What goes into an electric car - and the many suppliers, places, and industries involved, as shown below and in the story linked here:
The Tesla Model S has Many Suppliers – Infographic
The Tesla Model S is one of the most advanced vehicles on the road today, thanks to its completely in-house battery and electric motor technology, but isn't a product solely of Tesla Motors.
Direct Link to the full size info-graphic -
here.
For a company coming from a few people - with
JB Straubel converting a
944 Porsche to Electric, with Lead Acid Batteries and two motors for acceleration, to the Prototype Roadster and formation of Tesla Motors using 18650 Lithium Ion Cells in a highly modified Lotus Elise, to the creation of their first new design production car - The Model S - they have come a long way in a few short years (~6-7 Years).
Popular Science;May2007, Vol. 270 Issue 5, p69 (Open page, Click right arrow Icon 21 Times to get to story). Image below from this story.
Here is a portion of the text - online.
While some decry they can't charge up at the
Tesla Superchargers - taking 98 kW and dumping it into a Volt, LEAF, Focus EV, iMiEV, or a Smart ED - would not necessarily be a great thing on their smaller battery packs! The Model S - only allows this on their much larger battery packs - the 60 kWh and 85 kWh packs as it is! As it is only two North American Electric Vehicles currently access the lower power rated CHAdeMO units at a maximum of 50 kW - the LEAF and iMiEV - when properly equipped.
Tesla to Offer CHAdeMO Adaptor on Model S Sold in Japan; Is U.S. Next?
Tesla Motors recently announced that the Model S will go on sale in Japan in mid-2013 and when it launches there, the electric sedan will be equipped with a connector that allows owners to use Japan's vast network of more than 1,900 CHAdeMO quick-charge stations.
Tesla has not indicated if it will make the CHAdeMO adapter available in the U.S., but with the part soon to be in production, it would be a logical step.
Many love the Tesla's 'Exclusive Free Supercharging Network' - particularly those who have now bought the Model S, and that will be buying it or the Model X! However - there are currently some 6 Locations of them in California, and 2 on the East Coast, while there are at least 160 of the CHAdeMO Chargers installed in the US, and 2 in Canada so far! So the Sooner Tesla Motors can provide Access to the Mid-Level (compared to their network) DC Fast Charging CHAdeMO units, the better they will be appreciated by customers, and outsiders alike.
Tesla Currently offers
Charging from different outlets with their
Mobile Connector Cable, using the NEMA 5-15 adapter in regular Wall Outlets at 110-120V, delivering 1.4 kW ((5 Miles of Range per Hour of Charging); NEMA 14-50, for use at KOA and other campground facilities - charging at up to 10 kW (Up to 31 miles of range per hour of charging); and NEMA 6-50 for Welding Equipment Sockets (Same 10 kW MAX); and for Dryer Plugs - they ahve adapters for the NEMA 10-30 (Older Dryers), or NEMA 14-30 (Newer Dryers) - for up to 5.8 kW charging (18 miles of range per hour of charging).
NEMA nomenclature - NEMA connector, Wiki Explanation.
They also offer the
J1772 Adapter - For the
Roadster (Offering up to 56 Miles of Ranger per Hour of Charging at Max Power); and - Included with the
Model S when you buy it. From the Facts Page, under the heading - Pricing - "
a Mobile Connector and J1772 adapter." Here is a
User Photo of the adapter - connected to a J1772 Plug.
They also offer for home charging - the
High Powered Wall Connecter - that gives (If you have configured your Model S with the dual Chargers) up to 20 kW - or 62 Miles of Ranger per Hour of Charging (100 Kms per Hour). They say - "
The Charger is not the thing you plug into the wall, that’s a Connector. The Charger is actually on-board the car." - which is true for AC Charging. I think they should say - ... 'is not the thing you plug into the car' (instead of 'plug into the wall' - but that's just me).
For
DC Fast Charging - the actual charger is in the Unit that provides the Charging Cable - and the car routes the power directly to the batteries - bypassing the on-board chargers. This is the case with using their Supercharging network, and could also be the case when they get the CHAdeMO adapter in operation.
"Get a Half a Charge in Half an Hour" is one of the current Tesla Marketing lines for the current Superchargers. Also -
Charge in Minutes, not Hours, and it's free.
So the Chargers should be targeted to be installed at 120 - 150 Mile Intervals for City Pairs. This would be basically 1/2 a charge on a 60 kWh or 85 kWh Model S cars range spacing. Such Distance might require more than they have announced, if the plan is to cover the USA and Canada, but simply focusing on the I5 California - BC Corridor, and the I95 Florida to Quebec Corridor would be a great start! These routes could then be follow by a North route along the I80/I90 Freeway on the North - and I10 along the South.
This would create a Box of 4 sides that could then be filled in going further forward, with Superchargers connecting Various other City Pairs.
Musk: Stretching US Wait Times To Make 7,000 Model S Deliveries For Europe in 2013, Plus 3-Phase And CHAdeMO Info.
Tesla Motors: We Have 3,000 Model S Sedans Registered In California.
(More Model S cars delivered now than Tesla Roadsters made!)
