Posted on 09/25/2007 6:46:30 AM PDT by Red Badger
Tesla Motors has set a production goal of 50 electric Roadsters in the first quarter of 2008, followed by an additional 600 cars for the remainder of the year.
Tesla is currently engaged in intensive durability and validation testing of the final prototype cars. As part of this final testing, a Tesla Roadster ran for 245 miles on the combined EPA cycle on a single charge (236 on the EPA highway cycle, 255 on the EPA city cycle).
In an announcement earlier this year, Tesla notified customers that the EPA range of the car was not likely to reach the original goal of 250, and instead would be closer to 200 miles based on progress at that time. Since then, Tesla engineers have worked diligently to improve on this.
Separately, a validation prototype Tesla Roadster successfully passed static and dynamic side-intrusion crash tests, the only tests that were not passed in the earlier prototype phase.
In other performance testing, a validation prototype Tesla Roadster accelerated consistently from 0 to 60 mph in under 4 seconds.
Tesla will stop taking reservations for 2008 Roadsters in the near future and initiate a traditional waiting list. Customers who sign up for the waiting list will pay $5,000 for their place in line for additional 2008 Roadsters if and when an increase in production is announced. Alternatively, customers on the waiting list will be first in line for the 2009 model year Roadster (pricing and specifications for 2009 Roadsters is not yet announced.)
Resources: Where the Rubber Meets the Road (Tesla engineer post on range and performance testing.) http://www.teslamotors.com
Now all we need are the nukes to power it.
The $50,000 is a down payment, not an additional payment.
It is common to require a non-refundable down payment to reserve a place in a waiting list. Not half the price, of course, but some form of down-payment.
People paid $10 (down payment) to reserve their Halo 3, for example.
The efficiency of generating our electricity is contained in the cost of the electricity.
The environmental costs for most of our energy usage is NOT contained in the costs of the energy.
That would be ideal. Nuclear energy, electric sports cars, free beer.....................
All the more reason to start building nuclear power plants by the dozens................
No, but it's not the cost of gas that they are concerned with. The adoration and envy of their "friends" and associates, peer approval, is their primary "driving force". I'm a good person. I have an electric sports car. I spent 100K to help save the planet........you get the picture........
They never really had a good follow up to “Lil Suzie”.
Capitalism in its purest form.............
Who? The Everly Brothers?.................
Edisons Medicine!
“And not this Tesla...”
Nikolai Tesla was far advanced over the Tesla Motors group when it comes to powering automobiles. We don’t have it today thanks to Thomas Edison and the US Government. When his time comes it will revolutionize energy creation - eliminate the grid and eliminate the need for gas pumps.
IIRC, these bad boys are going to be produced in Albuquerque.
I honestly hope this company gets going strong. Refining the design and taking advantage of all the latest in battery technology and more lighter stronger materials. I believe they can spur a whole new industry to rival not only GM/Ford/Chrysler but Toyota/Nissan/Honda and the EuROPeans.................
Hey - it wasn’t YOUR error, it was printed wrong in the article. I love your analysis. (And congratulations on a brilliant daughter!) ;-)
Hey Norm...now you can get to the beer and cheezy puff store in 4 seconds!
— Nice rig..
I thought I was doing pretty good as is .. Does it come with an extension cord?
Must be weird with no engine noise.
They really need to find more range if they're ever going to sell these things in Texas.
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