Tesla in Australia

Post by **Peter C in Canberra** » Tue, 19 May 2009, 20:12

moemoke wrote: I would love to see a real Tesla, does anyone know when Simon display's his?
.

On Sunday the 4th of October at the National Electric Vehicle Festival in Canberra. A road closure has been organised so he can show off.

Post by **moemoke** » Thu, 21 May 2009, 04:17

Cool, thats only 7 hours from home, might have to make a weekend trip.
Any other details of the NEVF Peter?

Post by **woody** » Thu, 21 May 2009, 04:28

Daimler Just bought 10% of Tesla.

Post by **Peter C in Canberra** » Thu, 21 May 2009, 04:37

moemoke wrote: Cool, thats only 7 hours from home, might have to make a weekend trip.
Any other details of the NEVF Peter?

Well my car should be there!
Check elsewhere in this forum for 'AGM', 'Open Day' or 'EV run to Canberra'. Links on the AEVA site on the 'What's on' page will get you the latest.
Also on at the same time is Floriade if anyone is more interested in massed flower displays than EVs and of course the usual galleries, museums etc. Questacon (hands on science) is next to the EV festival site and great for kids, and not at all bad for adults.
Peter.

Post by **Thalass** » Thu, 21 May 2009, 08:17

woody wrote: Daimler Just bought 10% of Tesla.

I'm not sure that's a good thing, since Chrysler just went bust. Unless I wasn't paying attention and Daimler dumped their Chrysler shares (or the other way around) at some point.

Post by **coulomb** » Thu, 21 May 2009, 14:00

I didn't think Daimler had any money to buy anything... and maybe they didn't:

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/05/19/te ... nvestment/

So Daimler now have a 9% stake.

Post by **fuzzy-hair-man** » Thu, 21 May 2009, 18:43

Daimler buying into Tesla probably represents some cheap insurance for Daimler, I think they are more focused on fuel cells aren't they? if they don't make fuel cells happen Tesla probably have the battery systems knowledge Daimler needs to get batteries into those cars. Or Daimler might be turning away from fuel cells?

I don't know but I think Tesla were going to struggle taking cars to the world in large numbers at a cheaper price if they get backing or a partnership from Daimler to do that we might see some nice and cheaper EVs.

If I were about to make a big success of a smallish company like Tesla, I'd buy into it first.

Post by **Thalass** » Thu, 21 May 2009, 22:53

Hopefully this means we'll be seeing Roadsters, Ses and other Teslas in australia in a couple of years.

I'd like to see a 4x4 Tesla. We'll probably see that before a subaru 4x4 EV.

Post by **Richo** » Sat, 11 Jul 2009, 01:09

Internode Tesla in Global Green Challenge

So I guess if you live somewhere between Darwin and Adelaide you might get to see the Tesla!

Post by **Peter C in Canberra** » Sat, 11 Jul 2009, 01:19

Richo wrote: So I guess if you live somewhere between Darwin and Adelaide you might get to see the Tesla!

Don't forget you can see in sooner in Canberra, 4th October!

Post by **coulomb** » Sat, 11 Jul 2009, 02:13

Richo wrote:So I guess if you live somewhere between Darwin and Adelaide you might get to see the Tesla!

That's if the left-hand-drive issue is resolved before then. As far as I know (and I didn't watch the video), it's still not drivable on Australian roads.

I sometimes wish Japan would switch to left hand drive, which would hopefully trigger the rest of the world, including us, to change as well.

Post by **Tim** » Sat, 11 Jul 2009, 04:48

coulomb wrote:That's if the left-hand-drive issue is resolved before then. As far as I know (and I didn't watch the video), it's still not drivable on Australian roads.

I sometimes wish Japan would switch to left hand drive, which would hopefully trigger the rest of the world, including us, to change as well.

As far as I am aware the issue is not so much that it is LHD, but more likely to do with the conditions of the import approval. Just gauging by the comments that have been made in the media I expect it is an 'Exhibition Vehicle' which generally includes the stipulation of 'not to be used on roads in Australia'. Often they also list the exhibition events on the approval.

There are legitimate ways to get one imported for road use, but in pretty much all cases it will need to be converted to RHD. This shouldn't be too difficult as it is based on a rear engined platform that is available in RHD form.

Post by **acmotor** » Sat, 11 Jul 2009, 04:54

Why ? Oz would have been flooded with more US and EU cars long ago if we were LHD and then definitely no vehicles would be made(assembled) in Oz. I think a list of RHD countries may slow down that changing feeling.

from DPI WA web site.....
"Licensing left hand drive vehicles
Australian Residents
From January 2003 new provisions have taken effect relating to Left Hand Drive (LHD) vehicles in WA.
If you are a resident of Australia and you import a LHD vehicle, you may need to convert the vehicle to RHD before it can be registered if your LHD vehicle was manufactured up to 15 years ago.
However if your left hand drive (LHD) vehicle is less than 4.5 tonne, and was manufactured more than 15 years ago, it may be possible to register it without the need for a right hand drive conversion. It must however be intended for personal use only."

more data... http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au/mediaFiles/IB-106A.pdf

Long wait.... but....

