Hacker News Reader

Which degrades and cost more to fix - a battery or a transmission and other mechanical parts?

People act like current cars have no parts or things that go bad over time. Tesla batteries look like they should be at 85% capacity at 100K miles.

Well that's exactly what I'm asking right?

If the quick charging mechanism is going to be "have a robot physically remove the battery and put a new one on" in a few years, then that's not as much of an issue.

I wasn't aware that Tesla were planning to go that route! Awesome if true :)

Swap demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZU0wnpyhF8

Wouldn't battery degradation bite into that?

Not nearly as much as for some other cars, as it's a modular part that can literally be swapped out in 90 seconds.

I will flip it before that becomes a concern, I am usually in and out of a car in under 3 years. I get bored easily.

Have you considered leasing? That might be more financially reasonable for you. Then again, you may be in the money range where when you sell your car, it is worth more money than you have left on the loan, so you're more or less ahead.