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It has been quite a while since I have put finger tip to key board and joined the Tesla blogosphere. This might have something to do with my being a little bit busy as we have been maturing the Roadster from an amazing prototype to a full-blown production car.
You’ve heard us say this many times but, “This isn’t easy”. Being the guy who’s done this sort of thing before, I’ve often warned my colleagues that this was going to be hard. If you think you know about cars because you’ve tinkered with them during the weekend, I can assure you that it is a whole new world when you design a new one and try to put it into production. Unfortunately, no one told me how hard this particular one was going to be.
Having said that, I can’t imagine a more rewarding job than getting the Tesla Roadster from concept through to production - and we are so nearly there.
Last time I wrote, we had just started crashing the early prototypes. As I stated at the time, this exercise is both expensive and scary. I have since found that although crashing the final validation cars is less expensive due to pre-production parts costing less than early prototypes, it is even more scary. Although we needed the early tests to be successful, I also knew that they represented a learning opportunity and that there would be subsequent repeat tests.For the final certification tests, the consequences of failure would have had a serious impact (pun intended) on our program.
Some of you may have seen some recent blogging about the safety of EVs during crash testing. There is nothing intrinsically less safe about an EV than a gasoline car. It’s all about the energy absorption of the periphery of the vehicle and the integrity of the structure that protects the passengers and anything else that it is a good idea not to damage - in our case this is the ESS (battery box); in the case of regular cars it’s the fuel tank. I always find it interesting when people say, “Isn’t it dangerous carrying all those batteries around?” Well I don’t know about you, but I’d rather carry a load of relatively inert battery cells than 10 gallons of highly volatile, flammable liquid. I will not comment on how other companies design their vehicles but at Tesla, we have paid great attention to the integrity of the design for crash management.
Front Crash Test
Side Crash Test
This relates not only to the aforementioned structural integrity, but also to the safety systems within the ESS itself. The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) are slightly different for EVs in that they cover spillage of electrolyte and avoidance of electric shock rather than the spillage of fuel as in a conventional gasoline powered vehicle. We have therefore incorporated numerous safety systems into the ESS to prevent such dangers. The most significant of these systems opens the primary contactors during a crash event and thus completely isolates the high voltage system from the rest of the vehicle. This system when combined with the physical protection of the enclosure, results in an electrically safe vehicle following the prescribed impacts.
Rear Crash Test
Rear Crash Test
So, back to the plot, how did the final certification tests go? Well, I still have some hair and it’s not all grey. Thanks to great design, structural analysis, build quality and well run test management, we have successfully completed the entire suite of dynamic impact testing to meet both FMVSS and, as importantly, our own very strenuous internal performance targets. This is a great achievement for Tesla; it takes us another (major) step closer to our final goal and is another demonstration that EVs are as real as any other vehicle on the road.
And while we’re on the FMVSS theme, while crash testing gets the headline attention there are roughly 40 other specific federally mandated requirements that apply to the Roadster. Tesla needed to meet all of these requirements in order to be in a position to affix the much coveted Manufacturer’s Certification Label on the car.Here’s a few that you may or may not be aware of.
Defrost Test
“Windshield Defrosting and Defogging”
The roadster has been in a climate chamber getting itself truly chilled and frosted. During these tests, we start the vehicle and ensure that defined zones of the windshield are cleared within a specified timeframe.
Come on, who was thinking, “That must be hard for an electric car with cold batteries”? Not so. The Roadster has the advantage of not needing to wait for an engine to warm up (and warming by means of all that otherwise wasted energy - how inefficient!) but can immediately get to work on the windshield using our electrically powered PTC heating system. We passed the defrost test with flying colors.
“Rear View Mirrors”
This one amuses me - not because the regulations require that important rearward areas must be visible via the mirrors, a very sensible precaution, but rather that federal rules do not specifically regulate the forward field of vision as is the case in Europe. Crazy huh? Anyway, we passed this too.
There is some standard stuff covers things like,“Flammability of Interior Materials,”- very sensible. In a similar vein there is a, “Controls and Displays”. These standards may answer the question of why so many cars look similar - perhaps, but we do tend to recognize what all the symbols mean, whatever car we jump into.
Lights!
Did you know that you can’t just make any old lighting thingy that shines down the road? Check out your current car, there should be “DOT” markings on the lens to confirm that they meet the FMVSS prescribed intensity and lighting pattern to provide sufficient illumination and avoid dazzling oncoming traffic. Yup, I agree. It would help if people adjusted them occasionally. Or is that just because I drive a low slung car and suffer jacked up trucks coming the other way! The lights must also be within prescribed positions on the vehicle. One problem with such a low sleek design like the roadster is positioning the headlamp high enough to meet these requirements - not a problem for designers of the Suburban!
