This is the closest I’ve gotten to this now-famous ride:
“PLATYPUS” – go figure. I don’t think Old GM had a platypus car…
Posts Tagged ‘tesla’
They Call Me MISTER Platypus! – GM’s Self-Driving Car has a New Name, for Some Reason – My White Whale Spotted, Again
Friday, September 2nd, 2016This Brand-New Chevy Bolt is Driving Itself on the Streets of San Francisco
Thursday, August 11th, 2016As seen in the SoMA on Folsom near 12th right, by the SF Eagle, not that there’s anything wrong with that:
No, it’s not sucking the data off of your cell phone – it’s Cruise Automation, baby. And it looks like they’re on the right path, unlike, say, so-called Elon Musk and his so-called “Autopilot.”
Play us out, SLATE’s Will Oremus:
Is Autopilot a Bad Idea? Why Ford, Google, Volvo and others think Tesla is wrong about automation.
“Crash, Not Accident” – A Misguided Campaign – It’s Why Journalists Now Use the Word CRASH Four Times in Three Sentences
Wednesday, July 6th, 2016Here’s how things are in 2016:
.@WillOremus – Please don't call this an "accident" until investigation makes that determination. #crashnotaccident https://t.co/2811awR1Ov
— Drop The 'A' Word (@DroptheAword) July 1, 2016
All right, here’s what the “crash coalition” has to say.
“Accident” Definitions – Merriam-Webster: An unexpected happening causing loss or injury which is not due to any fault or misconduct on the part of the person injured but for which legal relief may be sought
Really? That’s odd. What kind of definition is this to cite? Hey, lets punch that phrasing into the Google to find:
Accident | Definition of Accident by Merriam-Webster
Now we’re cooking. It turns out the real definition, the primary one, is:
“a sudden event (such as a crash) that is not planned or intended and that causes damage or injury”
So I don’t know how you could miss this at the very top of the webpage you cited, unless you’re being dishonest.
Similarly, I could tell you that the word “bad” means:
outstandingly excellent; first-rate
But that wouldn’t be honest, as that one is 35 definitions down from the typical meaning, which is, of course:
not good in any manner or degree
What accident means is that whatever occurred wasn’t on purpose. Like this aircraft accident, for example. These pilots didn’t intentionally kill themselves, right? If they had, you’d say, “This was no accident,” right?
OK, look forward to seeing the magic CRASH word all over even more, as journalists and MSM institutions bend to this campaign. It’s going to be crash this and crash that all the time. Crash crash crash, like a mantra.
But sometimes there’ll be pushback, like this:
You think the autopilot software hit the truck on purpose? https://t.co/pC8tClyB7r
— Will Oremus (@WillOremus) July 1, 2016
That’s the ticket…
Model S Teslas Vying for the Same Parking Space at the Western Addition Popeye’s – What Do You Call This Place – NoPA, DivCo – Is It So Special?
Tuesday, December 15th, 2015IDK, man.
I don’t think NoPA is so special.
Sorry.
Hey look, your precious Northeast of Panhandle Area is actually in the Western Addition – here’s a map from just part of part of the WA:
Sorry.
And don’t ever search your house’s property records for the term “Western Addition,” ’cause you’ll be disappointed to find that term in there, over and over.
Sorry.
But no no, area millionaire homeowners association – please go on and on about your petty concerns. Tell EVERYBODY.
Yay!
What Happened to All the Tesla Roadsters of the Bay Area? They’ve Disappeared – Why’s That?
Monday, June 15th, 2015I’ll tell you, there was a time when most of the Lotus Eliseses I saw in the Bay Area were Lotus Eliseses. Then a few years back, most of the Elises I saw were Tesla Roadsters. And then, starting a year or two ago most of the Lotus Elise I’ve seen on the Bay Area went back to being actual Lotus Elise. Isn’t that funny?
Like here, for instance. Is this the first Tesla Roadster I’ve seen this year? The past year? I think so.
Man, they’re hard to tell apart, the gas and electric versions. The Tesla version is less stubby, but I generally need to see the “T” logo to be sure. Isn’t that sad?
I guess having a Roadster isn’t a thang anymore. So they sit around garages, aging, slowly discharging, and gathering dust. They never really were practical, you know?
Now let’s hear some government-subsidized propaganda from yesteryear:
“One of the more common misconceptions about the Tesla Roadster is that it is an electrified Lotus Elise. This has been an interesting problem to deal with because the Tesla is vastly different from an Elise and it is important that people are aware of this.”
But in fact, the Tesla Roadster is/was an electrified Lotus Elise. Exactly. Take an Elise, stretch the chassis, throw out the Toyota engine (frankly, the best thing about the vehicle, you know, with billions invested over the years, coming from what’s still the best car manufacturer in the world) add a very heavy battery pack and a motor and boom there’s your Tesla Roadster.
The dude what wrote all that back in aught-eight shortly later quit / got fired / resigned – it’s hard to say.
The question now is whether you’d rather operate the original gas powered version or the newer electric kind. Certainly the gas-powered one handles better, due to its lightness. But both versions are impractical two-seaters, so maybe that’s why most people don’t own/use/garage either kind. Oh well.
