Treated to Tesla
My step-brother Bart Hibbs has worked for Monrovia-based AeroVironment since the day he graduated from Caltech with a degree in aeronautical engineering in 1977. Bart is a genius -- a font of many forms of knowledge, an inventor, a person with a big heart. He is also one of the world's leading experts on the troubling issue of getting more out of batteries in order to solve our energy and global-warming problems. But he has never been one to treat himself to many luxuries. Finally, he did -- he got in line and put the money down to get a Tesla, the fantastic electric sports car that not only gets over 200 miles on a charge -- it goes zero to 60 in 3.9 seconds. He took delivery a few weeks ago, and invited my nephew Drew Cortrite and me up to his Simi Valley home last weekend to drive it. It's a luxury Bart deserves. If anyone is going to solve the battery problem -- getting them cheaper, better, longer-lasting -- it may well be him. Meanwhile, he's got the best and hottest electric going, gorgeous in its Lotus Elise body. Floor that baby and, yowza, that gas-guzzling Corvette you just blew by has got absolutely nothing on you.
Comments
I'm happy for Bart. I want him to keep inventing cool things and deserving cool things.
I deserve a Tesla, too, by the way.
Posted by: Petrea Burchard | September 25, 2009 4:42 PM
yes you do deserve a tesla, petrea!
Posted by: larry | September 25, 2009 6:11 PM
Larry,
So, you're saying that Bart has been commuting from Simi Valley to Monrovia on a daily basis for HOW many years ?
That's great that he's now driving an electric car, but just how many tons of emissions did that incredibly long daily commute put into the air when he was driving a regular car ?
If he were "really" that passionate about reducing all those emissions in the air, wouldn't he have at some point felt compelled to move to a home which is closer to his place of work ?
By the way, Larry, when can we expect you to start commuting to work on your bike ?
Posted by: The Green Crusader | September 27, 2009 12:53 PM
aerovironment, as i noted, is based in monrovia.
it has a simi valley plant. bart's commute is 5 miles one way.
he previously had an electric kit-car, based on a geo, before the tesla, in which he commuted from his altadena home to monrovia when he used to work at the hq.
Posted by: larry | September 28, 2009 10:27 AM
Larry,
You cleverly avoided answering my other question.
Larry, when can we expect you to begin commuting to work on your bike, in lieu of driving your car ?
Posted by: The Green Crusader | September 28, 2009 12:09 PM
Larry,
Since you're dodging my question, may we conclude that you don't intend to commute to work on your bike ?
All that talk about saving the planet...and there you are, living just a few measly miles from your office, and you still refuse to commute on your bike.
What a poseur.
Posted by: The Green Crusader | September 29, 2009 12:55 AM
Larry,
Are you still hiding ?
Come on, Larry.
Come out from behind your desk and answer the question about commuting to work on your bike.
Posted by: The Green Crusader | September 29, 2009 11:02 AM
This is typical of Larry.
He pontificates that everyone else should do "X,"....and then it turns out that he's not actually willing to do "X."
Posted by: The Green Crusader | September 29, 2009 10:18 PM