What kind of car is this Tesla? On the one hand, the automaker at one time made a splash in the car market in the USAby releasing a full-fledged and, one might say, ideal electric car, on the other hand, the last and one of the most popular Tesla models - Model S - is a huge clumsy car that is quite difficult to drive in urban traffic conditions. What can we say about the absence of the industry of charging stations for electric vehicles in our country today. But one thing is clear for sure: if the future looks like it looks Tesla Model S, then such a future is great, because the Tesla Model S is the safest car in the world!
Meanwhile, this is what the Tesla Model S looks like
Details about Tesla
When you sink into the seat of a high-end car for which you are willing to pay seven figures in rubles (the price of a Tesla Model S, including imports to Russia, will be at least 5 million rubles), you expect certain things: acceleration that presses you into the seat, top stereo equipment, soft-touch leather wherever possible, the guttural roar of a powerful engine and, of course, a large budget for high-octane gasoline to power such a machine. We can say that almost all of these aspects are covered in the case of the Tesla car. It's extremely dynamic (though not as fast), has all sorts of fantasies inside of it, and it's as fast as a rocket, but it's practically silent, and it will never burn. The first production car, the Tesla Roadster, was also the world's first high-performance electric car.
Unlike a traditional gasoline car engine, Tesla does not contain hundreds of moving parts. Its power flows through only four main systems:
- Energy Storage System (ESS)
- Power Electronics Module (PEM)
- electric motor
- Sequential gearbox
But oh technical stuffing Tesla let's talk later, but now for some interesting and general information about what kind of Tesla car!
Tesla Motors is an American automotive company based in the famous Silicon Valley that designs, manufactures and markets electric vehicles and electric powertrain components and chargers. Tesla first received wide recognition, thanks to the model Tesla roadster- the world's first fully electric sports car, but in Russia the company became famous when they started talking about Model The S is Tesla's second model, an all-electric luxury sedan.
Model Tesla Roadster - the first car of the company
Tesla is also bringing electric powertrain components to markets around the world, including lithium-ion batteries for automakers including Daimler and Toyota. Tesla's CEO is Elon Musk.
Tesla Motors is named after the famous physicist Nikola Tesla. The Tesla Roadster uses an AC motor modified directly from Scientist's original 1882 motor. The Tesla Roadster, the company's first car, had a range of over 200 miles (320 km) on a single battery charge. Between 2008 and March 2012, more than 2,250 Tesla Roadsters were sold in 31 countries. However, Tesla stopped taking orders for the roadster in the US market in August 2011, and Tesla later introduced new model- Tesla Model S - all-electric sedan (March 26, 2009).
Tesla's strategy has always been to imitate consumer electronics and introduce expensive, high-quality end products to the automotive market, targeting wealthy buyers. As the company and its products are now ripe for consumer acceptance, they will move into larger, more competitive markets at lower prices, and one day enter the Russian market. While base price The Roadster was $109,000, the Model S has a base price of $57,400 in the US, and the company plans to start production of the car for up to $30,000 later, codenamed BlueStar.
Tesla Model X car
As for Tesla's stated goals, they are banal - increasing the number and variety of electric vehicles available to the mass consumer for:
- purchases of own vehicles in salons and online stores;
- purchase of transmission components.
But the most interesting thing is that customers cannot purchase cars at dealerships. Customers must order a Tesla vehicle from the official website of Tesla Motors. However, there are plenty of gallery stores in the US that act like car dealerships, allowing people to learn more about Tesla Motors and its cars. The galleries are in a state restricted by dealer network protection laws that prevent discussing prices, test drives and other nuances of Tesla vehicles.
The strategy of direct selling to customers and owning their own stores and service centers is a significant departure from the traditional dealer business model in many markets around the planet. Tesla Motors is the only automaker that sells cars directly to consumers, and even though Tesla Motors does not have independent dealers, dealer associations in several countries have already filed numerous lawsuits against Tesla Motors in an attempt to block the company from selling cars in their countries.
Tesla cars in different countries
Tesla opened its first overseas store in Canada on November 16, 2012 at the Yorkdale Mall in Toronto, Ontario. The store has interactive displays and design studios allowing customers to customize the Model S and view the results on an 85-inch wall. As of March 2014, there are already four Tesla gallery stores in Canada: in Montreal, two in Toronto and one more in Vancouver.
Tesla opened its first store in Europe in June 2009 in the London Borough of Knightbridge, followed by an expansion in Munich in September. And in October 2013, the London dealer moved to shopping mall Westfield London. By the beginning of 2014, Tesla has 24 galleries in Europe, but in Russia, unfortunately, there are no galleries of the manufacturer yet (as of the date of writing), although the company's engineer had already visited our country in early 2014.
Tesla opened its first japanese salon in Aoyama in November 2010. Another hall was subsequently opened in Osaka in the same Japan. Tesla Motors also established a branch in Hong Kong and a showroom there in 2011, and since July 2010, a Tesla branch has been operating in Singapore, but the company later ceased operations in the country due to the lack of tax benefits.
Tesla's Chinese website was launched on December 16, 2013 to sell the Model S and Model X. This was followed by the opening of the Tesla showroom in Beijing in November 2013.
