Filed under: Convertibles, Coupes, Hybrids/Alternative, Etc., Green
Tesla Roadster unveiling in Santa Monica
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)
[UPDATED TO FIX TYPOS]
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 5)
skaz 1:39PM (7/20/2006)
James Sonne: It does have regenerative braking. If you scour their website they've got a lot of information on it.
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buckeyeguy 1:53PM (7/20/2006)
One of the key things that has gone unmentioned here about electric - and thus power plants - as the source of energy is when an electric car will be charged. I have to presume that a majority of the charging will occur at night when power plants have excess capacity. While I'm not very knowledgeable about how electric grids work it is my understanding that plants have to cut back production at night in order to keep from overloading the grid. But they also have to stay "hot" to quickly ramp up to full capacity in the morning. Anyone know more about this and have a better idea how a smoothing of the demand (by night charging of cars) might affect global emissions, etc. I think this information could be interesting.
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Jeff the Baptist 1:56PM (7/20/2006)
"It would be far more interesting if it was a usable, affordable electric commuter car. With, say, a top speed of 65 mph, a range of 150 miles, A/C and heat, and a price of ~$8,000-10,000."
Except that nobody drives 65 highway and while the average daily commute is 40 miles, the distribution is not normal or consistent from day to day. People don't want a car that can get them from home to work and back. They have enough sense to know that in a pinch they need to get from home to work then to the kids soccer practice and then to the grocery store and then back home. And that doesn't even touch on driving 200+ miles to grandmas for Thanksgiving.
The 100 to 150 miles might be about right for daily use but a practical cruising speed must be of at least 70 to 80 mph. I don't care about max speed, but I need to be able to drive on the highway and have power to pass at 70-75 mph. 0-60 times below ten seconds are a must too. A semi-sporty two seat commuter is a great idea. Lets build that.
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Riker 2:04PM (7/20/2006)
James (#37),
According the the white pages link posted earlier, this car does in fact use regenerative braking. It's definitely not enough to charge the batteries, but it's additional free energy, and it increases the service life of the friction brakes, as they are not as heavily relied upon.
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shadysi 2:58PM (7/20/2006)
James Sonne-
185 kilowatts = 248.089087 HP
thats closer to 250 HP, not 200. when you have such a light weight roadster.. 50 HP makes a very big difference.
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Dave 5:13PM (7/20/2006)
This thing gets the equivalent of 125 miles per gallon. The way the figure that is that if you take 2 gallons of gas hook it up to a turbine you can charge this car full for a 250 trip. Not to shabby. And power plants don't even burn gas. This doesn't even take into accont peak/ off peak energy production. If we all had electric vehicles an improvement at the power plant means an improvement for millions of cars.
Comments like #30 are just ignorant. They assume gas is somehow sprouting from the ground and into the gas station fully refined.
I just don't understand negativism twoards innovation. That kind of ludite mentality is fine for the Amish but has no place on a tech blog.
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Zak 8:51PM (7/20/2006)
I don't understand the naysayers here. Before you say "bah humbug" and dismiss it with a wave, READ THE WEBSITE. www.teslamotors.com. It specifically addresses all of the issues you have raised with the car (moving pollution elsewhere, battery life, etc). I used to think EVs were neither viable nor desireable, but this car looks to be the real deal.
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lavardera 10:29PM (7/20/2006)
This reaction is exactly why this will be disruptive to the market.
How long till ev efforts are revived at the big guys.
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JC 10:47PM (7/20/2006)
The reason why this car is fast: it does one thing that no ICE vehicle can do- deliver 100% of its power at 0RPM.
That's 250hp @zero RPM (if you're not impressed with this statistic you should Google something called ELIICA, a Japanese large sedan class prototype with 800hp and yes that's at zero RPM as well Stats:0-100mph/7sec -top speed 242mph) Anyway, it all equates to very fast acceleration. I'm sure the Tesla anti-slip launch electronics are doing their best to keep this thing from doing a dragster style burnout at a full throttle start. And as far as top speed of 130mph, you can bet that it's electronically governed.
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Sabre 1:27AM (7/21/2006)
No offense, but I think some of you folks need to read the Tesla web site and other on-line resources more thoroughly before you post questions that are already answered.
