The Tesla Roadster
The Tesla Roadster looks similar to a Lotus Elise, which is no surprise because the Norfolk company was closely involved with the development of the electric sports car and assembles it for the American parent company.
Tesla Motors is currently the world’s only company selling production electric supercars. Lotus’ involvement means that the car is endowed with the sort of superb handling we’ve come to expect from the legacy of Colin Chapman, while the high-tech lithium-ion batteries ensure swift charging and lively performance, and are said to last up to 100,000 miles.
The car uses a single, mid-mounted AC induction motor that drives the rear wheels via a single-speed gearbox – it doesn’t need a range of gear ratios, as the motor can generate maximum power over a range of revs.
It may hot be cheap at over £80,000 but the Tesla has set the benchmark for electric vehicles.
The Statistics
Length: 3.95m
Width: 1.85m
Height: 1.13m
Kerb weight: 1,238kg
Drive: Mid-mounted AC induction air-cooled motor with single-speed fixed gear transmission.
Peak power: 288bhp
Torque: 400Nm
Safety: Anti-lock brakes, traction control, airbags
Top Speed: 126mph (limited)
0-60mph: 3.7seconds
Battery: Microprocessor-controlled lithium-ion battery with 6,831 individual cells.
Charging time: 3.5 hours
Range: 244 miles
Prototype/production: In production, sold in USA and UK