Australia
Tesla Motors opened a showroom in Sydney in 2010. By the way, in Australia, the Roadster drove along the entire east coast of the continent, covering a distance of more than 2,500 miles (4,000 km) - the longest distance traveled by an electric car in Australia.
Now let's take a look at what the two most famous Tesla car models are.
What is a Tesla Roadster?
The heart of the Tesla Roadster is a 3-phase, 4-pole electric induction motor that weighs just 32kg. Tesla tests and independent testing show that the Roadster can reach 100 kilometers per hour for about four seconds, and its speed exceeds about 210 kilometers per hour. But the performance of the roadster surprises not only with speed and acceleration. The unique properties of the electric motor give it a huge advantage over the engine internal combustion in terms of torque - the force that tends to use the power band - the operating speeds at which the engine runs efficiently. The roadster can generate a large amount of torque even at very low revs, and the engine, coupled with this, can always produce a lot of horsepower. By the way, the revolutions of such an engine can reach more than 13,000 per minute, which very few internal combustion engines can repeat.
This kind of motor response eliminates the need for complicated gears, so the roadster only has three gears - two gears. forward and one reverse gear. The shift is done by hand, but there is no clutch in the car. This also means there is no stall when you change gears.
Tesla Roadster can go much more distance than previous electric cars. The estimated range of one trip of the Roadster is about 400 kilometers on a single charge.
Most of the hype around the Roadster was due to its looks - while earlier electric cars tended to be cramped and ugly, the Tesla Roadster looks and feels like a sports car. In addition to basics such as heated seats, stereo with CD player, ABS brakes and dual airbags, the Roadster has several unique features:
- A unique code that allows you to start the car.
- A special transceiver that can be programmed to control RF controlled devices such as your gate or garage door.
- Dock connector for iPod.
- Electric door handles.
Technical Tesla specifications roadster:
- Acceleration: from zero to 100 - about 4 seconds.
- Dimensions: 3947.16 mm long, 1871.98 mm wide, 1127.76 mm high.
- Weight: 1134 kg (subject to change depending on safety regulations).
- Maximum speed: 210 km/h.
- Mileage per charge: 400 km.
- Battery Life: Battery useful life over 160,000 km.
What is a Tesla Model S
The Model S is Tesla's all-electric sedan, freshly designed and hand-built piece by piece - just two of the reasons why it's worth so much attention - a lot of people didn't think that Elon Musk - the company's charismatic co-founder - could pull it off.
As of August 2013, Tesla has outsold Porsche, Volvo, Lincoln, Land Rover and Jaguar in the California market. California is a milestone due to its relatively high median income, and this is where the Tesla Model S made a splash.
Some journalists believe that the Model S may be one of the best cars ever built. More objective indicators show that this is one of the safest cars. Tesla claims to have reached the most high rating the safety of any car in history with the Model S. Or, in other words, the driver and passengers in a Tesla Model S are more likely to survive a crash than the passengers and driver of any other vehicle on the road. Even buying a Model S is an unusual procedure, and not the usual “cultivation” of a network of franchised dealers. Tesla controls the entire process of selling and delivering the vehicle.
The Tesla Model S is the only all-electric vehicle on the market that has been designed from the ground up. One of Nissan's models, by comparison, was widely recognized as a groundbreaking all-electric vehicle idea, but it was designed and built using most of Nissan's existing components. And while the Model S is based on Nikola Tesla's innovations that are over a hundred years old, it's still a shining light on the future of the automotive industry, especially when paired with Tesla's signature high-tech battery. Speaking of batteries, customers can choose from 60kWh and 85kWh batteries, as well as 85kWh with additional features performance. The first battery is designed to run up to 334.7 kilometers on a single charge and has a top speed of 193 kilometers per hour. A more upgraded battery provides 458.7 kilometers and can reach speeds of 209 kilometers per hour. Oh yes, and both packages are completely emission-free.
What is the secret of the Model S that made it so, and why other car manufacturers can not repeat it? Well, that's what makes this model so exclusive and it should be noted first. Since the Model S does not have a traditional gasoline engine Under the hood, the safety benefits are twofold. The front is used for luggage storage like the back of a regular petrol sedan, which means basically it's a large crumple zone that absorbs most of the impact when head-on collision. And since there is absolutely no fuel on board, there seems to be nothing to catch fire. Tesla's electric motor is relatively small and mounted close to the rear axle, meaning it's unlikely to be in the way of damage during an impact. The Model S also has a very low rollover risk, thanks to its very low center of gravity. The aluminum construction of the car means that the bodywork is very light and very strong, since the aluminum is also reinforced with steel.
The Model S can be charged at home or at work using dedicated charging stations. The hardware station is included with some standard models and is available as an optional $2,000 package on lower-priced models.
However, Tesla cars are not perfect, and one of the most big problems seems to hold battery charge. Owners report a severe loss of charge in the battery while the car is parked. The problem also consists in fixing similar problems when updating software, although downloading updates operating system happens over Wi-Fi.