Last on the list was seat testing. We have to heave on the seat belt system to ensure that it is strong enough, and we have to impact the head restraint to ensure that it absorbs energy within prescribed limits - too stiff and it can cause unnecessary head injury in case of an impact. This testing has now been successfully completed resulting in the Tesla Roadster meeting the necessary FMVSS test requirements to allow sale in the Federal Market. Ok, I’m a Brit so that was a bit understated.
TESLA MOTORS HAS NOW MET ALL THE FMVSS TEST REQUIREMENTS NECESSARY TO ALLOW US TO MAKE PRODUCTION CARS AND SELL THEM IN THE FEDERAL MARKET.
Is that more appropriate?
Is that the whole story? Not quite. As well as ensuring that the vehicle meets all of the safety standards, we have also had to provide the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) with a full description of the vehicle and our range test data that was recorded during rolling road testing at an independent third party certified test house. The result of this was that on January 16, 2008, the EPA issued a “Certificate of Conformity with the Clean Air Act of 1990” to Tesla Motors Inc. This was the final step necessary for DOE /Customs to accept the importation of Production Roadsters.
These are immensely significant milestones in the history of Tesla Motors and the future of electrically powered, zero emission vehicles.
Burn rubber, not oil and enjoy the experience.
Posted in the categories: Safety, Crash test, British
Umm… Isn’t it interesting that the first blog post after the recent events has three photos of Roadsters being destroyed. A little visual metaphor?
Finally one encouraging blog, thanks for updating us on progress
I understand your hair related concerns, those tests were quite streessful, for both car and you guys. Fortunately they are over now
As a question, I would like to ask if there was any test related to transmission. If answer is yes, will that have any impact on new transmission, once when you produce final (reliable) version?
Keep the good work and bring The Roadster to street soon!
Great News! Congratulations!
I bet you already have containers of cars sitting on the dock waiting for the certificate.
Are the cars being received from Lotus Mfg. complete or is there assembly and testing work that has to be done in the US?
Let us know when DOE/Customs releases the first shipment of cars, that will be a red letter day.
Philip
Congratulations on this most important step and thanks for educating us. Who would have thought “Windshield Defrosting and Defogging” is a federally mandated requirement?
Congratulations on the successes; and thank you for the first Blog post of the new year. Also, I like the idea of a feedback loop for Blog questions (referring to your comments in the video that you’d be back next week to answer questions).
My question is: were there any steps in the crash testing process you were able to skip not being an ICE, and were there any steps that were added because of the novel nature of the product?
I watched the “Tucker - The Man And His Dream’ Movie the night before last. Today’s news from Tesla is most encouraging.
I will be absolutely delighted when I see Teslas on the road in my corner of the world. (Only about three hours northeast of the Bay Area.)
Very informative, encouraging! Do the cars meet Canadian Bumper regulations?
Good stuff. The next thing you can do to satisfy all of us anxiety ridden chronic pessimistic optimists is set up a live camera at the docks so we can watch the first cars being loaded, (lol). One question I have is about financing. When the car becomes readily available I wonder if any lenders will be interested in some type of financing arrangement. I can’t help but think that some form of long term financing factoring in the savings in fuel costs etc. could be developed. If something like that were offered it would certainly increase my chances of owning a Tesla.
Yipeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is GREAT news. Congratulations.
Some people in Ze-ev’s blog posted a link to Motor Trend’s Tesla video on You Tube. It is incredible:
video.google.com/videosearch?q=tesla+car&num=10&hl=en&so=1&start=0
This is starting to get exciting. The naysayers were starting to annoy me.
A fantastic idea, superbly packaged in a gorgeous car.
When will someone do something like this for the UK market?! With petrol (gas) costing nearly $8US/US Gallon and road tax costing $330/year a $100,000US car which doesn’t cost either is truely great value for money without considering the awesome performance you get.
You Americans are SO lucky!
…what about getting Lotus to be an EU distributor?
Review and video of the Tesla Roadster can be seen on Motor Trend’s website:
www.motortrend.com/
Question for Editor:
Please tell us more about how you were able to come up with a (1) speed tranmission rather than the original (2) speed (this makes sence to me by the way)
Hey Skid;
That’s the fun in this case, all you have to do is be patient and eventually the naysayers get to eat their words….. “would you like ketchup with that?”
Hey Dave;
Knowing politicians in N.A., if the politicians in the UK are the same, your Road tax likely won’t disappear. “But we can’t remove that Tax for you as we use it for road repair and such and your car still drives on the road.”
No Target:
As a Canadian, I’ll add my voice to the Strada Auto Store post: Has anyone had a chance to look into the Canadian regulations to see which of them pass - due to the equivalent US regulations - and which would need to be examined?
