Last night Tesla Motors unveiled their uber-chic Roadster, a powerful electric vehicle that looks, feels and drives like many other high-end sports cars. The main difference is the noise. Powered by a 3-phase, 4-pole AC induction motor, the Roadster can go 130 mph and does 0-60 in about 4 seconds, all completely silent.
Tonight was the grand unveiling of the Roadster in a decorated airport hangar in Santa Monica, CA. I don't ride in many sports cars, and I certainly have never been in one that zips across an airport's tarmac without so much as a whisper. But tonight I got a quick ride in the Roadster and all I could hear from the passenger's seat (not even Gov. Schwarzenegger, who flew in for a brief look at the car, was allowed to drive it) was wind noise. And myself saying "Wow" under my breath.
Click on any image to enlarge.
Check out the rest of Sebastian's report, a gallery of LIVE and OFFICIAL pics, and Tesla's press release with full specs after the jump.
[Source: Tesla Motors - check out the site now!]
The car is low to the ground, and smooth in all possible ways. But this vehicle isn't just a sports car. It's also a green car. There are zero tailpipe emissions. There isn't even a tailpipe. Tesla Motors is working to provide purchasers with a photovoltaic panel that will turn the driving experience into an actual net producer of energy, according to Tesla Motors chairman Elon Musk.
Tonight's unveiling was also an invitation to purchase the Roadster when it is released in mid-2007 (for about $80,000-$120,000). The company is offering the first 100 Tesla Roadsters as Signature models. Musk said that the people who buy the Signature cars will not only be getting an incredible sports car, but will be helping to pay the R&D costs for future Tesla Motor vehicles. And that's what tonight was really about: the future. Gadget, an L.A.-based mechanic who converts ICE cars to EV and was seen in the movie "Who Killed The Electric Car?", and that film's director Chris Paine, were right behind me in line for the test ride. Earlier in the evening, Tesla Motors CEO Martin Eberhard said that, "An electric sports car was the way to fundamentally change the way we drive in the USA." Gadget and Paine agreed – although Gadget is convinced his conversion process is going to be more effective than $100,000 sports cars in getting EVs onto the streets – and after seeing what is possible with an EV, I have to admit there is pretty much endless possibility out there in electric motor land.
Lastly, there have been a lot of rumors floating around about the Roadster's specs, and tonight Tesla Motors finally let us know exactly what the deal is. Some of the rumors are true: the car can go 250 miles or so on a single charge (thanks in part to regenerative breaking that charges the AC motor) and will have all of the crash test ratings and safety features (airbags, GPS) when it is released. You can read the entire spec sheet and press release after the jump and at the Tesla Motor's website.
TESLA MOTORS HOSTS WORLD DEBUT OF TESLA ROADSTER
OFFERING PERFORMANCE, STYLE & EFFICIENCY- WITH A CONSCIENCE
Silicon Valley Manufacturer Unveils Sleek, Clean and Fast
Performance Electric Vehicle Before Crowd of Well-Wishers
SAN CARLOS, Calif. – (July 19, 2006) – The first performance electric car manufactured by Tesla Motors, the high-performance, zero-emissions Tesla Roadster, was unveiled before a throng of well-wishers, car buffs, and potential customers Wednesday evening during Tesla's "Signature One Hundred" event at Barker Hangar.
More than 350 invited guests spent the evening learning about the new sports car, speaking with Tesla Motors executives, and going for rides along the tarmac at the Santa Monica Airport, adjacent to the event. Many signed up to be among the first to take delivery of the Tesla Roadster, becoming Signature One Hundred Members.
Celebrities in attendance included actor Ed Begley Jr., producer Richard Donner, businessman Michael Eisner, PayPal founder (and Tesla Motors Chairman) Elon Musk, Participant Productions' Founder and CEO Jeff Skoll, also of eBay fame, and actor Bradley Whitford, who starred in "The West Wing."
"We're thrilled to have the support of top people from so many different industries," said Martin Eberhard, CEO of Tesla Motors. "High-tech, CleanTech, entertainment, automotive, you name it. It's gratifying to have others realize the significance or what Tesla Motors is doing."
The electric-powered Tesla Roadster boasts a top speed of more than 130 mph and a range of 250 miles on a single charge, a combination heretofore unseen in a mass-produced electric vehicle. Its extended range is due to its state-of-the-art lithium-ion Energy Storage System. The Tesla Roadster is capable of accelerating from 0-60 mph in about four seconds.
