Tesla Cars: The 2009 RoadsterTesla Cars: Reviews The Tesla Roadster is the first fully electric car that stands next to high powered petrol driven vehicles and holds its ground in terms of performance and good looks. Add to this its green credentials and we have a glimpse of the future of private transport. With a view like this, the future's looking good. I'd just love to open my front door and see one of these in the drive way. PerformanceThe Tesla's performance is virtually modern legend by now. Its blistering acceleration takes you from standstill to 60 mph in just four seconds. The sport model is even faster. It can be pushed up to 125 mph (200 kmph) top speed. This top speed is limited electronically, presumably for safety of the occupants and the components of the car. The car has a range of 220 miles (350 kilometers) when fully charged. Extreme driving will reduce this figure. At present production models have a single gear drive train. Initially the car was released with a two gear system but this was plagued with problems from rough gear shifting to wearing out after a few thousand miles.
RechargingThe car's charge time is three and a half hours from depleted to fully charged. As battery technology improves it is likely that Tesla will offer replacement batteries that both last longer and recharge faster. AvailabilityAt present the Tesla Roadster is only available in the US but the company has plans to sell the vehicle overseas in the near future. Given that all the Roadsters to be produced this year have already been pre-sold, you'll need to contact Tesla Motors direct if you want to find out about reserving one. The 2009 model will set you back around $100,000 USD, so I wouldn't expect to see too many of these Tesla cars floating around your neighborhood any time soon. More DetailsFor more info on this and other electric vehicles, visit All Electric Vehicles. Return from Tesla Cars to Electric Cars or return to the Green Planet home page for Solar Power Facts.
|