I would suspect probably not Tesla Motors as their focus should be in the US Market. After all, for a startup company, it makes sense to keep the startup costs as low as possible for initial market penetration and targeting the regulations in more then one country would increase the startup costs. Keep the costs as low as possible = better chance for the company to make it. I, for one, deffinitely want to see Tesla Motors succeed so I can be patient with regards bringing the Tesla into the Canadian market.
However, there might be some wealthy Canadian who perchance might be looking into what s/he needs to have the car legally in Canada. Any of those that might have some indication on where the possible Canadian status might be?
Excellent news. Congratulations on this achievement.
How old do you have to be to apply for a internship.
Malcolm.
My name is Nolyn Schneider and I currently go to Miami dade college for aircraft maintenance. I study engines all day and I know everything about them. Unfortunately the world is dying on us and nobody wants to do anything about it. That is where you come in! The electric car will hopefully change everything is the price is reasonable!!! I have watched all the videos of the testing and I wonder, is there any alternators on the wheels?? That would keep the car moving forever and reduce the consumption of energy! An alternator works by a circular motion and would be perfect on each wheel!! It’s just a thought but I really REALLY want you at Tesla to make an enormous profit off of these vehicles because the Motor companies are greedy! Also, why not implement small fans in the back that spin constantely? That would produce enough energy to charge the radio, lights, etc… Some simple ideas I have made in my head could go a long way and that is why I am telliing you! I hope you can help the world from the clutches of Fossil Fuel…It scares me when I stare at the road and really realize how many cars are out there!!
But on another note; Your company needs to realize where the most profit would come from!! Who uses vehicles the most? Truckers….If you somehow you created a Semi-truck, your profits would triple!!! It’s just a suggestion but you have the resources and the knowlege to accomplish it. Think about it and email me back if you can! I have drawn some blueprints and would love for you to see them!!
Nolyn Schneider
Daniel:
The 1-speed is a compromise until a robust enough 2-speed can be produced.
Weight and strength;
There is a new development that TeslaMotors should investigate: www.physorg.com/news117214996.html
These new memory material foams are very light and strong, and have obvious structural applications in cars, even in seat / cockpit safety. Check it out.
Nolyn;
PLEASE tell me you aren’t proposing a perpetual motion machine! “Moving forever” is nonsense. There are always losses, and the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics implacable increases entropy aka heat.
Oops 2. “implacably”.
Nolyn,
An alternator attached mechanically to the wheels is a GREAT IDEA. Oh… but wait, that is precisely what regenerative braking does. The AC Induction motor used in the Tesla serves as an ‘alternator’ when braking is needed. It recharges the batteries. And no, it can NOT be used all the time because the extra force required to drive would negate the amount of energy gained. Fans would increase air resistance and turn it into electricity, but the increased drag would negate the amount of energy gained.
“I study engines all day and I know everything about them”. A bold statement from a student of Miami Dade College. Study Engineering if you want to learn how an engine ACTUALLY works and not just how to replace parts.
And Nolyn, let me know which Airline hires you as an aircraft maintenance technician. As I will certainly not want to fly in anything that you maintain.
Nolyn Schneider, you are not the first to make those proposals on this blog. Thing is, when a spinning alternator produces electricity, it also produces rotational drag directly proportional to the electrical power produced. Hybrid cars and electric cars like the Tesla Roadster take advantage of that drag when they need to slow down - it’s called “Regenerative Braking”. The motor switches to act as an alternator, the drag slowing the car and producing electric power to partially recharge the battery at the same time! Now driving around with the “regenerative” brakes on all the time would create too much drag, slowing the car, and would actually decrease, not increase, the driving range.
The same goes for adding windmills of any size - the aerodynamic drag slows the car, forcing the drive motor to work harder and consume more power, much more than the amount of power made by the windmill. While windmills could theoretically be used for car braking, it is way too clumsy, expensive, and potentially hazardous to be practical.
Rechargable batteries are not quite ready to take on long haul semitruck loads, the 900 lb. battery pack in the Roadster only gives about 240 mile range in a small two seat car. Electric semis would need batteries with greatly inproved capacity, reduced weight, and lower cost - but that may arrive within a decade. Meanwhile, Peterbilt, Mack, and Volvo are all developing hybrid diesel/electric semi trucks, they should be arriving soon. Two companies, Modec and Smith Electric, are currently making and selling electric trucks for local (under 100 mile) deliveries, in sizes from 1/2 ton vans up to 2 ton capacity trucks.
In defense of the suggestion that Tesla Motors strongly consider the semi-truck market, there are a number of aspects about the suggestion that do merit some consideration:
1) Like the sports car market, it is a high-end niche market where individual sales are in the six- and seven-figure price range.
