The 2011 Chevy Volt has been getting the lion’s share of news on the EV front, but it could be jostling for attention in late 2010 with an all-EV sedan from Tesla. Tesla has secured $100 million in private equity and another $150 million in loan guarantees from the federal government to build a new factory in San Jose, CA. The company on Wednesday announced that the facility would build the $60,000 Model S sedan, which was originally dubbed Whitestar. The new Tesla plant will be able to produce 11,000 Model S sedans per year by the end of 2011, giving customers a much more mainstream EV entry than the $100,000 Tesla Roadster.
We haven’t heard too much about the Model S sedan, but earlier in the year Tesla co-founder Elan Musk said there could be a fully functioning prototype and a finalized design by the end of 2008. We’re with you in hoping it looks as good as the Tesla Roadster while providing similar range in a more family-friendly package.
The Tesla Roadster is like the gorgeous girlfriend that loves football, tunes a hotrod in her spare time, and doesn’t believe in celebrating anniversaries and birthdays. The Roadster is a beautiful car, it runs on exhaust-free plug power, and it’s already primed for more power. A Norwegian specialty car importer is quoting the Euro Tesla’s power at or over 300 hp, with a 13,000 rpm redline and a single speed transmission.
Our man Sam tells us that the above is likely to come courtesy of drivetrain 1.5, which will be available later in the Tesla’s production run. The revised gearbox drops a gear, adds an upgraded power electronics module, and provides better cooling. It seems the hype machine that is the Tesla Roadster is beginning to heat up, and more power will only make us want the green little drop-top more.
Nary two months after the Tesla Roadster finally hit production, the automaker’s first dealership has swung its doors wide open. Not surprisingly, the establishment is planted in gridlock heaven, better known as Los Angeles, California. Even less shocking is the fact that it opened at one of the busiest intersections in the city — near the practically useless (we kid… sort of) 405 freeway and the always-packed corner of Santa Monica and Sepulveda boulevards. Of course, the 10,000-square-foot dealership isn’t exactly rolling cars off of the showroom floor just yet (something about a lingering transmission issue), but it’s hoping the $2 million cost of construction more than pays itself off in a couple of years. And if you’re hankering for a Telsa Motors store near you, you can look forward to others popping up in Menlo Park (CA), New York, Miami, Seattle and Chicago in the next year or so.
Earlier today we reported that Tesla Motors appaears to have discovered a solution for the transmission troubles that have delayed production of the Roadster so far. The California-based all-electric automaker has now confirmed to Inside Line that it will begin production of its first batch of roadsters on March 17, though they’ll be fitted with temporary two-speed single-speed transmissions and retrofitted later with what the company calls DriveTrain 1.5. Production of the EV Roadster, however, will take a while to gear up: initially the company will build just one vehicle per week, getting into the full swing of 40 cars per week by the end of the year.
Observers also recently noticed a banner reading “Coming Spring 2008″ that was hanging in front of Tesla’s dealership in Los Angeles has disappeared. With Tesla Motors being so much in the spotlight, some speculated that the Roadsters arrival had been delayed again. The company’s spokesman, Joe Powers, has revealed that the banner merely blew off and hasn’t been re-hung yet. It just goes to show how interested and impatient people are for the Tesla Roadster to finally arrive.
Click on the thumbnails below to view images from AutoblogGreen’s ride-along in the Tesla Roadster.
Most people are lucky to experience one life-affirming moment while they’re on this earth; I experienced mine last week. AutoblogGreen’s Sam Abuelsamid called to ask if I was interested in accompanying him on his exclusive First Drive of the Tesla Roadster. Aside from the company’s own employees, only a few customers and the major automotive print publications have driven the Tesla Roadster so far. But you won’t have to check your mailbox or drop $4.95 at Barnes and Noble to read about what it’s like to drive this truly revolutionary vehicle. Follow the jump for our full road test (with video!) and check out the gallery of amazing images below.
