It’s been done before: the electric car. The critics say it won’t drive far enough, can’t go fast, takes too long to recharge, and poses safety risks. Conspiracy theorists blame a collaboration of the oil companies, car manufacturers, and government for shutting down previous attempts. But this vehicle isn’t a previous attempt, and nothing like it has ever been done before. Meet the Tesla Roadster.
Tesla Motors, named for the famed Austro-Hungarian electromechanical engineer, was founded in 2003 by Elon Musk and JB Straubel. Together and with a group of Silicon Valley engineers, Musk and Straubel wished to design an electric car that was not only feasible but, simply, “awesome.” To captivate the interests of drivers world-wide, Musk and Straubel knew they would need to build an electric car that reached higher speeds, drove longer distances, and provided a more exhilarating drive than previous electric vehicles.
With that challenge defined, Tesla Motors engineered a compact yet incredibly powerful electric motor. Unlike typical gas powered vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICEs) electric motors achieve torque immediately at any RPM. The electric motor’s instant torque results in a smoother acceleration to the tune of a 0-60 time of 3.7 seconds. ICEs require many thousand RPM to achieve optimal torque – hence why gas-powered cars idle around 1,000 RPM. Furthermore, ICEs have mechanical limits for RPM and torque drops of quickly after 6,000 RPM. Electric vehicles, on the other hand, can maintain a steady torque output up to 6,000 RPM. After reaching this limit performance then slowly drops off, but the Tesla electric motor can safely reach up to 14,000 RPM.
In addition to achieving higher levels of torque immediately, electric motors operate at a much higher rate of efficiency than ICEs. The Tesla’s Alternating Current (AC) Induction motor – a motor producing force from the interaction of magnetic fields first patented by Nikolai Tesla himself in 1888 – operates with an overall efficiency of 88%. A typical ICE will operate at only 30% efficiency. With all of its higher efficiency the Tesla operates with zero emissions, meaning this vehicle not only performs with less wasted energy, it also produces less waste product than gas-powered vehicles.
While many of these merits have been seen in previous electric vehicles, the Tesla takes the electric motor to new levels in terms of performance. The Roadster’s lightweight (just 115 pounds) AC motor delivers 288 maximum horsepower and 295 lbs-ft. of torque. As for the notion that electric cars are slow or can’t travel long distances, don’t tell that to Tesla. The Roadster tops out at 125mph and can travel 245 miles when fully charged.
Battery charge time is still a concern for many skeptics, but the Roadster’s innovative Lithium-ion battery fully charges in about four hours and does not need to drain before a new charge. Best of all, the Power Electronics Module – a system set to convert AC power to DC when charging and vice versa when driving – converts AC power from an outlet between 90V and 265V at an input frequency between 50Hz and 60Hz. These ranges mean the Roadster can plug in to virtually any common outlet across the world.
While Tesla has seemingly conquered the technical challenges faced by electric vehicles, the question of public reception remains. At the end of June Tesla Motors received an IPO of over $220 million and has since penned a deal with Toyota. Adding to the company’s momentum, the Department of Energy handed Tesla $465 million to help production costs of the manufacturer’s second vehicle, the Model S, set to hit roads in 2012. This electric vehicle, it appears, is here to stay.
See the Tesla Roadster in action on our YouTube page.
PHOTO CREDIT: Tesla Motors
As a longtime admirer of Tesla’s genius, it is inspiring to see this product (I hope my enthusiasm is not premature, I will follow up on more research on the “Tesla”). Toyota seems like a good match but why not a US company…Are we asleep or what? I purchased a Prius during the “Cash for Clunkers” program. I could not find an equal value in US autos, disappointing. Without that incentive, I never would have been able to afford such a vehicle. I am very grateful that my purchase allowed me to integrate my values and immediate concern for our environment into a Responsible Action… How about you other folks out there…are you ALARMED YET? What are you going to do?