To my ears, this has a faint but uncomfortable echo of GM's policies with the EV1: you may have leased the EV, but >WE< control its fate.
Tesla's policies here echo where many other corporations are headed, and not just in EVs or even just in automobiles. It's no longer enough for you to buy the product; they also want to ensure that you're locked in to providing them with a constant, reliable stream of future income as long as you own that product. Basically, they want you to buy the car, but rent the right to drive it. And it's not just Tesla; it's all the manufacturers. Products that constantly "phone home" to their manufacturers sound like a great idea. Tesla can warn you if something's wrong, and track your car if someone steals it. They can improve your car with updated software while you sleep. You can monitor the car's charging progress, and pre-cool the car from your mobile phone. But Tesla can also decide that you're not sufficiently subservient to their rules, and - in effect - virtually confiscate the car you paid them for. The Renault Zoe has a rather less veiled version of this manufacturer control. If you don't pay your battery rental, they'll disable the battery, effectively "bricking" your car. IMO, any product that you "own" but don't fully control, you're really just renting. If you're not going to own your EV, IMO you should get more benefits than this from the rental transaction. I'm thinking station cars or car-sharing, where you get (or should get) the right to vehicle flexibility. For example, if you need to pick up a load of wood at the lumberyard, you can swap your commuter EV for a pickup truck for the weekend. Or if you're taking a vacation with the whole family, you can exchange your EV for an ICEV for 2 weeks. And don't forget, there are still millions of older ICEVs out there that are NOT locked to their manufacturers for anything - parts or otherwise. Relieve them of their grimy bits, drop in a generic motor and controller and batteries, and you have an EV that you genuinely, truly control. Something to think about, no? David Roden - Akron, Ohio, USA EVDL Administrator = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = EVDL Information: http://www.evdl.org/help/ = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Note: mail sent to "evpost" and "etpost" addresses will not reach me. To send a private message, please obtain my email address from the webpage http://www.evdl.org/help/ . = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
