Tesla Roadster runs quarter-mile in 12.7 seconds
Just how quick is the Tesla Roadster now that it's been blessed with version 1.5 of its drivetrain? Pretty dang quick, as a recent 12.7-second blast down the quarter-mile will attest. The first powertrain that was installed in the electric car used a two-speed transmission, while the latest v1.5 needs just one speed for seamless power delivery from zero to the car's top speed. That should make the Roadster an excellent bracket car, especially considering it was able to put down such impressive numbers with a novice racer behind the wheel who posted a relatively poor .764 reaction time. Its terminal velocity was nearly 105 miles per hour, and whatever car happened to be in the lane next to the Tesla got its butt kicked by an electric car. What's this world coming to?Some of us here at Autoblog team who've actually driven the Tesla Roadster, myself included, were surprised by this quick performance, but the proof comes courtesy of a scanned time slip from California's Infineon Raceway, which you can click at right to enlarge. Thanks for the tip, JP!
[Source: Tesla]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
PiCASSO 4:38PM (11/03/2008)
12.8 seconds... if you want to take of the 2nd decimal, you need to round up, not down.
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LMBVette 4:51PM (11/03/2008)
Drag racers always keep the first tenth. 12.757 is 12.7....that's just the way it is.
Also, the Tesla is so quick specifically because it never has to shift. Even an F1 style tranny would lose a tenth in the quarter due to shifting.
James Sonne 6:39PM (11/03/2008)
Indeed, drag is different because their times are truncated, not rounded. 12.7 secs is the appropriate rendition. Thus it is a "12 second" car, as is any car that runs the quarter mile from 12.0 to 12.9 s
why not the LS2LS7? 7:53PM (11/03/2008)
Yeah, which I always thought weird since 12 seconds after it leaves the line it still isn't done racing yet.
harribert 4:39PM (11/03/2008)
good time, the driver is pitiful with such a dismal RT. the 60 foot time is also surprising as i manage 60' times of 2.2-2.3 seconds in a slightly modified volvo 240, rofl.
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imirk 4:47PM (11/03/2008)
Well the 60' time can go to 1.3 before the car has to actually go any faster, just by tightening the nut behind the wheel. Which is you know considerably better than your Volvo
Red 4:45PM (11/03/2008)
That's slower by a full second than I've seen a Tesla run and this was with the previous drivetrain and second gear lock-out.
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harribert 7:37PM (11/04/2008)
No doubt, I was just slamming on the driver :)
imirk 4:51PM (11/03/2008)
I wonder what the ZR-1 would do with the same driver on the same day?
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jv2k 6:34PM (11/03/2008)
It would probably stall.
Gomi 4:53PM (11/03/2008)
That is quick! Great to see a production electric car go that fast. 1st of many hopefully. Now if they could only do something about the sound short of doing something cheesy like adding fake gasoline engine noises.
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Geeky1 4:57PM (11/03/2008)
Pretty quick for a glorified washing machine.
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jamey 5:13PM (11/03/2008)
And it does laundry?! Electric cars truly will save us all.
In all honesty though thats one impressive machine.
dukeisduke 5:03PM (11/03/2008)
I'd like to know what was in the right lane.
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JP Dane-Castro 5:22PM (11/03/2008)
It was an Evo. http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v348/10/106/627048967/n627048967_1635252_5646.jpg
My friend Brian Kinni took these pictures, just want to give credit where credit is due.
killer 6:14PM (11/03/2008)
Reaction time has NO effect on E.T. or MPH.
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LK 7:39PM (11/03/2008)
yes it does, he could of gone faster with more time.
MONTE 7:19PM (11/03/2008)
Killer, I wanted to make sure I read all the posts before I said it, but it looks like you pretty much covered it. As for LK, don't really understand drag racing, do ya?
Tecmec 7:46PM (11/03/2008)
ET, think about it. If he waiting a full 5 minutes before gunning it, he's speed after 1/4 mile is still the same.
Tecmec 7:47PM (11/03/2008)
I meant LK, not ET....lol