Photos of South Africa's only Tesla Model X

[SauRoNZA]

I think this model does have a solar panel on the roof to help trickle charge at least

I think that was only for auxiliary function use and not for the car itself.

 

[SauRoNZA]

They have an EV tax? That seems counter productive.

It is the biggest blocker to EV’s in SA, not the infrastructure.

Both the EV and luxury tax shouldn’t be there and then our pricing would happily align with the rest of the world.

 

[tm458]

Thats not a deal breaker for me. 99.9% of my travel is within 100km. Super charger network, while nice, is not that important for me.

Same here.
I also feel like if you're travelling for a distance that's long enough to drain your battery from full , you'd plan your route accordingly to pass or stop by any of the charging stations in the country (and there are quite a number of them available).

 

[The_Ogre]

If it works and its affordable it can look like that, I dont care.

Just drive it at night

 

[calypso]

Meh, I don't like stories like this. It just emphasises how far behind the rest of the world we are. Ooga-boogah, look at the fancy electric moving carriage, Og. How clever dem American devils are.

Until Tesla invests in a supercharger network in South Africa, they can keep their cars.

Imagine buying a cellphone, it takes 5 min to charge, but you can only charge it at Vodacom/MTN shops etc. They charge for it and 50% of that cost goes to tax. That's whats your petrol car is.
Or you can have a cellphone that takes longer to charge, but you can do it anywhere, anytime including power you have made yourself that isn't 50% taxed. That's what an electric car is.

 

[Foxhound5366]

Imagine buying a cellphone, it takes 5 min to charge, but you can only charge it at Vodacom/MTN shops etc. They charge for it and 50% of that cost goes to tax. That's whats your petrol car is.
Or you can have a cellphone that takes longer to charge, but you can do it anywhere, anytime including power you have made yourself that isn't 50% taxed. That's what an electric car is.

And yet we've been operating like this since the birth of the petrol car. Right now electric cars are not cost-savers: even in the US and UK, with all the government incentives, I still doubt you'll come anywhere near breaking even vs buying a petrol or diesel car in the same class. Here in SA, without those incentives, it's ludicrous. And electric car chargers are still novelties ... in even the biggest malls in the country, we have like THREE ... in a parking lot of hundreds of cars. To use your analogy, that's like buying a cellphone you can only charge in stores staffed with chickens with teeth.

 

[RedViking]

Not for the future Afrika.

Sad really

 

[mypetcow]

Not for the future Afrika.

I disagree. Let’s reevaluate this time next year after all other car manufacturers have a local electric model available

 

[Swa]

Meh, I don't like stories like this. It just emphasises how far behind the rest of the world we are. Ooga-boogah, look at the fancy electric moving carriage, Og. How clever dem American devils are.

Until Tesla invests in a supercharger network in South Africa, they can keep their cars.

The use case this is aimed at doesn't need a charger network. And unless you have solar or free charging an EV makes zero sense.

 

[calypso]

And yet we've been operating like this since the birth of the petrol car. Right now electric cars are not cost-savers: even in the US and UK, with all the government incentives, I still doubt you'll come anywhere near breaking even vs buying a petrol or diesel car in the same class. Here in SA, without those incentives, it's ludicrous. And electric car chargers are still novelties ... in even the biggest malls in the country, we have like THREE ... in a parking lot of hundreds of cars. To use your analogy, that's like buying a cellphone you can only charge in stores staffed with chickens with teeth.

At the birth of the petrol car, there were no petrol stations. You needed to buy your fuel at a pharmacy. No one is forcing you to buy an electric car, it's just another option that's become available. It's one that auto manufacturers are taking very seriously.

 

[itareanlnotani]

At the birth of the petrol car, there were no petrol stations. You needed to buy your fuel at a pharmacy. No one is forcing you to buy an electric car, it's just another option that's become available. It's one that auto manufacturers are taking very seriously.

Give it 30 years, and people will have to travel to find a petrol station.

Electricity on the other hand is available almost everywhere.

 

[MeestaR]

Nope, required a charge at Gariep Hotel. Think they have a 60W Grid Cars charger.

60W?? That's the average power usage of a 60W lightbulb. Must be a 60kW charger?

 

[The Voice]

At the birth of the petrol car, there were no petrol stations. You needed to buy your fuel at a pharmacy. No one is forcing you to buy an electric car, it's just another option that's become available. It's one that auto manufacturers are taking very seriously.

Unless you live in the UK, of course, where in 9 years time you won't be allowed to buy a new petrol, diesel or hybrid car.

 

[ThinkCentre]

Can you fit a tow bar to it? If not, you are screwed because you need to tow a trailer filled with solar panels to charge it because Eskom only supply constant electricity during elections.

 

[ubercal]

Imagine telling your employer, so sorry i cant come to work again. I couldn't charge my car due to loadshedding.

I dont think there is a huge demand for teslas locally, unless people buy them to look at them as garage ornaments?

well they not exactly "lookers" from the outside anyway.

 

[calypso]

well they not exactly "lookers" from the outside anyway.

They look like overpriced Mazda's. But people who buy them generally don't go back to petrol.

 

[kazeus]

Was this the same car that was at the Bloomingdale's centee in Port Elizabeth?
Or was that the model 3?

 

[Priapus]

My dream car is anything electric that I can afford. Still havent found what Im looking for. I have solar at home, so to get an electric vehicle will be perfect. I dont have to worry about the price of fuel changing, how often I "fill up" my car or fuel shortages. I imagine it would be the same sense of freedom you feel when you are no longer beholden to the government to supply you electricity.

I agree there. I wouldn’t mind an EV to charge off my Solar. Id need more panels. But that’s a planned upgrade anyway. 12 won’t do it for house plus car.

 

[gimpex]

I agree there. I wouldn’t mind an EV to charge off my Solar. Id need more panels. But that’s a planned upgrade anyway. 12 won’t do it for house plus car.

I am all for solar at home , and EV in the garage but honestly , with today’s tech I don’t see how u can charge your car off solar, just not financially viable I think.

Average EV car has 80-100kw battery.

Most people would use the car during the day to get to the office etc so only charge at home at night implying 100kw battery which is just not possible .

But even if you do charge during the day , mid summer , you would need at least 15kw of panels (30 x 500w) just to charge the car. Never mind the inverter needed for that.

Nah …..

 

[Swa]

I am all for solar at home , and EV in the garage but honestly , with today’s tech I don’t see how u can charge your car off solar, just not financially viable I think.

Average EV car has 80-100kw battery.

Most people would use the car during the day to get to the office etc so only charge at home at night implying 100kw battery which is just not possible .

But even if you do charge during the day , mid summer , you would need at least 15kw of panels (30 x 500w) just to charge the car. Never mind the inverter needed for that.

Nah …..

You don't charge the entire battery and only about 10kWh per short trip. One hour of full solar a day should be enough for that. The way this is heading you can actually power your house from that and then charge your car from solar. Only issue is your car is usually not at home during the day to charge it.

What car manufacturers should do is have ports to charge directly from solar.