Tesla Roadster

Check this baby out. 0-60 in 3 seconds, sexy as hell, completely emission-less, and still gets a range of over 200 miles!

www.wired.com...

"You see any cops?" Eberhard asks, shooting me a mischievous look. The car is vibrating, ready to launch. I'm the first journalist to get a ride.

He releases the brake and my head snaps back. One-one-thousand: I get a floating feeling, like going over the falls in a roller coaster. Two-one-thousand: The world tunnels, the trees blur. Three-one-thousand: We hit 60 miles per hour. Eberhard brakes. We're at a standstill again -- elapsed time, nine seconds. When potential buyers get a look at the vehicle this summer, it will be among the quickest production cars in the world. And, compared to other supercars like the Bugatti Veyron, Ferrari Enzo, and Lamborghini Diablo, it's a bargain. More intriguing: It has no combustion engine.

The trick? The Tesla Roadster is powered by 6,831 rechargeable lithium-ion batteries -- the same cells that run a laptop computer. Range: 250 miles. Fuel efficiency: 1 to 2 cents per mile. Top speed: more than 130 mph. The first cars will be built at a factory in England and are slated to hit the market next summer. And Tesla Motors, Eberhard's company, is already gearing up for a four-door battery-powered sedan.

[edit on 20-7-2006 by sardion2000]

Nice find Sardion. And 80 grand really isn't that much for a high performance sports car.

I guess my only question is do they come in british racing green!

Very cool article and I like Eberhard's maverick attitude.

Here are two of my favorite snippest from the article:

What Eberhard didn't know about car manufacturing -- which was just about everything -- he got by hiring engineers and executives away from Lotus. Eventually, he lured so many Lotus employees that the British company insisted he sign a no-poaching agreement or it wouldn't build the car.

That's just funny. And in my opinion so is his answer about the car being completely silent:

Eberhard suggests it would be easy enough to pump MP3s of prerecorded engine roar into the car's Blaupunkt stereo. And for those with even older tastes, the sound of horse hooves could be substituted. But damn if that horse isn't going to sound strange at 13,500 rpm.

Again, really nice find, evidently he's also working on a sedan and if it takes off I would think the price on both models would come down.

Spiderj

Originally posted by Spiderj
And in my opinion so is his answer about the car being completely silent:

Eberhard suggests it would be easy enough to pump MP3s of prerecorded engine roar into the car's Blaupunkt stereo. And for those with even older tastes, the sound of horse hooves could be substituted. But damn if that horse isn't going to sound strange at 13,500 rpm.

It is? It's a common fix for electric cars I believe and it's also an Aftermarket Add-on for Hybrids to get rid of the whine(or at least muffle it) as some people find it really annoying. Not me, I find it kind of soothing but I'm just weird.

[edit on 20-7-2006 by sardion2000]

Boy if I had the money I would buy that car as soon as possible. No polluting emissions, no gasoline to pay for. It'll take a while before my government figures out a way to tax it. All good!!!

But it would be even better to set up solar panels on the roof of the house to charge that car on. There's some people in California who charged their EV1 via solar panels.

Or better yet, that new spray-on solar cell thingie.. Spray it directly on the car!!!

There is a four door sedan coming as well. Prolly hit in the Summer of 2009 rather than 2007 as the Tesla is planned. Nice name to eh? I'd pay 40 grand for a Sedan that gets 1 to 2 cents per mile. What is Gasoline at currently at cost per mile? 10 cents? 15 cents?

Or better yet, that new spray-on solar cell thingie.. Spray it directly on the car!!!

It would add cost & weight to the car and wouldn't put much into the batteries due to the inherint shortage of usable sun exposed surface area on roadsters. It would be better if you had a house roof full instead.

A better idea maybe to add an extra air intake on the front and instead of having that to improve cooling, put some mini wind turbines. I'm not sure how efficient that would be but it wouldn't add much cost or weight to the car(I think).