Tesla Model C prototype
Also, a known issue Tesla cars is their operation under conditions low temperatures, that's what stops the buyer from Russia in the first place when buying a Tesla, and the rapid discharge of the battery in Russian conditions is the main problem.
Cars powered by electricity existed as early as the middle of the 19th century, and if not for the difficulty of recharging, they could compete with their gasoline counterparts. At the beginning of the 21st century, many companies began to promote their electric vehicles, and almost no model could compete with conventional cars in terms of driving performance. But the advent of Tesla Motors to some extent corrected the situation, and many believe that the future belongs to Tesla-made electric vehicles. Is it so? - Time will tell! But let's see what Tesla cars can boast of today.
A little about Tesla Motors
It all started in 2003, when two enthusiasts Martin Eberhard and Mark Tarpenning founded a company that symbolically was named after Nikola Tesla. This scientist designed the electric motor 100 years ago.
From the very beginning, the goal of the company's activity was the commercialization of electric vehicles. The first priority was to create a premium sports car to show that electric vehicles can compete even on high level. Over time, it was planned to mass-produce such cars in various bodies to be made available to the average consumer. True, while Tesla-mobiles in the normal configuration cost approximately $ 100,000 ...
The guys needed good investments, and they soon turned to Elon Musk. He became very interested in the project, because electric vehicles can make the world a better place, at least partially removing it from the oil needle. "Okay, I'm in!" Musk said, becoming the main shareholder of the company's president. His enthusiasm and, of course, financial means gave the future of Tesla Motors.
Today, Elon Musk is the face of the company. He not only made huge investments in the whole enterprise, but also initiated the implementation of some technological and design solutions for Tesla cars.
In a word, Tesla Motors received proper support and funding, especially after the presentation of the first electric sports car.
They continue to move on a given course and are preparing for the release of the fourth electric car. Although it is worth noting the unpleasant fact that the company has been operating at a specific loss in recent years.
What makes Tesla mobile special
In each model of an electric car from Tesla, new chips appeared, which we will talk about later, but the main technological solutions can be traced throughout the entire model range.
Design
Everyone knows that liquid-fuel cars have hundreds of moving parts, but in the case of our electric friends, everything is a little simpler - they are provided only four major systems:
- Energy storage system (ESS);
- Power Electronics Module (PEM);
- Electric motor;
- Sequential gearbox.
Thus, electric vehicles have less weight, more usable space inside (two trunks), and less chance of breakage due to relatively few parts.
Autopilot
Tesla's advanced autopilot also deserves attention. So far, the presence of a driver behind the wheel is still not excluded, but Elon Musk promises that the car will soon will be able to drive from one American coast to another without the participation of the driver, who does not even have to deal with recharging - everything will be done by artificial intelligence.
Autopilot Tesla The autopilot can move along the road, sticking to its lane, steer and slow down so as not to collide with other cars, control speed based on traffic, and perform many other useful things.
Current models can independently (without a driver) overcome up to 12 meters, for example, in order to park or drive into a garage.
Autopilot action:
Minimalism in the cabin
The center console is represented by a huge touch screen (the size depends on the model), with the help of which the main control takes place. You will not find any toggle switches and buttons. In place of the usual dashboard there is also a display with all the necessary information.
The interior itself corresponds to the price of the car, but we will not paint it much, because there are no comrades for the taste and color.
Batteries
The power source is something without which the electric car will not go. Prior to this, large galvanic cells were used, but Tesla Motors went the other way. Their cars are battery powered from several thousand lithium-ion batteries manufactured by Panasonic, similar to those used in household appliances. 
In the Tesla Roadster, the battery was located behind the seats, and in the Model S it was placed in the floor of the car. This solution allowed us to save usable space and improve handling.
"Supercharge" network
Tesla car owners should count on long trips, so Supercharger was developed - charging stations for electric vehicles. In the future, they should be as accessible and widespread as conventional gas stations.
To date, the Supercharge network is well developed in the United States: you can drive from one coast to another without fear that your battery will run out on the road and there will be nowhere to charge. Slowly, the Supercharger appears in Europe, Asia, and even in Russia, such a miracle can be seen in some places.
The battery can be charged in less than an hour.
Initially for Tesla owners-Mobile recharging was free, but the manufacturer recently announced that under the new rules, fees will still be charged. More precisely, each owner of such a car will be given an annual coupon for 400 kWh of free charging, and when the limit is exhausted, you will have to pay out of your own pocket. Rates are not yet known.
Tesla lineup
Since 2006, only 4 Tesla vehicles have been presented and put into production:
- Tesla Roadster sports car;
- Tesla Model S sedan;
- Crossover Tesla Model X;
- Tesla Model 3 sedan.
It's interesting that to buy a Tesla car, you must leave an application on the official website of the company. This is not typical for automotive market, because usually sales occur through dealers.
The debut work of Tesla Motors - the Roadster electric sports car was produced from 2008 to 2012. During this period, about 2,600 cars rolled off the assembly line.
The body and chassis were borrowed from the Lotus Elise. It was a kind of breaking the stereotype that all electric cars are not elegant. appearance. Tesla Roadster looks like a real sports car.