So LHD EV1 would be fine. Now where to find one ??? anyone know a good panel beater ?

Post by **Tim** » Sat, 11 Jul 2009, 05:16

ac,

The problem with quoting stuff from WA is that generally the rest of Australia is different! WA have typically been the odd ones out when it comes to applying consistent rules regarding vehicles. Only recently has WA adopted the nationally agreed Vehicle Standards Rules that the rest of Aus has been using since 1999.

The fact is that Australia has a road network designed for RHD vehicles and, while I am not going to take part in a debate about it, a LHD vehicle is arguably less suitable for use on a RHD road network than a RHD vehicle. So the law says new vehicles must be RHD.

The rest of Australia generally will only allow LHD vehicles over 30 years old on the road.

Website · Post by **htial** » Sat, 11 Jul 2009, 05:21

Isn't the "land mass" that use RHD vehicles greater than that that use LHD vehicles???...

Post by **acmotor** » Sat, 11 Jul 2009, 05:37

Tim, agreed. (and we like it that way) The rest of Oz is so slow at catching up with WA !

But what about an EV1 ?

no bites there ?

Having just come back from China (LHD) it doesn't seem to matter much which side of the road you use !

htial. good thinking !

The US may well lose its vehicle manufacturing industry anyway.

Post by **Tim** » Sat, 11 Jul 2009, 05:59

Import an EV1... hmmm... no sense or need to bite at that

Then again, if you could find a complete EV1 that was still its original shape...
Lets see... they were released in 1996 and produced 'til 1999, so you would need to wait a couple of years, then find one of the first ones... and the import approval will still require compliance with ADRs applicable to the date of manufacture. As there is no local equivalent to use for evidence of compliance, the engineering certification for the ADRs would likely exceed the import value...

Hmmm... you would have to really WANT an EV1 over a cheaper local conversion

Post by **coulomb** » Sat, 11 Jul 2009, 06:06

htial wrote: Isn't the "land mass" that use RHD vehicles greater than that that use LHD vehicles???...

Err, no:

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_hand_drive

Website · Post by **htial** » Sat, 11 Jul 2009, 06:22

coulomb wrote:
htial wrote: Isn't the "land mass" that use RHD vehicles greater than that that use LHD vehicles???...

Err, no:

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_hand_drive

I'm wrong more than I'm right... ...Oh well...

Post by **acmotor** » Sat, 11 Jul 2009, 08:55

Tim, a privately imported vehicle is exempt from most ADRs if it was not designed for sale in the Oz market, with the exemption of the ADR requirements for seatbelts, head restraints and child seat restraints that are still required.
I am reading here from the DPI manual.

Looks like the ADRs only bite in full for a vehicle imported for sale.

All hypothetical of course. If there is an EV1 still out there (probably in the GM CEO's garage !) it would be worth more than a new Bentley already !

What's all the red stuff on that map ? Man I didn't know so much of the world drove on the wrong side of the road !

Post by **Taffy** » Sat, 11 Jul 2009, 14:54

The Tesla will be driven in the global green challenge:
http://www.internode.on.net/news/2009/07/141.php

Post by **weber** » Sat, 11 Jul 2009, 16:25

acmotor wrote: What's all the red stuff on that map ? Man I didn't know so much of the world drove on the wrong side of the road !

Oh man! Its worse than that. All the oceans should be red too. Boats drive on the wrong side too. They have to keep to the right in a channel and turn to the right anywhere if they would otherwise meet head on.

Post by **acmotor** » Sat, 11 Jul 2009, 20:18

So what you mean is this...

Allocation of the Antartic zone still needs to be done. There you go weber. You can't resist it !

Post by **Tim** » Sat, 11 Jul 2009, 22:42

acmotor wrote: Allocation of the Antartic zone still needs to be done.

Been there... and we had both RHD and LHD. Mainly RHD.

But, the big difference is there is no road network to speak of, or traffic, or any of the things that would make a difference to which side of the road or vehicle you used

Post by **Tim** » Sat, 11 Jul 2009, 22:45

Taffy wrote: The Tesla will be driven in the global green challenge:
http://www.internode.on.net/news/2009/07/141.php

Well, it doesn't actually say that. It says he 'intends' to drive it. Whether he is actually allowed to may be an entirely different thing.

I guess we will find out soon enough