Given the current movement to ‘go green’ combined with the high cost of gasoline, the electric car is gaining in popularity. The Smart Car has been spotted weaving in and out of New York City traffic. However, the Smart Car is an energy efficient, practical, relatively inexpensive workhorse with a boxy shape.
The Tesla Roadster is a sports car and America loves a sports car. But due to its high price, it is oriented to a different market than the Smart Car.
The Tesla might also be dubbed an international sports car. Norway produces the chassis. The RTM carbon fiber body panels are made by SOTIRA, in St. Meloir and Pouance, France. Siemens in Germany manufactures the brakes and airbags. The motors are produced in Taiwan. And the Lotus factory in Hethel, England assembles the car.
Lotus has had considerable influence since the inception. Lotus provided design assistance and furnished the basic chassis development technology from the Lotus Elise. The styling was developed by Barney Hatt at Lotus’ design studio however he did consult with Tesla engineers. It was Tesla engineers who decided to use resin transfer molded carbon fiber to construct the body panels.
The Roadster is available in two models, the Standard Model and the Sports Model.
The Roadster is equipped with a 3-phase, 4-pole AC induction motor that can produce 248 hp. The Sport Model can produce 288 hp.
The Standard Model can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds while the Sport model can do this in 3.7 seconds. The electronically limited top speed is 125 mph.
The Roadster’s battery pack is called the Energy Storage System or ESS. It requires three and one half hours to fully recharge the battery. The battery weighs 992 pounds and in 2008, the cost of a replacement was $20,000.
From the very beginning Tesla had transmission problems, which caused several delays in production. Tesla experimented with several transmissions but none were successful. Finally, in September 2008 they decided to use a single speed Borg Warner fixed gear transmission.
The Roadster is a rear wheel drive with most of the weight centered in front of the rear axle.
Weighing in at around 2,700 pounds, it is approximately 13 feet long, 6 feet wide and 4 feet high.
All Roadsters are equipped with left hand drive so at this time, Tesla cannot market in England or countries where traffic stays to the left-hand side of the road.
Paul Boutin of ‘Slate’ gave the Roadster an outstanding review. It also appeals to celebrities such as Jay Leno who dubbed it ‘fun to drive.’
However, owning it will require a celebrity’s income. To date the Roadsters have been sold on a reservation basis. Six hundred fifty were planned for 2008 and all were reserved. In 2009, Tesla plans to market 1500 vehicles. While the 2008 models were priced at $98,000 with a $950.00 destination charge, the price of the 2009 models has been raised to $109,000.
So for people who have $110,000 to $120,000 to spend, are in love with sports cars, and will accept an electric car, the Tesla is the car to buy.
» Read more: The Tesla Roadster – All-electric Sports Car