Electric induction motor weighs only 32 kg, while the Tesla Roadster can accelerate up to 100 km/h in just 4 seconds, and the maximum speed is 201.1 km / h. On a single charge, you can drive up to 400 km. IN basic configuration it cost $109,000.
Due to the peculiarities of the motor reaction, there was no need for complex gears. There are only three of them in the Roadster: two forward and one reverse.
In addition to such goodies as heated seats, a stereo system, ABS, the following innovations appeared in this car, which are also in subsequent models:
- A unique code that allows you to start the car.
- A special transceiver with which you can control, for example, the opening of the garage door.
- Docking station for iPad.
- Electric door handles.
Interestingly, the first Tesla Roadster at the presentation in 2006 could drive no more than 5 minutes due to overheating of the batteries.
In a word, by releasing the Roadster, manufacturers were able to really express themselves and demonstrate new technological solutions in terms of the production of electric vehicles.
Tesla Model S
This sedan was presented in 2009 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and already in 2012 its mass production began.
Model S can pass on one charge 458 km– it became a record among other electric cars. True, for this you need to order a car with a modernized battery.
The price varies from 75 thousand to 105 thousand dollars.
It was on this car that it was first demonstrated automatic replacement batteries as an alternative to recharging. Such a service has become available at Supercharger gas stations and costs about $80.
Some journalists have already dubbed the Model S the best car. Of course, the statement is controversial, but, for example, in terms of safety, it really surpasses many other cars on the market. All this is due to the design features of the electric car:
- Lack of combustible fuel - there is nothing to catch fire!
- Under the hood, the empty storage space is a sort of crumple zone, and it will absorb most of the impact in a frontal collision.
- The center of gravity is much lower than on other cars, therefore, the likelihood of a rollover is reduced.
A distinctive feature of the Model S is the fact that it the first electric car built from scratch. For other similar cars, ready-made bases of gasoline models were used.
Just like that, charging the car from the outlet will not learn. To do this, you will have to additionally buy a charging station or constantly visit Supercharger.
The Model S even went on a "Big Test Drive":
This electric car has become very popular and has overtaken even such cars as Mercedes-Benz S-class and BMW 7-series in sales. In the same Norway, Tesla Model S in September 2013 became the best-selling. This was greatly facilitated governmental support electric vehicles in the form of tax breaks; and high gasoline prices.
Sales of this electric crossover began in 2015. The Model X is built on the Model S platform and is available in three trim levels: 75D, 90D, P90D, which mainly differ in battery power. Already in basic version the car is equipped with two electric motors at once.
The power reserve, depending on the battery, is up to 411 km, and the maximum speed limit is 250 km/h.
The main feature of the Model X is gullwing automatic doors. This decision not only facilitated access to the car interior, but also reduced the required parking space.
The Model X 70D costs $81,000, while the top-of-the-line P90D costs $142,000.
Tesla's electric crossover was conceived as best car for family and travel. In general, the car has come in, given that the demand for the class has increased greatly in recent years. However, it was not without negativity - many owners complained about low quality Model X, both hardware problems and mechanical failures were mentioned.
Tesla Model 3 sedan
And this electric car at the time of writing the article has not yet been released, but has already been presented.
For the Model 3, again, a new platform was developed, and this time the Tesla car should be aimed at the mass market. Basic version will only cost $35,000.
In terms of driving performance, Model 3, of course, will be inferior to its older brothers: acceleration to 100 km / h in 6 seconds, power reserve - 346 km.
Tesla Semi Truck
In November 2017, Elon Musk presented an electric truck.
Problems
Tesla vehicles are no doubt superior to the competition in the field of electric transport, but some typical disadvantages they still have. In particular, this applies to a strong loss of charge during even a little downtime car and fast discharge at low temperatures.
Conclusion
It is likely that liquid-fuel cars will be slowly replaced by electric cars in a few decades. Tesla was able to show that such competition is real, and successfully continue to please us innovative solutions in the automotive industry.
The first electric car appeared almost half a century earlier than its analogue with an internal combustion engine. But it was possible to create a competitive model of an electric car only in the 21st century. And this is the merit of Tesla Motors.
In July this year. 10 years have passed since the presentation of the company's first car, the Tesla Roadster. It's a sin not to mark the anniversary with a note about the company and the people who created it!
THEY WERE THE FIRST...
It just so happened: in order for a breakthrough project to succeed, a person obsessed with the idea must stand at its base. In the case of Tesla Motors, there were even two of them: engineers Martin Eberhard and Mark Tarpenning.
Martin Eberhard - CEO - Tesla Motors
Martin Eberhard really wanted to have a sports car. Definitely electric. In 2004, he manually assembled one and showed it to everyone, along with a business plan for an enterprise for the production of electric vehicles.
Mark Tarpenning was concerned about the condition environment, global warming and depletion of natural resources. And I saw a way out in transplanting humanity to electric vehicles.
In short, the engineers had ideas. But there was no money.
The situation changed when Elon Musk, a billionaire originally from South Africa, met on their way. Before the fateful meeting, he created the electronic payment company Pay Pal, launched the SpaceX launch vehicle business, and launched the Solar City project to use solar energy for domestic purposes. After all this, starting the electric vehicle production line looked like a trifle.
