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Comment by leetcrew | Hacker News Reader

accelerating really fast in a straight line is probably the most pointless aspect of "performance" for a car that gets driven on public roads. modern hot hatches that cost $25k are already too powerful to fully appreciate without getting your license taken away. a 230i or m240i is going to be much more fun to drive 10-15 mph over the speed limit than any Tesla. get one with a manual transmission while you still can.

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I drive a sports car on public roads. Straight, level, boring public roads with low speed limits. Straight line is basically the only thing that matters 90% of the time. For the other 10% of the time, the difference between a Tesla and the ICE equivalent still doesn't matter or possibly even favors the instant response of the electric drivetrain.

It sounds like you're just not driving on the right public roads.

In the US, to name just a couple, there are:

    - Hells Canyon, Idaho
    - Saddle Road, Hawaii
    - Mulholland Highway, California
    - Route 9W to Storm King Highway, New York
    - Route 348, Helen, Georgia 
    - M119, Harbor Springs, Michigan
    - Highway 1, Big Sur, California

In the UK:

    - Horncastle to Louth
    - Cat and Fiddle
    - Evo Triangle
    - Forres to Alford
    - Black Mountain Pass
    - St Ives To St Just

Those probably are not the 90% case

Of course, but an enthusiast doesn't purchase a sports car for the 90% case, it's purchased for the 10% case - road trips to some of the best driving roads in the world.

If you just want a flash car to get to work and back well that's different. And if you just want to go fast between the lights then a Tesla is genuinely the best car for you.

I mean, its not that I disagree with you, but the closest one is almost 300 miles from here. I used to drive some pretty good ones in western NC as well, tbh. There's a reason there are so many Miatas up there. :)

But here it is all straight and flat.

oh man, 9w is beautiful. used to go to school up there.

You accelerate really fast in a straight line every time you pull out from a stop sign or red light. In fact if you are adhering to speed limits, accelerating really fast is the only way to save travel time.

Or arrive faster at the next red light.

I used to think this until I got an EV. The ability to a) accelerate quickly and b) stop more quickly makes them almost like motorcycles.

You catch lights easier, merge effortlessly and slowdowns are zen.

I gain about a couple of min trip time to drop off my kids which is about 10m and 6-7 signal lights away.

Also on highways I utilize the HOV lane which for me trims about 5m off my longish commute.

And it’s all comfortable and silent.

I mean technically you are correct, but usually when people talk about performance, they are considering the recreational qualities of the car. most people don't buy fast cars to shave fractions of a second off accelerating to 35mph.

Ignoring the existence of traffic, sure.

Save travel time by accelerating fast? So you get to 40mph a half a second faster? Are you being sarcastic?

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