Comments on: Tesla CEO Has "Reservations" About Rival Fisker's Feasibility

By: Bottleneck

Bottleneck — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:27:32 +0000

Pot has officially called kettle black. Both companies developing exotic solutions on impossible timelines. Products unaffordable to 95% of US households. Tesla is confused about what the identity of an EV is, wants to be equivalent to ICE in every way (good luck with that). Fisker's powertrain is ridiculously heavy and brute-force crude (looks to have been conceived by a junior-high kid). Otherwise, this has been a great investment of $1B taxpayer debt.

By: Confuseus say

Confuseus say — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:57:14 +0000

the fisker is nothing more than a chevy volt. The Tesla is a true electric vehicle and it out classes the fiskar

By: REPORT: Elon Musk says Fisker is "very far" from overcoming EV hurdles » Hybrid News

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:49:29 +0000

[...] [Source: Delaware Online via earth2tech] [...]

By: Paul

Paul — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:06:52 +0000

I’d call it ENVY. Tesla hasn’t announced anything more than a ‘powertrain’ assembly site for the Model S, which is code for battery pack assembly plant. Their contract with Mercedes is for just 1000 packs. There’s NO SIGN of a chassis assembly plant for the Model S OR any supplier network.

The Model S was announced as an Aluminum chassis, very rare in the automotive world and a huge technical challenge to manufacture. Where is the tooling? Will it be sub contracted in pert or in whole and to whom?

Fisker are WAY ahead of Musk in producing their own car (as opposed to having another manufacturer supply a modified version of there own design). The next thing we need to hear from Musk is a vehicle assembly plant announcement for a Tesla Model S expected to be delivered in only 24 months time.

http://electric-vehicles-cars-bikes.blogspot.com/2009/10/who-will-manufacture-tesla-model-s.html

By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:31:59 +0000

Don't know, comparing the Karma to the Roadster (perhaps a bad comparison) but the Karma is just fantastic. However I could never buy one, the Model S (a closer dream) ;)

By: Josie Garthwaite

Josie Garthwaite — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:53:35 +0000

Yeah, I would call that marketing too. (Not to quibble, but the ad actually aired on the Los Angeles TV station KTLA during its pre-show programming.) Tesla's show rooms are also a tool for promoting its cars and boosting the buzz it already has.

By: jake

jake — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:02:56 +0000

Obviously, Tesla has an agenda. There is some bad blood between the two companies, since Tesla sued Fisker (unsuccessfully) for stealing secrets from the Model S to develop the Karma (Fisker was originally the guy hired to design the Model S). But on the other hand, Tesla does a have point. They have gone through some rocky roads on the way to their current 800 cars, so they know first hand how tough the auto business is (they are a bit humbled now since originally they were cocky and said they would show teach Detroit some new lessons). Hopefully, Fisker launches their Karma soon, it is a fairly interesting car.

On the article, Fisker actually had a commercial on the Academy Awards:

I would call that marketing.

I don’t recall Tesla ever having commercials. It seems so far Tesla has relied mostly on the buzz it got for being the first to market.

By: Josie Garthwaite

Josie Garthwaite — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:09:42 +0000

I'm curious: why do you prefer Fisker, given your appreciation for the Model S?

By: waltinseattle

waltinseattle — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:43:25 +0000

talk is still cheap is it not? and in this case, from the guy with the other dog in the fight....i'm sceptical of motives.

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:02:29 +0000

I think Tesla are in now position to criticize Fisker as they are in the same boat. I would actually prefer Fisker to Tesla but the Model S is a really really good car.