The co-investors were Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, as well as eBay founder Jeffrey Skoll. It is no coincidence that the breakthrough electric car is called the “brainchild of Silicon Valley”. But the auto giants, Daimler and Toyota, also invested.
The company was named Tesla Motors - in honor of the outstanding American inventor Serbian-born electrical engineer Nikola Tesla.
In 2010, the company's shares were listed on the US stock market.
Schwarzenegger chooses Tesla
In parallel with the production of cars, Tesla Motors began the creation of charging supercharger stations, on which the battery of an electric car could be charged in a maximum of half an hour. There are already 370 such stations in the United States, and their density allows you to cross the country from east to west and vice versa, charging the batteries of electric vehicles only at them.
A similar network of stations is being created in Western Europe, Japan, Australia, and Southeast China. In Russia, the appearance of the first Supercharger stations is scheduled for 2016.
TESLA CARS
On July 19, 2006, in Santa Monica (California), the presentation of the first-born Tesla Motors, the Tesla Roadster electric car, took place. Based on the British sports car Lotus Elise S2. At a price of $ 100 thousand, the car is equipped with a motor with a capacity of about 250 hp. and develops speed up to 210 km / h. Mileage on one charge - 300 km. Up to 100 km / h accelerates in 3.9 seconds. It looked quite competitive against the background of its antipodes with internal combustion engines.
Cameron Diaz chooses Tesla Model S
But the real hit was the 5-door Tesla Model S premium liftback. The first presentation was held in Frankfurt at the 2009 exhibition. Since 2012, the electric car has entered the US market. In 2015 alone, over 50,000 Model S units were sold.
Tesla Model S is a really worthy car in all respects. Run on one charge up to 500 km. The maximum speed is over 200 km/h. Acceleration to 100 km / h in 4.4 seconds. (with a power of 416 hp).
In many ways, outstanding performance is achieved due to the uniquely low coefficient aerodynamic drag electric car body - only 0.24. The appearance of this car did not go unnoticed. In November 2012, the Tesla Model S was named "Car of the Year" by the influential Motor Trend magazine.
Tuned Tesla for Sergey Brin
After the triumph of the "Model S" Tesla Motors began to master the market
SUVs, and in the fourth quarter of 2015, the Tesla Model X was launched on the market: a crossover with two motors with a capacity of 259 hp. ( base model) and mileage on a single charge over 400 km. But at the same time, the P90 D modification is equipped with 762 hp engines. and up to 100 km/h. accelerates in just 3.8 seconds!
Tesla Motors did not bypass the attention and the segment of the car market "for common man". March 31, 2016 was presented - an electric car worth only $ 35 thousand, which is 2 once again below the starting cost of the Model S. Already in the first week after the presentation, 325 thousand copies of the Model III were ordered. Which exceeds the total number of electric vehicles sold by Tesla Motors throughout its existence.
The new electric car is shorter than the "Model S" and has the same dimensions as the well-known Russian motorists models or . mileage of the "Third Model" with one charge 346 km; acceleration up to 100 km/h. - for 6 sec. According to the creators, it has an even lower drag coefficient - only 0.21.
TESLA CHOOSE…
From the first moment of its appearance on the market Tesla electric vehicles were in demand by an elite buyer. In addition to the iconic figures of the IT industry (Sergey Brin, Larry Page, Elon Musk, etc.), whom God himself ordered to go to the "brainchild of Silicon Valley"), Tesla Motors products are popular among Hollywood bohemia. One of the first Tesla Roadster models was purchased personally by A. Schwarzenegger. The other owner of the Roadster is none other than Leonardo DiCaprio. And George Clooney himself!
But if the Roadster was bought by a few, then Hollywood stars pounced on the Model S like hot cakes on a market day. Among the owners of cars of this brand are Cameron Diaz, Alyson Hannigan ("American Pie" remember?), Ben Affleck, etc.
But it's not just Hollywood garages that grace the Model S. The electric car of this brand was chosen by, for example, rapper Pharrell Williams and socialite, king of poker, member of the pro team of the leading gaming room, Canadian citizen Daniel Negreanu.
Little is known about the first owners of the Tesla Model X, but it is assumed that among them is Steve Wozniak, an associate of Steve Jobs who founded Apple.
Steve Wozniak in front of Tesla Model X prototype
As for Russia, then, according to experts, about 180 Tesla Model S vehicles drive across the expanses of our fatherland, 80 of them are in the Mother See. The main obstacle in the introduction of new products in the electric car industry is the lack of a developed network for recharging batteries.
What Russian doesn't like to drive fast? If only there was somewhere to charge the battery at the end of the run!
we considered the main brainchild of Elon Musk - the companySpaceX. But the American entrepreneur is known to the general public as the head of at least two companies:Tesla Andsolar city (actually, the company was founded by Musk's cousins). SoSpaceXthere is no doubt - it is really founded and nurtured by Musk from scratch. But withTeslaeverything is much more complicated and complicated. So, today we will talk about where it came from and what it has achievedTesla Motors, or simply -Tesla.Before Mask
The idea to create a car with an electric engine appeared earlier than the first car with an internal combustion engine. Nikola Tesla himself did not leave the idea of creating an electronically driven car by re-equipping existing models. But in those days, the idea of Nikola Tesla, as they say, "did not take off."
