Jason Calacanis brings in his wicked fast Tesla Roadster.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smOdobMCLx8
Jason Calacanis and His Tesla
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smOdobMCLx8
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smOdobMCLx8
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Love the carcast – it’s my new Saturday AM habit and Adam’s really never been better…
With that said, here’s a bit of constructive criticism; print out a spec sheet or get some solid numbers on these cars you’re talking about..
the Tesla in particular is actually a pretty heavy car for it’s size (over 2700 pounds.. versus a Lotus which comes in at or below 2000) and as a result the handling isn’t all that great. In fact the achilles heel of the tesla is the fact that it’s so heavy.. so talking about the lightness of the car seems a little weird.
Other than that, it’s a nice car and the show’s awesome.
Mike,
I guarantee that there isn’t a Lotus that could keep up with a Tesla Roadster up a canyon road. If you gave an elise and a roadster to the same guy, he’d smoke the Elise. The other part that you have to remember is that the Tesla has less than 20 moving parts compared to hundreds in a typical internal combustion engine. by by gasoline. This is coming from somebody who loves nothing more than to hear a gnarly V8 rev to high heaven. Maybe they’ll offer a soundtrack that you can have pumped through the car based on the kind of sound you want!! LOL
Get it on! Digging the tesla – I’ll give them a few generations before I’m even considering buying one of their products mind, but they’re one of the ones actually putting their money where their mouths are in regards to Electric. Even if they ultimately don’t have a huge following in the end, they’re at least pioneers on the path to making fossil fuel cars unnecessary (even if they are fun!)
This car is cool as shit. And of course, the podcasts are getting it done for me too…..get’s through my damn job everyday while I get through film school! Anyways, cool car, one day I will actually be able to afford these cars! Great podcast so keep up the good work Adam, I’m loving it! And don’t let CBS water it down too much, or I might have to fuck someone up, not you, someone I know of course because it would be their faults. I’ve rambled on enough. PEACE!
Saw one of these on Top Gear, considering it’s fairly heavy it did ok, obviously a Lotus is a lot more nimble on the corners, and bloody hell, it is certainly a talking point.
Love the Tesla! I’d like to see the latest Prius.
Great show. What day/time can listeners Skype in?
Ace,
Great cast! It’s been so great to watch you turn this podcast thing into an actual platform — with the site, the videos, and various streams all working together. Huh-fucking-zaa.
Wanted to ask a question and the Tesla post seemed like a good spot to do it. I don’t know anything about the transmissions (or lackethereof) in these things, but how do you see the driving experience evolving in the next 10 years? I would lament the loss of my six speed manual in my Cooper and (as a young guy) worry about the super cars of my future having less of a tactile driving experience. Daddy wants his clutch. Thoughts?
Great question. Answer it Adam!
I like the idea of a car with no transmission. The Tesla is great, but it’s important to note it’s 115k and Tesla loses money on every single one. But it will go down in history as the first many. The future will be a mix of all these alternate fuel cars, each suited to it’s purpose. Electric, CNG, diesel, hybrid electric, and gas. But the future will still have plenty of traditional gas burners, sports cars, and even big displacement muscle cars. The market will dictate that it does. At least my dollars will dictate that it does.
My last roomate works for tesla. He said the reason for the single speed is because there is no transmission strong enought to handle the torque. The first prototypes had two speeds but they always broke. The more power the they offer more development into drive systems needs to be made to manage the stress. It would break any traditional six speed setup. I agree and will miss the manual when these things take over. Time will tell.
‘No Transmission Strong Enough to handle the torque of the Tesla…’ That should be ‘no transmission that they want to pay for or put in the car’, pleny of conventional gearboxes that can can deal with that torque level which is in the order of 300ft/lbs as I read it.
Also I never like the – It cost more to make then they are selling it for so it must be a winner! Argument, totally forgot to glass half empty that 😉
Sandy
Tesla used to lose money on every Roadster, but that’s no longer true. As for the transmission conversation, there’s no need for more than one gear ratio because the motor is so torquey and redlines at 14,000 rpm. The original plan was a two-speed tranny, but no one makes a two-speed, esp. one which can handle that high an input-shaft speed. So, it’s not so much torque that’s the issue as it is the high rpm coupled with torque coupled with not needing a boatload of gear ratios like other cars.
Another great podcast. I would suggest that you embrace the whole “long form” idea and not be too afraid to get technical. The Jay Leno stuff was great, but I could have listened to him for 10 hours straight talking in detail about weird cars that I’ve never heard of. I think comedians are programmed to generate a laugh every 30 seconds, and that’s great but it can get in the way. Jon Stewart is a shitty interviewer because of this – to many cheap laughs getting in the way of interesting guests. Embrace the long form with Car Cast – find obtuse gearheads and let them really talk. Every other car “show” in existence sucks because it’s not technical enough including Top Gear and NPR Car Talk. I listen/watch to learn something, so talk over my head. If you like, stick in a dick joke every 10 minutes.
Jason Calacanis,
Thank you so much for fighting the good fight!
Your words about producing all of our automotive energy needs through solar and getting rid of the Middle East relationship really gets me pumped up and thinking positive about the future.
Thanks Jason
there is a blue one near me and I LOVE seeing it out on the road.
Cheers to the guys who believe in Tesla Motors and really invested in the future.
I think it’d be cool to get Jason back and film some of what it’s like to ride in this car
in the passenger seat, it’s so strange to just hear tire noise or virtually no noise at all.
If only you could tow a flatbed made of solar panels for road trips..