wheel, not that its hard to do on the bottom of the screen. There isn't much else I ever need to adjust on the screen while driving.

The large screen is nowhere near as distracting as you may think. It's well placed in your peripheral vision and a quick glance gives you whatever info you were looking for. One thing that hardly ever gets mentioned by the media is how good the dash display is too. It has a satnav 3D zoom on the left (or trip data or music track when nav not in use), a power meter on the right, speed display in the middle, along with Autopilot status. It's a masterclass in simplicity and function.

When my wife is in the passenger seat, she controls Spotify on the screen at her leisure (which she really enjoys!) and marvels at the satellite view in Google maps as we pass through places. In comparison, the likes of iDrive in a 5 series look like a joke. This is light years ahead as a functional interface and it looks the business rather than something out of MS DOS.

Edit: forgot to mention that night mode on the screen is very nicely done too with blue tones on a black background. Still totally clear but not at all distracting or too bright. I've seen much more distracting smaller screens at night.

[Nuclear Nick]

Are you right or left handed Peteski? And how often do you find you need to operate the screen on the move? How distracting is it if you use it while driving, or do you get your front seat passenger to do it?

Great questions!
Firstly I'm right handed, so not ideal having to use my left hand. It would certainly be easier in a left hand drive car or for someone left handed. But you soon get used to it and the buttons are mostly so big it's really hard to miss them.

Operating the screen on the move is not much of a challenge due to its size and location. The only time I regularly need to operate it on the move is when browsing music on Spotify, although once I've chosen a playlist I can skip tracks and adjust volume from the steering wheel buttons/scroll wheels. I can also adjust cabin temperature from the steering wheel, not that its hard to do on the bottom of the screen. There isn't much else I ever need to adjust on the screen while driving.

The large screen is nowhere near as distracting as you may think. It's well placed in your peripheral vision and a quick glance gives you whatever info you were looking for. One thing that hardly ever gets mentioned by the media is how good the dash display is too. It has a satnav 3D zoom on the left (or trip data or music track when nav not in use), a power meter on the right, speed display in the middle, along with Autopilot status. It's a masterclass in simplicity and function.

When my wife is in the passenger seat, she controls Spotify on the screen at her leisure (which she really enjoys!) and marvels at the satellite view in Google maps as we pass through places. In comparison, the likes of iDrive in a 5 series look like a joke. This is light years ahead as a functional interface and it looks the business rather than something out of MS DOS.

Ok thanks Peteski. I did have a very short drive in an S quite some time ago, too short to get to grips with anything really. But much as I dislike touchscreens and shiny black or glass surfaces in cars it seems to be the way things are going these days so I guess I'll have to get used to it. At least I'm left handed!

[Deleted User 1874]

Ok thanks Peteski. I did have a very short drive in an S quite some time ago, too short to get to grips with anything really. But much as I dislike touchscreens and shiny black or glass surfaces in cars it seems to be the way things are going these days so I guess I'll have to get used to it. At least I'm left handed!

No worries. No need to have any shiny black trim in a Tesla! I have the matt carbon trim option, which looks great and no fingerprints. The screen doesn't seem to pick up fingerprints so easily either, although you never notice as its always on the second you get in the car (zero boot up time). It's all good, honestly and being left-handed will just make it even easier!

[Macananon]

I saw an IPace on the M40 today.

I have to say the boot line is Fugly in the flesh, pictures are deceiving!

[SAC1]

Here's an interesting EV pros and cons feature in today's AutoExpress e-article:

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/e ... ning-an-ev

[Deleted User 1874]

I saw an IPace on the M40 today.

I have to say the boot line is Fugly in the flesh, pictures are deceiving!

That's what I thought when I saw the prototype passing by in our local town centre. Reminded me a bit of some of the recent dubious Nissan styling. The back end is high and very boxy looking. The front end looks much better.

[Deleted User 1874]

Here's an interesting EV pros and cons feature in today's AutoExpress e-article:

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/e ... ning-an-ev

That's actually quite a well balanced view (if a little ladybird book). You would have thought they could have interviewed a few more full EV owners though.

The "driving fun" part of the article is highly debatable when discussing mundane petrol/diesels vs EVs. There is no "fun" in driving a typical manual diesel hatch. I'm pretty sure I'd have more "fun" driving a BMW i3 for example.