Thank you. Thank you and good luck. I hope your company’s ideas catch on. As a matter of fact I have a feeling “we” are ready for a change. It is time to be more accountable for our actions.

I understand this is not a publically traded company (yet). Even so, is there a way investors can help contribute to this cause? If so, what is the minimum accepted?

In any case, god speed and sleep well at night.

I would like to point out that you have priced this vehicle so that about 99% of the poeple that would actually want to buy one because of the benefit to the environment can’t afford it!!
With the current price tag I can see this vehicle quickly becoming another fad of the rich and stupid. Most people that can slap down 100K on a car don’t really care about the environment. As a Rolls Royce and Bentley service manager I know because I work with these people every day! The rich and stupid may buy one just because it’s new and cool, drive it for a while and then park it with the rest of the toys. I and at least a dozen of my family and friends were very displeased when we got wind of the price tag on the Tesla. I not poor by any means. But I would much rather have seen a price that middle and upper middle class people could afford.

—-

Editor’s Note: Check out Elon’s blog article at www.teslamotors.com/blog1/?p=8 to learn more about upcoming plans. “Without giving away too much, I can say that the second model will be a sporty four door family car at roughly half the $89k price point of the Tesla Roadster and the third model will be even more affordable. In keeping with a fast growing technology company, all free cash flow is plowed back into R&D to drive down the costs and bring the follow on products to market as fast as possible. When someone buys the Tesla Roadster sports car, they are actually helping pay for development of the low cost family car.”

I am going to have to disagree with you on this Erik. I believe the price is perfect for this car. This car is going to be a high performace sports car. Although it is not in your price range, neither is a Lotus, Lamborghini, or Ferrari. I also frown on your classification of rich people as stupid. Rich people are as diverse as the rest of us, and there will be a market for this vehicle. The new technology and low production amount make this car extremely unique, sure to make any owner stand out. Last time I checked, people who buy high end sports cars do not like to fit in with the rest of the traffic.

You must remember that this is only phase one of a much larger project. I applaud Tesla for their ingenuity not only in this emerging technology, but in their business sense when starting an automobile company from the ground up.

First, let me say that your price seems reasonable, given the car’s capability and provenance, and it fits into my upper middle class budget. However, let me also say that my problem with Tesla is the same problem I have with your partner, Lotus. Somehow, the concept of a 2+2 has vanished from much of the sports car market.

I read your overall plans, but I would hope that you don’t go too mainstream, too soon. I enjoy driving and I am willing to spend money on driving. I am looking for performance and luxury but I need a back seat that kids can fit into.

I look forward to your next model. While I would have preferred a coupe, I can live with a sedan. Just don’t stretch the chassis too much, don’t cut back on the appointments, and don’t lose the Lotus performance. If you can hit a $60-75k price point, I’m in.

Dave

If I could use your blog to speak to William Clay Ford, CEO FOMOCO…

Bill,

I see that you have noticed the Tesla. I have too. Exciting isn’t it!

Just wanted you to be aware that I may have bought my last Ford. I have bought many of your products, over twenty. In fact. I own two of yours right now . But my loyalty to Ford has new, unprecedented and serious competition from the bold entrepreneurs of Tesla Motors.

I was saving for my next purchase of a Mustang Cobra convertible to replace my Mustang GT convertible. But now, Bill, now, my dream car isn’t a Mustang anymore. Sad that a company that I have been so loyal to for so long isn’t innovating, isn’t it?.

Sadder still for Ford that a Califirnia startup with a budget smaller than your cup-holder and trinket-tray division can be poised to so decisively eat your lunch in the 21st Century.

So I will wait, and save some more, so that I someday can zoom guilt-free, hopefully soon, in a truly exciting world-class vehicle from Tesla Motors. Something that a month ago I would have considered unthinkable.

Bob Rolls
Silver Spring, Maryland

Yo, have you guys gotten in touch with that dude at MIT, the one who has created those batteries using viruses to form the anodes and cathodes? The increased performance of those batteries could take your cars mainstream. By the looks of your schematics, the batteries take up most fo the back of the car. I am willing to bet that this guy could power your car with a battery about one inch thick.

I think Tesla is heading down the right road… I can’t wait for the day when I can hop in my electric car and drvie to and from work at decent highway speeds (we even have a charging station in our parking lot here). Unfortunately the world is run on money, so until they can generate enough captial to produce my inexpensive little commuter car… I’m cool for letting the rich guys pay for my RnD as I wait. In the mean time, I will continue to try and talk my wife into letting me use our house downpayment fund to get the roadster.

Anyway, good luck Tesla… I’m rooting for you (and me).

-Rich

Martin,
I understand your rant. We were the marketing agency that helped Panoz launch their cars. Launching a new vehicle is unlike launching any other product. Especially as an independent company. Even with the deep pockets Danny had access to, they still haven’t achieved what I think they are capable of. I’ve read that you already have your marketing team in place, but if you or your cmo ever want to bounc anything off of someone who has already been through this, feel free to contact me. Love to see you do well.
Marc

Wow, a lot of comments from men who are into cars! How about the greater issue of global warming and “the tipping point?” Have any of you seen An Inconvenient Truth? Do we really have 4-5 years to play around with a roadster that is affordable only to the very very few? It is imperative that Tesla or another company develop an affordable mass produced 4 door sedan. It states on this website that this will happen in the future, but can’t it be worked on simultaneously? Otherwise, how can you get large numbers of people to buy EV’s and make a difference in emissions and the dependence on oil? Do we really have the luxury of waiting a few more years for this? Aren’t there some other investors or foundations out there who can step in and make this happen pronto?

Teri

P.S. Are there any plans to develop solar panels on the dashboard to continuously recharge the battery and get it off of the power grid?

—-

Editor’s Note: Have you checked out the FAQ? Dashboard solar panels would not generate anything like the power you would need.

Can the Tesla Roadster use Solar Power?

Much has been made of the Roadster’s 0-60 time, but I’ve scoured this website, read all the press, and I haven’t been able to find out much about it’s handling abilities. The Lotus Elise is a beast on the track. Will the Tesla Roadster be comparable? When can we expect to see some specs on braking distance, slalom speed, skidpad, etc.?

Teri wrote, “Do we really have 4-5 years to play around with a roadster that is affordable only to the very very few? It is imperative that Tesla or another company develop an affordable mass produced 4 door sedan.”

Too bad one cannot snap one’s fingers and make it so. Starting an enterprise like this is much like the process of human gestation: first the new organism is a couple of cells, then it goes through various evolutionary stages until it is finally recognizable as a tiny person, then it grows. The process takes 10 months. Two women can’t do the job in five months, or three women in three months. Even big-auto took several years to produce the EV-1 — which it then claimed was not cost-effective to continue without government mandate or heavy subsidy — and they had millions of dollars and legions of experienced employees to draw upon in the effort. Without that initial wealth of resources, Tesla is “bootstrapping,” and that entails several “spin up” periods, when the company is acquiring resources and competence to jump to the next level.

Think of the interim models as being distinct evolutionary stages in the development of the eventual goal: an electric car that anyone might afford, and upon which anyone can depend for efficient, reliable, comfortable transportation. It would be nice to skip through to the final goal, but for a bootstrap-mode enterprise, that is impossible, because at every stage, new, vital resources and company expertise are being acquired, without which, the final goal cannot be reached. Bootstrapping is actually a fairly efficient way to build a company and develop a technology. If it ONLY takes Tesla between 5 and 10 years to start, basically from nothing, and end up with an “everyman electric,” that will be phenomenal speed, whether by the standards of Deroit OR Silicon Valley. If we can’t wait that long, then our goose is probably cooked already. Good luck to us all.

When I posted earlier I was only stating that I thought that the price was a bit to high to give it a mass apeal. I too applaud Tesla for the engineering that has gone into this vehicle and would like to see it hit the streets with a broader target market.

I was not taken back by the price because I can’t affrord it (Jack) but because I was hoping that more people WOULD be able to. Here is a car with great styling and awesome performance that will actually MAKE people want to own it and drive it. But unfortunately most of them will not be able to because of the price.

“The Roadster’s AC-induction electric motor can rotate at up to 13,500 rpm.”
Thank you, Mr. Martin Eberhard
CEO for the information about the the decision making and the detailed information on getting the Testa in production.

“The Roadster’s AC-induction electric motor can rotate at up to 13,500 rpm

In another article the speeds of the motor had different rotation speeds.

You don’t say anything about how the DC from the batteries is converted to the AC needed for the constant speed, AC-induction motor. What type of transmission is used for controlling the speed of the car while the induction motor maintains its more or less than full speed?

Below is the site for the motor of the Testa, in case some of you might be interested.

blog.wired.com/teslacar/index.album?i=15

I love your concept and plans. You are doing exactly what is needed. After you finish this and you sedan
I would like you to do a semi truck. If you can get the hauling industry going you are going to generate a crisis for the
status quo even quicker. Experience with trains, planes and dump trucks ought to leave no doubt in the minds of the transport engineers.

I’m glad you guys started this company. Even though your car is out of the price range for most people it creates excitement for alternative cars. All the current alternative cars in production are…well…boring, boring, and did I mention boring! I think that’s what is hurting alternative cars more than anything else.

You really have to be dedicated to a cause to be motivated to buy current alternative cars. Let’s face it only a small percentage of the U.S. population is dedicated enough to save the environment or decrease our dependence on foreign oil. Alternative cars would be more popular if that were the case.

But if you made exciting alternative cars(which you do) then people will be interested no matter what the technology is. I can’t afford your car but it’s performance has really got me excited about this tehcnology. I have been waiting a long time for some company to make an interesting alternative car. Let’s face it, nobody dreams of buying something like a Toyota Prius. The Telsa is something everyone can get excited about. I can’t wait until the prices come down. I really hope your company does well because I want an alternative sports car some day that I can afford. Good Luck!

