Rent a car for those trips or get a volt and stop whining if you like evs- for majority of people the current evs work (which will improve thanks to tesla’s push). You must not be employed since you apparently take so many of these long distance non planned trips, must be nice

Use PayPal and the internet and save the trip…

Again, Volt owners, if I accidentally insulted you, PLEASE accept my apologies and if you see some guy with hair down to his ass and a silvery beard tipping his hat to you in your Volt one day, know that may be me and that I am in my own way, saluting you for doing your part to help wean the world off the tit of big oil!

Your “freedom” is not in any way restricted by ANY of today’s EVs, despite their limited range and limited potential to recharge on the fly. My point is you have other options. Go exercise your “freedom” with one of the hundreds of other models of cars available. No one is stopping you from exercising your much vaunted “freedom,” lady. I could dare say that no one here nor much likely anywhere else gives a flying rats turd what you do, so long as you don’t troll about with trumped up, made up scenarios to elicit your clear distaste for EVs in 2013. So, you don’t like them. Fine. We all get that. Go away then. It’s okay. No one minds if you prefer a gasmobile. Have fun at it and enjoy the high cost of the fuel. It’s your money. Spend it wherever you want.

As the article above is about the East Coast portion of the Tesla Supercharging network, at this time (early August 2013), if you want to get about in THAT portion of the country, SPECIFICALLY in a Tesla Model S, AND go beyond the range of the Tesla’s battery pack, you must USE YOUR BRAIN and plan accordingly. That’s all the article is really saying. it is NOT in ANY way, saying you can get in the Model S – TODAY, in August 2013, in say, Albany, and drive your ass to San Diego.

No, right now, that is not possible. By next Spring it will be, however, but AT THAT TIME, it will require you you to take a fairly specific route and thus PLAN ACCORDINGLY.

However, if you bought a Tesla Model S and wanted freedom to go ANYWHERE in the US and 98% of the populated bits of Canada, you will have to wait until the end of 2015, according to Tesla’s Supercharger deployment plan, which they are, so far, right on track with.

But, just for giggles. Can YOU even afford a $70,000+ car? Honestly, I can’t. So, the Tesla Model S is not an option for me. However, Tesla has a car in the mid $35k price range on their roadmap for the 2018 model year. $35 is affordable and right at the time I would likely be in the market for a new car.

I follow Tesla news to see that plans are progressing according to plan. I follow EV news in general to see how the progress is with them. Right now, anyone who is buying an EV KNOWS FULL WELL they are buying a car in the early adopter phase and thus limits are currently applicable. That’s life. Most people who own an EV today can afford them as a second, third, sometimes as a fourth car in their stable. It’s an investment in the technology and the future.

If you or anyone else doesn’t want to take that leap at this point in time, then don’t. It’s okay, EVs are selling better than Hybrids were at this same exact stage of deployment and Hybrids are widely available today. Arguably the best Hybrid available over all, a plug-in no less, is marketed (I strongly consider it wrongly so) as an EV – The Chevy Volt. It’s price just dropped $5,000, putting it at $35k. This new pricing is showing GMs commitment to the car – This despite their supposed losing money on each on as they clearly over-engineered the bugger and are relying on far too expensive custom batteries, but that’s not your concern. It’s GMs and they clearly are not too concerned as it is in no way a CARB compliance car and sales are doing quite well, and sure to increase with the new lower price.

Really, it sounds like the Volt is the perfect “EV” answer for idiots who can’t find the positive in progress that just hasen’t met their needs yet or perhaps threatens their stock in big oil or just likes to be the negative nanny and finds the need to spin up some trumped up, moronic scenarios to make their stupid point.

However, as Leaf’s are selling just as well (some months better than the Volt), it seems pretty clear that plenty of people are happily accepting of the limitations you profess. Their “freedom” is in no way limited. They can buy (or might already have) another car to go longer distances. They can hire a car to go longer distances too. Perhaps they just don’t want to drive long distances. Perhaps they would rather fly (I don’t endorse that, but it’s their choice and I am not trying to limit their freedom.

Me, personally, I would even opt for America’s truly pathetic and antiquated national rail system and take Amtrak for longer trips so I can sit by a window and look outside instead of at hundreds of miles of pavement!

See, lady, your “freedom” is in no way limited. You have plenty of choices. If the Tesla Model S does not meet you needs, Elon Musk is not sending over goons to twist your arm and drag you to the Tesla store and forcing you to buy one. You can buy a Chevy Volt. You can buy a Prius. You can buy a Ford C-Max. You can buy a Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. You can buy a beat up 1952 Chevy, for all anyone likely actually cars what YOU choose to drive.

Go exercise your freedom and leave us to enjoy watching the future unfold.

Back when people started driving cars one still needed horses to pull hay wagons.

Bottom line is

a. the vehicle is just fine as is for 95% of the population’s needs, the majority getting along just fine with charging at home.

b. the supercharger network is expanding everyday creating more and more direct routes to distant locations. This is happening rapidly, and everyday your concern with “range anxiety” becomes more and more moot.

c. Battery swapping will be a reality in just a few months.

And lastly, if you just can’t find a way to get to some remote location (that you’ve created in your head) and that you absolutely have to get to – – – – – – –

take your other car with it’s ICE on this mythical trip into the abyss.

The point that I am driving at is that the pure EV’s even those of Tesla are still not the answer to free us from oil addiction.

There are excellent technologies out there right now such as the GM-Volt where it encourages you to max out EV miles without any range anxiety, and without any constraints. And with the way the current owners of more than 30,000 GM-Volts, they are utilizing more than 75% of their total mileage in pure wall-powered EV. The remaining 25% is far less than the amount of foreign oil that we import, which means that there is no foreign oil addiction for us anymore if we use this technology. No range anxiety, and no foreign oil. In fact, it can be projected that we an use carbon neutral biofuel to supply the occasional long trips.

For now, while the current infrastructure of super chargers are not as ubiquitous as gas stations, while ordinary household sockets are ubiquitous, lugging around a heavy battery pack is not that efficient either. There is a perfect balance between the battery range and a flex fuel range extender. Better yet, the flex fuel range extender should be easily detachable and easily attached when needed.

Pure EV’s would still not give you enough freedom to go anywhere there is a road from point A to point B. You have to face it, and that is the undeniable truth.

Please (for your own health) avoid all EV’s at all costs and beware of the evil Mr. Musk and his products which threatens your personal health and freedom”..

I’d much rather take 10 minutes to plan my trip in an Tesla then spend the amount of time, money and effort we as a nation spend on dealing with the shortfalls of gasoline dependency.