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Driven: 2009 Tesla Roadster Will Make You An Electric-Car Believer Page 2

 
7 5,551 views Oct 26, 2009
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2009 Tesla Roadster, Skyline Boulevard, San Mateo, CA

Contrary to popular wisdom, the car isn't silent. Behind the driver, the battery cooling system whirs. On acceleration, the motor hums like a "Star Wars" flying scooter. Wind noise drowns out those sounds above 30 mph, although stopped in traffic, you'll be amazed how loud the vehicles around you seem.

It's NOT a Lotus!

The Tesla communications folks get upset when journalists write that the Roadster is based on a Lotus Elise.

While Lotus Engineering helped with the development, they prefer to say that the two cars may have a few items in common, but the Roadster has a larger cockpit (true) and performs better (true). It's also heavier, by the way, since the battery pack that houses 6,831 lithium-ion cell-phone batteries weighs 900 pounds all by itself.

The Roadster is also at least partially assembled in the U.S., with the company adding U.S.-built lithium-ion battery packs to the non-running "gliders" it receives from the Lotus works in Hethel, England.

Holding its own

Tesla Motors sometimes seems to get as much press for management turmoil and startup drama as it does for its car, or rather car: The company now builds the Roadster, and a slightly hotter version, the Roadster Sport.

And it has quite a ways to go before it can roll out its promised Model S midsize sports luxury sedan, currently slated for 2012.

But the focus on the company's dramas is a shame, because the Roadster is fully capable of holding its own in performance with many far pricier two-seat sports cars from far more established brands.

Just drive one. You'll see what we mean.






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Comments (7)

  1. By bruce Posted: 10/26/2009 6:52pm PDT

    The car REALLY IS MOSTLY Lotus!
    It doesn't matter what Tesla says. Facts are facts.
     
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  2. By Gus Posted: 10/27/2009 5:48pm PDT

    I drove one a while back, and it was so much fun. However, the whole "I need a tow truck to get back" thing when you go too far on your weekend joy ride would keep me out of it for now, if I had that kind of money...
     
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  3. By lotus Posted: 10/28/2009 12:30pm PDT

    bruce -- The Tesla Roadster shares between 6 and 7% parts with the Lotus Elise. It is NOT "mostly Lotus." Even if it were, I fail to find why that's bad. The Elise is an amazing sports car. The Roadster is longer, wider, has more passenger room, has a totally different and full carbon fiber body, etc. Shared parts are windshield, the great steering linkage, then small things like latches.
     
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  4. By Jameson Posted: 10/28/2009 12:36pm PDT

    "I drove one a while back, and it was so much fun. However, the whole 'I need a tow truck to get back' thing when you go too far on your weekend joy ride would keep me out of it for now."
    1) you'd be ASTONISHED how many places there are to charge a car. Besides actual EV charging stations, which are already all over the place and are quickly popping up more and more, you can plug a TEsla into any household or 220v outlet. Every RV park, for instance, has 220v outlets and they're seriously way more common than most people think. When you actually start looking, they are all freakin' over the place and finding somewhere to charge is much, much easier than you'd expect
    2) The display shows you two ranges -- one is how far you have left to drive if you continue driving how you have been, the other is your 'ideal' range if you drive nicely. The car also reserves 10% of the battery charge, which you can select to tap into if necessary. In order to go "for a weekend joy ride" and find yourself stuck somewhere empty, you'd really have to ignore absolutely all of the warnings on the car and be retarded enough to just take off without any idea whatsoever of how many miles you were driving. It's really no easier to run out of charge in some random place than it is to run out of gasoline in your gas-powered car. It only takes the tiniest amount of forethought to avoid this situation.
     
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  5. By  Joe Joe Posted: 10/28/2009 12:43pm PDT

    Bruce - the only similarity is the price in Colorado! Get a Roadster for the same price as the Elise... WOW!
    The Roadster Sport can dust a Gallardo 0-60, I wouldn't care if the car was made of macaroni, that is an awesome statistic!
     
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  6. By Darkstar12 Posted: 10/28/2009 2:44pm PDT

    Wow, Bruce...I could say "Ignorance is bliss"...but you're so in the dark about the Roadster, you're almost blind. The Roadster will out-perform most exotics, for an eigth to a third of the price to BUY, and thousands less to own. The Roadster uses a "heavily-revised" Elise chassis...4 in. longer/6 in. wider...with Carbon Binding...not epoxy. It's made w/Carbon Fiber, not RM Fiberglass. It has a 65/35 weight balance, but handles more neutrally because the battery is positioned ahead of the rear wheel. Oh, and that Elise you're championing...has a Toyota engine. Is it fair to say the Elise is basically a Celica? It's American to say your opinion, but un-American to bash what you don't know! Tesla is the next GREAT AMERICAN CAR COMPANY...GET ON BOARD. They are going to save Automotive Industry!
     
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  7. By  acai Posted: 11/26/2009 11:22pm PST

    The Volt is expected to go 400 miles before completely conking out." Completely wrong. The Volt is a REV so it can continue by simply filling with fuel. There is no limit to how far you can drive. It will not 'completely conk out' unless you run out of fuel and battery charge.
     
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