# Tesla.. How do they do it and why what they do can't be done cheaply? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 11, 2013, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tesla-how-do-they-do-it-and-why-what-they-do-cant-be-done-cheaply/660739 "2013-06-11T17:10:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![ombre12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d26b3c/32.png) [@ombre12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ombre12)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tesla-how-do-they-do-it-and-why-what-they-do-cant-be-done-cheaply/660739/101 "2013-06-20T00:47:55Z")
I agree that the problem with a second vehicle is the absurd added cost through license tags and much more expensively through insurance costs. I should be able to buy a license tag for myself and insurance for myself for any car I drive. I can only drive one car at a time. Electric vehicles would be fine as second vehicles. Even with current technology. Second vehicle purchases should be encouraged, rather than penalized. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tesla-how-do-they-do-it-and-why-what-they-do-cant-be-done-cheaply/660739/102 "2013-06-21T20:39:54Z")
> [@ombre12](#): > > Will have to watch that video, recording a swap out, after they do it. Should be fascinating. [Here’s](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5V0vL3nnHY) the video, though unfortunately they don’t show many details. Pretty cool, at any rate. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tesla-how-do-they-do-it-and-why-what-they-do-cant-be-done-cheaply/660739/103 "2013-06-21T22:02:21Z")
Honestly, I think [this YouTube video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlaQuKk9bFg) has a better view of the battery swap process than the official one. Edited to add, the overly enthusiastic response of the audience is hilarious. My guess is that the audience is full of Tesla fanboys and fangirls. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tesla-how-do-they-do-it-and-why-what-they-do-cant-be-done-cheaply/660739/104 "2013-06-21T22:40:27Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Edited to add, the overly enthusiastic response of the audience is hilarious. My guess is that the audience is full of Tesla fanboys and fangirls. Ever seen an Apple PR event? Same thing. Musk even says that most of the audience probably drove their Teslas there. Pretty standard Silicon Valley fare. Cultivate a loyal base of fanatics and grow from there. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tesla-how-do-they-do-it-and-why-what-they-do-cant-be-done-cheaply/660739/105 "2013-06-21T23:23:07Z")
Not discussed much in this thread but one oft repeated concern is the cost of ereplacing the battery when/if it dies outside of its covered period. Let’s face it, the battery is the big item that will wear out on these things. ICE vehicles may make it to 200K nowadays but those who go early are taken out by the engine or the transmission wearing out earlier but still far enough out that repair/replace is much of the value of the car. BEVs do not havve those to wear out and the electric motor gets little wear. The battery though … the worry has been the wild card of how long after coverage period it will last. [Nissan’s response](http://green.autoblog.com/2013/06/20/nissan-leaf-battery-replacement-will-cost-100-month/) has neutralized the worry some: > [@](#): > > At any time … a Nissan Leaf owner can sign up for the battery replacement program. At that point, you start paying $100 a month (or whatever the final cost will be) and immediately get a new battery pack that has a full 12 bars of capacity. > > Nissan’s senior manager of corporate communications, Brian Brockman, told AutoblogGreen that “Owners can opt in at any time. When they opt into the program, they will receive a new battery pack with the latest available technology that is compatible with their vehicle. Then, Nissan provides assurance that the replacement pack will maintain 9 bars or more capacity for the time that they own their car and make monthly payments. If their battery drops below 9 bars, we will repair or replace the battery pack.” > > So, basically, the new program provides a reasonably priced piece of mind to Leaf owners. On top of that, anyone with an older Leaf who wants to take advantage of newer technology (as long as it’s compatible) can get a newer pack using this program. So, if you buy a used 2012 Leaf today but want a 2015 battery pack in a few years (should it fit in the car) you can get one for $100 a month. This cost is transferable to the new owner if you later sell the car. … Nissan’s Erik Gottfried, the director of electric vehicle sales and marketing, said in a statement that “the great majority of our current LEAF drivers will never need this battery replacement option” but at least it’s available. Essentially this means that _if_, at any point outside of warranty coverage, your battery peters out, or the technology improves dramatically enough that you want the latest version, you can rent a new battery for $100/month for the rest of the life of the vehicle instead of buying a new one … This is a pretty big deal. It does not make reasonably priced BEVs (that can reliably deliver 70ish miles a trip) the car for people who regularly need that car to take longer trips. But it does relieve one major source of anxiety for those who do not. You can have your cake and eat it too. You can own the battery outright from word go (the model of leasing it from the start for the same sort of $100ish/month with a substantially lower price for the car has been discussed but the American market at least wants to completely own their cars) yet have the option to convert to a lease as a worst case scenario instead of having to replace the battery after 8 years or whenever. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tesla-how-do-they-do-it-and-why-what-they-do-cant-be-done-cheaply/660739.md?page=5)