They Actually Liked It! Autoweek Reviews the Tesla Roadster
The main stream automotive press is now getting its hands on the all electric Tesla Roadster and they like it! Autoweek even has it on the cover of their print magazine this week and the two page article, which you can read online too, describes a fun drive down a wet and cold Skyline Boulevard in the hills west of San Carlos, California and the Silicon Valley.
I was really surprised that Autoweek gave them such a good review especially after reading what I thought was an unfair tromping of the efforts Fisker is making about their soon to be released luxury sedan the Karma. I hope that Autoweek, and all the other auto journalists, asr as fair to the Karma when it finally gets into their hands as they were with this first drive in a Tesla Roadster.
Tesla is a silicon valley based venture in electric cars. Their first car is an all-electric roadster called the P1 capable of zero to 60 sprints in less than 4 seconds, 135 miles per gallon equivalent, less than two cents per mile in electricity to drive, and can take you about 220 miles before needing to be recharged. The car is in final stages of development. All regulatory approvals including EPA and DOT approvals and completion of all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS.) have been received. Production begins March 17th, 2008. See the official press release for complete details.
This is the kind of green car we need to see more of on the road. It’s fun to drive, produces zero emissions, should prove reliable, and will definitely redefine how people think of electric cars. I hope the people at ZAP, ZENN, and other electric car companies take note that building cars people will adopt it the key. This means they need to be safe, at least as fast as a normal gasoline car, provide a reasonable range between charges, while still giving us the benefits of an electric car. I’m certain developing a car like this is no small task but if electric cars are to really become successful they need to be accepted by the general public.
Maybe these electric auto makers, including Tesla, should consider the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) route too. I can’t help think that this is the right transition technology solution. Think of a PHEV as an electric car that has a combustion engine as backup for when the batteries run dry. Many efforts are under way to refine and develop this technology and we should see PHEVs from several companies on the road by 2010 getting over 100 MPG.
This gas and battery powered solution simply fills the gap between todays fossil fuel dominated infrastructure and tomorrow’s battery powered future. Today’s battery technology isn’t really ready for replacing gas cars. Recharging takes time. Lightweight batteries are very expensive. As battery technology improves the electric drive range of PHEVs will increase and drivers will need gas less and less. In other words it just a more practical step in the right direction. A slower step than Tesla is taking but in many people’s opinion the more prudent step. To learn more about PHEVs see Google’s RechargeIT program and the Fisker Karma.
This isn’t to say I’m not very excited to see Tesla having so much success. In fact the more cars like the P1 that get on the road the better. I just think more of the general public will adopt more PHEVs before all electric cars simply due to the safety net the gas engine provides. As electric cars are able to recharge faster the gas engine’s in PHEVs will become obsolete. People will essentially be left with electric cars that have a gas engine they rarely use, and move to a newer all electric cars. Simple product evolution, right? Well, at least that’s my prediction… and I’m sticking to it. LOL
AutoblogGreen gets the first drive of the Tesla Roadster!
The day has arrived, and its a wonderful day. Automotive journalists in the seat of the all electric Tesla Roadster. Great article and review at AutoblogGreen and the car sounds like a success albeit a bit spartan a la Lotus Elise. They also help the reader get a very good idea of how different it is to drive an electric sports car. Unlike a ‘normal’ car the Tesla will have a single gear and the electric motor’s massive torque is available from zero to 6000 RPM. In other words when you stop on the accelerator the car takes off and doesn’t quit, jerk, or shift until it hits maximum speed. I’m looking forward to many more reviews and I hope the rest of the automotive press is as impressed as the folks at AutoblogGreen.