UPDATE: Due to popular demand, we’ve included a video of the Tesla making a few passes without any music or voice over so you can get a sense of how quiet the EV is at speed.
We stopped at one of the few turnoffs on Skyline to take some photos and throw the cloth top on the Tesla (the same routine required by Elise owners), and we proceeded to head north. After a few more miles, Sam pulled off in front of a ranchette’s white picket fence. We approached the driver’s side of the Roadster and rolled down the window to see what the unscheduled stop was all about. “You ready to drive it?” It didn’t take long for me to contort myself into the tight confines of the Tesla.First reaction: My God, I’m in a Lotus. No surprise considering that the Tesla is built along side the Elise at the Hethel production facility. The MOMO steering wheel, seats and dash are all carryovers from the donor car, but the carbon fiber transmission tunnel, carpeting and gauge cluster are all specific to the Tesla. And about that gauge cluster… A 13,500 rpm redline causes a grin reminiscent of Jack Nicholson, post-chemical plant explosion. Below the tach is an LCD readout that gives total miles, battery charge level and a range display, while above my left knee is a small touch screen that provides a variety of auxiliary information, including quick facts about the 990-pound battery mounted behind my back.
The carbon fiber tunnel bisecting the cabin is one of many parts replaced with the exotic weave, and houses the HVAC knobs, traction control switch, gear selector and buttons for the heated seats. That last one surprised us in a vehicle that’s obviously trying to keep off the pounds, but upon further questioning it was revealed that the amount of power necessary to heat the seats was a pittance compared to the energy required to keep the entire passenger compartment comfortable. Effieciency is top priority at Tesla.
Shifting into the one and only gear without pushing in a clutch is an off-putting task for someone who’s spent a fair amount of time in an Elise. This particular car has the original XTrac two speed gear-box with first gear locked out, allowing it to simulate the behavior that can be expected from the single-speed units that will be used for early production cars starting March 17. After easing onto the throttle and pulling off the gravel-strewn turnout, everything was exactly as I remembered it in the Elise. Steering feel is still some of the best you’ll ever experience, with an unboosted rack pulled straight from Lotus. It’s direct and rewarding, providing plenty of information from initial input to lock. But we’ve experienced steering like this before, so the question is: how does it go?
Quick.
Laying into the long pedal from a rolling start elicits instant acceleration on par with only a handful of exotics, but without any of the aural drama. The horizon comes towards you with authority, but the only sound is a faint whir that’s quickly drowned out by tire and wind noise. Despite the electric motor’s 248 hp and 200 lb.-ft. of torque, things begin to fall flat around 6,000 rpm – something of a disappointment since we were looking forward to revving the electric motor into the stratosphere. But that would have been totally unnecessary. The chosen road provided a number of straights that would easily put our license at risk, and undulating corners offered in a variety of angles quickly snubbed them out.Handling those twists in the Tesla is an absolute joy, but again, no surprise considering the vehicle on which it’s based. Turning into a corner at speed is predictable, with a faint amount of understeer that’s slightly more than in the shorter (by six inches) and lighter (by around 700 pounds) Lotus Elise. Thankfully, Tesla’s engineers mounted that massive battery pack against the firewall in the engine compartment, placing the majority of the weight in the middle of the car.
The Roadster maintains a lot of the Elise’s chuckability, however, the softer suspension partnered with the extra pounds makes it a bit more nervous at the limit – and the wet roads on our drive didn’t help. But the overall feel is one of planted purposefulness, with an engaging helm and an absolutely inspiring power delivery.The drive was short, but it provided enough proof that this startup from San Carlos is well on its way to making motoring history. Early adopters who laid down the $98,000 cost of entry are expected to begin taking delivery of their own Roadsters March 17 and according to the chaperones during our drive, Tesla is heading out to Laguna Seca to test the Tesla’s prowess on the track. We’re looking forward to hearing how it fares and are even more curious about what the future holds for both Tesla and the industry it’s helping to shape.