"The Tesla Roadster delivers sports car performance without using any gasoline," said Eberhard. "This is what we hoped to achieve when we started the company three years ago, to build a car with zero emissions that people would love to drive."
Using a unique two-speed manual transmission, the Tesla Roadster's power comes from a 3-phase, 4-pole AC induction motor coupled with the Power Electronics Module (PEM) which provides multiple functionality of inverting direct current to 3-phase alternating current, the charging system, and the regenerative braking system.
The Roadster's Energy Storage System (ESS) provides power to the entire vehicle, including the motor. Its durable, tamper-resistant enclosure includes: 6,831 lithium-ion cells; a network of microprocessors for maintaining charge balance and temperature among the batteries; a cooling system; and an independent safety system designed to disconnect power outside the enclosure under a variety of detectable safety situations.
The Tesla Roadster comes complete with its Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (EVSE), a home-based charging system. An optional mobile charging kit, for re-charging while away from the EVSE, also features this automatic disconnect system. Charging the Tesla Roadster takes approximately 3.5 hours.
The Tesla Roadster is capable of driving up to 250 miles (EPA Highway) on a single charge, a range roughly triple that of previous mass-produced electric vehicles, like General Motors' EV1.
"It didn't make sense to sell a car that couldn't go 90 miles on a charge. You'd spend more time charging the old EVs than driving them," said Eberhard. "Lithium-ion technology, which has been proven in many different applications, has allowed us to achieve exactly what we thought it would in terms of power, range and efficiency."
The body design of the Tesla Roadster, which included a collaborative effort by the company's employees, has been headed by Barney Hatt, Principal Designer at the Lotus Design Studio in England. The result is a sleek, stylish sports car that will appeal to enthusiasts and environmentalists the world over.
Tesla designers and engineers have gone to great lengths to ensure that not only is the Tesla Roadster safe to drive, but also when charging the performance electric car, at home or on the road. Their goal is to not only meet, but to surpass the rigorous standards of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, or FMVSS, as implemented by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Tesla co-founders Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, who serves as Vice President, Engineering, have brought together a team of automotive industry veterans plus Silicon Valley electronics and Internet engineers to bring the Tesla Roadster to life.
Research and Development for Tesla Motors is based at the Corporate Headquarters in San Carlos, Calif. Engines are manufactured at Tesla's facility in Taiwan, and assembly takes place at Tesla's plant in England.
Eberhard and Tarpenning provided the early funding for the company, and were joined in 2003 by Musk, CEO of SpaceX, who is the major investor in the company and serves as Chairman of Tesla Motors.
Musk worked with Eberhard and Tarpenning to attract more investors and approach Venture Capital firms, and in June 2006, Tesla Motors announced that the company had secured and additional $40 million in financing led by Musk and VantagePoint Venture Partners, one of the largest CleanTech investors in the Silicon Valley.
Deliveries of the Tesla Roadster are expected to begin next summer.
About Tesla Motors
Tesla Motors was founded in July 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning to create efficient electric cars for people who love to drive. The Chairman of Tesla Motors, a privately held company, is Elon Musk, who has lead or co-led all three rounds of investment resulting in $60 million in funding. Mr. Musk has been instrumental in both corporate and product development at Tesla Motors.
The company currently employs 70 people, including teams in California, the U.K. and Taiwan. The background and experience of Tesla's employees mirrors the vehicle itself, drawing from diverse expertise in the electronics, automotive and Internet industries.
Tesla Motors creates vehicles that conform to all U.S. safety, environmental and durability standards. Tesla's cars include modern safety equipment such as airbags, front crumple zones, side impact protection, and 2½ mph bumpers. Tesla will sell cars in the U.S. only when they pass the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS).
For more information, visit www.teslamotors.com
Motor:
* 3-phase, 4-pole AC induction motor
* 13,500 rpm maximum
* Max Net Power: 185 kW
* Max Torque: 180 lb-ft
* Top speed: over 130 mph
Performance
* 0-60 mph: around four seconds
* 0-100 mph: under 11 seconds
* Range: 200-250 miles per charge (estimated)
* Home-based charging system (EVSE) with integral safety features
Transmission:
* 2 forward speeds + reverse (by reversing the motor)
* 1st gear: 4.20:1
* 2nd gear: 2.17:1
* Reverse by reversing the motor (speed electronically limited)
* Final drive: 3.41:1
Exterior:
* Body: Carbon fiber
* Unique headlamp assemblies using proprietary HID low-beam and halogen high-beam lamp units
* LED taillights, marker lights and direction indicator lights
* Length: 155.4 / 3946 (in/mm)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
aaron @ Jul 20th 2006 4:14AM
dont get me wrong, i just had to wipe the drool off my mouth, but i cant get over the gps screen being off near the driver door, seemingly blocked by the drivers legs?? this is truly and amazing car in lots of ways, besides the drivetrain. I think this car is worth it on looks alone which i consider to be better then that of its lotus cousin.
i.Van @ Jul 20th 2006 4:28AM
Since first time i heard about this project i was very thrilled by an idea of having an electric sports car. Now when it is shown at the premiere i was completly blown away.
