[Donunder]

I think the Tesla is a technological marvel.

At the moment in this country they appeal to the well-off "early accepter" brigade who acknowledge their appeal and are prepared to buy notwithstanding the perceived problems inherent in bringing something so different to the market.

Tesla have to hope that they will not have to contend with the raging opposition they face in the US from the entrenched network of automotive dealers who oppose the Tesla marketing model in which purchasers buy directly from the manufacturer, bypassing dealers. Did you know that in some states it is not legal to buy a Tesla? Possibly the relatively small takeup of Tesla cars here will not cause too much heartburn to the old boy dealership network.

Other causes of concern are the initial outlay -- over $200K for the upper models in Aus-- the lack at this time of recharging stations and of course, distance anxiety.

Once a network of super-charge points has been established as in the US where numerous charging stations provide an 80% charge (350 klms worth) in twenty minutes, for free, while the driver has a cup of coffee or does some shopping, then the distance anxiety question goes away. Most people on a road trip stop at a servo for fuel and a cuppa anyway so the twenty minute wait is no biggie. At home it's simply a matter of plugging in to your Tesla-supplied wall mounted power pack each night and you start every day with a "full tank" which, starting from empty, costs about $5 worth of electricity to fill or charge. Better than $90 of 98 to fill your Beemer or Merc.

One of my concerns is that the car is always on-line and the owner is notified of software updates that can be installed for no charge with the push of a button. This must provide a challenge to hackers with an anti-social bent and too much time on their hands. I'd hope that with the resources at his disposal Elon Musk has employed the best and brightest to construct impregnable firewalls to see off this threat.

Otherwise the Tesla represents a huge step forward, and the product can only improve with advances in technology and with such a forward-thinking visionary as Musk at the helm. By mid next year it will be possible to drive from Brisbane to Melbourne with proposed charging stations along the way including Goulburn (!!!). With the finances I'd own one in a heartbeat.