Automakers, Take Note of Tesla

You've heard it time and time again, "get ready - electric cars are about to take over!" but it's never truly happened. You've read article after article highlighting the appeal of Tesla's Roadster. But has anybody ever actually told you what will really happen? No... but I will.

Tesla Motors, what does that have to do with technology? Well, it's more of a marketing-related issue really, but if it makes you feel any better, Elon Musk (one of PayPal's founders) played a big role in getting the company off the ground. As an added bonus, if you get my kind of money one day, you'll be shopping for these cars. Here we go, rev those engines boys...

Erase any tired mindset you may have of "automakers won't be able to hit that 35mpg benchmark the government set for them" because in all honesty, it's a complete lie. Tesla has lithium-based batteries down to a science. Electric cars are finally here to stay, thanks to Tesla. The motor in Tesla's first production car, roadster, is a highly-protected, patented, trade secret that Tesla has no plans of sharing with the competition. This puppy gets 200+ miles to one charge and can outperform some of the most fierce cars on the road, and that fact is starting to scare the big boys in the US, especially Chevy.

Electric cars don't look like futuristic driving pods anymore, they look like the luxury sedan of tomorrow. Chevy is shaking right now, financially and in fear of compaines like Tesla. Why else would they have built the Volt? The Volt works much like the Tesla, but with a much lower electric range, 40 miles. The advantage the Volt has (let's be honest, this thing won't get anywhere near the power of the Roadster if it rolls off the production line) is it can get the equivalent of 150mpg when the biodiesel motor kicks in to recharge the battery. That means the range isn't any more limited than your average vehicle and you don't have to wait overnight to give it the reboot. Tesla should add a similar option to stay competitive, if the Volt is to be produced. But the Volt is still a concept and the Roadster is a reality. Not to mention that GM's sales are heavily carried by the truck market.

With all this action, Chrysler couldn't wait to jump in. They quickly bought up Global Electric Motor cars out of Fargo, North Dakota. These GEM cars are basically a glorified golf cart with a maximum speed of 25mph, but companies like this are bought for their technology. We'll have to wait and see what Chrysler is able to cook up in their lab. I'm willing to promise you that both Chrysler and Ford (by the way, Ford will be lucky if they don't get bought out) are working on electric cars right now, if they don't have concepts already built. Look at the whole automotive industry as a pile of liars that won't sell you the next greatest thing until you prove (by not buying it) that you're tired of the old. It's only fair to mention that other automakers are rolling out plans for electric concepts also.

Now on to why automakers need to watch their back! With the Roadster, Tesla is saying "Hey, look at us! We're smarter than you are, we care more than you do, and we're going to take you outside like the schoolyard bully and teach you a thing or..." ok, I became a little carried away. but Tesla is flexing their new kid on the block muscle. Sure the Roadster has a $98,000 price tag, but Tesla plans on coming out with more affordable vehicles in the not-so-distant future while Ford and GM sit on their butts and make concepts. Tesla could very well become the big automaker of tomorrow, a welcomed change for their great customer service and eco-friendliness.

Tesla has the technology of GM and Ford beat by miles. If I had to bet money, based on today, who the first automaker to produce an electric towing-capable truck would be, I'd say Tesla. A move like that could whipe out Ford and GM virtually overnight. Please don't tell me your position on global warming, I honestly am not interested. Believe in it or not, we can all agree that pollution is bad. By all means, if you'd like your children to inhale smog all day long, go right ahead and let them.

Young web entrepreneurs like myself are scratching our heads and waiting six more months (I swear, not a day more!) to see if the Volt will be put into production. If not, we're left deciding between the Tesla Roadster, and the super-expensive Venturi Fetish... which I can't justify buying since I could provide a scholarship with that kind of money.