2) Electric motors are comparatively easy to scale upward to take on larger scales of operation. I’m not saying that this is a cakewalk, and certainly some significant mechanical engineering is involved here. But it is something that ought to be in the realm and scope of a team of competent mechanical engineers who are already working with the technology.
3) Efficiencies gained from going electric actually improve by going larger.
4) “Local” deliveries are a significant segment of the market, and are certainly a niche within the niche filled with current technology already developed by Tesla and adapted to the truck market.
The only real problem is to be able to build the vehicles in such a way that you can make a legitimate business case for them. The logistics industry is one that certainly doesn’t care about how something gets from one place to another… only if it can be done faster, more reliably, or cheaper. With diesel motors (and some solid maintenance records) routinely hitting a million miles of lifetime or more, there certainly are some significant challenges to entering this market. I do understand why Tesla hasn’t decided to enter this market… at least as a first vehicle. But I would hope that something like this is in the long-range plans if the company can get going.
Three questions:
Seatbelts, yes. But with pretensioners and force limiters?
Child-restraint LATCH and tether anchorage on passenger side, plus airbag shutoff?
Daytime running lights?
Here’s an idea to improve the range on an electric car, hopefully the engineers are already considering it.
Can u connect a generator to the braking system so when u slow down, or stop, u can use that enegy to partially recharge the battery?
Stephen R. Stockman
yes - that is called regenerative braking and we do have that - ed.
Thanks for very encouraging and informative blog
Congratulations on this achievement! 
I realize the idea for alternators on wheels has been made. I also realize it has been shot down based on the concept of the drag caused by such alternators. That is why I have one simple thing to point out, it would probably not create a “perpetual motion” car, but it would probably double if not triple the life of the battery; if you merely used ratios to your advantage you could rule out most if not all of the drag problem. All you have to do is place the alternators strictly on the front axle, then have the front wheel base be some fraction smaller than the rear wheel base. Thus, for ever single turn of the electric motor, the alternators and front wheels would turn more than once. You combine this with dual flywheel system that would work based on a centrifugal clutch. The normal flywheel would be engaged at lower rpm’s until the higher rpm’s engage the centrifugal clutch and catch the second larger flywheel. This combined with a possible gearing system to the flywheel would allow for even more make up of the drag of the alternators.
Now that would take care of the technical issues. As for the power source, well, frankly you can’t drain and recharge something at the same time, so, you have two batteries. One battery would power the engine while the second is charged. When the second battery reaches full charge or as full as it can get without the first battery running out, they will switch roles. The first battery will then be charged and the second one will then power the engine. All these things combined with normal outlet charging would give you a power system that would likely outrun any current electric system.
I realize that my ideas are not perfect and may be flawed but I have attempted to make up for as many issues as possible. Any criticisms or ideas to patch the holes in my idea would be great. Once again, it’s merely an idea.
George, have you noticed how, when you’re in a high gear on your bicycle, you have to push harder on the pedals to go forwards. It’s the same thing for the car. You cannot get more energy back into the car than you put in. It doesn’t matter how you gear it or what other tricks you use….it just can’t be done. It doesn’t matter what ratios you use or what else you do it just ain’t gonna work. It does look superficially attractive I’ll grant you….we’d all love it to work… but it doesn’t. I’m afraid your ideas are flawed,as you say. You need to read up on the physics involved in this. It’s more complicated than it looks when you just look at the mechanical pieces involved.
BTW, are you and Nolyn related? I just noticed the similarity in the names Schneider and Snyder and you seem to be singing from the same hymn sheet.
Congrats on your achievement. The Tesla is such a fine example of what we as sports car enthusiast can expect in the future.
Thank you for this forum! I see electric cars as a big part of the solution to our problem with dependence on foreign oil. I see your engineers are on the cutting edge toward making this technology work. Here is a potential problem that I hope you are working on to make these cars as safe as possible. The car makes no noise when it is running so there is a danger that people may step out into the street in front of the car because they cant hear it coming. This is a problem because we are used to hearing the noise from vehicles as they approach us, and many times we assume that if we dont hear anything coming then it is safe to step into the road. Perhaps these vehicles are gonna need “all the bells and whistles” to be successful.
Stephen, the problem of the car is already solved.
There is a device in the steering wheel that the driver can press to make the car emit a loud beep noise, alerting any unaware pedestrians that a car is approaching.
At higher speeds tyre noise is a good warning device and is noisier anyway than most modern engines of any type. At low speeds I’m sure Stephen is right. A few people are probably going to get run over because they don’t realise a car is moving. It happens now with quiet gasoline cars so there’s no reason to suppose it won’t happen with EVs. It would be embarrassing, but maybe some continuous artificial noise might help for areas where there are a lot of pedestrians.