As seen elsewhere on the web: car weighs 2500 lbs right now, hoping to get the weight down a little more. Horsepower calculates at just under 250.
This is not a converted Elise, but has some Elise components and a similar chassis structure. Most parts are unique.
To Riker (posts #25 and 26): one of the stated purposes IS to help the environment -- 135 equivalent miles per gallon, from power sources which can include solar, wind, etc.
To Jim (#34): there's nothing wrong with an electric commuter car, but those exist (such as the Think), and they do nothing to shift the public's perception that electric cars are boring transportation modules for eco-weenies. One of the Tesla Roadster's purposes is to break that stereotype.
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Jeff Chan 4:09AM (7/21/2006)
Given that the cost to charge the car at PG&E E-9 rates is $2.50 for 250 miles, I doubt it would be worth it for a hotel to even bill for electricity. (How much did you pay for your last 250 miles worth of gas? I paid about $35.) The existing public EV chargers tend to be free because you can only get tens of cents worth of electricity during the hours while you shop, eat, etc., even charging at 5kW.
Electric cars are the most efficient type of car available. They're four times more energy efficient than fuel cell cars and two times more energy efficient than a Toyota Prius. That also means 1/4 to 1/2 the CO2 per mile. If you use solar cells to charge, the cost and energy payback is under 10 years, after which electricity is free and there are truly no emmissions of any kind.
Regarding batteries, Tesla is citing a 100k mile life, with the actual lifetime probably unknwon at this point. (SoCal Edison has Toyota RAV4 EVs with 150,000 miles on the original Nickel Metal Hyydride battery packs, but Lithium Ion may not be as durable.) Tesla will replace the pack when needed. The cost should be tens of K. But since battery costs keep falling and capacities keep increasing, the replacement should be less exapensive and more capacious than the original. The cost of EVs in general will fall as batteries get produced in greater numbers, and ranges will increase as capacities improve, both of which seem inevitable.
Kudos to the Tesla folks for building a quick and clean EV. Let's hope it's the start of many more.
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Crabber 12:17PM (7/21/2006)
O.K. all you wise guys & skeptics, do the research before you sound off.
1. Battery life- based on experience with existing systems is expected to be 100,000+ miles (Tesla considers this as very conservative because of their advanced battery management built into the car.)
2. Battery replacement - covered & explained @ the Tesla website)
3. Only 250 miles range - most commutes (no I don't think this is a basic commuter car) are
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Michael Hollander 1:35PM (7/21/2006)
The Tesla Roadster's batteries are estimated to have a life of 100,000 miles. The 250-mile range certainly is a limit, but so is the 350-500-mile range of a typical gasoline-powered sports car. The home charger at 220v will charge a totally dead battery in about 3.5 hours, but an overnight charge on 110v power is also easily possible.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but the photography just doesn't do the car complete justice.
A significant number of cars have already been sold of the "Signature 100," initial production run.
Remember as well that this car is still under development, so additional features/changes and the like are possible.
And I've looked, and there's no supercharger - or turbocharger - on the car .
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Richard Hilleman 5:24PM (7/21/2006)
This is Evolution. Lotus showed the predecessor almost 7 years ago, that one built with the AC Propulsion and xcite powerplants.
There are plenty of examples of this producing spectacular performance, with a glorious torque band. The Tzero and Wrightspeed's X1 have validated the model. The 2 Speed in an interesting addtion, adding top end to the approach the other guys tried.
The battery technology is also an evolution, although I'm having a hard time with the charge time.
Give the limitation of standard Residential electricity and a target of about 200Watts per mile (the which this drive trail will do at about 50mph), that means on the high side of 50kwh. To charge that, with conventional charge patterns that 80% of the charging in about 50% of the time, that is 20kwh at the battery and at 80% that seems above the 30amp 220/240 service that exists in most of america. My guess is the charge to full is more like 5 hours and the three hour number is 80% of 80%.....
I hope their business model can sustain 2-500 unit sales for a couple of years....