[edit on 20-7-2006 by sardion2000]

That is one impressive car! Too bad the price tag is still a little hefty. With a 200 mile range, that should be fine for city driving, and even a little bit outside, though you probably won't be taking it on holidays, unless there are places to plug it in on the way. I could totally see people buying this just because it can accelerate and go really fast, not even caring that it is also non-polluting. I, too, also like the name; hopefully, it will bring awareness of Tesla more into the mainstream, as right now only science buffs really know who he was, and he is critically important to history and our technological society today.

Heh, I clicked on this thread thinking that someone had developed a car using Tesla tech. Instead, I find it's just some new electric car manufacturer stealing the name of a brilliant Electrical Engineer.

Either way, the car looks hot, and a 250 mile range isn't bad (especially with a 130mph top speed, and 0-60 in 3 seconds). It's even better, considering that a car like that is something to take out in your time off, and drive fast and impress women. It's not exactly something you'd want to go cross country in (although, I might, just for the simple idea of a straight highway through a New Mexico desert with no speed limit during the day).

Originally posted by DragonsDemesne
I, too, also like the name; hopefully, it will bring awareness of Tesla more into the mainstream, as right now only science buffs really know who he was, and he is critically important to history and our technological society today.

Not to derail the thread, but you don't even know the can of worms you've opened by saying this. Tesla's advanced research (the stuff he patented with certain critical parts missing) was years ahead of even current technology. Even the Tesla Coil is still of high importantance to todays society. As yet, it's the only high voltage transformer ever created that has the potential (proven in many cases with some of the larger ones) to output a higher voltage and amperage than was needed to power it, thus breaking the Law of Conservation.

Please, nobody respond to this, as I don't want to derail this thread. If you feel the need to respond to this specific reply, please respond on my other thread about Tesla's power research here: Unbreakable Laws of Physics?

[edit on 7/20/2006 by obsidian468]

Originally posted by obsidian468
Heh, I clicked on this thread thinking that someone had developed a car using Tesla tech. Instead, I find it's just some new electric car manufacturer stealing the name of a brilliant Electrical Engineer.

I look at it as more of a tip 'o the hat then them stealing it as not everyone on the street knows of Tesla like Dragons said.

Originally posted by DragonsDemesne
Too bad the price tag is still a little hefty.

Compare this to other sportscar roadsters, then the price looks a 'lil better.

[edit on 20-7-2006 by sardion2000]

Originally posted by sardion2000
It is? It's a common fix for electric cars I believe and it's also an Aftermarket Add-on for Hybrids to get rid of the whine(or at least muffle it) as some people find it really annoying. Not me, I find it kind of soothing but I'm just weird.
[edit on 20-7-2006 by sardion2000]

Actually I was refering to the part of downloading an MP3 of a galloping horse. I thought that part was funny.

Spiderj

This is a nice ride. If it does 0-60 under 4 seconds that would put it against the Corvette Z06, Viper, and the 911, and most likely run 11s in the quarter. $80K isn't bad for this type of performance since the Z06 is the only car with a price tag in that range. Yes the Z06 has a higher top speed, but most driving is done around 55 mph and adding 1 or 2 more gears to make the top speed higher would make this car even more impressive.

I would get one of these in a heartbeat. Then it would be at the drag strip beating up on the competition. As long as I don't lose a charge i'm good, look out RV parks....

This is a nice ride. If it does 0-60 under 4 seconds that would put it against the Corvette Z06, Viper, and the 911, and most likely run 11s in the quarter. $80K isn't bad for this type of performance since the Z06 is the only car with a price tag in that range. Yes the Z06 has a higher top speed, but most driving is done around 55 mph and adding 1 or 2 more gears to make the top speed higher would make this car even more impressive.

Interesting, thx for the info. For a non-car guy, what are the current prices for a Viper and 911?

I think we are witnessing a potential revolution on a very wide scale. This vehicle was developed with funding from dot com millionaires. The same thing that launched Spaceship One. I have to wonder if this trend will continue or if larger existing corporations, like GM or Ford, will start with the buyouts.

