‘Honey, it’s probably the last car you’ll ever order, so go for it.’ “When I pass the gas station, I give them the finger.”
http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20130729/NEWS11/307290014/Highland-man-among-first-buy-electric-Tesla-sports-car Highland man among first to buy electric Tesla sports car by Laura Colvin Jul. 29, 2013 [images / Hal Gould | Staff Photographer http://cmsimg.hometownlife.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C5&Date=20130729&Category=NEWS11&ArtNo=307290014 Len and Jo Budzen stand next to their new Tesla Model S electric car. http://cmsimg.hometownlife.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C5&Date=20130729&Category=NEWS11&ArtNo=307290014&Ref=V1 The license plate says it all http://cmsimg.hometownlife.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C5&Date=20130729&Category=NEWS11&ArtNo=307290014&Ref=V2 Jo Budzen shows some of the features of the Tesla, including this touch screen display http://cmsimg.hometownlife.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C5&Date=20130729&Category=NEWS11&ArtNo=307290014&Ref=V3 In the early 1970s, Len Budzen, seated at right, took his Copper Electric Car on the road to show off the possibilities. ] Highland man among first to buy electric Tesla Len Budzen glides down the driveway of his Highland Township home at the wheel of his brand-new, cherry-red Tesla Model S. The battery-powered car has no engine, hence no engine noise. It is silent. “I can sneak out at night and no one will know,” said Budzen, an impish boy-with-a-new-toy grin sneaking across his face. And then: “Do you want to go fast?” He’s happy to demonstrate what the car can accomplish, and he does. Budzen and his wife Jo took delivery of the Tesla last month. The Tesla Model S, introduced as a prototype in 2009 with U.S. deliveries beginning in June 2012, is a full-sized electric four-door hatchback sports sedan produced by Tesla Motors. The car’s claim to fame is its long range; it can travel 160, 230 or 300 miles, depending on the buyer’s chosen battery option; unlike [pih] such as the Chevrolet Volt, the Tesla has no ... gasoline engine. The car’s performance gained a lot of attention in the automobile industry. High ratings In fact, in a report published last month, Consumer Reports said the Tesla Model S is the best car it has tested since 2007, achieving its highest score. The magazine said the electric sedan achieved a score of 99 out of 100, outperforming every other model this year in every category — from performance to interior quality. High points, according to Consumer Reports: • Acceleration: The Model S leaps from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 5.6 seconds, on par with top sports cars. Yet it is the quietest car that the magazine has tested since the Lexus. • Handling: Consumer Reports’ engineers compared its “pinpoint handling” to that of a Porsche. • Interior: The “beautifully-crafted interior calls to mind an Audi.” • Practicality: The test car’s ability to go 200 miles on a single charge gave it a level of practicality not seen in other electric cars, which are typically limited to 75 or 80 miles a charge. • Thrift: The test car achieved the equivalent of 84 miles a gallon of gas. At $9 in electricity for a full charge, it is like buying gas at $1.20 a gallon. All those features, plus the 17-inch touch screen that integrates media, navigation, communications, cabin controls and vehicle data sold the Budzens on the car. Personal interest But for Len Budzen, the interest is personal, too. He, after all, helped pioneer electric vehicles. It all began in 1969, Budzen said, when he joined the Copper Development Association. His job, along with two others, was to explore and expand the use of copper and copper alloys in the U.S., as well as to work toward future developments. Reading the newspaper one day, he came across a small article about a Detroit man who was importing Renaults and converting them to electric vehicles. After visiting with the man featured in the story, Budzen enthusiastically reported back to his boss. “He told me I had too much for lunch and I should go home and lie down,” Budzen said. But one thing led to another and before long Budzen found himself heading up a group charged with building a prototype to examine the possibilities of an electric car. “We found a Cobra chassis in Pennsylvania and had it shipped up,” he said. “We used that as the frame at the bottom; the battery was about 4,500 pounds total, so it was heavy.” Once the work was done and the car was built, Budzen and his group took it on the road. And on television. In winter 1970, Budzen, then CDA’s electric products market development manager, along with his Copper Electric Car, were featured on Garry Moore’s To Tell the Truth show. Everywhere he went with the car, people were fascinated. “We took it to Washington, D.C., and all the politicians wanted to have their picture taken in it,” he said. “Everywhere I stopped, I was mobbed with people who wanted to know more about it.” After that, Budzen went on to other things – none of the automakers were taking the concept seriously at that time — but he always maintained an interest in electric vehicles. Over the years,, he and Jo owned four Toyota Prius hybrid vehicles. A memorable trip to Denver Then, about two years ago, when Budzen stopped to check out the Tesla Roadster in a showroom at a mall in Denver, he spotted a photo of the Model S on the wall and ended up in a conversation with the technician. He liked what he heard. And, for a fully refundable $5,000 deposit, he could put his name on the list. The cars, the technician told him, would roll out in about two years. So he called Jo. “She said, ‘Honey, it’s probably the last car you’ll ever order, so go for it.’” Budzen’s name was placed at number 4,498 on the list. That was in 2011. He almost forgot about it. The car arrives Then, last month, finally, a call from the delivery driver. Twenty minutes later, an enclosed van – coming from a Tesla distribution center in Columbus – drove up to the couple’s home. Ever since, Budzen’s been hearing similar words to those he heard back in the ‘70s. “Where ever I go, people stop me and want to know about it,” he said, adding that he’s still learning about the car and having a good time doing so. “It’s fun to drive. Very responsive. I like the performance, the handling, the acceleration. Aerodynamically, it’s as good as you can build a car.” Jo Budzen has her own set of favorites. “The touch screen,” she said. “I’m fascinated by it. I don’t have to look for buttons all over the car. It’s just a matter of a little touch on the screen and you can get whatever you want.” The styling, she said, is also at the top of her list. “It’s such a beautiful car,” she said. “People say, ‘Oh, you’re getting an electric car, how cute.’ They think of a Smart Car or something small. When they see this car, they’re surprised at how beautiful it is.” Len Budzen adds a final thought: “The other thing is, when I pass the gas station, I give them the finger.” [© 2013 www.hometownlife.com] For all EVLN posts use: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/template/NamlServlet.jtp?macro=search_page&node=413529&query=evln&sort=date Here are today's archive-only EV posts: EVLN: Electric vehicle battery costs falling EVLN: A Vermonter's year-long driving electric experience EVLN: 65-Year-Old Attempts 1,200 Mile trip in a ELF Solar-EV EVLN: To ice or not to ice a spot, that is the question ... 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