Tesla Drops all Patents.

[MikeSVX]

Originally Posted by VRYALT3R3D

Fuel cell cars are the future, not hybrids. With Tesla planning to make a battery plant with huge capacity, obviously they did this so they get the business for the battery plant.

To sell a car in California, you need ZEV credits. With pure electric cars, you get 2 ZEV credits unless it has more than 300 miles range AND fast fuel refilling capabilities. Fast fuel refilling capabilities means it has to be able to refuel at the same amount of time as it takes to fill up a tank in a gasoline car. If you are able to do that, you get 7 ZEV credits. This means that after 2020, the only vehicle that will get those ZEV credits in any meaningful number, so you can sell your other cars, is fuel cell cars.

Tesla has the technology to meet the requirements you listed for the 7 ZEV credits. The Model S has 2 battery options. They claim it is capable of 306 miles with the largest option. They have also released plans to build Automated battery service stations across the country. To refuel your Model S, you simply drive it into the service bay. The system inside the bay removed your old battery pack for under the car and installs a new, freshly charged battery pack. The process is suppose to take less time then it takes to pump 15 gallons of gas at a gas station, and you don't get out of your car.

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Originally Posted by derklug

For electric cars to become practical, the number on the road needs to increase dramatically.

Before that happens you will need an infrastructure to support all those electric cars hitting the roads. The technology, talent and resources are there to produce more electric cars and put them in the hands of more people across the globe, but you will need an infrastructure to support the demands of all the recharging and byproduct of more electric cars in public. The electric cars will see the same issues and problems the gasoline powered cars encounter in the early 1900 -- building an infrastructure so that the average person will not be limited by a certain range of the car they are driving.

Releasing the patents is just going to eliminate Telsa's Economic MOAT. The real issue is infrastructure.

[NicKey]

Originally Posted by McRat

In a move that is unheard of for a high tech company, Elon Musk opened up their entire patent portfolio for other companies to use free of charge.

http://pda.sciencealert.com.au/news/20141306-25675.html

This is really big.

Let's see who has the huevos to follow Elon.

It's going to piss off a lot of lawyers.

Elon Musk is beyond Brilliant, he's a true Genius.

[McRat]

Originally Posted by Loading.....

Before that happens you will need an infrastructure to support all those electric cars hitting the roads. The technology, talent and resources are there to produce more electric cars and put them in the hands of more people across the globe, but you will need an infrastructure to support the demands of all the recharging and byproduct of more electric cars in public. The electric cars will see the same issues and problems the gasoline powered cars encounter in the early 1900 -- building an infrastructure so that the average person will not be limited by a certain range of the car they are driving.

Releasing the patents is just going to eliminate Telsa's Economic MOAT. The real issue is infrastructure.

Not to burst your bubble, but the Infrastructure-Free EV is already here. It happened in 2011.

I can drive to New York from California with no range anxiety, yet on a normal day I use $1.10 worth of electricity to drive 40 miles. We have used 22 gallons of gasoline in 5600 miles, about 233 miles per gallon. 300 mile non-stop round trips aren't a big deal at 75 mph, and will get a speeding ticket on any grade in the Western US. It refuels 9 gallons of gas in a couple of minutes, and recharges in 3.5 hours, or 8 hours on 120v standard wall outlet.

I never wait for it to recharge, and it has fairly high performance and excellent handling.

After rebates, they cost $25k, and have a 5 star crash rating.

Yes, it's a Chevy Volt. Probably the best thought out car, and best engineered mode of transportation of all time.

Crappy performance, range anxiety, and insane pricing is no more.

But, I didn't buy it to Save The Blunt Nose Lizard. My shoes are made from dead baby seals.

It's fun and easy to drive, and is quicker in stop and go traffic than our 556HP CTS-V.

Sadly, most people don't even know it exists. Give the choice between a Z06, a 12 second Pickup, a CTS-V, and a Volt, when it's time to go do errands or take the kids to and from school, I take the Volt. And I don't CARE about fuel economy. It's just a better tool for the job, and gets it done quicker.

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Originally Posted by McRat

Not to burst your bubble, but the Infrastructure-Free EV is already here. It happened in 2011.

I can drive to New York from California with no range anxiety, yet on a normal day I use $1.10 worth of electricity to drive 40 miles. We have used 22 gallons of gasoline in 5600 miles, about 233 miles per gallon. 300 mile non-stop round trips aren't a big deal at 75 mph, and will get a speeding ticket on any grade in the Western US. It refuels 9 gallons of gas in a couple of minutes, and recharges in 3.5 hours, or 8 hours on 120v standard wall outlet.

The Volt has a gasoline engine so it piggybacks on the current gasoline infrastructure, we are talking about a true EV/battery powered car. So, with that in mind, can I drive from New York to Harrisburg, VA? Jackson, MS to Bismark, ND? Or Boise, ID to Anchorage, AK?