Dot Com startups evolving into industrial startups... it is an interesting carry over of ideology.

I presented this article on an automotive forum... I was met with childish bickering about its top speed. Unbelievable.

I have to wonder if this trend will continue or if larger existing corporations, like GM or Ford, will start with the buyouts.

I think it will continue, as these dot com millionaires are already rich. They, most likely are doing this more for egalitarian reasons rather than profit motives.

I presented this article on an automotive forum... I was met with childish bickering about its top speed. Unbelievable.

What type of bickering? That could be a good thing, signalling a paradigm shift in how electric cars are percieved.

If however the bickering is being done on the old paradigm of "Electric Cars slow and weak, combustion good, powerful and manly....urrg me hungry" then we could be seeing some paid agitators and their willing dupes at work.

[edit on 23-7-2006 by sardion2000]

well, the buyout method is prominent in the Internet circles as well. eBay took PayPal... Adobe recently took Macromedia. Im not certain but I think it could be called diagonal expansion. Not quite vertical, but close.

And these other people are just [insert derogatory reference] who don't know a significant advance when they see one. You're probably right on the mindset... "If it doesnt gobble gas and belch out fumes while going at warp 2 it's not worth my attention."

dupes wouldn't be my word choice, but it definitely works.

The range is quite nice. You could do the daily driving to work and stuff pretty good. I could drive most anywhere I usually drive with a car like this.

I'd say you could get more range with a car with less of a beast under the hood, though.

One solution for solar charging would be to have more than one set of batteries. While you are out driving, you could have another set of batteries charging by solar. You bring your car home and you wouldn't have to wait very much because you have another set or two waiting and charged. Slap the discharged batteries in the solar charger, insert the new set and you are ready to go. Just make sure you have a quick way to take out and put in battery sets.

Perhaps there are even better technologies waiting to be fully exposed safely (and not squashed by evil), that need no fossil fuels, no solar, and don't need a pile of batteries.

If we are to use batteries this way, we do need a good recycling program in place to avoid a nasty pollution problem.

Troy

One solution for solar charging would be to have more than one set of batteries. While you are out driving, you could have another set of batteries charging by solar. You bring your car home and you wouldn't have to wait very much because you have another set or two waiting and charged.

If you have the patience to remove over 6000 laptop sized batteries and replace them just for added range, well be my guest. Large Lithium Ion batteries are also more dangerous when heated, because when they overheat they tend to explode(a few laptops have done this as well, which is why they always say to keep the bottom part ventilated now, go figure you cant actually use your laptop as a "Lap"top anymore )

well, the buyout method is prominent in the Internet circles as well. eBay took PayPal... Adobe recently took Macromedia. Im not certain but I think it could be called diagonal expansion. Not quite vertical, but close.

You're talking mature companies, these companies are still in the startup phase and if they are gonna merge or get bought out, it will be by a company that is in the same business, because frankely, GM is not in the electric car business and probably never will be(at least not until it's too late that is.) I could see it being bought by IBM before I can see it being bought by any of the big auto manufacturers these days.

[edit on 24-7-2006 by sardion2000]

The best part is, that this gorgeous peice of machinery is going to be built by Lotus...

...Santa, cancel the order on the Elise!

God that is a gorgeous car. Hopefully those batts wont lose charging life as fast as laptop batts do. Dam salt spurs. Very nice find.

Li-Ion batteries actually have a very long shelf life with a low self-discharge rate. If you are having problems with your batteries I have to wonder if you've been powering your laptop off an inverter. Modified sine-wave inverters (the cheap ones you can find everywhere) will cook many laptop battery charging circuits.

sardion
GM is not in the electric car business and probably never will be(at least not until it's too late that is.)

But they were. Their electric car totalled flopped. The market has changed much since then. I would not be a bit surprised if an electric startup company was bought by one of the big three in response to Japan's hybrid dominance.
>
A good indicator will be what route Germany takes. Chrysler and Benz have started holding hands. Ford has started working with BMW. That leaves GM and... Audi?

[edit on 24-7-2006 by apc]