Before Tesla appeared on the market, electric cars were relegated to the role of golf carts and cars for ardent environmentalists. Electrical engine was more environmentally friendly because it did not emit fuel combustion products into the atmosphere. That was where his positives ended. And the power reserve, and speed, and acceleration - in all respects, the electric motor lost to internal combustion. But there were no such fundamental contradictions in science and business that prevented electric cars from rising to the level of mass consumption. It was only necessary to combine the available technologies. And there were those who could do it.
At the heart of all Tesla's success are two people - engineers Mark Tarpenning and Martin Eberhard. In the implementation of the fast and powerful electric car found expression of their personal ideas. Mark was an environmentalist, and Martin always dreamed of a sports car that would not eat a liter of fuel for 8 kilometers.
Tarpenning and Eberhard met in the 1990s in California, at a meeting with their mutual friend Greg Rend. Mark and Martin were reminiscent of two sitcom characters: the talkative and energetic Eberhard complemented the modest and reserved Tarpenning perfectly. They soon began working together.
Initially, their company provided consulting services to firms that dealt with disk data storage. Soon they switched to an unoccupied market e-books which we call "readers". In the spring of 1997, Eberhard and Tarpenning found NuovoMedia and began production of their Rocket eBooks. Quickly catching a wave of success, they sell their brainchild to Gemstar-TV Guide, earning $187 million.
On the way to an electric car
In the course of their consulting and e-book production, they had an important thought: “Where else can advanced electronic batteries be used?” The answer came by itself when Eberhard wanted to buy a sports car. So two entrepreneurial friends decided to invest their strength and money in the creation of an electric car.
At the beginning of the 2000s, there were already attempts to mass-produce fast cars with electronic drive. Eberhard caught the eye of a small yellow Tzero car from the Californian company AC Propulsion. It was completely electronic, while it had acceleration like a Lamborghini. Eberhard hit the right track.
Tarpenning and Eberhard saw exactly how much potential the automotive industry was missing by ignoring lithium-ion batteries. Now such batteries are in most laptops and smartphones, but for the automotive giants of the early 2000s, this technology was in no way linked to cars. The main type of battery the companies were looking at, lead-acid, was a dying technology that hadn't seen a breakthrough in nearly a hundred years. Indeed, with the power and efficiency that give out lead acid batteries, there was no need to talk about any new methods of application.
Eberhard and Tarpenning decided to create a car with an induction motor and a lithium-ion battery.
An asynchronous motor converts electrical alternating current energy into mechanical rotation. In its most simplified version, an asynchronous motor consists of a stator and a rotor. The stator is a complete cylinder formed from electromagnet plates superimposed on each other. On the inner walls of the stator there are copper coils, which, when an electric current is applied, produce an alternating magnetic field (the poles change depending on the period of current supply). The rotor is also a cylinder with electromagnets and a shaft in the center. It is placed in the center of the stator and rotated by changing the poles. magnetic field. Such motors are often used in home fans.
Usage induction motor immediately rules out whole line details needed classic car: cardan shaft, bulky motor, exhaust system, gas tank and more. By by and large, an electric car with such an engine needs a battery, electric motors for the main wheels, a cooling and control system. But on the way to a working version, Eberhard and Tarpenning faced a number of problems.
In 2003, Martin and Mark, determined to create a machine with an induction motor and lithium ion battery create their own company. It was decided to take the name in such a way that it would not be associated with a “toothless” ecological name, but would immediately tune in to speed, a breakthrough. The solution came by itself - the company was named Tesla Motors, in honor of the inventor of the induction motor.
The complexities of the automotive industry
Neither Eberhard nor Tarpenning had experience in the automotive industry. They both suspected that building a car would be a little more difficult than building an e-book, but the sheer volume of the task blew them away.
IN automotive industry modern times, it is not customary to create all the details of the car, from the exhaust pipe to the bumper, on your own. It is much easier and more convenient to outsource part of the production. The founders of Tesla Motors went further and decided to implement their entire project on production facilities British Lotus.
Eberhard and Tarpenning decided what they would produce and what would be the main "trick" of their new offspring. They put together a business presentation for investors that offered the unrealistic: a fast and efficient electric car. There was one very important part - investments. Initially, we managed to raise some funds from relatives and small investors. Serious investments still had to be looked for. And then he appeared on the horizon.
Musk comes to Tesla Motors
Tarpenning and Eberhard saw Musk perform at Stanford back in 2001. By 2004, Musk was a young millionaire who sold PayPal and founded his own company, SpaceX.
Eberhard and Ian Wright, another "father" of Tesla Motors, arranged with Elon Musk to meet in Los Angeles, where the headquarters of SpaceX was located. There were disagreements about the future of the project, and Musk initially had strong doubts about the investment. However, in some things, Tesla and Musk engineers were in solidarity: an electric car should be powerful, beautiful, be not just a little better, but become a breakthrough and finally bury gasoline. Already after arriving at the Tarpenning negotiations, Musk agrees to participate in Tesla Motors and invests $ 7.5 million. In addition to him, Google, eBay, as well as Daimler and Toyota later invested in the project. But Musk held the largest stake, and he became chairman of Tesla Motors.