NOTE: Our 80-90 mile drive in the Tesla involved a lot of hard accelerating on a variety of roads. After driving the Roadster for two to three hours, when we made our way back to the shop, the EV still had about 30-percent of its battery life left.
A few days later we arrived at Tesla’s R&D facility in San Carlos and were escorted to the back of the building where a half dozen Roadsters were parked and perched throughout the garage. Our silver tester for the day, Validation Prototype 10 (VP10), was near the corrugated rollup door, soft-top removed, lying in wait. After a series of impromptu photos and a few introductions, Sam got behind the wheel with a Tesla exec riding shotgun and we made our way back to the Audi R8 we were driving to follow the all-electric coupe through the crowded streets of the South Bay burb.
Thankfully, the monsoon that had been plaguing Northern California let up for a few hours and allowed Sam to wring out the Tesla on his way up to the Peninsula’s crown jewel of motoring bliss: Skyline Blvd. Sweeping corners and dramatic elevation changes make up the 26-mile route that Tesla’s PR people deemed worthy of the Roadster’s time. The only concern on our part – and probably Tesla’s – was that the prototype’s Yokohama Advan Neova AD07 summer tires (sized 175/55R16 up front and 225/45R17 out back) might be ill suited for the damp tarmac. Sam put this concern to rest within the first half mile, laying into the throttle on the straights and braking late into some of the tighter bends without drama. Chasing the Tesla in Audi’s V8-powered super coupe turned into an exercise of anticipation. Knowing the limits of Quattro and the R8’s traction control system, it was obvious that I was able to power out of the corners with a bit more ease, but as soon as Mr. A slammed down on the throttle in the EV, it took a few seconds for the R8 to catch up to the Tesla’s silver bumper. Less than 3,000 pounds (2,690 unoccupied) and 200 lb.-ft. of torque at zero rpm can do that. Read
Most people are lucky to experience one life-affirming moment while they’re on this earth; I experienced mine last week. AutoblogGreen’s Sam Abuelsamid called to ask if I was interested in accompanying him on his exclusive First Drive of the Tesla Roadster. Aside from the company’s own employees, only a few customers and the major automotive print publications have driven the Tesla Roadster so far. But you won’t have to check your mailbox or drop $4.95 at Barnes and Noble to read about what it’s like to drive this truly revolutionary vehicle. Follow the jump for our full road test (with video!) and check out the gallery of amazing images below.
UPDATE: Due to popular demand, we’ve included a video of the Tesla making a few passes without any music or voice over so you can get a sense of how quiet the EV is at speed.
We stopped at one of the few turnoffs on Skyline to take some photos and throw the cloth top on the Tesla (the same routine required by Elise owners), and we proceeded to head north. After a few more miles, Sam pulled off in front of a ranchette’s white picket fence. We approached the driver’s side of the Roadster and rolled down the window to see what the unscheduled stop was all about. “You ready to drive it?” It didn’t take long for me to contort myself into the tight confines of the Tesla.First reaction: My God, I’m in a Lotus. No surprise considering that the Tesla is built along side the Elise at the Hethel production facility. The MOMO steering wheel, seats and dash are all carryovers from the donor car, but the carbon fiber transmission tunnel, carpeting and gauge cluster are all specific to the Tesla. And about that gauge cluster… A 13,500 rpm redline causes a grin reminiscent of Jack Nicholson, post-chemical plant explosion. Below the tach is an LCD readout that gives total miles, battery charge level and a range display, while above my left knee is a small touch screen that provides a variety of auxiliary information, including quick facts about the 990-pound battery mounted behind my back.
The carbon fiber tunnel bisecting the cabin is one of many parts replaced with the exotic weave, and houses the HVAC knobs, traction control switch, gear selector and buttons for the heated seats. That last one surprised us in a vehicle that’s obviously trying to keep off the pounds, but upon further questioning it was revealed that the amount of power necessary to heat the seats was a pittance compared to the energy required to keep the entire passenger compartment comfortable. Effieciency is top priority at Tesla.
