Elon Musk: The new Tesla Roadster can travel some 400 miles on a single charge

The Washington Post's The Switch Blog ^ | December 26, 2014 | Brian Fung

[2ndDivisionVet]

Car nerds, you just got an extra present under the tree.

Tesla announced Friday an upgrade for its Roadster, the electric car company’s convertible model, and said that the new features significantly boost its range -- beyond what many traditional cars can get on a tank of gasoline.

The company is installing three retrofits for the vehicle. First up is a battery upgrade that marks a 31 percent increase in capacity. Next is an “aero kit” that’ll alter the car’s profile slightly, producing a 15 percent reduction in wind drag. Finally, the Roadster will be getting new, more efficient tires.

The result is an electric vehicle that can reliably travel about 350 miles before needing a recharge, and possibly more in ideal conditions. That’s pretty similar — or even better — than many conventional gasoline-powered cars. The University of Michigan estimates that the average fuel economy of a new car in 2014 was about 25 miles per gallon. With a 12- or 13-gallon tank, that gets you about 325 miles on a single fill-up....

[Rides_A_Red_Horse]

I know it’s some kind of non-deity faith based system that hinges on “settled science.”

---

With the glorified golf-carts they are honest enough to admit they don’t have the technology “yet,” but they’ll tell you it’s coming soon!

[SkyDancer]

I know that. I just pulled up one car that had pretty good mileage. I was trying to compare the amortization of the Tesla vs a car for less money getting decent gas mileage.

[SkyDancer]

I know that. I just pulled up one car that had pretty good mileage. I was trying to compare the amortization of the Tesla vs a car for less money getting decent gas mileage.

[freebilly]

In a couple of 3 years electric cars will charge in 15 minutes or less. The production costs will continue to decrease. There’s a lot to like about electric cars from a purely technological standpoint. I like instant torque....

http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2014/10/14/faster_charging_and_longer_lasting_batteries_from_nanyang_technological.html

[xp38]

If the range continues to increase to this level and beyond electric cars will become a more serious threat to combustion engines. Still a long way to go though. It will change the way things are in the future.

[freebilly]

The Tesla CAN’T compete against the Nissan Sentra or any other gasoline/diesel powered vehicle.

I don't think you understand what the Tesla can do. If you were any kind of gearhead, you'd have a little better understanding about what a Tesla is capable of....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOqWlOrlkIg

[huldah1776]

My first thought, too. They are like the 4 year old that thinks the money from the ATM is free.

[Bobalu]

The new Tesla Roadster can travel some 400 miles on a single charge

Not with the heat on it can't.

Get back to me when it can go 400mi with the heater or air conditioning on and then recharge in ten minutes.

[arthurus]

We are subsidizing very wealthy people who will buy a Tesla.

[Nowhere Man]

In a couple of 3 years electric cars will charge in 15 minutes or less. The production costs will continue to decrease. There’s a lot to like about electric cars from a purely technological standpoint. I like instant torque....

I remember there was a same claim made in 1979/1980 about an electric car that can charge in 15 minutes and go like 300+ miles so someone wrote into the column "Ask Hank, He Knows" in the old "Elementary Electronics" magazine at that time. Hank Scott said that there would be lots of problems such as the high current you would need. You would need large gauge wires, possible in the 440 volt range and trying to shove that much energy into the batteries in that short a time would over heat the batteries to the point where they would even glow. I would have to call foul on this one for now, the laws of physics are the same now as they were in 1979.

[Rides_A_Red_Horse]

So you can fuel your golf cart as quickly as a conventional liquid fuel powered vehicle?

Nice try!

[arthurus]

We are subsidizing very wealthy people who will buy a Tesla. In April they take money from me and other lower end taxpayers as well as everyone who pays taxes to give to enable Bill Gates’ friends to go out and buy these things. Heaven forbid that they should have to actually pay what they cost.

[Rides_A_Red_Horse]

In a couple of 3 years electric cars will charge in 15 minutes or less.

---

Right. Meanwhile you could light your farts and fly to the moon.

[Empireoftheatom48]

Or as long as you had checks in the checkbook you had money!

[sitetest]

My diesel gets 550 - 600+ miles on a tank.

[freebilly]

Please, your ignorance is glaringly apparent for everyone to see. Even a fool who has access to the Internet should know that he’s speaking out of his @$$....

[Hildy]

I saw one of these cars on the road last time I was in Phoenix. It wAs gorgeous.,

[Rides_A_Red_Horse]

You socialist greenies are a laugh. We call you “watermelons” because you’re green on the outside and red on the inside!

Are you angry about the falling gasoline prices?

[Teacher317]

The point is... it is getting closer and closer each day. A wise person celebrates achievement (but valid criticisms about their public financing is certainly worthy of debating). Personally, I think that in 60 years, the internal combustion engine will be a relic. I don't know if it will be batteries, Mr Fusion, or unicorn farts, but it will be something, and watching the potentials like Tesla is awesome.

And not many vehicles on the road today have a range much higher than 400 miles, no matter their MPG. My F-150 has a 28-gallon tank to make up for its 16 MPG... 448 miles. My previous Honda Accord got about 28 mpg, and had a 17 gallon tank... 476 miles. 400 miles is more than adequate as a goal for a specialty car to become a more standardized vehicle, which is what the goal is.

[freebilly]

Love falling gas prices. I drive 200+ miles per day. I’m first and foremost someone who loves decent vehicles. I think the Tesla is a fantastic car. The price is comparable to other great cars. You don’t buy a Tesla because it saves you money, but you wouldn’t know about that would you....