The first car that was supposed to be assembled was called the Tesla Roadster. As already mentioned, its main components were made in California, but the final car was assembled in factories in the UK.
As you know, the devil is in the details, and in the long-suffering history of the Roadster, this saying was confirmed. Each revision, design change, even lowering the threshold added from several days to several months to the delivery time of the first cars to the market.
Initially, Tesla managed to loudly declare itself in the market, including thanks to a PR company with Hollywood celebrities: Leonardo DiCaprio, George Clooney and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The concept of "First Hundred Signatures" was created - the first hundred orders received a car with a plate on which were the signatures of Eberhard, Musk and Tarpenning. Thus, Tesla declared itself, but behind this there should have been a fulfillment of what was declared.
Meanwhile, the creation of the final product dragged on and on. Eberhard planned to ship the first samples by 2006, but this was only done in 2008. His rivalry with Musk also played an unkind role. Now Elon Musk is a famous media person everywhere, but at the beginning of the 2000s he was just gaining momentum. And all the merits of Tesla were given by the press to Eberhard. I want to note right away that I do not accuse Elon Musk of undercover games and do not want to make any unfounded statements. But, nevertheless, after a series of reshuffles in Tesla, a new CEO appeared, and Eberhard became technical director. Then a few more reshuffles, and Musk became the CEO, who by 2008 had already invested $ 55 million in Tesla.
One way or another, management changes, layoffs and a focus on the final product benefited Tesla. Despite complaints from early buyers, Tesla was able to ramp up production of the Roadster, and in 2010 the company went public with an IPO. From an ambitious idea of two engineers, the company has become an automotive giant.
Tesla Model S / Matt Henry, Unsplash.com
Elon Musk saw the Roadster as a first attempt at writing, and he rather wanted to start designing his own car. Tesla's next project was supposed to be a breakthrough, a flagship, and, of course, all the mistakes of the Roadster were eliminated.
The concept of a new car - Tesla Model S - was presented in California's Menlo Park in 2009. Model S is a five-door rear-wheel drive electric car from the luxury car category. Although there were ideas to equip it with an internal combustion engine, Tesla management decided not to deviate from the original concepts and made an all-electric car using the same lithium-ion batteries.
The approach to production has also changed. Tesla now had a giant factory in Fremont, California, fully robotic and equipped to assemble electric vehicles. For the European market, a center was opened in the Dutch Tilburg.
The Tesla Model S was the car both Tarpenning and Eberhard wanted and Musk envisioned. She destroyed the old stereotypes about electric vehicles. The record for covered distance without recharging was set in August 2017: Model S crossed the border of 1000 kilometers, driving 1078. The maximum acceleration of the car from 0 to 96 km / h in 3.1 seconds, which also few people could have imagined 10 years ago. And finally, the speed record for electric cars - 181 km / h also belongs to the Model S.
A special feature of the spread of Teslamobiles was the appearance in the US and Europe of a whole network of superchargers (Supercharger), on which you can recharge your Tesla. Like the railroad in the 19th century, the supercharging network connected the east and west coasts of the United States in the 21st century. The first Russian supercharge appeared in the suburbs.
Tesla Model S has also become a commercially successful product: to present moment Over 150,000 Model S modifications have been sold worldwide, 92 of which are in the United States.
In addition to the Model S, Tesla designed and released the Tesla Model X crossover and plan to release the cheapest version of the Tesla car - the Tesla Model 3. By the way, as soon as the start of the Model 3 presale was announced, 325,000 people ordered the car in the first week. That's what trust is.
Of course, Elon Musk once again managed to shake the market. Model S has become a mass-produced and popular electric car, even despite its considerable price. It is possible that for many buyers this is more than just a car. Startups, California, Jobs, Wozniak, Google, Apple, Palo Alto, Stanford - all this was organically supplemented by another element of the future: an electric car. And although the collapse of gasoline is still far away, it is quite possible that a start has been made. So let's not forget those who stood at the origins - Martin Eberhard and Mark Tarpenning.
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New manufacturers appear regularly. They claim their market share, but Tesla Motors successfully creates competition for them. The company is well known for its high quality and advanced power of their vehicles. The history of Tesla Motors has deep roots, from its formation to the market leader.
Origin
The company is named after the great inventor and electronics engineer Nikola Tesla. Cars of this production use alternating current technology, as the scientist himself had previously done in 1882. Tesla Motors is a company founded by Marco Tarpenning and his colleague Martin Eberhard. In the early stages, they financed the project before the arrival of Elon Musk. He created PayPal. This man attracted large investments in the work of the firm and became its chairman.
The main goal of Tesla Motors was the production of electric cars in order to transfer them to mass production. Musk took up the development of the flagship Roadster, having worked. Thanks to this, he bothered to win the Global Green 2006 Product Design Award, and presented it to Mikhail Gorbachev, for the thoughtful design of the car. This was followed by the Index Design Award in 2007.