Andrew, thank you for your response, I am glad you brought that point up. Although I am talking about ratios and gears mechanics I am not talking about them in that sense. The type of ratio set up you are describing on a bicycle is a direct driving gear system, similar to a cars transmission. My proposal of shrinking the front wheel base works on a separate notion. Although like bicycle gears it has two ends with two different sized “gears” turning, this system does not require the additional torque you are describing. The reason that when you switch to a larger gear on a bike is harder to pedal is because the pedals them selves are now shorter levers relative to the gear they are turning. This gives you less leverage but more torque. As for the car though, the rear wheel base would be the same size as normal. It would not be any larger than normal and would not require and additional work to move it. The front wheels are then indirectly rotated by the rear wheels driving. I am actually cutting the amount of work being done down by having a smaller wheel. Same amount of drive train with less to move.
Anyway, even if it didn’t run forever it would still increase battery life and I would think would be worth considering somewhat. I understand regenerative breaking does some of this but anywhere near as much energy as I am talking about. Also, I am not related as I far as I know to Nolyn, although our surnames are of similar origin. I am merely using this blog to present a concept I have had for many years to the only company that could accomplish such an idea at this time. I am well aware that there is energy loss in everything, but until I or someone else have actually crunched the numbers on this or built a prototype no one can say it is not a step up. Thank you again for your response.
P.S. - I have forgotten to most importantly of all congratulate Tesla Motors and everyone involved there on this monumental achievement. You have opened the doors to a future that will see the electric car as something common and desirable, not just because it keeps the air cleaner either. Keep up the good work you guys.
Trust me George, the great engineers at Tesla and all the other companies would not have missed that idea if it worked. It doesn’t. You also seem to be confused about wheelbase and track. Simply put wheelbase is the distance from the front axle to the back axle along the length of the car. Track is the distance between the two wheels on the same axle….across the width of the car. You don’t have to believe me….just read a few car magazines and look at the wheelbase and track measurements. I think maybe you’re talking about the size of the wheel ….its diameter…..I’m not sure from what you say.
This is from the tech shop at Edmunds.com.
Wheelbase
This is the measurement between the center of the front wheels and the center of the rear wheels, and it should be the same on both sides of a vehicle. Unless some form of serious custom work is being done, a vehicle’s wheelbase should never be altered. If it is unequal between the two sides, something is probably bent or broken.
Track
Track is the distance between the center of the tires on the same axle. It is basically how wide of a footprint the vehicle has. Using offset wheels, or wheels with a different centerline in relationship to the axle hub, can alter it. A negative offset will increase a vehicle’s track while a positive offset will bring the tires closer together. Of course, if you believe the Pontiac ads, “Wider is better,” you’d want more negative offset for increased stability. But, like all modifications, this can be detrimental if taken too far.
I am about 6′4″ and find getting into a Lotus Just about impossible; not to bad once I am in, though. Will the extra length of the Tesla make it any easier? Is the lower door frame any lower than in the Lotus? I am really interested in the Tesla but if the Lotus is a good proxy for fit it just won’t work.
sted,
I am 6′4″ too, as is my father and we’ve both tried several of the Roadster prototypes on for size and we both fit (top on and off). Many of the Tesla’s staff (including the founder, director of Marketing, Customer relations manager, lead investor, etc) are 6-feet tall or more, leading one to suspect that there might have been bias toward making it fit taller people. The Tesla Roadster seems to have evolved beyond it’s headroom challenged ancestor, the Elise.
George, AND EVERYBODY WHO HAS AN IDEA ABOUT USING THE MOTION OF THE CAR TO CHARGE THE BATTERIES!
I can visualize what your saying, and I understand your point. (You mean to say wheel diameter). It is mechanically quite simple to have your proposed alternator turn several times for each turn of the rear wheels. A simple gear or pulley.
If the wheels are spinning at 600 rpm then the alternator can spin at 2400 rpm. It would be the same as putting the alternator on the engine (ICE - Internal Combustion Engine) itself which runs at a much higher rpm than the wheels (except on the final gear). In fact, the ACTUAL car alternator is on the ICE engine itself and runs to charge up the Lead-Acid battery.
Okay. Now remember Newton’s Laws. That every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Since Power = torque x rpm, it DOESN’T MATTER HOW FAST THE ALTERNATOR SPINS because the torque will inversely change because the Power is the same
If the alternator produces electrical energy, it MUST take that energy FROM the kinetic energy of car. (This is why your fuel consumption gets higher if you use the air conditioner, the resistance from rotating compressor puts an extra load on the engine). Depending on how many electrical items are being run in the car, it will also increase fuel consumption.
