Saw my first Tesla Model S

"Fred (FreddsterExprs)" (freddsterexprs)
03/05/2014 at 08:08 • Filed to: Tesla

They are still quite rare in Germany, and their local headquarter opened just months ago. The car I saw was from Holland, and I was quite curious when I saw it. Very big, but they managed to nicely hide the length. And it also appears to be rather tall - great for cabin space, but design wise a few inches less would do wonders. Maybe some day they will build a Coupe version?

I still think the Mercedes S-Class looks a bit better, but the Tesla is definitely right up there with the A8 and 7 series.

DISCUSSION (29)

duurtlang > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
03/05/2014 at 08:12

I see them quite frequently now. I do live in the Netherlands, so there's that. 'We' tax gas guzzlers exponentially high making cars like the Tesla absurd bargains. I believe they were (are?) the best sold vehicle in Norway or Sweden.

Straightsix9904 > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
03/05/2014 at 08:12

The reason it is so tall is that due to a Govt requirement to get more loan money, it had to seat 7 people. It is available with a jump seat in the trunk.

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > duurtlang
03/05/2014 at 08:14

A friend of mine was in Amsterdam and said that there are lots and lots of Teslas and Fiskers around. The same goes for Sweden and Norway. Not sure if I like the trend of steering the market by taxing or subventions, I think electric cars should break in on their own - it puts the pressure on the manufacturers to make them as affordable as a normal, gas powered car.

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > Straightsix9904
03/05/2014 at 08:15

I knew about the 7 seater thing, but I didn't know it was Government required. Thanks for that info, very interesting. Where does the Model X then fit into the model range?

Brian Silvestro > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
03/05/2014 at 08:16

They're all over the place here in America, I see as much Teslas as I do S-classes nowadays.

jkm7680 > Brian Silvestro
03/05/2014 at 08:17

Where I live, they are almost like E-Classes.

Jobjoris > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
03/05/2014 at 08:17

Over here in Holland, last months of 2013 a lot of Teslas were delivered due to several tax-cuts: Buying one for around 95K euros would end up costing only about half of it. Therefor they're not that uncommon. We have an image to be cheap so there you have it! Certainly curious to drive one, should be quite spectacular.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
03/05/2014 at 08:18

Is that one dark blue? And is it actually rare in Germany? I live in a small town in Norway (less than 30k people) and we've got at least 4 of them here, one white, one red, one black (there could be more than one in black here) and a silver one. I think it looks fantastic in white and in red, the black one looks good as well but somewhat.. well.. boring.. The silver one is just.. well, yet another silver sedan.

Straightsix9904 > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
03/05/2014 at 08:18

The model X will be the same "Chassis" with 2 more motors up front and an SUV body plopped on top. The rumors will state that it will probably top out in the $130K range vs the S $100k-ish range.

Brian Silvestro > jkm7680
03/05/2014 at 08:19

Once you get closer to NYC (I'm about an hour out), they start to multiply. Especially around northern NJ.

jkm7680 > Brian Silvestro
03/05/2014 at 08:22

Yeah, here in Nova, just off the top of my head, I know that I see three in driveways, and one on the road on my way to work.

duurtlang > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
03/05/2014 at 08:24

I absolutely agree. Especially if the subsidies aren't though out well. Our roads are suddenly crowded with hideous Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV plugin hybrids. Horrible gas guzzlers in the hands of your average employee that uses the car as a company car, but theoretically it can be quite economical... when you plug it in all the time and only run it on electricity.

Anyway, the result of absurdly high CO2 taxes on new cars and very expensive fuel has resulted in lots of Toyota Aygos and wagons with a tiny diesel engine on our highways. It's not a pretty sight at all. Everyone buys a car with their head instead of their hart now. It's going way too far. Especially because the real world net fuel and emission savings are minimal compared to the optimistic theoretical figures.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > duurtlang
03/05/2014 at 08:24

It was the best selling car in Norway, Electric cars are cheap as hell here compared to other cars (and I approve of this since almost all of our power is made by clean powerplants (water turbines)). My stepdad is thinking of replacing his Lexus GS450h with a Model S.

Brian Silvestro > jkm7680
03/05/2014 at 08:26

Maybe there's so many because they're such good cars.

jkm7680 > Brian Silvestro
03/05/2014 at 08:28

Yeah, there are also two nearby showrooms also.

Tom McParland > Brian Silvestro
03/05/2014 at 08:34

I didn't know you are from NJ...and yeah see more Model S here in S. Jersey than I do S-class and there is a Mercedes dealer 10 minutes from my house.

Brian Silvestro > Tom McParland
03/05/2014 at 08:37

Southern NY Automatch, you know that! But I go to north Jersey often because they have better car dealerships.

Jayhawk Jake > Brian Silvestro
03/05/2014 at 08:39

That's not really a fair statement.

In large cities? Sure. However, I've only seen 2 here, and that was only in passing. In LA and Houston though, I saw plenty.

Tom McParland > Brian Silvestro
03/05/2014 at 08:39

Right...you talked about N. Jersey it threw me off.

Brian Silvestro > Tom McParland
03/05/2014 at 08:46

I think we can both agree that there are Teslas everywhere in this area.

Brian Silvestro > Jayhawk Jake
03/05/2014 at 08:59

That's why I used "I" instead of "we."

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh
03/05/2014 at 09:01

Yeah it was dark blue. Quite a nice color.

They are really rare here, they only opened their dealers here like months ago. Also, there is no tax advantage or subventions.

Jayhawk Jake > Brian Silvestro
03/05/2014 at 09:06

Yeah, but you said 'they're all over the place in America'. They are not.

Meatcoma > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
03/05/2014 at 09:07

Coupe/Roadster.

kinja'd?

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
03/05/2014 at 09:08

We have no local dealer, but the tax thingy have made them so popular here that used ones cost more than new ones (I don't like that), but I'll tell you one thing, if you ever get the chance to drive one, say YES..

Brian Silvestro > Jayhawk Jake
03/05/2014 at 09:15

Kinja'd!!!

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > Meatcoma
03/05/2014 at 09:29

The Model S? That's a sedan.

Can't you see the pictures? Works perfectly for me, they fixed the upload.

Meatcoma > Fred (FreddsterExprs)
03/05/2014 at 09:35

I posted a pic of the Tesla Roadster and kinja ate it.

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > Meatcoma
03/05/2014 at 09:51

Classic Kinja. Did you try to upload it to imgur first? Always worked for me.