| Tesla Motors Introduces Roadster Sport Model
Delivery Date: June 2009
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| Next-Generation Electric Sports Car Has 15% More Peak Power and Delivers 0-60 Mph in 3.7 seconds |
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SAN CARLOS, Calif.- (January 11, 2009) - Tesla Motors Inc. began taking orders today for the Roadster Sport, a high-performance sports car based on the world`s leading all-electric, zero-emission vehicle.
The Roadster Sport does 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds, compared with 3.9 seconds for the standard Roadster. It comes with a hand-wound stator and increased winding density for lower resistance and higher peak torque. In addition to Yokohama`s Ultra High Performance tires, the Roadster Sport has improved suspension with adjustable dampers and anti-roll bars that will be tuned to the driver`s preference.
The Roadster Sport starts at $128,500 in the United States and €112,000 (excluding VAT) in Europe. Deliveries begin in late June.
"This car can beat nearly anything in its price class - yet it is twice as efficient as compact hybrid sedans," said Michael van der Sande, Tesla`s senior vice president of global sales, service and marketing. "If you refuse to compromise on performance or the environment, the Roadster Sport is your only option."
The Roadster Sport is the first derivative of Tesla`s proprietary, patented powertrain. San Carlos, Calif.-based Tesla plans to begin producing the all-electric, zero-emission Model S five-passenger sedan in 2011.
Tesla has delivered more than 150 Roadsters to customers, and about 1,100 people are on the waiting list. Customers who haven`t taken delivery may upgrade to the Roadster Sport.
"The Roadster Sport embodies Tesla`s spirit of continuous improvement," said CEO, Chairman and Product Architect Elon Musk. "The Roadster has been a great success, but no one at this company remains satisfied with the status quo."
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"This is a fun car."
"Styling is absolutely awesome. It’s just a very beautiful-looking car. And, of course, acceleration! And I say that in just the fact that when you put your foot on the accelerator, this thing just purrs up to whatever speed you want it to go." - Carl Walters of Palatine, Ill.
More Q & A with a Tesla Owner at blogCars.com
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| Carl Walters, a 74-year-old retired electrical engineer who admits he’s not a sports-car guy — talks about his ownership experience thus far. |
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With its first prototype, the Roadster, introduced in 2006, Tesla Motors ignited interest in electric cars not only as a way to save gas but as a high-performance alternative to some of the fastest sports cars. This year, Tesla started delivering production vehicles, based on the test car shown here. The car sells for $109,000--but costs only a couple of cents per mile to power.
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1. Electric Motor
Most electric cars have used direct-current electric motors that rely on permanent magnets. The motor in Tesla's Roadster doesn't have any magnets; instead, it uses stacks of patterned metal plates and wires that generate electromagnetic fields. Such motors, called alternating-current induction motors, were first advocated in the late 19th century by Nikola Tesla, for whom the company is named. The company picked AC induction motors because they're simple, reliable, and efficient at a wide range of speeds.
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| NEW ENERGY NEWS |
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| A look under the hood of the electric sports car that is generating a buzz. |
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2. Transmission
The first version of the Roadster featured a two-speed transmission, the first gear for quick starts (0 to 60 miles per hour in under four seconds) and the second gear for top speeds (over 120 miles per hour). But problems with that transmission delayed production. Thanks to a redesigned motor and higher-performance transistors that deliver more power, it has been replaced by a single-speed transmission.
3. Power Electronics Module
The motor does two things: it converts electricity from the battery into torque for acceleration, and it helps slow the car during braking, converting some of the car's kinetic energy into electricity that's stored in the battery. A computer chip called the digital motor controller regulates the shuttling of power between the motor and battery. It can deliver acceleration so fast it hurts: Tesla's engineers had to dial back the power to achieve a smoother start.
4. Battery Pack
Tesla's engineers have wired together 6,831 small, cylindrical lithium-ion battery cells to deliver the power that accounts for the car's impressive acceleration and the energy storage that enables a driving range of more than 200 miles. Lithium-ion cells store far more energy than the nickel-metal hydride batteries used in previous gas-electric hybrids. But they can be tricky to work with: in extremely rare cases, manufacturing defects cause them to catch fire without warning. A liquid cooling system in the Roadster's battery pack removes heat so rapidly that the combustion of one bad cell can't set off the rest.
5. Body and Frame
An aluminum frame and carbon-composite body panels keep the car lightweight. That helps extend its range.
To read more about Tesla Motors and their technology, click here
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