Tesla Roadster – 1st production models hit the road
GreenCars reported recently that group of motoring journalists were invited to test the Tesla electric roadster in California during February this year. Following this, and the feedback garnered from the scribes, Tesla Motors announced on March 17th that production of the Tesla Roadster had officially commenced. It is hailed, in the company’s press release, as a milestone in zero-emissions vehicle production.
Following less than two years after being unveiled as a prototype, Tesla has already sold out its planned 2008 production and is working on a waiting list for 2009 – over 900 have been reserved so far. Clients include actor George Clooney and “Governator” Arnold Schwarzenegger. At present the Roadster is the only highway-capable electric production car in the US. It hopes to be producing 100 cars per month by next year, selling them at several Californian dealerships.
Performance wise, the Roadster compares well to competitors from e.g. Porsche. With a 0-100km/h acceleration of 4 seconds, the Roadster is faster than the entire Porsche Cayman or Boxster ranges, and reaches the 100km mark at the same time as the fire-breathing 911 Turbo. All this, while whisking the driver and passenger away at double the energy efficiency to that of its German rival.
Mechanical parts going into the Roadster are sourced globally – lithium-ion battery cells are from Japan and body and chassis parts from several European suppliers. Final assembly – which largely implies slotting the battery into the chassis - takes place in technology-hub Silicon Valley.
Sources: Tesla Motors, Propeller.com, Porsche
By Christie Viljoen
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