Tesla versus Corvette – who wins in a quarter mile sprint?

San Jose Mercury ^ | 01/31/2014

[artichokegrower]

A head-to-head race with a 2014 Corvette Stingray Z51 reveals that the executive sedan's performance — as well as its powertrain — is electric.

On paper there shouldn't be any doubt. The current Corvette is one of the fastest homegrown production cars currently on sale in the US. It boasts a 0-60mph (100km/h) time of 3.8 seconds and over 400hp on tap for when needs arise.

[crz]

Its the time from end to end. It happens because one might get off faster at the start...Jump the gun. If they both start at the exact time, which nearly never happens, the faster car has the lower time.

[rktman]

If you watch the video to about 1:58 mark they have the time slips posted for both races. And I gotta correct myself. The Vette won race two by .0774. Speed wise the Vette had it on both runs.

[Proud2BeRight]

You saw the same thing I did. The Tesla left earlier.

[crz]

Yes. But sadly, unless they changed the rules since I last ran, the one across the line first without red lighting wins.

I havent followed Drag racing since 06. Grew out of it I suppose.

Example, if one leaves when the moment the light turns green (reaction time) and is across the line first he wins. But the one who leaves a couple ticks after, could have a faster ET.

[real saxophonist]

A friend in High School had a Dad with a mid-70s Corvette, and he let us drive. But only around his private property, not out on public roads. But hey, I drove a Corvette. It’s weird how close to the deck you are.

[Bryanw92]

“The Tesla Model S on the other hand is a car for eco-minded executives that worry more about the effects of burning fossil fuels than of the ability to burn rubber.”

So they buy an overpriced car that runs on coal. Brilliant!

[Jack Hydrazine]

Vette 0-60 time:3.8 secs.
2011 Tesla Roadster 2.5S 0-60 time:3.7 seconds.

Vette quarter mile: 12.4 secs @ 113.7 mph
Tesla quarter mile: 12.6 secs @ 102.6 mph
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Roadster
http://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/corvette-stingray/2014/comparison-test1.html

[painter]

Electric motors can go from nothing to full power "right now". Where as an internal combustion engine has to "build" it's power.

So the Tesla would have the advantage right out of the light.

[hal ogen]

Just how much taxpayer money was given to the tesla group?

[RoosterRedux]

It is interesting that Tesla is marketing its car net of fuel savings, which they claim to be $261 a month. That's with a gas cost of $4.90 a gal, a 200 mph car, and 15,000 miles a year.

That works out to a fuel cost of $0.245 a mile for a gasoline engine and a cost of $0.0362 a mile for a Tesla (Tesla assumed a cost per kwh of 11 cents).

Pretty interesting.

[crz]

This is what I kinda got into back in 1970s after I grew out of drag racing. This is how it goes sometime..

www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCsSVLZ6wCI

[Jack Hydrazine]

“Just how much taxpayer money was given to the tesla group?”

$465 million USD but Tesla paid it back.

Tesla Is No Success Story
Tesla is only profitable thanks to politics and tax subsidies.
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/economic-intelligence/2013/06/03/teslas-success-is-the-result-of-political-favoritism

It’s hard to believe this came from US News and World Report.

[rickomatic]

You saw the same thing I did. The Tesla left earlier.

he didn't red light, he just got the hole shot on the Vette. In drag racing, that's half the race.

[RoosterRedux]

Electric motors can go from nothing to full power "right now". Where as an internal combustion engine has to "build" it's power.

I haven't driven one, but given that aspect, one would think EV's would need a damper or governor to prevent an accident pedal to the metal burst of speed.

[Fresh Wind]

If the Tesla left on the yellow, it would have been disqualified.

[CowboyJay]

"“In 1906 the Land Speed Record was broken by a Stanley ... record for a steam vehicle set by a Stanley Steamer in 1906, setting a new speed record of 139.843 ..”

Fred Marriott got one up over 180 mph in Daytona a year later, but the car went airborne and flew apart in the attempt so it never went into the record books.

[al_c]

Tesla driver jumped the start on the first race.

Electric cars have some serious torque. But in a longer race, Vette wins every time.

[staytrue]

Neither wins, both run out of fuel.

[RedMDer]

We need your help to keep the lights on.
FR is funded solely by contributions made by
liberty loving people who enjoy and use it.

Every donation counts no matter how big or small.
If you can donate $5, $10, $20, $100 or more,
it would be greatly appreciated.

[peeps36]

I wonder what kind of torque the Tesla has? I would think the vette has close to 400 ft pounds of torque.