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It is finally out, the Tesla sports car is fine looking and the specs are out of this world. Zero to 60 mph in about 4 seconds with a top speed of over 130 mph*. But this is not the whole story. Because it has no clutch and a very wide, flat torque curve, the acceleration of the Tesla Roadster is much more available to enjoy: just step on the accelerator and go - no matter what speed you are driving, no matter what gear you are in, the acceleration is instantaneous. We are currently in the midst of the important and time-consuming safety and durability testing for the Tesla Roadster. While we are confident of our numbers, this testing may require design changes that affect the final specifications.”
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July 21st, 2006
I’m stoked about this car (and I’m a serious petrol/gear head)! Why haven’t electric cars looked like this before!
One thing I am wondering is what its curb wieght is. It didn’t list it on their site, or I’m just blind. I’m guessing that its performance comes from it bhp/lb ratio rather then the wonders of electirc car technology.
July 21st, 2006
Oh ya, I guarantee this thing is crazy light to get the numbers they have.
This is an amazing ride and it should push forward the wonders of electric motors and their application. All technology evolves over time and this one is about to hit its teens.
Keep it up Tesla!
August 1st, 2006
nice! Why dont you turn it into a hybrid. Remove some luggage space and some batteries.
Use the space to add a small motorcycle engine connected to a generator. When the battery charge of the car is low, the motor can be started either automatically or manually to charge the battery.
August 1st, 2006
We will see… the hybrid thing might not be far off. Lotus has signed on to build it at their factory in england. If it didn’t handle well before, it will now.
August 2nd, 2006
A very nice car, I’m wondering about the radius the car can drive.
Normal electrical cars can’t drive very far because of the batteries.
If this idea works there will be soon enough more electrical cars on the road witch is better for our earth :p
August 23rd, 2006
This is definitely one amazing car! This is packed with a lithium-ion battery pack and a 185kW (248 hp) electric motor driving the rear wheels through a clutchless 2-speed automatic transmission. Plus this can sprint like a Ferrari. wow! No wonder the one hundred All-Electric Sports Car”>All-Electric Sports Car is already sold out.
June 13th, 2007
Electric Motors are much more efficient then reciprocating (gas or diesel engines).
This is due to the fact that electric motors actually generate super high torque just before stalling. This is _below_ 10 RPM!
A transmission requires a dead stop to change gears, thus wasted time/energy. Automatic transmissions do this much faster (with mechanical/fluid/mechanical transfer) then manual transmissions can (due to the speed of human body). There are several devices to do the clutching still faster but still a loss of power is there.
An electric motor can be disengaged and engaged at the speed of light (also happens to be the speed of electricity) without needing anything more than a switch (more likely a computer now a days) to complete the off/change gear/on switching.
Due to the super torque generated by the magnetic field in the motor, a transmission is actually quite a waste of energy and thus unneeded.
The only cooling that is required is air (even an air cleaner is optional), minimal lubrication, minimal electrical system, no transmission or clutch means huge weight savings. Not even differentials are needed! Motors can be put directly in wheel hubs.
If so desired, the motor(s) can actually convert patial breaking action (normally wasted energy, also saves on break pads) back to electricity. This saves on electrical production. Gasoline/diesel/propane/other fuel powered engine coupled to a generator/alternator, Fuel cells (using hydrogen / oxygen as fuel) directly create electricity, batteries and even super high RPM (100,000 +) flywheels (1950s technology) are all possible energy sources.
Everything I mentioned here has been accomplished to varying levels of success. Modern examples:
Toyota Prius
Toyota RAV4-EV
Honda EV+
Honda Insight
Even GM made a prototype with electric motors in the wheels but it was squashed by the petrol companies.
Please remember electric cars are cheaper to run and require much less maintenance, and are mechanically simple. Electric cars were way ahead of gasoline powered cars before the invention of the corroborator.
Anyone with basic electrical and mechanical skills can fix one. A multi-meter, $500 battery amp tester (if lead/acid batteries are used), torque wrench are the most sophisticated tools needed to fix the majority of the pure electric car problems.
This gets petrol companies very worried due to the extreme loss of revenue through fuel and lubrication sales. Car companies don’t really like electric cars because of the lower repair costs and much fewer parts are needed to repair them. Please remember that motors are largely generic so outside suppiers are now possible.
It has been proven that solar panels can recharge the battery operated cars to at least to some degree while at work.
Electric cars do not use any electricity at all while stopped. Petrol/fuel cell/solar panels can use this idle time to recharge the batteries.
To those that say “Electric cars can’t perform anywhere as well as gas or diesel engines can”…
You are WRONG!!! WRONG!!! WRONG!!!
Diesel locomotives are actively using diesel to generate electricity to power electric motors. They haul serious ass, 80 MPH+ with multi-hundred thousands of tons loads!
Can’t do that with a plain gasoline engine!
June 13th, 2007
kind looks like a ferrari, but anyways very very nice
November 26th, 2007
smell
smell
December 19th, 2007
very nice car wish I could still drive one if I could afford one
I am 78 and still getting speeding tickets
February 2nd, 2008
lingerie
lingerie
February 2nd, 2008
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