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Tesla Roadster - No Compromises |
by Megawatt Motorworks
(7/31/2006)
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 After weeks of teasing us with what appeared to be a very sleek roadster hidden behind a drape of silky fabric, the big news this month was the unveiling of Tesla Roadster on July 20th. Rumors of this electric car’s significance were everywhere; many of us were completely intrigued and hopeful.
Did it live up to the hype? Oh yes. The Tesla Roadster delivers everything that as promised. It’s quite possibly the sleekest, sexiest, strongest, and smartest sports car ever built. The wizards at Tesla Motors have designed an electric car that goes head-to-head with the most coveted gas cars in the world in terms of performance and style. Not to mention coolness and originality!
The Tesla Roadster opens a new chapter in automotive history.
Up until now, one of the biggest challenges facing the electric vehicle market is range. Sure, we had power… Corvette’s and Vipers have been on the 1/4 mile EV performance menu since 1999… but the general public appeared unwilling to settle for any car limited to 30-50 miles (despite the fact that most Americans commute far less than that to and from work everyday.) Well, that dilemma is solved. The proprietary lithium-ion battery pack allows the Tesla Roadster to infuriate gassers anywhere within its 250-mile range. Yes, that’s 250 miles at highway speeds!
This car has an acceleration of 0 to 60 in 4 seconds and a top speed of 130 miles per hour. It has a 2-speed transmission; the first gear gets you 0 to 60 in 4 seconds, while the second gear takes it all the way to 130. The RPM limit is 13,500 RPM… with full torque available anywhere on the tachometer window.
Tesla Roadsters will start to hit the highways in 2007. Pricing has not yet been published, but rumors peg it at around $100k… a fair price for a world-class super car.
To begin with, Tesla Motors will be offering service in 5 key markets (Northern California, Southern California, Chicago, New York, and Florida). Unfortunately, since the car has a 250 mile range, if you aren’t within 250 miles of a service, you will need to work out arrangements with Tesla Motors (for a nominal fee) or trailer it yourself to get it in for service. The good news is that other than inspection, the only service that is recommended for the first 100,000 miles is brake and tire service.
Tesla Motors has an excellent shot at changing the way people feel about driving battery cars. The trick to pulling the American public out of its dependence on oil is to demonstrate to people that they don’t need to compromise their standards in order to drive something electric. The Tesla Roadster does exactly that.
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Friday, September 10, 2010