Now, in a EV (electric vehicle) like the Tesla Roadster, the main AC induction motor produces the drive. Newton’s Laws don’t change. Any gain in electrical energy made by the alternator would be equal to (or less) than the loss created by the opposing force on the main motor.
On regenerative braking:
When a car with a ICE turns gasoline (or diesel) into motion, the car has energy (kinetic energy = 1/2 x mass x (speed)^squared).
When you want to stop the car, the brake pads and rotors turn that kinetic energy into heat (friction). Even if you did put a alternator on the engine, you couldn’t get any gain from electrical energy since it doesn’t turn back into gasoline. (would be cool if it could)
When a car with a electric motor turns battery power into motion, the same rule applies, the car has energy (kinetic energy = 1/2 x mass x (speed)^squared).
When you want to stop the car, the motor turns into an alternator (with some simple circuitry), the kinetic energy is turned into electrical energy and put back into the battery.
Of course, since there are limits on the efficiency of the motor and resistance in all moving parts. There are still some braking like normal with pads and rotors. This is why hybrids have such higher MPG (miles per gallon) than regular cars.
Now, to sum up!
If you have ANYTHING that works like regenerative braking that is ON ALL THE TIME, it would be like driving with the e-brake on, A HUGE DRAG. Also, it is Robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Did I explain this well enough? This is how I teach my 5th grade science class.
Joe, thank you for that. I understand that it would not work now. And I did mean the diameter on the wheels. Your last little line did make me laugh too. I guess I can always dream of a semi-perpetual motion device someday. This is just an idea I came up with when I was 12 and have just added to ever since. Being only 17 I am only beginning to understand all of the physics of motion and energy. So thank you and the others for helping me understand the flaws in my idea, because it is from mistakes that we seem to learn the most.
Anyway, best regards to Tesla Motors, hope your work will change the world.
George, you seem to have a brain capable of conceptual and analytical thinking (especially at 12). Are you going to college? If so, try engineering or physical sciences. You will find them very interesting. Tesla Motors and every other new venture in technology will always need motivated young engineers and scientist to bring science fiction into reality. There is so much to do. Flying cars aren’t going to design themselves you know.
George, what a great attitude you have; very mature for your years. I hope you go on to study engineering and design your own electric car. Sorry if I was a little harsh but I didn’t know you were just 17!
Where are these built? What country are they imported from? Mexico? China? Where?
The supply chain draws from all over the globe but final assembly is in Hethel, England -ed.
I just can’t believe all the fantastic news about the Tesla. I’m old enough to remember old ladies driving tall top heavy looking electric cars in 1932 on the streets of Berkeley, CA. It is refreshing to know there is a rebirth of the electric car. I was surprised to hear that they are being built in England and not San Carlos. Probably because labor is cheaper over there. Hope I can live long enough to own a Tesla someday after the rich guys get tired of them and they become reasonably priced used cars.
Hi! I finally see the reason why it was taking so much time to get the first cars out in the market! I completly agree that it was necessary all these test. We are living now in Germany, but we have been following “up close” the development of your car… we even have the hope that our 16 year old car makes it until we can buy the Tesla cars here… what do you think? When can I tell my old little one (car) that he gets to rest for a while?.P.S: Congratulation in the test results…
Gaia-Watts wishes to combine the opportunity of a community member to drive a TESLA MOTORS Roadster through our SVS-IHHI program - which includes the Flushing Protocol [www.gaiawatts.novaewebs.com/page/page/3955423.htm] . We convert liquid waste streams into electric power, utilizing local supplier contracts with the source homeowner. Within this program the homeowner will receive electric charging to the battery as a no-charge benefit for contributing to our generation program [which, also, includes transforming bacteria and viruses within the liquid waste stream through phaging into healing serums]. Thank you, TESLA MOTORS; your roadsters will greatly enhance the enticement of the local communities into our Flushing Protocol.] Cheers, RCG: President, Gaia-Watts: a land stewardship enterprise
Are your cars made in the UK and shipped to the US? I’m looking to buy a sportscar around £50k (pounds stirling) and would love a Tesla but have been told they are only available in the US. If they’re made in the Uk then this would be easy surely?
Great efforts to get it into production and I lovce the strap line “burn rubber not oil” : )
Chuck, I don’t think it had much to do with labour costs. England is fairly expensive in that regard compared to most places. What Tesla needed was the particular resources and experience that Lotus have. They’ve been around for a long time and have built up relationships with suppliers that are very useful when you are making small-production-run cars. Tesla are planning to build their next car in the States so they’re obviously ready to face high labour costs for that one and with longer runs envisaged supply is maybe not such a headache. I’d love to own a Tesla too but I have the same problem you do
There was some knucklehead who headed the US Patent office in the late 1800’s who suggested the US Patent office should be closed because everything of importance had been invented. This is the history of the very organization requiring your certification. But in spite of this history, the US safety rules are very obviously important. Congrats to the Tesla team! You guys are working your butts off, and payback seems just around the corner. By the way, is there anything I could say to my banker to convince him to finance this car for me?