Shifting into the one and only gear without pushing in a clutch is an off-putting task for someone who’s spent a fair amount of time in an Elise. This particular car has the original XTrac two speed gear-box with first gear locked out, allowing it to simulate the behavior that can be expected from the single-speed units that will be used for early production cars starting March 17. After easing onto the throttle and pulling off the gravel-strewn turnout, everything was exactly as I remembered it in the Elise. Steering feel is still some of the best you’ll ever experience, with an unboosted rack pulled straight from Lotus. It’s direct and rewarding, providing plenty of information from initial input to lock. But we’ve experienced steering like this before, so the question is: how does it go?
Quick.
Laying into the long pedal from a rolling start elicits instant acceleration on par with only a handful of exotics, but without any of the aural drama. The horizon comes towards you with authority, but the only sound is a faint whir that’s quickly drowned out by tire and wind noise. Despite the electric motor’s 248 hp and 200 lb.-ft. of torque, things begin to fall flat around 6,000 rpm – something of a disappointment since we were looking forward to revving the electric motor into the stratosphere. But that would have been totally unnecessary. The chosen road provided a number of straights that would easily put our license at risk, and undulating corners offered in a variety of angles quickly snubbed them out.Handling those twists in the Tesla is an absolute joy, but again, no surprise considering the vehicle on which it’s based. Turning into a corner at speed is predictable, with a faint amount of understeer that’s slightly more than in the shorter (by six inches) and lighter (by around 700 pounds) Lotus Elise. Thankfully, Tesla’s engineers mounted that massive battery pack against the firewall in the engine compartment, placing the majority of the weight in the middle of the car.
The Roadster maintains a lot of the Elise’s chuckability, however, the softer suspension partnered with the extra pounds makes it a bit more nervous at the limit – and the wet roads on our drive didn’t help. But the overall feel is one of planted purposefulness, with an engaging helm and an absolutely inspiring power delivery.The drive was short, but it provided enough proof that this startup from San Carlos is well on its way to making motoring history. Early adopters who laid down the $98,000 cost of entry are expected to begin taking delivery of their own Roadsters March 17 and according to the chaperones during our drive, Tesla is heading out to Laguna Seca to test the Tesla’s prowess on the track. We’re looking forward to hearing how it fares and are even more curious about what the future holds for both Tesla and the industry it’s helping to shape.
NOTE: Our 80-90 mile drive in the Tesla involved a lot of hard accelerating on a variety of roads. After driving the Roadster for two to three hours, when we made our way back to the shop, the EV still had about 30-percent of its battery life left.
A few days later we arrived at Tesla’s R&D facility in San Carlos and were escorted to the back of the building where a half dozen Roadsters were parked and perched throughout the garage. Our silver tester for the day, Validation Prototype 10 (VP10), was near the corrugated rollup door, soft-top removed, lying in wait. After a series of impromptu photos and a few introductions, Sam got behind the wheel with a Tesla exec riding shotgun and we made our way back to the Audi R8 we were driving to follow the all-electric coupe through the crowded streets of the South Bay burb.
Thankfully, the monsoon that had been plaguing Northern California let up for a few hours and allowed Sam to wring out the Tesla on his way up to the Peninsula’s crown jewel of motoring bliss: Skyline Blvd. Sweeping corners and dramatic elevation changes make up the 26-mile route that Tesla’s PR people deemed worthy of the Roadster’s time. The only concern on our part – and probably Tesla’s – was that the prototype’s Yokohama Advan Neova AD07 summer tires (sized 175/55R16 up front and 225/45R17 out back) might be ill suited for the damp tarmac. Sam put this concern to rest within the first half mile, laying into the throttle on the straights and braking late into some of the tighter bends without drama. Chasing the Tesla in Audi’s V8-powered super coupe turned into an exercise of anticipation. Knowing the limits of Quattro and the R8’s traction control system, it was obvious that I was able to power out of the corners with a bit more ease, but as soon as Mr. A slammed down on the throttle in the EV, it took a few seconds for the R8 to catch up to the Tesla’s silver bumper. Less than 3,000 pounds (2,690 unoccupied) and 200 lb.-ft. of torque at zero rpm can do that. Read
One thing that’s been called into question is whether or not the Tesla Roadster will make a viable track day vehicle, but until now, there was one major hurdle for Tesla’s engineers to overcome: cooling. The motor currently equipped in the Roadster is air-cooled, which wouldn’t hold up to the rigors of track duty. But Tesla is working on a liquid-cooled version that wouldn’t cause the power electronics module (PEM) to default into limp-home mode and subsequently cut power if heat became an issue.
