See the Tesla S at the Detroit International Auto Show (Video)

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The weather in Detroit was frightful and Slashdot editor Timothy Lord was nine hours away. No problem! He loaded his camcorder and a bunch of other stuff in his car and drove to Detroit for the 2012 International Auto Show. In today's video he looks at the Tesla Model S. Next week we'll have more video highlights of the auto show for you, so stay tuned...

This is just the way new technology is created

[Smeagel]

Often times the first generations of new technology are so extremely expensive, that only the rich can afford them. Then slowly, with iterations and perfections, the prices come down to normal consumer prices. Almost every breakthrough technology has been that way, car's, computers, tv's, home entertainment. The thing is, unless there's the initial generation of very expensive technology, there's usually no starting point for engineers to slowly develop improved and cheaper ways to build. It's rare a technology goes from non-existent to every consumer can afford it. Also keep in mind Tesla isn't trying to compete with Toyota sedans, it's trying to compete with high-end BMW, Audi, Infiniti sedans. As in other automobile technologies, the cheaper sedans benefit from all the R&D that goes into the more expensive sedans, as their features slowly trickle into the cheaper sedans.

Re:Not interested...

[Anonymous Coward]

If you haven't sat in the Model S then you're opinion is pointless. Its an AMAZING machine and a beautiful piece of engineering.

Re:Yay! Government funded luxury wanker mobiles!

[Chris Burke]

I know trickle-down economics sorta works in cutting-edge technology, but Nissan already has an electric sedan for $20,000 less.

One third the price, one third the range.

The market for luxury sedans is pretty significant, and it's possible that the existence of the Model S will drive the costs of battery packs with ranges large enough for the masses to feel comfortable down enough that maybe the next generation of $20,000 electric sedan will be something everyone will want.

I just don't see why Tesla deserves our adulation.

Hey, I get your point and it's a fair one. There are other reasons to adulate the company other than them being a champion of the masses. For some of us, just making cool tech is enough. :)

Re:Very cool car

[Fned]

Diagnosing electrical problems can be a real nightmare in regular cars

Regular cars have a whole bunch of solenoids and sensors all over, to run systems that electric cars don't have.

No matter what, an electric car with X features will be dramatically less complex than an IC-engine car with X features.

Re:Yay! Government funded luxury wanker mobiles!

[Mad Merlin]

...practical SUV...

Bzzt! Sorry, death barges are many things, but practical isn't one of them. Unsafe, gas guzzling, underperforming, overweight and overpriced, yes, certainly. But practical? No.

Re:Yay! Government funded luxury wanker mobiles!

[deanklear]

The planes you fly are modified bombers funded by decades of investment by the US government. The computer you use is based on technology that progressed under enormous investment by the US government. The internet, which is probably the source of all of your entertainment and possibly your income was invented, funded, and developed by the US government.

It's one of the few things we do well, and it does our society a tremendous amount of good to invest in new technologies, even if they don't immediately produce profitable outcomes. That's why we were the world's number one economy, and it's shortsighted nonsense like demanding that everything be developed by private industry -- most of which can't see past their next quarterly report -- which is going to continue our slide to last place in the western world.