Anyway, that’s the sad end to the vaunted Tesla Roadster – it’s still in the back of your closet, but you don’t wear it anymore…
How Tesla CEO Elon Musk is WRONG WRONG WRONG About How the Fremont Assembly Plant Has Been in Operation for “Over 60 Years”
Wednesday, November 26th, 2014Here’s the background:
How Elon Musk Hustled $1.4 Billion Out Of Nevada For Gigafactory
Now here’s Musk’s defense of the Nevada Gigglefactory battery tax incentive deal.
Which you can swallow or not, but I have a beef with this part in particular:
“However, the 20 year mark is simply when the last of the incentives expires. The Gigafactory itself will continue contributing economically to Nevada for much longer. Our automotive plant in California has been in operation for over 60 years with no foreseeable end in sight.”
Well, first of all, there’s nothing to stop Tesla or its successor from threatening to move away unless it receives another massive subsidy from the people of Nevada, right? So that’s just wrong.
But, more importantly, what’s up with this “over 60 years” thing? Let’s take a look.
Fremont Assembly began operations in 1963, right? 2014 minus 1963 = 51 years, right? 51 years is less than “over 60 years,” right?
And that doesn’t mean that this place was “in operation,” all that time, right?
And actually, it didn’t make sense to have such a big old GM factory in the Bay Area so it shut down in 1982. Let’s get some more deets:
“Operated as GM plant from 1963 to 1982, then became the site of NUMMI, GM’s joint venture with Toyota and the only major auto assembly plant remaining in California. Closed April 1, 2010, partially reopening as the Tesla Factory, an automobile assembly plant for Tesla Motors”
So Fremont Assembly was massively downsized when Toyota was coerced into starting up NUMMI, which lasted just 16 years.
Then NUMMI got massively downsized and now what’s left has been a Tesla factory for a couple years.
Now you might think that that’s good or bad, but this record sure doesn’t match what Elon Musk has to say.
END OF LINE
Traffic in the Fast Lane of the 101 Freeway in Silicon Valley: Tesla Model S, Tesla Model S, Nissan Leaf
Tuesday, September 2nd, 2014The Model S and the Leaf are the two most popular all-electric cars in Silicon Valley these days, with the very expensive and taxpayer-subsidized Tesla being the more common sighting.
Peas in a Pod: The Tesla Model S and the Fisker Karma are Very Hard to Tell Apart
Friday, February 21st, 2014Ah look, from Marin it’s a red Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid in red and in the background it’s a silver Tesla Model S electric car.
Don’t they look super similar?
Click to expand
Ah memories:
“On 14 April 2008, Tesla Motors filed a lawsuit against Fisker Automotive, alleging that Henrik Fisker stole Tesla’s Model S hybrid technology and was using it to develop the Karma. Tesla’s suit claimed that the design work done for the Model S sedan by Fisker Coachbuild was substandard, and that Fisker Automotive diverted its best ideas to the Karma.[77] On 4 November 2008 CNET News reported that Tesla Motors would discontinue its suit after an interim ruling in favor of Fisker et al.[78] A news release on the Fisker Automotive website stated that Tesla was ordered to pay US$1,144,285 in costs.[79]“
NeMa “New Market” Update: TEST DRIVE TESLA MODEL S AT NEMA! – Feb 23rd, For Residents Only, No “Normals”
Thursday, February 20th, 2014Test Drive a Tesla @ NEMA on 2/23
“Tesla Test Drive
Join us on Sunday, Feb. 23 to test drive a Tesla! The Tesla Team will have 2-3 test drive cars available and 1 stationary car for walk-arounds. NEMA residents will be able to RSVP for test drive time slots and get the full Tesla experience.
To sign up for the Tesla Test drive this Sunday NEMA residents should click here to secure a spot or simply show up on Sunday. The cars will be parked in front of the North Tower lobby entrance.
Date: Sunday, 2/23/2014
Time: 10am-5:00pm
Who: Tesla Drive Team + NEMA Residents and Visitors/Guests
Where: Cars will be located in front of the North Lobby Entrance (8 10th Street)
Be sure to strike a pose in front of the Tesla line up and use #rentnema!
Tech-savvy and design-driven, NEMA is a next generation luxury residential community at the forefront of San Francisco’s dynamic Mid-Market neighborhood renaissance. Get social with us and follow our story on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
– See more at: http://rentnema.com/blog/test-drive-a-tesla-nema-on-223/#sthash.25v2iXXC.dpuf “
280 Tableau: America’s Own Version of the Autobahn, San Mateo County – Luxury Cars Famous for Fires
Thursday, December 5th, 2013Ah yes, the 280. Spacious, fast and full of luxury cars.
To wit:
Click to expand
Ah yes, the famous Tesla Model S. Let’s compare it’s on-the-road-caught-on-fire rate with, I don’t know, that of the well-designed, all-electric Nissan Leaf and maybe, I don’t know, the plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt. Oh wait a sec, Nissan Leaves and Chevy Voltses NEVER CATCH ON FIRE.* Well gee, why is that, Elon Musk? What’s wrong with your cars and/or your customers?
And the jelly-bean Lexus RX / Toyota Harrier. I suppose this “Tall Camry” / “Tall Lexus ES” is a luxury car. It doesn’t catch on fire, all that much.
And the Mercedes Benz GL. It does catch on fire. Sometimes. And for no good reason.
Taken via Google Glass** from my Toyota, which was paid off twelve years ago, and which is 40% of the way through its working life.
*And these are more established cars with more time and more passenger miles on the road than the Model S
**Or not!