The possibility of a track-ready version is now officially in the cards. By utilizing the new liquid-cooled motor and removing about half of the batteries found in the standard Roadster, Tesla is considering releasing a variant called the Roadster 120, with the number referring to the projected range. Nixing around 500 pounds from the curb weight is going to do wonders for acceleration and handling, while simultaneously reducing the load on the motor.
Naturally, none of this is going to come to fruition until Tesla starts cranking out the “standard” version on March 17th, but when we talked to a few Tesla execs while evaluating the Roadster, they mentioned that their car was trying to appeal to two types of individuals: people who are only interested in EVs and don’t care about performance, and drivers looking for a quick, engaging coupe that just happens to be electrically powered to boot. A track-friendly version would be of particular appeal to the latter and we can’t wait to give it a go around one of the great tracks within driving distance of Tesla’s South Bay facilities.
Yesterday the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration approved a waiver for Tesla Motors so that its all-electric Roadster could be sold in the U.S. despite not meeting advanced federal air bag requirements. Of note, however, are some comments made by the NHTSA when the waiver was granted. The organization gave Tesla Motors the pass because it did try to meet the government’s advanced air bag standards and the Roadster will, of course, have airbags, but also because the, “public interest is served by encouraging the development of fuel-efficient and alternative-fueled vehicles.”
While the NHTSA may want to come off as the benevolent bureaucracy that’s promoting the future of motoring by granting this waiver, the truth is that a number of automakers have received the same free pass for their high-end, low volume supercars, including Ferrari, Bugatti and even Lotus for the Elise on which the Tesla Roadster is based. Ferraris and Bugattis are hardly examples of “fuel-efficient and alternative-fueled vehicles”, and if the Elise was granted a waiver for its airbags, there’s no reason to withhold it from the closely related Tesla Roadster. It is true that if Tesla Motors wasn’t granted the waiver, it would not be able to deliver the first sold out batch of 2008 Roadsters in the U.S. and development of its next vehicle, the all-electric White Star sedan, would be cancelled. But we think the waiver was a pretty safe bet all along. Thanks to everyone who sent in this tip! [Source: Kansas.com via Engadget]
Birthing a car is always difficult, and Tesla has seen its share of problems. The biggest hurdle to getting its all-EV Roadsters in customers’ garages has been the transmission. Initially the company wanted to have a two-speed unit, but the unit from its first supplier, X-Trac, wasn’t durable enough. Tesla then contracted Magna to help build a tranny, before a final try at designing its own transmission also ended abortively. In the end, to get cars rolling out the door, changes were made to the motor so that a single-speed transmission could be fitted.
Magna doesn’t seem upset that it was just a stepping stone – that’s business. What the company would like, however, is to get paid for the work it performed. Magna is also telling Tesla “told you so” by claiming to have suggested a single-speed unit back in 2006. To recover its $5.6 million, Magna has filed suit in San Mateo to force the issue, which coincidentally comes not long after Tesla filed suit against Fisker, which it initially hired to designs its next product, the WhiteStar sedan. What goes around comes around, we guess. The legal wranglings haven’t yet made a dent in Tesla’s operations, but Magna’s lawsuit could bolster the case of frustrated buyers who have yet to receive their cars, should those customers decide to also take to the courts.
