The Tesla Roadster an Electric Car

[Zhul]

An electric car. Not a hybrid, not some hippie-designed electrovehicle that will only make it once around the block before the battery curls up its toes and begs for forgiveness... this is a serious sportscar. Check out the Tesla Motors (http://www.teslamotors.com) site for more details.

Give the site a thorough look to answer your questions. Of course it won't be available everywhere (California, New York City, Miami, and Chicago are the current opening target markets) and the current pricetag is prohibitive for anyone with less than an upper middle-class income, but if they're able to get started I'm sure we'll see more affordable designs in the future.

[BlinkunDreamlord]

It takes 3.5 hours to recharge after traveling 250 miles. That in and of itself is more than enough reason for me to pass. Doesn't hurt that I already have a hybrid either.

[Billybobtheranger]

not a bad commuter car and sunday drive car....now if its cheap that'd be the winner. However I wouldn't buy it, because I usually only make very long or very short trips.

[Gumblackwood]

It's good to see things like this, though I could never justify getting one of them. Maybe when I'm looking to buy my next car there'll be more affordable, longer running true electric cars and a wider field of hybrids and other options. Not to mention the infrastructure needed for them.

[Filan Fyretracker]

for long haul electrics we just need highways to have those things like the bumper car places and you put a big pole on the electric car!

[bulldog]

for long haul electrics we just need highways to have those things like the bumper car places and you put a big pole on the electric car!

Or big traintracks which you can drive onto :)

[Aren31]

my idea was to have the lithium-ion battery cells that run this car removable, then you have gas stations stock them, and when low on power, stop in and exchange the battery for a charged one, pay an exchange fee, then the gas station can charge the trade in and trade it to someone else for another exchange fee.

That would give you the unlimited range most people want

[Wolf]

Have they come up with the idea of paving roads and lining tires with something that generates static electricity and then using that to charge your battery a little as you drive?

[B_Delacroix]

I have not heard of such but there was a test road using induction rails somewhere in California.

This is interesting and would actually work well with my commuting needs, but not for the $100,000 price tag. I can buy a normal car and pay for gas with the interest on the savings.

[Coffee]

I wouldn't mind having one but honestly, there's no way I could afford it. No conceivable way anyway.

[$tormin]

Have they come up with the idea of paving roads and lining tires with something that generates static electricity and then using that to charge your battery a little as you drive?


You would lose more energy than you would gain doing this.


As for the long charge times, there are systems being worked on now that will recharge a vehicle like this in 5 minutes given sufficient power. Unfortunatly, there is a problem with slight explosiveness if they are serviced by someone not properly trained or possibly during an accident.

[HyfighStereo]

I think it's really interesting. I can't justify making it cost $100,000 unless the only thing you'd need to replace is the battery after 100,000 (and that would have to still cost under $5,000) and perhaps the tires. If it was a life-long investment such as a home, then perhaps. I'd wait for a larger, more family oriented version though.

[$tormin]

It's $100,000 because it is a luxury car, this model isn't for the general public.

[HyfighStereo]

OK, let me restate. I can't justify spending $100,000 on a car like this. Luxury or not, saving $15,000 in gas (based on current gas prices) over 100,000 miles just isn't worth it. Especially when a Lotus Elise (the car that this was modeled after) is only in the $45,000-$55,000 range and performs just as well... You'd still end up spending about $20,000 extra. Just my opinion though...