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eric 9:23PM (7/21/2006)
I have a slightly different view of the Tesla. In my view it stands on it's own two feet as en exciting sports roadster, regardless of the powertrain. This car is screaming fast, handles well, brakes well (0-60-0 in under 9 seconds). It is amazingly beautiful. It is "different" allowing the owner to have something faster than a Porsche and also more unique. Unlike conventional cars where professional test drivers make dozens of "runs" and practice getting just the right wheel spin and shift points until they then capture the highest 0-60 time (which is only duplicatable occasionally by these professional drivers at the ideal tempurature and altitude -- and often testers "adjust" the numbers for altitude and tempurature) -- with the Tesla my dog or my grandmother could duplicate the advertised performance each and every time -- just put your foot down and hang on. In the real world you will blow everything away every time. In the heat, cold, at altitude, and without a professional driver.
The electric part then becomes a bonus. You get to contribute to the development of electric car technology. You get the silence (which is very nice). You get the low operating cost. You get to be green and not pollute. You get to help save the world. It is a time-proven method of getting the wealthy to fund technology development.
It is not, however, for everyone. You have to be able to live with the 250 mile range (not hard for most) and the price. It won't tow a horse trailer. If you think of the price in terms of just another electric car, the price is high. If you think of it in terms of a true sports car with performance to beat Porsche and Ferrari and Corvette and Viper, it is actually competatively priced.
I believe the company has a very real chance of making it. If it does, those first 100 cars are going to be a lot more valuable than the initial sales price! As an investment it is interesting because if the company does not make it, at least you get to enjoy the car!
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Tim 10:24PM (7/21/2006)
I love the car and can appreciate all the rave, but IMO, I'd rather just have a simple honda civic that's all electric and doesn't cost more than $18k. I can live with a 250mi range so long as I could charge it quickly with 110v outlets. I'd also need a warranty that covers the batts for the term I leased it for.
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Stu Watson 11:34AM (7/22/2006)
At 3.5 hours charging time and $0.10/kwh, how much would it cost to fully charge the Tesla?
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kerry beauchrt 3:24PM (7/22/2006)
Just when you thought that anyone with enough money to build an electric car would never be stupid enough to do so, we have a guy named Eberhard, who most definitely didn't make his money understanding the automotive industry. Maybe he can convince some that his car makes some kind of environmental statement, but I seriously doubt that Eberhard could produce any kind of lifespan energy analysis for his car. In all likelihood, his car will end up producing more greenhouse gases than any gasoline engine. Tesla company statements have a scent of fraud about them,
in that claims are made without reservations; claims that are misleading at best. For example the car's driving range. He claims 250, but fails to provide any details. It's quite obvious that if the A/C is running or the car is driven aggresively, the owner won't come anywhere near 250 miles. This we know from the EV1.
I would guess 180 miles (or fewer) is far more likely
honest estimate of the car's range. The car contains 6871 batteries!!!! What do they cost? How long do they last? Will they still be available 10 years from now? The company's next effort is supposedly a $50K econobox, which will probably really cost $65K. What a scam - a car you can't even take on vacation or drive out of state. They claim 3 1/2 hours, but that's only for you folks with a 220 Volt 20 amp circuit available. With 110V expect 12 hour + recharges. They claim the car uses "clean electricty." Yeah, right, electricity that nearly always will be made from burning coal. The claim that this is a "Green car"
is just another company falsehood.
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Enric 3:33AM (10/01/2007)
The battery life is 100.000 miles.
The range may be less than 250 miles if the car is driven agresively, right. But it happens the same with gasoline cars. The main difference is that fully charging the Tesla Roadster costs about $5 ($0.02/mile, for 250 miles) but filling the tank of those gasoline sportcars can cost you 10 + times more.
Tesla Motors announced that will provide solar panels for installing in the owner's home, and they will provide enough energy for driving the car 50 daily miles. So, if you drive less than 50 miles a day, you get extra energy, which is clean, as long as the energy used by the car.
You say many negative things of this car, but can you think of a better alternative to respect the environment? Do you state it's better to keep using gasoline V8 cars with double exhaust pipes than a car with better performace which uses electric energy (provided from the sun)?
Even if the electricity for this cars was created by coal, it's always better that the pollution is there, and not in the cities, lowering the people's life and causing diseases.
George Mardikes 6:50PM (7/22/2006)
Those commenting on Toyota losing money on the Prius and other hybrids and commenting on the batteries needing replacing (I heard that bull when we bought or 2001 Prius) are plain ignorant.
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