Until Tesla emerged as a new player in the electric car market, electric cars were expensive vehicles that were slow, unattractive, and had a limited range.
After the electric car was ignored for many years, the energy crisis of the 1970s and 1980s made more people aware of the need for electric vehicles. Electric vehicles are much better for the environment than gasoline-powered cars, because no emissions are being released into the atmosphere. The US electric car movement started in the 1990s in California when the government began to push a clean air policy. This policy caused car companies to start reducing emissions and raising fuel efficiency with the final goal of zero-emission vehicles.
Even though major car companies began to move towards zero-emission vehicles, they could not gain the attention of consumers with the high cost of purchasing an electric car. They favored cheaper SUVs even though they were less fuel efficient. Even with the added cost of purchasing gasoline, the total cost ended up being much lower than the cost of an electric car. With this lack of interest in fuel-efficient cars, American car makers began to shift towards making larger vehicles to make more money. This shift caused all major car companies to reduce the amount of effort into the development of mass-market electric cars.
After the electric car was forgotten about for another 20 years, Elon Musk and Tesla Motor Company revived the electric car. In 2008, Elon Musk revealed the Tesla Roadster to the world.
It was the first highway-legal electric car and the first all-electric car to have a range greater than 200 miles per charge. Even though this car had a difficult production period, with only 2,500 cars sold in four years, it allowed Tesla to achieve its main goals. It changed people’s perspectives of the electric car and what it can be. It also helped spark a new electric car revolution gaining the attention of larger car companies with more to spend. Most may not realize or know, but the roadster was one of the most important vehicles that Tesla has made to date. The Roadster assisted in funding the launch of the Model S sedan and the Model X SUV, eventually leading to the funding of the production of the more accessible and less expensive Model 3.
The Model 3 is absolutely groundbreaking not only within the electric car market but also the car industry as a whole. One of the main selling points is the affordable price while maintaining comparable features to the rest of the Tesla lineup. The Model S starts at around $70,000 it can get expensive quickly with upgrades like Ludicrous Mode, a larger battery to extend the range to 300 miles, and features that allow the car to drive autonomously. With all of these features added, the price of the car exceeds $100,000, and most vehicles sell for more than $100,000. The price of the model 3 starts at $35,000 but will end up costing less than $30,000 with the $7,500 tax incentive. The Model 3 has a range of 215 miles per charge and 0-60 mph in around 6 seconds, compared to the Model S’s 3.1 seconds. The Model 3 also receives all of the support for autopilot, fast-charging at Tesla’s Superchargers, and a 5-star safety rating.
Even though most major automotive car makers still see Tesla as the Silicon Valley startup car company, they are completely changing the industry. The Model 3 has proven that the electric car can be affordable, handsome, fast, and have a long range. Tesla has also now made the electric car cool and a desirable vehicle.
By Tucker Danon
How Tesla revolutionized the car
General Motors released one of the first practical electric cars. The EV1 was produced from 1996-1999
“EV1A014 (1)” by Right Brain Photography is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Tesla unveiled the Tesla Roadster to the world in 2008 in Santa Monica
“Tesla Roadster” by FaceMePLS is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Tesla Model S (right) and Tesla Model X (left) at one of Tesla's supercharging stations
“Tesla Model S & X side by side at the Gilroy Supercharger” by Steve Jurvetson is licensed under CC BY 2.0
One of Tesla's superchargers on display
Tesla Supercharger by Paul Sladen
“Candy Red Model 3 with the new nose” by Steve Jurvetson is licensed under CC BY 2.0
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
The history of the electric car goes way back to the 1800s when the inventors of the electric motor had decided to implement their motors into cars for practical purposes. The electric car never gained the popularity of the gasoline-powered car and it was forgotten about for nearly 150 years.
The Charger, December 2017
Back to Table of Contents