It looks like it will be just $35K, which is less than half of the current lower-end Tesla. Perhaps it WILL appeal to the worker-bee commuter set, who will just have to plug it in every night instead of gas up. I can’t see the Temecula crowd (esp those with minor children to raise) paying $70K and up for a “work vehicle” as are the current Teslas. The sole reason they’re living in Temecula in the first place (instead of SD, where they work) is the lower cost of housing it affords.

The truth is, most of this massive group of commuting worker-bees CAN/COULD afford SD County … yes, even a 3+ bdrm home. They’re just in older suburban areas of SD County and this group wants an even bigger, newer home for the same (or less) money. Hence the tremendous sacrifice they’re making with their time on weekdays. This kind of life wouldn’t appeal to me (esp if I had young kids at home) but different strokes for different folks.

(1) Can the spyware that constantly phones location home to the filth at Tesla be disabled? Not everyone gives a flying rat’s ass about improving their future self-driving abilities or theft protection (vs privacy).
(2) Is it DIY friendly, or will Tesla continue to restrict supply of parts?
(3) Roadster 2.0, please, already.
(4) I’m not sure if US fuel prices are a big factor in commuting to/from outlying exurban pestholes anyway. Assuming a car that gets 30 mpg, we’re talking about a $8/day difference over a 60 mile (each way) commute over a $2.00/gal difference in fuel price. I feel like this is nearly insignificant for the kind of people who supercommute (generally not min-wage workers).

I feel like travel time, home prices, property configurations, and the availability of services/activities (schools, nightlife, beaches, mountains etc, depending on what floats ya boat) are the deciding factors.

But the interesting question is: if, hypothetically, self-driving electric cars make sprawl more desirable, will they have a FLATTENING effect on home prices throughout a region? Home prices in the exurbs might be supported, but if people no longer are restricted to living in a downtown or near a downtown, will downtowns become less desirable. As in, Robert Moses’ wet dream finally coming (hah!) true.

Does Tesla still do things like this…?

http://gas2.org/2014/09/27/tesla-wont-activate-mans-salvaged-model-s/
http://cafeelectric.com/stretchla/

If I got an email like this, it would provoke murderous rage in me:

“Due to the salvage status of your Model S , I have been instructed to cease providing you with parts. Tesla is very concerned about vehicles with salvaged titles being improperly repaired. Going forward, all salvaged vehicles must be inspected by us or our approved body shop, Precision Auto Body. If declared a candidate for proper repair, reconstruction must be completed by a Tesla-Certified Body Shop.”

[quote=spdrun]Does Tesla still do things like this…?

http://gas2.org/2014/09/27/tesla-wont-activate-mans-salvaged-model-s/
http://cafeelectric.com/stretchla/

If I got an email like this, it would provoke murderous rage in me:

“Due to the salvage status of your Model S , I have been instructed to cease providing you with parts. Tesla is very concerned about vehicles with salvaged titles being improperly repaired. Going forward, all salvaged vehicles must be inspected by us or our approved body shop, Precision Auto Body. If declared a candidate for proper repair, reconstruction must be completed by a Tesla-Certified Body Shop.”[/quote]This is absolutely ridiculous. In my mind, a vehicle is not worth owning if the owner is limited as to where they can have it repaired or even buy parts for it.

I have never had any vehicle I own repaired at a “dealership.” And I’ve bought “aftermarket” parts and even shopped at or ordered parts from wrecking yards all my life. And I’ve owned two vehicles which had “salvaged titles” (which I bought for a song), both of which I fixed up slightly and drove for several years. They were perfectly decent vehicles. It doesn’t take much damage for an insurance company to “salvage” a vehicle :=0

I know a guy who commutes daily from Dana Point to San Diego for work! Now that is pure insanity!

[quote=AN][quote=bearishgurl]shoveler, “exurban” has nothing to do with size and everything to do with location.[/quote]What characteristic of a particular location would make a city an exurban vs urban?[/quote]

If your working in Carlsbad is it still an exurb?

when an exurb starts having it’s own suburbs is it still a exurb?

[quote=The-Shoveler][quote=AN][quote=bearishgurl]shoveler, “exurban” has nothing to do with size and everything to do with location.[/quote]What characteristic of a particular location would make a city an exurban vs urban?[/quote]

If your working in Carlsbad is it still an exurb?

when an exurb starts having it’s own suburbs is it still a exurb?[/quote]Is Fresno urban/suburb/or exurb? How about Clovis, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Bakersfield? This is why I ask her what is her location parameter to make a city an urban/suburb/exurb. Because it’s not clear what they are.