Electric Vehicle critics

[scabpicker]

@Dr.Strangelove

The Model 3 Performance does a lot better in maintaining performance over multiple laps. The S seems to be heat soak limited, either in the battery or motor, but they’ve improved a lot with the 3.

Yes, Tesla has been improving it’s battery tech. The fact that the model 3 also somewhere between 1000-1500 lbs lighter goes a very long way toward making it a better track vehicle.

@Dr.Strangelove

The stuff you mention mostly isn’t fundamental to an EV. Motorsport enthusiasts can swap in sticky tires if they want. Heat soak isn’t something that Tesla prioritized in the Model S, but they’ve improved it in the 3, and likely will improve further with the “Plaid” drivetrain, and further yet with the new Roadster. More powerful pumps, better thermal contact, bigger radiators, etc. Some of it will be improved design, some of it just spending the money on better equipment.

Anyway, people seem to be having a lot more fun with the Model 3 Perf around the track than they had with the S. It’s not necessarily the best bang for buck out there but it’s fun just by virtue of being different, and it’s still a great daily driver.

Oh no, do not get me wrong, they are great as daily drivers. As long as you aren’t actually competing against ICE cars for absolute time over a longer distance, it’s a fine tool for the job if you want to improve your high performance driving.

As I was going to bed last night, I thought it would be wonderful if one of Tesla’s competitors became successful enough to compete with them in some form of motorsport. Competition between manufacturers improved the car a lot in the early days of its adoption. Deliberately pushing the EV in competition would probably have the same benefits.

[echoreply]

@scabpicker

As I was going to bed last night, I thought it would be wonderful if one of Tesla’s competitors became successful enough to compete with them in some form of motorsport. Competition between manufacturers improved the car a lot in the early days of its adoption. Deliberately pushing the EV in competition would probably have the same benefits.

We can only hope that the Nürburgring pissing match between Porsche and Tesla results in something more than a one off triple motor S with fat tires, and a drool worthy special edition Taycan, both with technology that never makes it below $180,000.

[scabpicker]

@echoreply

We can only hope that the Nürburgring pissing match between Porsche and Tesla results in something more than a one off triple motor S with fat tires, and a drool worthy special edition Taycan, both with technology that never makes it below $180,000.

Well, I was thinking that one mfr would challenge the other mfr to an actual race. The days of a philanthropist putting trophy money up that would draw them seem to be gone. So, it kind of becomes Tesla’s job to challenge Porsche to the race in this scenario*, the job of some up and comer challenger to Tesla in another, since the up and comer in racing should probably be the one to throw down the gauntlet. The benefit for the challenger is that in the real world, they also get to propose the field of battle to try to balance things a bit in their favor, but not so much the dominant player shies away from the challenge. The dominant player has the obvious enticement to prove it if they think they have it.

The other possibility would be that someone sets up a grassroots series, and gets folks who have modified their cars for that duty to compete. I’d watch either (heck, I’d watch people race shopping carts, I think), but I’m pretty sure a challenge from one mfr that was answered by the other would probably be the bigger spectacle.

*If they think they’ve got what it takes to take them on. Porsche and their parent company are quite a motorsport powerhouse.