Like the performance, i can bet that it will be popular among street racers with such an acceleration.
Can't wait to read independent review.
Exceptionally well done job Tesla Motors.
The other Bob @ Jul 20th 2006 4:42AM
Its funny this thing will cost $80,000 to $120,000. It has been reported that it cost GM about $80,000 to build each copy of the EV1, causing them to lose at least $50,000 on each copy. (since they were lease only cars, they probably lost more)
It will be interesting to see if all these freaks who are mad at GM for not continuing to build a money-losing car will pony up the $80,000 bucks to buy one of these. It's my feeling that they only want an electric car if its subsidized by someone else. Most everyone believes that Toyota loses money on every Prius too. It would be interesting to see what would happen if car companies charged the true cost of the cars (like Tesla is doing)instead of the enviros getting their rides subsidized by the manufacturers and by tax deductions.
sp @ Jul 20th 2006 4:54AM
well, this is an sports car with 0-60 in 4 secs.
It is also based of Lotus Elise, so it seems, even though nobody is mentioning it... And lotus is even building it...
aaron @ Jul 20th 2006 5:06AM
one other major problem....batteries.... they dont last very long and 6800 of them are not cheap to replace. i dont see a spec anywhere on how long they last for. wont alot of angry drivers will have dead cars in a year or two?
julian @ Jul 20th 2006 5:43AM
even if tesla is a rather lame name the roadster should at least drive well if according to #3 it is based on a mk2 lotus elise (which is pretty obvious at first glance though not as good looking). you never know, it cold become the mx-5 of electric cars
AES @ Jul 20th 2006 6:02AM
aaron - read the article. A range of 250 miles on a single battery charge is a major improvement for electric vehicles, which in the past have been limited to around 100 miles.
that being said, there are a lot of proprietary battery technologies being developed that could help improve future electric vehicles, most notably in terms of charge time. Toshiba, Altair Nanotech, and A123 are all developing fast charge lithium batteries. (Some or all of these are lithium polymer systems, as opposed to traditional liquid electrolyte. I'm not sure groups are doing what).
ALSO, having the decency and common sense to include a two-speed transmission so the car can get past 100mph is another kind act by the folks at Tesla.
Abby @ Jul 20th 2006 6:03AM
I have been waiting for this chic to come out like I have never waited for anything.
Ask me, for looks,I give it 10/10, all hands down. Love the sleeky sport's car look and yeh the red suits it better than the black.
For battery life however there are issues, 250 miles that's about 400 km on a single battery charge! Not too good for long distance travels, or is it ?
The fact that you mentioned of it being a green car is noteworthy. I wonder how it would feel to have a car without a tail pipe.
I just did a lookup for the car on Wiki and it seems the CEO's name over there is mentioned as 'Mark Eberhard' whereas the press release names him as 'Martin Eberhard' ...
Anyways ...0-60 in 4 secs is good ... The Looks rock ...
I want this babe :)
Dave @ Jul 20th 2006 6:38AM
I'm quite astonished by the unveiling of the Tesla Roadster. Simply put, this car has the ability to change the automotive industry if it becomes a success!
If you read the Wired magazine article, you'll find that the company was founded by persons specializing in engineering, internet, and technologies; rather than automobile specialists! Tesla's website notes that cars will be sold directly through the website (with available test drives in certain locations).
From a business standpoint, I like Tesla's plan. I only worry about the $100k pricetag, but taking into consideration the production of such high-end sports cars as the Porsche Carrera GT (I saw one of those in Newport Beach, CA a few months back), the Ferrari Enzo, and the Bugatti Veyron - there might be enough rich persons out there willing to take a risk on a "futuristic sports car."