To Erik,

Well, I have been called a lot of things in my life, but “rich and stupid” has never been one of them! My husband and I elected to withdraw $100k from our retirement account to purchase one of the signature Roadsters. We are also buying the solar option. Why? Because we wanted to put our money where our mouths are.

Neither of us is a “trust fund kid.” We both put ourselves through college with no help from either one of our families. All of the money we have, we have worked for. Just for your information, we are both engineers on projects that are remediating the damage that humans have done to the world.

We have two small children, both still in car seats, so this car will end up being my husband’s commuter car. However, there is no way this car will be our “toy” and will be put away when we get bored with it. We are buying this car to make a small difference in the world.

Please note that it is the “rich and stupid” people like us that will help Tesla stay in business and fund the next generation of cars that will be more affordable. We understand where Tesla is coming from and more importantly, where they are going. So please watch your generalizations. Sometimes the world needs “rich and stupid” people like us.

As a strategic point of interest for the future, you may want to consider alliances along the energy supply-chain in the opposite direction of Big Oil. I know that Elon is interested in renewable energy (which of course is the ultimate in energy efficiency), but the incremental steps taken to get there may involve aligning with the major electric utilities, and possibly Big Coal.

This may sound like a step backward in CO2 emissions, but consider a distribution model where the utiliies provide the direct equivalent of the “gas station franchise.” AFAIK, most electricity is coal-powered in the US. We have huge domestic reserves of coal that involve some messy environmental practices that nonetheless can be improved by capital investment that comes with increased scrutiny and technological improvements, leading to better emissions-capture and lower pollution levels.

You would have little opposition from the railroads, which transport the bulk of coal and finished automobiles in this country (the RR’s are also the most efficient fuel-users per ton-mile, and have significant fuel oil commodity-hedging purchase power that rivals the US military).

Thus, you have the perfect trifecta: the market power of utilities, the eventual political necessity of a robust powergrid upgrade, as well as the RR transportation companies that form the primary landbridge for container freight consisting of consumer-goods from Asia, as well as hauling our domestic energy supply. A grand scheme, I know, but the big boys play this game with economies-of-scale. Meanwhile, as I’ve said …. incremental steps, incremental steps. Keep them guessing and have fun. Innovative use of information packaged with your product is your biggest weapon (just look at Apple).

And oh, BTW, I second the idea of T-shirts and other merchandise. If Harley-Davidson can do it, so can you.

CarlB: the motor runs the full range from 0-13,500 RPMs.
There is a two speed transmission that lets you pick either 0-65MPH for that range, or 0-130MPH for the same range.
You could run the car in 2nd gear all the time if you like, but the 1st gear is available if you must have absolute maximum acceleration up to 65mph.

I’d buy a T-shirt .

Some of us out here are intellegent enough to do our own maintenence service. So, how can we opt out of your $8000.00 service agreement to buy an extra set of batteries and control module ? This makes more sense. Should I buy a spare tire or hire a company to stand by in case I have a flat. Point made.

To the people who think we should have made a car for the masses right out of the gate. I don’t think you understand the situation. I applaud your attitude, but it’s not shared by the masses that you want to sell to.

I work with engineers who are into tech gadgets and cars. If you mention an electric car they scoff and don’t even listen. That’s what the masses think of electric cars. When I show them a picture of the Tesla Roadster and they read the site they get excited. I know of three people now with this car as their screen saver. If the car delivers what it says it will this will change the way everyone perceives electric cars.

You can’t force people to buy environmentally friendly cars any more than you can force solar panels on a gated community. What you can do is change their perception enough that they no longer look at electric cars as a sacrifice. Then we can force them to buy.

There are electric cars for the masses out there. We’ll know which path was right soon, my money would be on Tesla. (or a big car company with billions that steals the ideas)

What Tesla Motors is accomplishing is a great achievment in cleaning the environment, as well as giving each country a little more energy independence. I realize a company’s main goal is to be profitable, but how about an electric car for the common man. One that is within every person’s budget so we can REALLY effect change. If an electric car can be mass produced, who wouldn’t want one? Not paying for gas is all the incentive one needs. Imagine the benefits of an entire nation driving electric cars. When is a $20, 000 Tesla electric coming?

I loathe being the car enthusiast buzz killer on safety, but why no airbags?

—-

Editor’s Note: There are airbags - see the Technical Specification page. 

So - I understand the money it takes - and don’t have a lot of time to scan your site for investor information -

where can an Investor find out if or how one can help fund your venture?

You’re the talk of offices across the country.

I’m absolutely juiced about this company and the solar company associated with Elon. I would love to be completely grid independent and this is the first inkling of steps in the right direction.

Success of your work will be a transportation revolution:
- It’s miserable to fly these days, because of the necessary-but-halibut-like security measures against terrorism
- Driving anywhere of distance costs hundreds of dollars for the gas alone

PS. I’d buy a shirt. That was a great idea.

Please start selling t-shirts to help raise money for the EV of the masses.

What type of transmission is used for controlling the speed of the car while the induction motor maintains its more or less than full speed?

ian wrote on August 10th, 2006 at 7:38 am
Carl B - Just speaking from what I’ve read (I’ve been curious about EV development for a while now), the AC motor isn’t constant speed. The speed can and does vary for the Tesla implementation. The transmission in the roadster is a two speed.

See:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_motor

- “DC from the batteries is converted to the AC” - This would be the inverter and controller unit

See:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverter

I obviously don’t speak for Tesla, but they don’t have time to answer peoples questions, so I thought I’d try to help.

Carl B
If the motor is a true induction motor, then it uses less energy when it is running at full designed RPM and as it is “loaded up” it tends to slow up, thereby using more power.
That is where a fluid coupling with a variable output speed would also work instead of only a two speed transmission.
Thanks for the information, ian.
There is not any reason why this EV, Tesla will be produced and made for the consumers at a cost which is affordable. Keep it in the USA!

Good luck with your new vision. I believe it’s the right direction and where most of the future of transportation will follow. The time is right with current situations.
Regarding your on-board regenerating systems. Is it more than the braking flywheel that have been out for several years?
I have several fueless devices in design & patent that could make the future electrical vehicle capable of generating it’s own electrical power with no need for recharging. 2 of these have no added drag force.
What is the killovolt requirement for your vehicle per hour?

I look forward to seeing your vehicle set new records in the history of transportation.

Best Regards,

Kevin Love

Well, I am very interested in the possibiltiy of this “new” car. However, I have read many posts here with some level of disappointment. I agree with many who have posted their concerns about affordability. The Tesla website touts its “green” ideas as a driving force for this automobile design. As much as I would like to believe that, I have a hard time doing so. In order for a true transformation of our national thinking about transportation and energy consumption to occur a great deal of people will need to adopt whatever form of new thinking or technology that is needed to drive the change. How can a $100,000 roadster sports car marketed to the elite driving enthusiast that can throw 100K around easily drive this type of change?

For those of you familiar with the aviation world, you may be aware of recent additions to FAA rules and regulations that provide for Light Sport Aircraft and a change in the licensing requirements for pilots to operate such aircraft. This company reminds me so much of these Light Sport Aircraft companies. The grand ideas behind the FAA rules was designed to provide for an affordable means for the general public to enter the world of aviation. Yet what happens? These companies are trying to sell their new airplanes in a price range that is 3 or 4 times that of which the general public can afford. So we have a general public that is eager to buy into this new idea only to be shot down by the fact that they cannot afford to pay $100,000+ for an airplane (or a car).

Here is the same thing occurring in the automobile industry. The Tesla webpage brags about how buying and driving the Tesla cars will reduce dependance on foreign oil, clean up the environment and provide for more energy efficient transportation. Well, sir, If this is to come to be you are not going to do it by selling a few hundred or a few thousand high priced fancy electric sports cars. You have got to get the general public to buy into your new idea of transportation and sell a few MILLION cars. That means you are going to have to provide a product the general public can afford to buy in mass. $100,000 doesn’t cut it! Not even $50,000 will do it. In today’s economy this type of paradigm shift will mean you had better produce a product less than the price of the economy cars out there today. That means you had better come up with a way to sell your car for less than $25,000. Because if you can’t an energy conscious, environmentally sensitive consumer will bypass your ideas and your car completely. They can go out and buy a fuel efficient internal combustion engine driven car for $10,000 to $25,000. They can then take the extra $75K to $90K they will be saving and do an awful lot of good for the economy and for their pocket book.

Come on, look at the origins of the automobile industry. It wasn’t the introduction of the internal combustion engine that allowed for the population of the world to embrase “horseless carriages”. It was Henry Ford mass producing his Model T Ford. He mass produced hundreds of thousands of cars and sold them at a cheap price. Public demand for his product was not driven by his vision of how he powered his car. It was not driven by Ford’s frame structure, design, color (”you can have a car in any color you want as long as it is black!”). It was driven by one thing and one thing only. PRICE!!!! It was priced at such a low figure that every working stiff in America felt he could afford to buy one, and for the most part they could so they did buy one.

Now I am sure if you were motivated with wanting to change the world, you would already know this and be working on this new car and new company with this in mind. Since it appears that your first attempts to market your car are not going down this road, I must then conclude that your true motivation is not in changing the world as much as it is in making a good profit on your ideas. “Make the money first and then we will make changes that will alter the way things are done” will never work. Mainly because the money becomes the goal and not the idea. You and your investors are going to get caught up just like the rest of the world has before you guys came along. Your striving for that all mighty dollar will always motivate your decisions.

So, since I am just your average peeon out here looking at a cool car and cool idea on a webpage and thinking “I would love to drive one of those”, I don’t imagine any of this post will make much difference. I believe you, your company and your investors will go down the same road that all others before you have travelled. You cannot do the same things the same way that the BIG DOGS have done in the same yard as the BIG DOGS and expect to be successful. Nothing changed is nothing gained. Or as one quote states: Insanity is the act of repeatedly doing the same thing over and over again in the same way and expecting a different result.

You want to make an impact on the world? Sell your first car for a quarter of the cost of a comparably equiped vehicle. That is when you will see your ideas changing the world. So what if the current internal combustion driven sports car with comparable performance sells at whatever price. You sell yours at a price far enough below their price and no one will be able to come close to the number of vehicles and the amount of profit you will make. Invest your money in this endeavor and you and your investors will make more money than you can imagine. After all, how do you think Ford got to be Ford (from what I can see Ford has even forgotten this concept). If your performance equals or exceeds your competitors and your price is far less than what they can offer, there will not be one of those manufacturers who will be able to keep up with your sales and your profit. You will be changing the world so fast everyone will have to stand up and take notice. Of course if this is not your goal, then I suppose you will plug along and make a comfortable living selling expensive products to an adoring niche market. Which appears to be your present plan.

I do wish you luck, but will not hold my breathe on how soon I will be able to afford to buy one of your cars!

I’ll help you all out, Tesla had a electric motor that ran on no batteries before he died, I found out how it was done…I have my own electric car i converted with less then $3,000 dollars. I just afford 85k…sorry

I’ze jes thinkin’ (Everbody duck!)

What Tesla Motors needs is a good country song, one that’ll have ‘em tapping thier feet in the Crawford,Texas oil fields. To this end, at least until Willie Nelson gets aboard, I humbly submit:

Gasoline Blues (Apologies to Eddie Cochran)

Well I’m gonna raise a fuss and I’m gonna raise a holler.
Ain’t sendin’ Arab sheiks even one more petrodollar.
Well, they can eat their stuff for all that I care.
California makin’ awesome cars that won’t pollute our air!

I used to wonder: What’s Detroit gonna do?
Ain’t no more, Tesla Motors curin’ gasoline blues!

Well, Exxon/Mobil likes us thinkin’ EVs ain’t the solution.
And most of Congress’ not worried ’bout CO2 pollution.
But bold entrepreneurs are bringing us today,
Their future-is-now cars that wil take your breath away!

I used to wonder: What’s Detroit gonna do?
Ain’t no more, Tesla Motors curin’ gasoline blues!

At a penny-a-mile and sixty in four seconds,
Americans can now stop building oil-war weapons.
Not give up a thing while motoring in style,
Dot-com genuises givin’ us reason to smile.

I used to wonder: What’s Detroit gonna do?
Ain’t no more, Tesla Motors curin’ gasoline blues!

Yes, it’s true! Tesla Motors curin’ gasoline blues!

Bob Rolls
Silver Spring, Maryland

(OK. It’s safe to come out now!)

Is the energy consumption (”electric” mileage) dependant on how fast you drive like on gas burning car (city vs highway mileage)? In other words, if I were to drive super fast constantly without stoping (like 130mph), what is the MINIMUM distance I can travel before the battery runs out? What is the optimum speed to get the best mileage?

oops, that was D+He3…much cleaner.

I’m delighted to see that your organization recognizes Nikola Tesla, his theories, inventions, and forward thinking through your company and product! Wonderful–thank you!

Steve, did you read Martin’s post? They CAN’T sell this car for $25k. The 6000+ batteries in the battery pack likely cost $25k. They aren’t charging $85-100k just to gouge people. Small lithium batteries may be a commodity now but they are still pretty darn expensive. If they were to use other companies’ larger lithium batteries it would cost even more. Besides, the performance of the car is similar to other cars in the same price range. If they put in half the batteries to just make a “normal” performing car they’d still need to charge $50k+ for it. They will make a marginal profit selling this car at $85-100k. I’m not sure they would if they sold a less impressive car for $50k.

—-

Editor’s Note: This text was edited following a request from the author. 

How much for this in a “kit” version,or just the frame, batteries and drive chain all put together? Love the composit body style but would love to freak people out with a Lambo fiber body on it.

I get a chuckle out of so many of these posts displaying more time spent writing their comment than researching on your site. I am in that considerably smaller set which represents your target market for the roadster, and I am happy to support your overall project through the likely purchase of your car as soon as it becomes available. I ordered my current Carrera Cab for slightly more than the cost of this vehicle. This is the first car to excite me since I purchased my car six years ago, and for so many more reasons than a car purchase typically affords. Thanks for helping me change the world, get a new toy, and help others get their electric car at an affordable price all at the same time. Obviously online research can only do so much, but as soon as test drives are available, count me in.

Wen can the public expect a 4 door sedan?

For those who can’t afford the Tesla, the answer lies at the AC Propulsion website. Scroll down under the “frequently asked questions” section till you see the photo of the Toyota Scion XB.AC Propulsion is planning to convert XB’s to EV cars-for about the price of the old Toyota RAV-4 EV’s-which i believe was around $38,000-but there should be a govt. rebate of about $5000 on this, if hybrids get a $3500 rebate. AC e-mailed me that they are testing the car this summer and will have more info. soon. I think you Tesla guys should invest with AC to get this car out there while planning for your later “from scratch” cheaper ev’s-well?!

Boy, the poliitcal rhetoric is getting a bit thick in here! Well, I guess it (fortunately or not) comes with the EV terrirtory these days…

Tesla seems more pragmatic, grounded and sophisticated than many of the more extreme “perpetual motion is here”, “protest the war by buying an electric car” people that have showed up for the Tesla “blogosphere” .

To me, the Tesla image is more “James Bond” and less “Ed Begley, Jr.” (no offense, Ed!)

Folks, keep in mind that the end-goal here is NOT ultimate efficiency and energy savings. The same people who “poo-poo” the Lexus RX400h as a “hybrid SUV oxymoron” need to realize that not everyone wants or needs a Prius. The world will continue to consume a range of vehicle types, and we need to think how to make them all the most fuel effecient we can including a high powered sports car. I would love to see Tesla make an electric SUV someday even though I am not in the market for one.

By the way - those posting in ALL CAPS… YOU AREN’T HELPING YOUR CAUSE!

Bears a resemblence to a Lotus elise, i’d easily replace my car with one a Tesla!! especially with that kind of performance. maybe sometime in my life i will be able to save a fortune in petrol, oil, MOT, etc etc

Andre wrote:
“They will make a marginal profit selling this car at $85-100k. I’m not sure they would if they sold a less impressive car for $50k.”

This was my point. If they want to change the way the world thinks about energy use and transportation the profit margin would not be driving their investment. There are many ways to uphold a profit margin. The first one chosen is always related to the selling price of the product. The last one chosen usually ends up being the salaries paid to the people. Now, I have no idea what anyone working on this endeavor makes. However, I can bet you they aren’t sleeping on the factory floor at night and walking to work while they perfect their product. Not that I necessarily would expect that to be the case but my point in saying such a statement is that if one is serious about their ideas there are ways to make it happen that don’t involve jumping in at the top of the existing market. As one poster mentioned earlier he has a 26K GTO that performs as well as this car. Instead of pushing for the Lotis, Porshe, Ferrari market why not push for the GTO, Mustang, Corvette market? Or, if you truly want to change the world why not push for the Insight, Prius, Camry Hybrid market?

It’s obvious most of the people here have never brought anything to the market. Believe me kiddies, starting a new company is much tougher than surfing the web for a paycheck. Tesla is taking the only viable approach to bringing electric vehicles to market. A expensive, high-performance product to start is the only way to build a market. A lesser product can follow, but believe me, you cannot upscale! Starting with a cheap “punishment” vehicles doesn’t work, dozens of companies tried it and guess what? You didn’t buy them!

Other than suggesting you look at United Solar Ovonic for the long-term, I wish you luck. If my products succeeds, I just might be buying a Roadster myself.

I forgot to mention in my previous comment about the super batteries. The part about being feasible if people kept the car for a decade assumes that they buy a new $20,000 gasoline powered car every two years while selling their old ones for about $7,500 and spending about that much on the car’s maintaince and gasoline expenses.

I can’t wait for Tesla to come out with a SUV or a car with more seating. The roadster is a little out of my price range, but I will wait for a less expensive model to be designed. I have been looking at buying a vehicle that uses E85 fuel, but since I have read your website I believe this is the future for me. Thanks for your hard work and I will be waiting for updates on your web page.

Sincerely,

Fred Williams
Mid-Missouri

AMAZING GUYS, GREAT JOB and THANK YOU !

I am already sore that I won’t be able to own one of these, but if I had the money, you can bet I would have one. Why? Because it’s the smart investment, any way you slice it and dice it. This is more apparent to people in the intelligent and forward thinking category. We will have to see what the masses think. I can just imagine how quiet and fast it is. Keep it up, because i’m going to soon be in the market for the ultra fast, ultra smart vehicle.

Peace and much love.

Francisco Alas

I would like to address a couple of issues that keeps poping up over and over in these comments. A large number of folks like myself are frustrated that we don’ have the money to buy this beautiful car right away but I don’t believe that is excuse enough to make fun of the people who can. The people who are sacrificing their funds to purchase this car is are heros in my book because ultimately they are paying for my R&D in future tesla EV that I can actually afford. Secondly, if they were really all that “stupid” as aforementioned, they would have bought any gas guzzling sports car they wanted. Instead, these brave pioneers had the fortitude to purchase this EV. Granted, this car is a sweet honey of a car by any standard and it does deliver the goods.
Secondly, everybody at Tesla motors are superheros in my eyes. I think if we ever get this global warming, terrorist/oil shortage problem resolved years from now I believe this EV movement by tesla motors will be seen as instrumental in providing an alternative for people who had no way out. Who know? The folks at Tesla might win the nobel peace prize. I’d vote for them.
Finally, I thought it was a brilliant move on tesla to link solar panel sales to the car. Does anyone not see the implication of this? If it can power your car, it can power your house. How about linking wind and rain power to the car in geographies that are not always sunny all the time?

PS- I have a couple of ideas on pitching the car in a TV commercial if anyone is interested.

You guys are absolutely halibuting amazing!
this idea’s time has come, and starting slowly (from an economic standpoint) will do the most heavy lifting to increase Tesla’s mindshare with the general public.

You are one of many companies whose success, both now, and in the future, will validate the approach of the triple-bottom-line, in the only area that doubters understand: profitablility.

Keep up the good work, and I’m anxious to hear more!

People,

let me say that I’d give my right arm for one of your roadsters (although it might be difficult to drive it, then).
However i will probably never be able to afford one, so i really hope you will get that ‘middle-class-electric-car’ thing going soon - but please, PLEASE don’t forget Europe then. I know it will be difficult and all, but you have caught great interest with the roadster here, and I can guarantee that the realease of an electric car in Europe would be a sure success (do you guys know how much more fuel costs here…?).

Whatever will happen, I hope you guys will be selling off the Roadsters like crazy - because some products just deserve enrich their creators.

Greetings,
Geo

(ps.: as you might have guessed, english is not my native language - so i hope, you will just overlook any scribal errors)

Martin,

While your post is entitled “one brick at a time”, it would appear from the responses here, that you have a million brick layers offering their hands to you. Please don’t hesitate to ask of us out here in the field for our help. I sense most of us would give it gladly. Your work is important to all of us, and I know I, like others here, would feel honored to assist you in any way possible.

Site where some of your questions will b answered.

www.teslamotors.com/learn_more/faqs.php

Normally, a true AC induction motor is does not operate as a variable speed motor and is normally started at a min. load condition when coming up to it’s designed speed due to the surge of power it uses. This is my concern.

I’m just looking for answers also as to how this motor and transmission function to give the practical and most efficient operation. Is there anyone on this board who has driven a Tesla yet?

The information says that the motor has to reverse it’s rotation when the roadster is driven in reverse. Is there a “neutral” position on the transmission? Usually an electric motor has to coast down to a stop before it is switched into reverse.

Hey, among the movers and shakers of Tesla
Motor Cars, what’s the favored online forum to discuss
electric auto technology? I’d like to participate.
Great looking car, great name for it!
Best wishes,
Ed Shaw

Alex Eagar wrote: “I have a hard time imagining a sports car pulling a trailer, but I can imagine just about any other kind of car pulling one.”
www.acpropulsion.com/tzero_pages/tzero_465.JPG
www.acpropulsion.com/tzero_pages/tzero467.JPG
www.chugachugachoochoo.com/images/model/RMX6667.JPG
www.westcoastcorvette.com/images_old/parts/thumbs/c5trailerthn.jpg
www.c5reations.com/images/trailer-img.jpg
www.motorcycle-luggage-trailers.info/images/Dan_fast.jpg
www.happykidtoy.com/hey/Porsche%20TrailerBrown/Dsc00159.jpg

CarlB: the site says that the Roadster has NO clutch, but it doesn’t specifically say no torque converter. I am still fairly certain that it is directly connected (through one of the two gears) at all times.
The shifter has three positions… Up and down for 1st and 2nd gear forward speed (0-65mph or 0-130mph). If you want reverse you have to put the shifter between 1 & 2 and move it to the left and up to select reverse+1st gear…. (so no driving faster than 65mph in reverse… drats!)
I am not sure if there is a lockout that prevents selecting reverse if you are in forward motion or not. It would make some sense to keep the shifter from being able to move left to the reverse slot unless there vehicle was stopped.

Here is another good link for anyone interested in some recent history of Li-Ion EV research that lead to some of the “current” Tesla technology:

www.ev7.org/brochures/long.pdf

Tj Hulse: Thanks for the insights of owning/driving a related car. I can relate to what you say having owned various tiny mid engined (although non-Lotus) cars before.

By the way - I think you wrote “QUITE” in a few places where you meant to say “QUIET”

To some of your points,
Yes this car has some limitations and shortcomings not related to it being electric. It is probably not an ideal commuter car. Not ideal for picking up kids, or going grocery shopping.
The performance is likely to be real, and put it on par with just about anything on the track. This Roadster is really not the best choice for a “daily driver”, or the one car to have if you could only own one.
On the other hand if you want to go for a weekend blast on twisy mountain roads, there may be none better. The electric motor will likely do a lot to help “tame the beast” in terms of noise.
Most of those infernal-combusion noises that drown out your radio in the Exige will be gone in the Tesla. It will be silent and smooth save for the chirping tires.

This is a car for Skyline drive in Silicon Valley or Mulholland Drive in LA. In some ways it is better to compare it to a motorcycle than a car.

There are a couple of Tesla “talking points” where this car doesn’t completely live up to the billing.
Tesla wants to rid the world of the stigma of the EV as a “punishment” car.
The Roadster (being based on the Elise/Exige chassis) is still likely to offer some punishment in visibility, commute comfort, and ingress/egress. If you want to prove to the world that an EV can be comfortable and practical this isn’t the model to prove it.
Also, there is the whole “save the earth” angle to use alternative fuel and improve efficiency.
Again, the roadster isn’t really the “proof of concept” vehicle for that mindset. Being a high performance, semi-race car it is likely to spend a lot of time on optional, fun trips where a real “save the earth” fanatic would rather you rode your bicycle. A fair number of EV fanatics think that EVs should only be built for maximum efficiency commuting on trips where public transportation and self powered travel is impossible. To them you should be working on your organic garden rather than wasting resources driving aimlessly simply for the fun of driving.

Once Tesla evolves to a point where they have a range of vehicles to appeal to a variety of customer interests, then the goal of displacing internal combusion will start to be more real.
Everyone needs to keep remembering that the Roadster is not the final answer… It is just the first step to attract the interests of those in a position to help sell the brand.

Personally I haven’t figure out if starting with a “sexy roadster” was brilliant marketing, or simply the wishes of the primary investors to get what they want from their next vehicle.

I suspect that they too have sampled the Elise/Exige and loved it for the handling, but wanted it to be more quiet and environmentally friendly with sacrificing any performance.

Dear Mr. Eberhard,
I spotted your amazing Tesla Roadster in a feature in The Times (UK) newspaper last Friday and what really impressed me was the fact it was a sports car and a really high performance one at that! What with the terrible conflicts out in the Middle East and that fossil fuels are finite resources anyway, the this cars launch is timely indeed. I really feel at last that this amalgam of several technologies has come of age and I wish your company every success.
As a bit of a car nut and seeing that Lotus Cars (UK) are involved in this exciting venture, any chance of this car being shown to the British public soon?
Kind regards,
Clive Pater

Ay TEG,

Mebbe I’se dat ” ‘protest the war by buying an electric car’ people”. youse detectin.

Idonno.

But, if that’s the case, please forgive this 120% (no halibut) service-connected disabled US NAVY veteran who certinly meant you no fence. I’se just so cited about howse thisere California startemup company done fell outta da clear blue sky inta our laps wit what gottabe that best (halibut-halibut) idea from any grup of Americans in decades. (Hoist flag briskly, cue National Anthem).

I meannnnnnnn: Think about how thisere company could actually change our world, in a flash.

Do you not agree that both sides of the current confllicts (3) are being paid for by Americans, first with our purchases of oil from the most repressive and corrupt nations in the world who are engaged in financing our enemies, then with half-trillion-dollar taxpayer-financed wars to protect our “National Interests” in the oil producing areas? Oil, TEG. It’s all about oil.

Aside from the Tesla Roadster’s use of lubricating oil etc., burning none, it uses zero oil.

Follows from that the loss of financing for both sides of future wars fought over access to oil. Follows from that a whole lot of soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines coming back into the loving arms of their wives and children, whole in body and mind. (HALIBUT HALIBUT!!!) that would be so boring.

Requesting forgiveness, Sir.

ETN-3 ROLLS, RW (Ret.)
Silver Spring, Maryland

Hey, Johnathan, great points! Although I don’t think Big Oil and Big Automotive are that worried. Considering the inventory of automobiles in the world, it will be a while for complete turnover. If they had to, big auto companies could license Telsa’s technology and join the revolution. To me that’s the key — Tesla Motors has the best shot at pushing the EV revolution after it has sputtered over the last 20 years. Telsa can take this revolution to, say, 0-60 in 4 seconds!

Martain;
I was made aware of your company through the Goveners office of Oklahoma
I have worked in advanced magnetism for over fifty years.
This work has been done through my own research, It has been very interesting to go back and study the work of Edison.Faraday and Tesla, Westinghose gave Tesla a very bad deal and that Made Tesla hard to study.
Direct current is where i found a major problem with the technology we use today buildtng electric motors and generators.
I made a major change to the way we field a motor and this will help ease the use of fossel fuel.
All of the above statements can be confirmed with working models that are available
now.
Multi-armatures, built in automatic throttle, Repelling fields ,Jax opposed , linear fluyx,
Circular array, and concentric staging is all common .
This technology has not been completely Revealed to the public.
Technical writing will be a must. I am not allowed to write it ( You must have a Doctors digree acording to the National bureau of Standards).
I do need Help from some one that is not hung up on what is nornal.

Thank you Elmer Mason;

I belong to that great middle class that will not be able to take advantage of this technologic advance. That doesn’t mean that I don’t support this cocept but rather it becomes an exercise in looking at the economics of this technology. What are the long term costs of operation beyond the first battery failures? What will it cost to replace the batteries and continue maintenance in the second 100,000 miles?

I believe that the electriccl motor has to be redesign to get the best output, It is said that there are 99% efficent.
To get the most ot of the batteries i found away to do that.
With less magnet flux and bigger rotor design would allow less power use.

TEG wrote on August 11th, 2006 at 1:05 am
CarlB wrote: “Normally, a true AC induction motor is does not operate as a variable speed motor and is normally started at a min. load condition when coming up to it’s designed speed due to the surge of power it uses. This is my concern.”

Well, I am no expert on A/C motors, but I think (but could be wrong) that the Tesla does put the full vehicle load on the motor at 0 RPMS, and expects it to pull the whole car through its’ RPM range.
As far as I know the Tesla has no clutch or torque converter to allow the motor to spin up before turning the wheels.

I know the blog isn’t really a question by question Q&A to Tesla, but perhaps the editor can find an answer to this simple question and post it here…?

Editor’s Note: You may find this page useful.

100% Torque, 100% of the Time
The Tesla Roadster delivers full availability of performance every moment you are in the car, even while at a stoplight. Its peak torque begins at zero rpm and stays powerful beyond 13,000 rpm.

This is the precise opposite of what you experience with a gasoline engine, which has very little torque at a low rpm and only reaches peak torque in a narrow rpm range. This forces you to make frequent gear changes to maintain optimal torque. With the Tesla Roadster, you get great acceleration and the highest energy efficiency at the same time. All while requiring no special driving skills to enjoy it. This makes the Tesla Roadster six times as efficient as the best sports cars while producing one-tenth of the pollution.

Carl B –I am assuming that there might be some trade secrets which are not available on how the speed of the motor is controlled when starting from “zero” RPM (when the Tesla is in a stopped position) to some intermediate speed.

Have any of you seen anything about a foot pedal for controlling the speed of the motor rotation into the transmission? It would have to act as a rheoatat. to a controller for the motor.

Tj Hulse: Yes, the extra weight will probably hurt the handling a bit even though the more powerful engine more than makes up for it in straight line performance.
Yes, Lotus is a great partner not just for their parts, but for their engineering expertise particularly in the area of handling tuning.
I think you have the general idea of what it will be like to drive a Tesla Roadster. When I saw the Tesla it was in a parking lot that also had an Elise and and Exige (the Lotus fans came out, not just the EV fans).
The interior of the Tesla is so similar to the Elise that I think an Elise owner would have some Deja-Vu when they got in it.
On the other hand, not hearing any engine idle is the first sign that something is different. Not having to rev the engine off the line is the next thing… Just mash the throttle and go.
Then the real joy comes in - no need to worry about shifting in most circumstances, and no engine noise. Having driven other EVs, I can tell you that having a nearly silent drivetrain and no shifting adds a level of refinement to a vehicle. An electric drivetrain is right at home in a high end luxury vehicle. The Toyota VVT-li engine in the Elise is a fairly smooth, refined engine, but it is still only a 4cyl (not a super-smooth 6 or rotary) and is still going to test your ears mounted so close to you. ( I have a Supercharged Toyota MR2 that weighs about 2400 lbs, has a mid engine 4 cyl, and is roughly the same size as the Tesla roadster, although even with mods I have only about 175hp so 0-60 is closer to 6 than 4… )

Even if we toss out all the “electric power is better for the environment” motivation to want this car, it is still a very desirable alternative to an Elise for many reasons:
#1: It looks better (IMHO)
#2: It will be much quieter to drive.
#3: It generally doesn’t require any shifting but has the direct responsiveness of a manual without any of the downsides of an auto.
#4: Ingress/Egress is improved.
#5: No messy gasoline on your hands, and exhaust fumes to breathe.
#6: No smog checks

But then we have to consider the downsides:
#1: More expensive
#2: Heavier
#3: Takes much longer to refuel
#4: Harder to find refueling locations
#5: Unproven brand

Earlier I had said Tesla has “deep pockets”, but that was in comparison to other EV startups who never got past the prototype stage. Then I saw this quote from Martin at the top of this blog page:
“”Our company’s entire budget is probably less than the advertising budget for one model of SUV from one of the big guys. Our whole company is smaller than their Cup-holder and Trinket Tray Engineering Division. Mind you, we do have a decent budget for a startup company – Tesla Motors and its excellent investors have no delusions about the cost of creating a new car company, a new car that meets the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, and all the other legal requirements. It takes a LOT of cash. Many companies have failed to come to market with new electric cars because they underestimated the money it takes.”"
That really puts it in perspective. It is not hard for a car company to blow through $100 million in short order.

I think the biggest risk for the Tesla customer is not that there will be anything wrong with the car… (Their engineering department seems to be top notch and thorough.) The real risk is that they won’t last to provide service and support for the car longer term. Even though Tesla has a compelling story, and so many successful people on board, the small volume car manufacturer niche is littered with so many near misses.
Even though the basic drivetrain is simple (batteries spin the electric motor with only one moving part!), the computer control electronics to make the magic happen are very complicated. If Tesla engineering isn’t around to troubleshoot and repair problems I think it is unlikely that there will be very many other people able to work on these cars when they need it.

Regarding TEG comment, I don’t think Tesla will be going out of business. A lot of people loved the GM EV-1 according to ‘Who Killed Elect. Car ” movie. The investors in Tesla shouldn’t let it happen, as a matter of principle-and these guys have principles-something that used to be a good American trait. Today I talked to a millioaire real estate guy I know and showed him the Tesla site. Just about his first comment was “I’d like to be able to invest in the company”-and he’s not particularly a huge car guy or environmentalist. Then there’s the fact that we have a big environ. problem-all (and I do mean all) caused by overpopulation (which hardly anyone ever mentions). We’ve all got to start putting our money where our mouths are in this world. That leaves middle & upper middle class people waiting for the elect. sport sedan. The guys who have to buy the Tesla are guys like all the silicon valley whiz kids (plenty of them out there) and the hollywood ,real estate,& sports types (Di Caprio, Redford,etc.) . They have the money-they have to put it where their principles are: period-and that goes for Schwartzenegger double: he has to cancel out his hummer. For now, those in the middle class should buy “green tags” to cancel out their home co2 emissions (see “climate crisis” website)-and we need to draft Gore in 2008-even if he has to be dragged kicking and screaming into the White House.If the people in this country/world start acting on principles (and halibut the Torpedos) Tesla won’t fail.

Wow, this is the sort of car I would love to replace my Toyota Prius and Alphard Hybrid. A Ferrari for environmental concious like me. I wish I could setup a sale and service department for the car in several countries in South East Asia. Me myself would like to drive one of this car but to setup the sale and service network here at home would be a pain for you. All I can wish now is please release the right hand drive version and I will thke care of the rest myself.

CarlB - I don’t think there is any “trade secret” involved. Basically all electric cars are “drive by wire” where the throttle pedal is simply a “rheostat”/”potentiometer” device that sends a signal to the motor controller.
Also, I think it is the norm to put an electric car in gear at 0rpms, then just apply power and let the motor do the work. The only ones I know of that use a clutch or torque converter are conversions from internal combusion that left the old transmission intact. It takes a little getting used to - not having to coordinate a clutch and gas pedal when starting and shifting gears. Some have said to compare it to an F1/paddle-shift since it is somewhere between the experience of a manual and an auto trans.

TEG wrote on August 13th, 2006 at 10:03 am
CarlB - I don’t think there is any “trade secret” involved. Basically all electric cars are “drive by wire” where the throttle pedal is simply a “rheostat”/”potentiometer” device that sends a signal to the motor controller.
Also, I think it is the norm to put an electric car in gear at 0rpms, then just apply power and let the motor do the work. The only ones I know of that use a clutch or torque converter are conversions from internal combusion that left the old transmission intact. It takes a little getting used to - not having to coordinate a clutch and gas pedal when starting and shifting gears. Some have said to compare it to an F1/paddle-shift since it is somewhere between the experience of a manual and an auto trans.

Carl B–So far I haven’t heard anyone mention the effects of the CEMF, relative to the designed motor speed speed.of an induction motor, the power it uses and the heat build up from rotating at a low RPM.

To “[deleted]”:
A suggestion was made that replacement batteries would likely be in the $10K-$20K range, but by the time someone needs some it is hard to say what will be happening then because there is so much change in the battery world right now.

It would be nice to see an estimated cost of ownership comparison chart in the FAQ.

Even with a 90K sticker price the savings in gas and maintenance and the time saved not having to deal with such annoyances and being able to use carpool lanes and possible tax incentives will make the car comparitively affordable to a vehicle costing much less.

Also don’t forget that using the existing electric grid to take the place of the current liquid fuel distribution system will bring us closer to a world with clean city air, no dirty gas stations (freeing up real estate for new health food quick stops) and no dangerous fuel tanker trucks hurtling down the highways. Not to mention more real estate from out of business car mechanics and auto parts stores.

… and I bet it will be really fun.

Who wants to bet that it will take the big auto makers only a short time to change course and catch up and start offering EVs again?

Re “Saving my pennies in Sacramento”,

I can go one better than your CD example.

Back in 1973 I was working in Teheran and saw my first LCD watch. It was owned by my boss and had cost him $300 in Kuwait! Now you can pick them up in a dollar store.

Tesla’s costs will eventually come down dramatically as will those of their imitators. Then competition will help reduce the price still further.

We just have to be patient . . . hard though that me be right now.

So we just have to hang in their and “drool” for a while longer.

I am a marketing executive and I absolutely love your concept but I disagree with the vehicle style. The big money (in volume) is spent on Sports Sedans. While this vehivle is extremely cool it is missing the wealthiest demographic. Tall married white males…..

What can any of us do to help you succeed? Do you need investors? Are dealerships for sale?

I have a question about the aluminum chassis. Are you concerned about the low fatigue life of aluminum with the constant road vibration and daily bumps and jostles that would be occurring with this car? Your body style is very beautiful, it looks similar to a hybrid car my college, San Diego State University, is currently working on. Was there any collaboration with them?

Check out my electric car.

At: AdvanceEnergySystems.com

Great concept, superior execution, wise investors.

Although it may not be significant for those of us with the resources to purchase your fine Roadster, I would like to see a comparison of the yearly costs you expect the Roadster to have relative to other high-performance cars. Clearly fuel is just one component. Fewer moving parts will reduce cost of Tesla cars relative to petrol cars, for example. A longevity of only 100k miles, however, may increase depreciation.

Anyway, it would be nice to have this information quantized, even if it is done favorably by your marketing folks.

The timing may be perfect for Tesla Motors. Our son sent us your site, and when these autos can sell for $40,000 or less , the average buyer will buy it. That is my opinion. Sincerely, Dierdra

I would prefer a Tesla that can BEAT the other sports cars, not just equal them.

It is very important for Tesla to look unique and faster than other cars. If it looks the same then it might as well have a gas engine.

Why 6,831 batteries? I didn’t see an answer to this one, but I got this info directly from Tesla …

“There is indeed nothing magic about the 6,831 number. It is in fact 99 in series by 69 in parallel. (99*69=6831) These numbers were mainly a function of the electrical specs that we wanted to achieve (~420Vdc max and ~600Adc max) They were also adjusted slightly to meet our packaging goals of 11 sub-modules, all the same. The output per battery is about 8.5A under max acceleration (~4C)..”

I love this car! I can’t afford it (right now at least). I applaud all involved for working so hard to make this happen, especially when others won’t. The future looks a little brighter.

Although Tesla doesn’t seem to have much to say about ultracapacitors, I had a chance to talk to Ian Wright… When I asked about the possibility of ultracapacitors for his vehicle, he mentioned that the storage density was way too low compared to Li-Ion. When I went to check this out, I found that the MIT nano-tube ultracapacitors claim that they have the potential (although not yet ready in commerical form) to have higher storage density that even Li-Ion. Plus with a very fast recharge, and long lifespan they really do seem like they could displace Li-Ion within the decade.

Some links:
www.motorage.com/motorage/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=312090
www.blurt.info/science/goodbye-battery-hello-ultracapacitor/
arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060308-6343.html
www.physorg.com/news10641.html
www.theallineed.com/engineering/06022102.htm

Toyota already has some ultracapacitors to drive accesories in the Prius.
BMW may come out with an ultracapactor X3 hybrid soon.
By the way, the example car on that motorage link is kindof nice looking. I hope the Tesla sedan ends up looking at least that good:
www.motorage.com/motorage/data/articlestandard/motorage/102006/312090/031606NL_UC3.jpg

I wonder what Tesla’s inspiration will be for their sedan? And electic BMW 3 series competitor?
Something more like an electric Porsche 911? Coupe with 2 doors or sedan with 4 doors?
I am hoping something rear wheel drive in the compact entry-luxury sport segment like Infinity G35, Lexus IS350, Acura TL, Subary Legacy, Audi A4, Volvo S40, Jaguar X-type, Saab 9-5, Mercedes C-class, etc.
Just how much Tesla technology will it have? Same 240hp drivetrain? Carbon fiber body? Bonded aluminum subframe?

The new Toyota Celica hybrid sports car could be interesting competition:
www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=13143

OK, I have to comment here TEG…..
Based on what you said:
“By the way, the Elise is expected to be redesigned next year. I wonder if it will look more or less like the Tesla?
Apparently Lotus had gotten a temporary exception to bring the non compliant Elise headlight design into the US and so they will definitely need to redo the front end from their current model.”

Yes the Elise will be redesigned ‘to be compliant with US regulations’. In fact when the Elise was first introduced for US market it was grandfathered in for 3 years under the ‘then’ existing Fed regulations and many ’small’ things were let slide for marketing into the country. IE: No bumpers. No driving lights (fog lights as we say here, and yes… makes no sense to me why they couldn’t put them on). [I added the driving lights to mine at a cost of 160$ for two lights. I do my own labor, but have heard that it costs apx 250-275$ for the install. The install was timely and required the removal of the front clamshell since the normal access is blocked on the US model…. but they come standard on the UK version. Go figure. As far as the headlamps, the non compliant has to do with the fall pattern that the lights produce. Americans are used to the sealed beam pattern, were as the European is a defused x-pattern. If you didn’t like it or can’t get used to it, you could buy the upgraded light kit and is no trouble to put in]. Anyway, when the 240R Exige was to be released stateside under the grandfather clause for existing models, it didn’t make it here mainly because of the Supercharger. Feds viewed it as a race car. How screwy is it you ask?…. for instance, since the body for the Exige is a ‘hand laid’ composite carbon fiber instead of the injection Gel molding like on the Elise, the process is patented different. It is the same material just laid down different. Oddly, it was viewed as a different model composite and it couldn’t make it under Greentree House ruling. Red tape. So the 240R stayed in the UK. They (Lotus) went back to the drawing board and removed the ‘race based’ goodies and retuned the ECU mapping for the Exige for US release in the 05 ramp up for 06. They only made apx 300 for US. Now the Elise/Exige S models are once again revamps of the above car. My local dealer got an Elise S in and it is a very nice car, but they want 70K+ for that model. The ‘main’ thing behind the Elise S is that it has the same chassie set up in the Exige with the LSD and Track Pack. Creature comfort is the same other than you get more chrome and body stripes. The Exige S is a toned down 240R and GT3 (cup), and somehow got the Supercharger back in it…. I guess they were able to do this because it is a very limited production run on both vehicles. The Exige S with the addition of the roots based Superchager adds only 40 horses for performance and is a boon for the mid range response. As for the Exige Cup, again, a limited production run and is basically a track ready, stripped 240R. The major frame difference is it has the roll cage were the 240R dropped the cage at the last minute. This is where the extra 20K$ comes from on the sticker price…. but why buy a stock 40 S/C when you can get a Bimani S/C giving you 70 extra horses at 14K$ installed and tuned. This is a monster in this package, Basically, I can for 75K$ have a vehicle that would out perform the Cup for less…. and it is the same car. I save 5K$. Lotus had lot of varients of these two models. IE: Exige GTS (2 made and for competition use only). Info is availabe for from Lotus and various sites through out the web on the models above…. some are hard to find but are there. I recall a version of the Exige that was called something like “Saboteur”. Again a Exige with a little more posh and glitter (not much though), and it had ‘Upgraded paint with Pinstripes and upgraded carpet’. Big whoop. I’m happy with mine the way it is, does fine on the track….. that’s market diversification. But that’s Lotus and has nothing to do with Tesla.
It does bring to my mind that if Lotus is the chassie/body manufacturer for Tesla, how did they get under the same clause that Lotus did as far as the import of this body style. It wasn’t only the headlights that held Lotus back. The Elise has been around for a little over ten years. What I mean is that Lotus has to redesign the body in order to be compliant with the new Federal standards for 07. Telsa will be utilizing the ‘old’ body style in 07. Lotus, for late 07 by the proto drawings/pics and info I have seen, the body style seems to be leaning towards a Japanese configuration. The main pictures I have seen it looks like an Acura NSX. Will this be the avenue that Tesla will take since they are using Lotus as a supplier? Lotus will have to comply with the standards if they want to sell cars here, which in turn suggests that Tesla will have to go with what Lotus is building in Hethel/Norwich body wise. To me it’s a shame…. I love this body style, it’s very Euro in look and feel. I’m not knocking the Japanese (they make fine autos and I have owned my share), but I would hate to see the change. The sound, ride and feel is totally different….. but that is a matter of taste.

TEG, I have to ask. I am guessing that you are an admin for this blog…. you seem to have insights to the Tesla company and know what is up. You answer many of the points brought up by others. So does that mean TEG stands for “Tesla Engineering Group”?

On your MR2…. did you know that it is a Lotus design car (M90, X100), but Lotus didn’t think they would have the market for world release, so they quietly sold it to Toyota. :
www.mr2.com/TEXT/LotusX100.txt and http://shell.deru.com/~sgn1/AW11/Intro.htm

Lastly, I had this vid from last year on the Exige. It was shown on Top Gear. A further demo of this chassie style in action. Hope you enjoy.
www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/classic-top-gear-exige-vs-apache-helicopter

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Editor’s Answer: Take a look at the FAQ for more information.

Lotus Cars is assembling the Tesla Roadster under contract to Tesla Motors. Tesla Motors has also hired Lotus Engineering for certain design and engineering tasks. The Tesla Roadster style was developed in Lotus Engineering’s design studio - Lotus Engineering won a design contest where several design firms submitted proposals. Lotus Engineering supplied the initial chassis which was significantly modified by Tesla Motors engineers.

Are you planning to enter the Automotive X-Prize competition auto.xprize.org/xprize/ once it starts? The rules aren’t available yet but there are hints of 100 mpg requirement. Hopefully they will allow electric cars to enter with their mpg-equivalent rating. It would be great to see an electric car win this!

I’m just a economics student in Michigan with a spin on your thought and mention of gasoline engines not being as efficent as electirc ones to an extent. I’m sure you must have thought of having a smaller gas motor serving the sole purpose of recharging the L-Ion batteries while the car is running? The theory behind this idea is that a motor could provide more transfered electrical energy than by directly being connected to the drive. This could give you a another range of 100 miles? per gallon of gas used in this way to give your sports car even more of a range. What do you think? Is something like this theoretically sound? Thanx Wish you best of luck.

Dan,
This has to be one of the greatest things to come down the pike lately. I do NOT think you are over price one cent. Thank you for honoring Tesla in such a magnificant way.

Have your folks looked at the flow batteries? They can be recharged in seconds and are very inexpensive. They have one on a golf cart in Australia( University of New South Wales.) I think they have great potential for large trucks simply because of the weight reduction with the engine and drive train loss and the large roofs for solar panels. Long haul would have to recharge often. If your folks are not familiar with the low through battery, have them look it up on the web. It is going to change everything with electicity.

I am running for President of the United States on a platform to set the nation on a course of energy independance in 10 years. The New Hampshire primary will be the first challenge. Perhaps your car will be ready for the campaign. It would sure highlight my message and show your car to the nation. I have just informed my employer that I am running so it will be a short while before I start the web site and campaign in general.

I am looking forward to your start of sales. Best of luck , and put me on you email list.

Colonel Karl Krueger

What SPECIFIC safety features relating to Li Ion Batteries are designed in?
Seeing the results of Inspirons multiplied by XX in your vehicle could jeopordize the whole electric car industry!

—-

Editor’s Note: I can’t give you the drawings, but there is information on the safety page.

Energy Storage is All About Safety

Tesla’s engineers selected cells from a reputable Fortune 500 battery supplier that has produced billions of safe, reliable, Li-ion batteries. We combined this basic proven cell technology with our own unique battery pack design to provide multiple layers of protection. Our design ensures that should any cell fail catastrophically, adjacent cells do not. This is true regardless of whether or not the battery pack cooling system is running. (The cooling system in the Energy Storage System exists to increase the battery pack’s life — we don’t depend on it for safety.)

We then collaborated with an outside firm known for expertise in lithium ion battery safety to perform hundreds of tests to validate the safety of our design. In these tests, we set out to simulate a worst-case scenario in which a cell develops a serious malfunction. In each test, we set a cell on fire in the middle of a Tesla battery pack (by heating the heck out of it) and observed the results. Our design contained these failures to a single cell, demonstrating that malfunctions wouldn’t spread.

The Battery Safety Monitor, mounted inside the battery pack’s protective enclosure, measures voltage, current, acceleration, tilt, smoke, moisture, and more. Like the controller for an airbag, the Battery Safety Monitor responds to an emergency - in this case by automatically disconnecting the battery pack from the vehicle and shutting down power to the car and to all electric cables in the car.

None of the Tesla Roadster’s high voltage systems are accessible to accidental contact outside their protective enclosures and jacketed cables. Only with special tools can someone gain access to any high-voltage components. Our high-voltage systems are enclosed, labeled, and color-coded with markings that service technicians and emergency responders already understand.

Designing a safe, large lithium ion battery is difficult, but not impossible.

Hear Hear!

I look forward to buying my own Tesla vehicle in another 10 years. May you guys make it.

Jason

Congratulations on this obvious breakthrough! Has Tesla Motors considered selling a system package so I could convert my donor car to electric?
cheers

So the next question is…

How many Tesla’s have people bought so far?

Let’s not forget the work of AC propulsion Co. in all of this. There is the forerunner sports cars of the Tesla on their website- the “t-Zero”- that Martin Eberhard borrowed and drove for 3 months before deciding to do the Tesla. Alan Cocconi of AC deserves a medal as well.

I know I can’t afford to buy one right now and that doesn’t actually bother me. The success of this company in meeting its goals and staying financially prosperous for another day is what matters to me. I would rather have a company on the planet that makes cars for $100K now and survives to make cars for $50K in the next two years and cars for $25K after that than I would a company that tries to make a car for $50K or $25K now and fails. I bought the highest mileage car I could afford and would meet my needs when I could do so. That was a Honda Civic LX Sedan in late 2001. I didn’t even have enough money for a hybrid then (and still don’t at the moment). Gasoline was still cheap (compared to now) and other people were buying bigger cars, but I knew it wouldn’t last. I’m still driving that car and expect to continue to do so until it is worn out or something else so compelling comes along that I decide to leave it behind. Meanwhile, I walk when I can, ride the bus when it’s practical, occasionally take my bicycle, and save energy that way. So, I stand apart from the harsh critics. Have patience, everyone, please. New technology and the infrastructure to support it can’t be brought forth for everyone overnight. Give your support to this project, if you can, even if it is only spreading a good word to others.

I need to find a Tesla car rental agency that has reasonable daily rates.

OK BetaVoltaic batteries are currently in their infancy, but tritiated honey (a euphomism) in a 50 micron multi layer thin film honeycomb betavoltaic battery, constantly trickle charging the main traction battery, with perhaps enough power on it’s own to crawl home at say 30 to 50 mph. depending on terain etc.
Manufacturers like Tesla, could then define the range of their cars, as say quarter of a miillion miles. The future looks bright. for electric powered vehicles. Next stage of development, Aircraft. These thin films are highly flxible, also mechanically strong and can be incorporated into the main structural and surface components. They would not actually be visible, as such. i.e. the door panel is a beta-voltaic battery. There are few worries on the radioactive problem eaither. Tritium decays to harmless Helium 3 and a beta emission can be stopped by thin paper,yet alone metal . This may be just a pipe dream now, but things are moving apace fast with the technology. Best Wishes to all of you.

Mr. Eberhard,

Have you or anyone in your new company thought about partnering with Toshiba to gain rights and use the newely invented Toshiba nano-particle battery? This would give this awesome car the ability to charge in just under 2 mintues to full and would solve every problem releated to driving long distances.

Folks,
Don’t forget that Tesla will be showing off the car this coming weekend in Pebble Beach

www.teslamotors.com/media/press_room.php?r=072006_2&js_enabled=1

Alastair Carnegie, thanks for the mention of that “BetaVoltaic” technology.
I found more info here:
peswiki.com/index.php/PowerPedia:Beta_voltaic
I think it would be difficult for the marketing department to tout the safety of a radioactive battery…
However, I do recall that the first smoke detectors did use a radioactive substance, and were generally accepted by consumers.
www.uic.com.au/nip35.htm
www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_233.html

—-

Editor’s note: More details on the Pebble Beach event can be found on the events page. 

Regarding Vulcan comment: a common problem, of which I am well aware. Perhaps our science officer might intervene on your behalf. Although it usually isn’t allowed, due to the “prime directive” protocal, in this case we might make an exception.I will process a request on your behalf. Otherwise, we could just destroy the Klingons for you-in which case the patents return to the public domain. Let me know which option you prefer.

Just a short note re. the Toshiba nano battery: it was long ago superceded by the Mork nano-nano battery-far superior in its time. I must go now-trouble in space quadrant alpha 506.3, must go to warp 10 asap. You’ll be glad to hear (I’m sure) that we won’t be back in your sector for at least .035 light yrs. Good luck with your endeavors.By the way Spock thinks your project is “quaint-but nonetheless most fascinating”

The price is perfect for what you get. If it’s to low I personally won’t buy it beacuse I know I’m getting a cheap car “you get what you pay for” I have some advice. If you want a polished turd buy a Mustang. I drive an NSX ranging upwards to 89k and see the Tesla as the ONLY replacement with the same price tag.

EV is not about saving money at the pump and is not just about saving the plannet. They make it out to be about the enviornment when in reality it’s more about not supporting the middle east in funding terrorism. Some countries make 85% of their money from oil alone. The rest is pearls, fish and other small things. If we have no ties with the middle east then there would of been no war either. You hear about alternate fuels saving us from Global Warming but what about the bigger picture? Nuclear War? You never hear them use this in their ads because you might hurt liberal America’s feelings.

OWNING A TESLA EV IS A PRIVILAGE NOT A RIGHT. DO NOT CUT CORNERS FOR POEPLE WHO CAN”T AFFORD IT. Cheaper models will come there way but leave the expensive models in the class they belong. Do you see poeple with Lamborghini’s complaing about the 275k price tag? No! And if rich people buy an EV for a different purpose then what does it matter? They are still contributing by driving it arent they? Does it mater what the reason is? I can buy it just to pick up hookers on Hollywood Blvd how does that stop it from acheiving it’s purpose?

Very good initiative. The car looks a lot like the Lotus Elise, the casis en the body. Does Tesla use parts of Lotus for the electric-sportscar? I can’t find any remarks about it, but it is very obvious.

Greetings,
Evert

—-

Editor’s Surprise: Did you read the FAQ?

What is your relationship with Lotus?

Whether the cars are hybred, ethanol, H-2, or straight battery, as it is turning out, some of the “principle” patents for parts are held by many other people. All of these patent holders are out to get their max. compensation and this almost is a destroyer for the putting together any car which does not use other’s patents. There are just so many principles to go around and it is hard to work around other’s patents without giving compensation.

Scottie wrote on August 15th, 2006 at 11:28 pm
In regards to exploding lithium-ion batteries, where I come from this problem was solved long ago. But it is irrelevant since this technology is no longer used. I would suggest that you would get far better results with di-lithium crystals. I calculate you would get a zero to 60 acceleration rate of .0052 seconds using this power source ( and a range of at least 3.8 million miles).

—-
Editor’s Answer: We tried that, but the Klingons got there first. They don’t let anyone use their patents. Obviously the Vulcans offered to help, but they had a sense of humor failure and that was that.

From www.engadget.com/2006/08/16/first-batch-of-tesla-motors-electric-cars-sold-out/

First batch of Tesla Motors electric cars sold out
Posted Aug 16th 2006 9:05AM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Transportation

It wasn’t too long ago that Tesla Motors had its (admittedly glamorous) unveiling of the forthcoming Tesla Roadster — you know, the 130-miles per hour battery powered whip that rolls 250 miles on a single charge. While it can’t be too shocking to see a few celebrities here and there plop down unspeakable amounts of coin to get their hands on something new, don’t tell Tesla that the reaction to its creation is surprising. Less than a month after this extra-green automobile hit the pre-order market, all 100 that were offered up are now claimed. Just doing simple calculations, we’re seeing a company that went from next to nil in terms of sales to $10 million in capital quicker than a shipment of crude oil could hit the American shores. Martin Eberhard, the CEO of Tesla Motors, reported that “all 100 are gone,” which means those hundred highfaluting individuals that have paid the $100,000 deposit have guaranteed themselves one of the first Roadsters off the production line in 2007. While the buyers may end up paying more than the deposit price when taking delivery, it’s fairly unlikely they’ll see any partial refunds if the MSRP somehow clocks in under 100 grand (considering the apparent popularity), and we’ve heard that both of Google’s co-founders, as well as eBay’s Jeff Skoll, have thrown down for the seemingly coveted ride. There’s no word on when Tesla plans to re-open its bank account for the next wave of orders, but if such an opportunity does arise, you should probably call dibs with some level of haste if you plan on shunning those costly fuel pumps next year.

One thing I would like to highlight for everyone. This product is going to be a niche and will only be mainstream when all the other automotive companies decide to be involved. Imagine for one minute all of the industries and people that support the current mainstream automobile when you think about it your mind you will understand why we will never get a 100% energy independent transportation infastrucuture (at least in our lifetime). Tesla is very smart at what expectations are, a couple thousand a year is an enormous success. All of us can wish all we want but the pc didn’t become really desireable until price/killer apps/internet. And ev’s will only be desiralbe when the auto industry desides ice’s/fuel make them less money then batteries/caps/e-motors/ or sci-fi future thingy. EV’s need somthing that is analogous to the pc/internet paradigm. Global warming, oil wars, pain and fear, high costs = current US transportation. When EV’s and renewables can gravitate enough to 180 all this, that is when the desire for them will happen and drive the market forces by industry to support that paradigm.

As always never back down.

saving in the land of sky blue water

Awesome look. If the design is as solid- yippee!

1) I currently drive a Saab turbo convertible. My commute is approx 3.8 miles roundtrip- with a top speed of 40mph. I could ride a bike except I occasionally need to make trips up to 30-40 miles rt. I could charge at my office and look forward to charging at home. My point is my Saab is way overengineered for what I need- and even though ok mpg for what it is, I’d rather go electric.

2)
I had the notion that something like a 100% electric Porsche Spyder replica (see www.ohler.com/ev/spyder/) could be in my garage for about $45,000.

I also know the Twike could be bought for far less- though that comparison is not really fair since the Twike is not nearly as car-like. (see www.twike.us/

The Tango is a better comparison- but the price point is similar and ballast or not I have to wonder about lateral stability.

The Xebra appears off the shelf ready to go- for about $10K. But the appearance does nothing for me- and I question the safety.

With all of these vehicles I would want to see crash tests. A lightweight cage surrounding the passenger & driver with smart crumple zones would inspire far more confidence for me than airbags. Personally, I would also prefer a four point harness.

3) Investment oppty

Car company start ups who have failed:
Delorean, Corbin, and dozens more. It’s expensive - financing is tough. Is difficult- execution is tough. Buyers don’t always buy the “best” design- marketing is tough.

ZAP appears to be surviving - but it gets complicated (tell me in simple terms how they make money, who owns the right to sell Smart cars in the US and how many dealers ZAP will have) and that’s a bad sign for outside investors. It’s also more of a broker/dealer than a car company.

A few years back there was an enclosed vehicle based on a BMW K bike that had crazy low center of gravity- and out riggers that would deploy at low speed. I’m pretty sure it was two wheel- and may still be available, but like the T-rex, it was gas or diesel. No electric.

And then there are the golf cart and golf cart equivalents. Most would do fine for my usual daily range- but the speeds are a problem, it can be hard to register them for the street, and there’s the safety equation.

www.barrett-jackson.com/events/default.asp

The Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auto Show and Auction is Jan 13-21 2007. It would be a GREAT location to showcase the Tesla. Scottdale is a perfect demographc area for Tesla and a perfect location for a dealership/service station.

Yeah, Steve Hausman, I bet Tesla will need some presence in Washington D.C. even if they aren’t selling cars there! Might as well have a dealship there too. On the other hand it could be a little bit intimidating driving the micro-Tesla-roadster amongst all those behemoth government SUVs.

Martin, Tesla Marketing Team

I agree with others touting financial support by providing stuff like keychains, hats, glasses, shirts, posters, framed pictures, holographic images, diecast collector models, rc car body’s, partner with proactive celebs to drive up in the red carpets for the MTV VMA’s there is some good promotions, a visa master card themed cards, promotional dvd, blu-ray, psp video, ipod video, the next fast and furious, screen savers, desktop wallpaper. Please provide some options for us who are of little means but are enthusiasts, advocates and fans that want to support your efforts at the grass roots and help you succeed. Use this money to add more revenue to help buy add space online, high profile tv shows and events, radio spots, bill boards, mags, and get your product into music videos and tv shows, movies etc, don’t forget the what would JC drive campaign. One other thing it might be good to start laying the ground work for an electric racing league to help further plant the seeds of change.

stay laser focused and never back down

saving in the land of sky blue water

One more really good link for those that haven’t seen it:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_electric_vehicle

oh, bumper stickers are good too…

This thing is the best thing to happen to the American car industry since the muscle car.

Best of luck getting this thing off the ground and when you go public please let me know - I’d like to buy some shares.

Many have adressed the problem that there is not a big market etc., rich people don’t buy electric vehicles, etc. So why do all these stars own one (or more) Prius? Maybe it’s an image thing, maybe they care about the environment. The Prius isn’t really the most comfortable, fastest, … car in the world. Still they buy them. Get in touch with these people… I think there is a market. What Tesla needs is money… and they have it. In huge amounts. AND they would be excellent marketing.
Really, a mass market EV as the first car would IMHO ruin Tesla. Average car drivers want convenience, be able to service the car everywhere, the car has to be at least as cheap and good as normal cars if it’s not going to be a niece product for green people. On the other hand buyers of exotic sports cars are used to few places to service the car, to wait for the car, to pay alot. I guess it would be difficult for Tesla anyway to build 10000s of cars a year. And I guess the margin per car is much higher with exotic sports cars.

One addition. I wanted to add that I posted my comment to my blog also.

I wonder if you could make an electric big rig with a decent range? I don’t know the numbers but it seems like those 18 wheelers must account for a big fraction of the gas usage in the US. Maybe if you could find a cross country shipping company that has most of their business concentrated on to one primary route and set up a dozen or so stations where they could swap out big lithium ion arrays. It could serve as a model for the future of the transportation industry. Maybe you could even get some government grants.

I wish you guys at Tesla the best of luck.

I am a Silicon Valley EE who has worked at Ford, IBM, Lucent, startups, and elsewhere.
I know from first hand experience the regulatory nightmare that automakers face
in the USA (don’t get me started about headlights ….). Batteries are not a safety problem compared
to a tank of gasoline. I want to see electric propulsion
take it’s rightful place in personal transportation, and you are going the right direction. The
price target you have is correct for what you are providing (earlier this year, I had the opportunity to be driver and passenger in a new Bentley for a few days. It was nice, but it isn’t worth the $$$ by my reckoning).

My only request: Please offer some “plant tours” in San Mateo (preferably on a weekend). You could get an SRO crowd by showing a prototype and talking about the future.

—-

Editor’s Surprise: Sadly, we can’t offer “plant tours” in San Mateo as we are in San Carlos. 

OK…so…I found that there is just too much for me to read at this late hour (it’s coming close to midnight here in NJ), but I did have an entertaining thought I’d like to share with the management at Tesla - perhaps it’ll help get the company moving forward a little faster. I’m talking finances, here.

Since your automobiles will be quite a novelty in the foreseeable near future (think Segway, on a much grander scale), perhaps you could persuade Walt Disney World that a handful of your vehicles might make an interesting addition to the racing attractions they already have (Test Track is one, and there is another, an actual race-car driving school - a pricy grown-up attraction.) Would really depend upon whether, when un-hobbled (speed governor disconnected), the Tesla roadster could really perform at race-track speeds. Just a thought , and a bit crazy at that - but it sounds like fun to me, and I think that such an attraction would be a great way to gain some additional brand recognition.

Now for my personal thoughts on the Tesla roadster concept itself. I make a good living and anticipate much more success from my start-up company (see my web-site link), and you can bet that I’ll be lining up for one of the second, third, or maybe fourth 100 cars Tesla produces. I’m quite “green” at heart, I work mostly from home, I like neck-snapping acceleration as much as the next guy, and the exclusivity and relative uniqueness of such a vehicle is simply irresistable. Jeez, even my buddies who are “car guys” would be scratching their heads, saying, “what the HECK is that?” Given that I can’t be the only guy in this position and with this mindset, I think that the initial concept is brilliant - how better to help justify that big price sticker than by making the first product a baby-supercar? The car’s lines are sexy, the performance is sexy, the environmental friendliness is even sexy (you’ll not just attract hot women with this car, you’ll attract SMART hot women - va-va-voom!)

Oh, by the way, one last thing: I will be PRAYING that you good folks at Tesla will be able to overcome the massive political BS that will be heaped in front of you by the various and sundry friends of big oil and the automotive industry who are masquerading as legitimate elected officials and directors of government agencies who are *supposed* to be looking out for our best interests. THAT, my brilliantly creative, altruistic, tech-savvy friends, is the REAL battle. Don’t give up on this dream. I’d like to breath, and I would LOVE to see the cave-dwellers-become-billionaires in the Middle East returned to their rightful place in the food-chain, once and for all.

Gosh, I can sure be opinionated at times! Cool cars get me going.

Jeff

Can you please tell me how much one of these cars will cost? Or, if you don’t have a price, a “ballpark” figure?

—

Editor’s response: Tesla Motors is now accepting reservations for the 2008 model year Tesla Roadster. Base price is $92,000.

Listen, yes the price of the car is a bit costly. But wake up people Tesla’s Roadster is believe it or not quite a bit cheaper than previous electric cars period. The piont is no halibut prices are going to be high at the beginning of the game, there’s not even any market for these cars yet. I think Tesla’s plan is briliant, first manufacture a fast electric car that not only looks great but is able to sucessfully show off the performance potential of electric engines. Don’t you people see, Tesla is trying to appeal to a broader demographic of people besides just green energy enthusiast, I mean why else do you think they had Lotus design the body. Point I’m trying to make is prices will go down in time, thats the way economy works, so don’t be so quick to criticize these guys, they know what they’re doing…
-To everyone at Tesla I wish you all the luck in the world…its time for a change

Good day
I see that teslar motors is investing in the think city electric car. Are we thinking of selling it any time in the near future.
Thank you William

Lotus had lot of varients of these two models. IE: Exige GTS (2 made and for competition use only). Info is availabe for from Lotus and various sites through out the web on the models above…. some are hard to find but are there. I recall a version of the Exige that was called something like “Saboteur”. (Read more on my blog about how to make a solar panel)Again a Exige with a little more posh and glitter (not much though), and it had ‘Upgraded paint with Pinstripes and upgraded carpet’. Big whoop. I’m happy with mine the way it is, does fine on the track….. that’s market diversification.