Timeline of development
The history of the creation of Tesla Motors was not without active capital investments. It consisted of the head’s own funds and the help of investors (eBay head Jeff Skoll, Capricorn Management, Draper Fisher Jurvetson and others), the volume of which amounted to more than 105 million. his mask. In 2009 by Tesla 187 million was raised to create 147 units of electric cars for sale. On May 19, the well-known company Mercedes-Benz bought a 10% stake in Tesla, and in July Aabar Investments received 40% of its assets.
Everyone knows that the United States supports ecological production, so in June 2009 the company was granted a $465 million loan from the Department of Energy. Thanks to this capital, it was possible to engage in the production model range sedan S and improve transmission technology. This economic stimulus, which was an initiative of George W. Bush, allowed Tesla to become the first among companies that do not have debt to the state.
Pinnacle of Profitability
At the beginning of 2009, the company announced that it had managed to achieve the maximum profitability in production for that year. This is made possible by the 2010 Roadster, an award-winning performance sports car. September 2009 was the beginning of a new round, for which 82.5 million were allocated. It had to expand its retail network to increase its market share.
The history of the creation of the Tesla Motors car is impossible without gliders (transport without the use of power transmission) - this is the main activity of the company. The contract dated July 11, 2005 lasted until 2011, and in 2014 the company gave up its shares.
Strategy
Under Musk's leadership, the main principle of the company's work was the production of electric cars focused on mass sales. Dynamics with a decrease in value by ecological cars has become a significant challenge for Tesla. The roadsters were originally priced at $109,000, but the company plans to build models in the $30,000 range. Such a line will be called BlueStar. The launch of such production is planned for 2017. It should become widespread and affordable in order to increase the environmental friendliness of vehicles.
Introduction of batteries
Like all electrical devices, Tesla cars use a battery for their work. The main difference between the production of this company is the galvanic type of batteries. Thousands of lithium-ion batteries are combined into a single device. Similar technology is used in laptops and household appliances. Tesla uses cheaper manufacturing principles and also reduces the weight of products.
Contrary to popular belief about the dangers of batteries in the operation of vehicles, the history of Tesla Motors cars shows that the company provides them with anti-bloat protection and thermal management. For this, a special substance is used that prevents the ignition of batteries, so cars are absolutely safe. Tesla has taken care of convenience, so the battery pack is located in the floor of the car, unlike models from other manufacturers.
Engine use
The engine used in Tesla vehicles is a recycling classic motor developed by Nikola Tesla. It is liquid cooled and runs on alternating current V three phases and four lanes. The company's strategy was to create a small engine that would be more practical than a classic internal combustion engine in many ways. This power plant made it possible to completely abandon the transmission, in favor of direct drive. Tesla cars have received great success and have received a driving speed of up to 208 km / h.
Safe movement
For all the time the company has been operating, it has set itself the goal of making not only environmentally clean car but completely safe. For this, it was decided to use steel in production, which would absorb shocks. Additionally, eight airbags were installed, which are the entire passenger cabin.
Best Representatives
Tesla Roadster is a sports class product that became the brand's first car in 2006. The history of models began in Santa Monica, California. Lotus then helped Tesla create the look of the future car. One hundred units were completed in just one month, and the mass production of vehicles started in March 2008. This electric car had a cost of $100,000. Including until 2012, the flagship took high places in the sales ratings, until the Lotus contract regarding the right to sell expired.
Tesla Model S
This car is a continuation previous model. In 2009, it was introduced at Hawthorne under the name WhiteStar. The development of transport was taken up by a branch in the city of Detroit. average cost flagship was $57,400, and the battery came in one of three power options. A year later, the car won the Motor Trend 2013 Car of the Year award.
On February 9, 2012, the company announced a flagship in the form of a fundamentally new crossover called the Tesla Model X. According to Elon Musk, its release will start in 2014. At the initial stages, only small batches of the electric car were in the plan, but later in 2015 it was decided to organize mass production of the model.
Unlike the Model S model, this flagship had additional seats, as well as rear doors with automatic opening. It was decided to replace some of the mirrors with cameras that had economical energy consumption.
Project BlueStar
Initially, the model was called Model E. The release of this electric car is planned for 2016-2017. Its declared cost will be $40,000. It will provide a trip of 230 km on a single charge.
Supercharges
Driving a Tesla is impossible without a charging station. They allow you to make a full charge in less than one hour. This innovation is actively gaining momentum, spreading throughout the country, and in plans, and in the world.
Tesla Motors is a company that has big plans for the future. , development and prospects would not have been possible without Elon Musk, who set a plan to create environmentally friendly transport. He recently announced his readiness to introduce new technologies in the production of cars.
Future models are planned to be equipped with artificial intelligence, which can take over driving a vehicle. Also among the ideas of the company there is an expansion of the model range, crossovers and SUVs with an electric drive are being developed.
Tesla Motors has become the best company in the field safe transport. Today, the cost of such a car is gradually becoming more affordable, so you should think about buying it. It is worth thinking not even about the conservation of nature, but about the real benefits and reliability of such cars, because their refueling does not depend on the unstable cost of gasoline.