Didn’t I just read in the Federal Register that your cars will NOT have airbags?!!!
NO YOU DID NOT. The Roadster has driver and passenger airbags. The waiver we received was for weight sensitive variable deployment. This is the same waiver that has been given to other small producers such as Ferrari, Lotus and Bugatti. -ed.
This is extremely frightening and I wonder if you’ve already informed every one of your interested buyers that this is the case? Your photo of a crash test with the airbag deploying is DECEPTIVE AND MISLEADING.
Does Tesla give any credit to NISSAN MOTOR COMPANY for being the first to introduce LITHIUM ION BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES to the USA 10 YEARS AGO? If I were a potential buyer, I would want to know how the Altra and Hypermini performed.
I don’t believe the Altra or HyperMini was ever put into production, but we are fans of the old concepts. -ed.
Has Tesla informed EVERYONE that it will be about $25,000 EVERY 3 YEARS TO REPLACE THE BATTERIES?!!!
We have been up front about the cost and expected life of the batteries, which we believe to be longer than 3 years based on how our pack is managed. -ed.
Not available in Canada yet. Pity.
I’m all in when they are.
Steve
##matt jones wrote on February 1st, 2008 at 2:14 am Are your cars made in the UK and shipped to the US?
Hi Matt, I’m also in the UK but I can’t afford one anyway. Tesla can’t sell them here as they haven’t been set up for UK regulations. They’re all LHD too and there’s no sales or servicing set up to look after customers here. If you’re really serious I would think your only chance is to get on the list for a 2009 car or, if you’re really rich, buy a better place in the queue from somebody who’s dropping out. There is a very small number of people who have decided they don’t want the car for one reason or another. I think Elon said at the recent Town Hall Meeting (see home page) that it was 2% of buyers, which must be about 12 or so. They’re looking to sell these spots at a premium mainly to Hollywood big shots and the like, for promotional reasons, but maybe you could get one of those and then import the car yourself through a specialist company.
Incidentally Matt, if you do follow any of the above advice and manage to get hold of a car and bring it to the UK, I’d like a ride please
Whoever is first to bring one of these to the UK will probably be able to make a living just renting it out to Top Gear, Car Magazine, Fifth Gear, Autocar etc. Of course they might break it but I think they have some kind of insurance. Car clubs like Damon Hill’s P1 might be interested too. I’ve heard that a couple of Norwegians have managed to get on the list somehow. I guess they have contact adresses in the US.
I would have kept the physics explanation much much simpler(and math free!), and I was a physics major! You just can’t get more energy out than is put in. The motion comes from converting electrical energy into kinetic, the “alternator” requires kinetic to make electrical. Any time its running, you’re consuming that energy (instead of using it for driving), this only makes sense when braking. Don’t forget the efficiency losses/etc (all ends up as heat energy) at every step, including friction. Unless your engineering design will also add a mass to energy process (nuclear reactor, etc) you’re not going to be able to get more energy back than you put in. Darn laws of physics, they’re pretty tough to break!
WAY TO GO! ! I’ve been watching Tesla Motors for a while and would love to see your vehicles on the road. I sent a question in earlier about where to find the inverters and 3-phase motors you use ( I can scrounge up enough laptop batteries on my own). I have an old Datsun roadster that would be perfect to convert to electric since the spare parts supply has dried up. The reply I got was “We only sell complete cars”. Where did the debris from your crash tests end up? Please send me the contact information for your scrap yard and I’ll make an offer. Thanks, I can’t wait to start erasing my “carbon footprint”.
Geez. I know what it takes to get skin care products approved and on the shelves (particularly certified organics) LET ALONE A CAR!!!
Well done guys. Finally a company that isn’t afraid to make a ballsy ‘leccy car. None ‘o’ dat potato-on-wheels-shape stuff.
When is it due for release in Australia? *cheesy grin*.
What sucks about living in Australia and importing cars is that customs gets all narcy about it and charges a WHOLE LOT MORE darnit.
Just so you know….I REALLY WANT ONE!!!
Garrett…the laws of physics become darn easy to break when someone figures out a way of superceding them with new ones. We invented physics as a form of measurement, the further we get into it, the better we will be at bending the rules. Sorry I get all competetive.
Can’t wait for the Roadster here ‘down under’
Gotta go, my kangaroo is calling.
