LeEco Says One Day Its Cars Will Be Free
- Thread starter LockH
- Start date
The fingers
10 TW
Nice looking car. 8) But it sounds too much like those running for President of the USA, promising that good old pie in the sky. Then they get elected and "forget" all the campaign promises until re-election time when they start the cycle all over again. 
Hillhater
100 TW
This is one of the main players sited in the Tesla Clones article..
The Toecutter
100 kW
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2015
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I despise integrated "smart" technology in cars(and it's mandated in all 2015 and newer cars sold in U.S.), and I wonder what will be given up in exchange for the "free" car?
That being said, it's shape looks very aerodynamically clean. I've always wanted someone to build a commercially-viable car with a 0.15 or so Cd, and this appears at first glance like it wouldn't be far above it, but I don't know the figure. A 0.15 in a practical road going car is quite doable though, with the best efforts put towards that task. Consider the GM Precept(0.16 Cd) or the Aptera(0.11 Cd).
The Tesla Model 3 is expected to come in near 0.2, which is standard deviations away from the best the other automakers have put to market in some form to date, excepting the VW XL1(0.19) and the GM EV1(0.19), but it did take some unnecessary penalties for the sake of styling. The key to reducing operating cost per mile is to reduce the load acting on the car when it's in use, and this not only applies to $/mile of driving, but also to $/mile of maximum range. There is no shortage of concept cars at or around 0.15 to 0.20 Cd, but a car that actually reaches the consumer with this sort of efficiency is absurdly rare and for all practical purposes, unobtainable on the market. The next closest car to this ideal besides the Model 3(given that it's not yet obtainable) would be the 1st gen Honda Insight, with a 0.25 Cd, and those are getting more rare with time... To go below that, you're looking at certain extremely rare Tatras from the 1930s(virtually unobtainable). So the Tesla Model 3 is a great platform in that regard as it is the best that currently exists... but it is not the best that is possible.
I'm wondering if this China Car tries to actually go for efficiency? It looks efficient... I wouldn't be surprised to see a published Cd figure anywhere from 0.15 to 0.30, but I'm hoping it's toward the low end of that range, because if it is say, a 0.16 like the GM Precept, its efficiency will prove itself apart from the Model 3, and might push Tesla to come out with something really wacky and different to compensate.
Tesla could do a sporty platform similar to the Edison VLC2. Imagine a no-nonsense sports car designed to be efficient, instead of showy, but reliable enough to take abuse at the limits of its motors' capabilities? Make no sacrifices to styling, for the sake of raw function. This could allow a ridiculous level of performance, such as perhaps allowing a 500+ horsepower drive system in a sub 2,000 lb car with AWD and a CdA of under 4 sq ft... geared for whatever its max stable speed would be. The drag reduction reduces the battery weight required for a given amount of range, paying back returns in performance AND operating cost.
If someone were really determined, a 1,000 mile range EV is doable with 10 year old off the shelf battery tech, let alone the wonders Tesla is helping to create in conjunction with Panasonic. Imagine what Dave Cloud's modified Geo Metro "Dolphin" would look like with a massive 120 kWh pack of CALBs?
This China Car could refreshingly be about function. If it is, it will distinguish itself very nicely from the Model 3. Range could become ridiculous.
I love calling it the China Car. :lol:
That being said, it's shape looks very aerodynamically clean. I've always wanted someone to build a commercially-viable car with a 0.15 or so Cd, and this appears at first glance like it wouldn't be far above it, but I don't know the figure. A 0.15 in a practical road going car is quite doable though, with the best efforts put towards that task. Consider the GM Precept(0.16 Cd) or the Aptera(0.11 Cd).
The Tesla Model 3 is expected to come in near 0.2, which is standard deviations away from the best the other automakers have put to market in some form to date, excepting the VW XL1(0.19) and the GM EV1(0.19), but it did take some unnecessary penalties for the sake of styling. The key to reducing operating cost per mile is to reduce the load acting on the car when it's in use, and this not only applies to $/mile of driving, but also to $/mile of maximum range. There is no shortage of concept cars at or around 0.15 to 0.20 Cd, but a car that actually reaches the consumer with this sort of efficiency is absurdly rare and for all practical purposes, unobtainable on the market. The next closest car to this ideal besides the Model 3(given that it's not yet obtainable) would be the 1st gen Honda Insight, with a 0.25 Cd, and those are getting more rare with time... To go below that, you're looking at certain extremely rare Tatras from the 1930s(virtually unobtainable). So the Tesla Model 3 is a great platform in that regard as it is the best that currently exists... but it is not the best that is possible.
I'm wondering if this China Car tries to actually go for efficiency? It looks efficient... I wouldn't be surprised to see a published Cd figure anywhere from 0.15 to 0.30, but I'm hoping it's toward the low end of that range, because if it is say, a 0.16 like the GM Precept, its efficiency will prove itself apart from the Model 3, and might push Tesla to come out with something really wacky and different to compensate.
Tesla could do a sporty platform similar to the Edison VLC2. Imagine a no-nonsense sports car designed to be efficient, instead of showy, but reliable enough to take abuse at the limits of its motors' capabilities? Make no sacrifices to styling, for the sake of raw function. This could allow a ridiculous level of performance, such as perhaps allowing a 500+ horsepower drive system in a sub 2,000 lb car with AWD and a CdA of under 4 sq ft... geared for whatever its max stable speed would be. The drag reduction reduces the battery weight required for a given amount of range, paying back returns in performance AND operating cost.
If someone were really determined, a 1,000 mile range EV is doable with 10 year old off the shelf battery tech, let alone the wonders Tesla is helping to create in conjunction with Panasonic. Imagine what Dave Cloud's modified Geo Metro "Dolphin" would look like with a massive 120 kWh pack of CALBs?
This China Car could refreshingly be about function. If it is, it will distinguish itself very nicely from the Model 3. Range could become ridiculous.
I love calling it the China Car. :lol: