Comments on: Technology Partners, Cleantech Investor Launches New Fund http://earth2tech.com/2007/07/31/technology-partners-cleantech-investor-launches-new-fund/ Helping the Earth with Technology Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:02:09 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Jim Beyer http://earth2tech.com/2007/07/31/technology-partners-cleantech-investor-launches-new-fund/#comment-276 Jim Beyer Tue, 31 Jul 2007 16:53:00 +0000 http://earth2tech.com/2007/07/31/technology-partners-cleantech-investor-launches-new-fund/#comment-276 <p>It's hard to understand why they funded Tesla Motors. Tesla's concept is problematic because they have to haul around a bunch of extra batteries to accommodate the consumers' need for adequate range. But this range requirement is actually needed only a small part of the time, so these expensive and heavy batteries have very small utilization. PHEVs get around this problem by replacing the expensive excess batteries with an inexpensive (albiet inefficient) engine that burns some kind of fuel. Tesla was founded, unfortunately, just before the PHEV craze started up.</p> <p>Telsa's blogs handwave around why they didn't go the PHEV route, but it clearly doesn't make sense. If batteries become so cheap that it did, our whole world would revolutionize in ways that go far beyond transportation. But I don't see that happening anytime soon.</p> <p>The real answer as to why Tesla was funded and why they don't want to make a PHEV is that they are too far along in their business effort, and that their investors didn't know or didn't understand the implications of PHEV technology. Maybe someone else has a better understanding of the thought processes that went on here.</p> <p>In any case, I hope this Fund VIII will give PHEV technology a hard look.</p> It’s hard to understand why they funded Tesla Motors. Tesla’s concept is problematic because they have to haul around a bunch of extra batteries to accommodate the consumers’ need for adequate range. But this range requirement is actually needed only a small part of the time, so these expensive and heavy batteries have very small utilization. PHEVs get around this problem by replacing the expensive excess batteries with an inexpensive (albiet inefficient) engine that burns some kind of fuel. Tesla was founded, unfortunately, just before the PHEV craze started up.

Telsa’s blogs handwave around why they didn’t go the PHEV route, but it clearly doesn’t make sense. If batteries become so cheap that it did, our whole world would revolutionize in ways that go far beyond transportation. But I don’t see that happening anytime soon.

The real answer as to why Tesla was funded and why they don’t want to make a PHEV is that they are too far along in their business effort, and that their investors didn’t know or didn’t understand the implications of PHEV technology. Maybe someone else has a better understanding of the thought processes that went on here.

In any case, I hope this Fund VIII will give PHEV technology a hard look.

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