On a personal note, a friend of mine recently purchased a new sports car this week, featuring over 300hp. When he told me he had purchased it, I was really quite in awe, as I drive an economical car and rarely talk or even hear about fast cars. Now taking into consideration the potential for success in the future of the Tesla Roadster and its unbelievable accelration and high top-speed, it makes me wonder how far technology will push automobiles in the years to come.
Just look at the Governor's face while he sits idly as a passenger. Even a movie actor, a Hummer owner, and a Governor would appreciate a low-emission, technologically advanced, sports car.
--
A supporter of Tesla
Shame @ Jul 20th 2006 6:53AM
Can't find a weight on Tesla's web site, as I'm curious how much more it weighs than an Elise. Those lithium batteries can't be cheap, and that 3.5hr full charge time probably requires a 220V unit. Lotus had a prototype aluminum space-frame MPV a few months ago, adaptable to FWD, RWD, AWD. Will this be Tesla's next vehicle?
I was thinking that Tesla & Wrightspeed are adapting lightweight MR (or RR) chassis production vehicles with their EV powertrains. There are several more vehicles out there, such as the Toyota MR2, Smart fortwo, Mitusbishi i, that you could start with a cheap platform and then put 5 figures worth of batteries & powertrain into, resulting vehicle being cheaper than the Tesla although not by all that much. Mitsubishi i would give you a practical 4 passenger vehicle, although the cost would probably be over $50k once converted.
ryan beekman @ Jul 20th 2006 7:11AM
wow, they did a great job of making a perfectly good looking car hideous.
RacetrackOwner @ Jul 20th 2006 7:21AM
Come on, Autoblog... "unveiled their uber-chic Roadster, a supercharged electric vehicle"... tip: the word "supercharged" has a specific meaning in the automotive world. You can't even get hyperbole right. Or was this supposed to be a pun?
More relevantly: has anyone seen anything about recharge times and battery life on this thing?
$80K may be a fair price, but it's a LOT for a sportscar with such an embarassingly low top-end. Hell, before the population increased around here, I used to drive to work at 130 MPH each morning.
RacetrackOwner @ Jul 20th 2006 7:22AM
sp -- The Lotus connection was not only "mentioned," it is fully explained in another Autoblog entry posted at 11PM last night, here:
http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/19/tesla-roadster-pics-are-out-there/
AES @ Jul 20th 2006 7:30AM
Charge time is mentioned as being around 3.5 hours at 240V. That was in the New York times. At 110 volts it would take a lot longer, obviously.
I'm excited about this product but I really hope future versions incorporate faster charging batteries. Any thought on lithium polymer cell development, Martin, in case you're reading? :P
ZipperSeven @ Jul 20th 2006 7:52AM
It's a great looking car.
The numbers show it to be a great performing car.
Couple that with the fact that it's all electric, and it's a great overall concept. The only thing that will be missing will be a great 'performance sound.'
I hope these sell like hotcakes, I wish the best for the Tesla team.
Yeah, right! @ Jul 20th 2006 8:17AM
$60 million in funding to put an electric motor in a Lotus Elise?
The review calls the guy "a modern day Preston Tucker." How appropriate! And it will be just as successful.
You guys are smoking crack if you think this car makes sense or will succeed. After Ed Begley, Jr. buys his, who will buy the next one?
CarLover @ Jul 20th 2006 8:30AM
Imagine if they could get the range up to at least 500 miles and get a major hotel/motel chain to put in recharging stations---would be nice. They could put an intelligent interface on the charger plug which communicates the VIN. You park and plug at the hotel, register in the hotel with your VIN, the charging station activates when it sees a registered VIN, they just add the KWH to you hotel bill. I've been an EV detractor, but I think I'd buy one if something like this comes along.
automatica @ Jul 20th 2006 8:37AM
CarLover that is a pretty good idea! Someone ought to contact W hotels...
Scott @ Jul 20th 2006 8:40AM
I think Aaron's question on "battery life" isn't how long the batteries will hold a charge, and how far the car can go on a single charge - it's how long the batteries THEMSELVES will last, before needing to be physically replaced. Hence the comment "6800 of them are not cheap to replace". And are there 6800 individual batteries? Or are they built in groups? (I'd imagine it's groups... 6800 individual connections would be crazy!)
It's a very important question - it's probably one of the weaker points of the car, maintenance-cost-wise.
MikeInNC @ Jul 20th 2006 8:40AM
A fantastic first step. Can't wait to see what they come up with for a 4 passenger model in the future. I think the next giant step is super capacitors. Once we get there (the MIT nano-tube type on the horizon) I believe EV's will have the distance and recharge time issue completely beaten.