Har har
Dear Mr. Powell,
We all do like your cars, no doubts.
What about changing battery instead of recharging them?
Also, I would place the battery pack underneath of the vehicle. It gives more advantages plus a possibility of changing a battery pack within seconds automatically. I can provide detailed description.
Hope for you attention.
William Chilton.
Congratulations! The Tesla Team should be proud!
Warning: detailed technical question ahead.
Regarding the increased power to get 0-60 in 4 sec with a 1:8.27 ratio: this is supposedly due to newly available IGBT’s. Now this seems a bit strange, as you could always have put more old IGBT’s in parallel to up the power, right? Probably not — I’m no electrical engineer. If somebody could explain who not, I would be much obliged.
Raymond Michiels, I am sure it is all about cost. Doubling up the old IGBTs would take up more space, require twice as much wiring and quiet probably cost more than one of the more powerfull variety. In terms of complexity, they already decided to double up from the original design, I believe this came down to cooling issues, (sharing load across more transistors means that each runs cooler, and has benefits in efficiency and lifespan). BTW these are not necessarily operated in parallel, AC Propulsion doubles up their IGBTs by having them take alternate pulses. This allows a longer cooling period between each pulse. Since Tesla already pays royalties for portions of the controller to AC Propulsion, I suspect that they use the same system.
I see these things every day, I work in San Carlos. I WANT ONE but they are out of my price range. Make it more affordable so you can presuade me to buy this car over a new Camaro.
I read in www.evworld.com that Tesla was considering offering a series electric hybrid for the Whitestar (very similar concept to the GM Volt). I was wondering if by then, Tesla would consider using A123 Systems or Altairnano batteries and do away with the liquid cooled temperature management system used in the Tesla roadster. I was also wondering if Tesla motors would be willing to look into the rotary engine, RadMax, made by Regi Technologies. If Tesla designs the White Star hybrid to have a 50 mile highway range (let’s say 12 tKWh*hr pack) per charge using A123 Systems batteries (let’s say 150 Kg), then you could drive over 200,000 miles on electricity alone. Now let’s talk about the RadMax Rotary engine: You can see a presentation in the this link, www.regtech.com/download/presentation.pdf. Let’s assume that we start with the 42 hp (31.3 KW) engine. By the time you convert the 31.3 KW mechanical into electricity, we probably get very close to 25 KW electric. If the engine can put out 1000 efective full power hours, then the car can travel over 100,000 miles on gas power alone. This approach can produce a car that can travel over 300,000 miles of electricity and gas combined.
If Tesla limits the speed of the White Star to 100 mph, T\they can get rid of the 2 speed transmission altogether (which gave them problems at the last minute for the Tesla Roadster).
These are the weight savings for such a car:
White Star Tesla Roadster
Battery 150 Kg 400 Kg
Transmission 0 Kg >20 Kg
Gas/elctric GenSet 80 Kg 0 kg
These weight savings will allow for a bigger car or a lighter one. if there is any doubt as to wether the battery bank can supply all 248 hp to the electric motor, just check the spec sheets for A123 Systems (3 KW/Kg) or AltairNano (5 KW/kg)
Excellent and congratulations from France!!!
I expect to drive your car on a french south higway in a total silence….
I will wait for the time it will be available on my hold country.
Congratulations.
Let intelligence and sanity (and spiffing performance) prevail. I look forward to the European version.
Wow. Do you have to redo pretty much everything for the UK market? (Which is an obvious next step.) And then the French market? And then…. or is there a unified Euro testing scheme?
“Tesla are planning to build their next car in the States so they’re obviously ready to face high labour costs for that one”
The drop in the dollar should help them a bit with that!
I have invented a way to make small cars safer in collisions.
The big car companies totally rejected me.
Tesla was the only car company where I spoke to a design engineer.
The big companies are dinosaurs. Hooray for Tesla.
Please look at my website, and send me comments.
Amazing… this site just blew my mind. Ive yet to see any other car factory offer solar panels on a practical vehicles (One that can go more then 50km/h) which would offer people more independance from oil companies. Once you get the Tesla over in Canada i’ll be the first to get my name on a waiting list. I hope you grow into a large company and eventually make a more affordable Tesla because if people drive whether rich or poor we should all be doing our part for the enviroment. Keep up the great work and please dont be bought out by any larger companies trying to keep fuel efficient vehicles limited, its been done so many times before just to keep the public over spending at the pump.
I’m very glad to see a good efect. This is biutiful .gratulation ! friend from Poland
How can i buy or distribute the TESLA AND WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS IN EUROPE SHIPPING and transport?
Nice post. We can see how the roadster react upon some tests plus additional pictures to make it really clear. I’ll try to look this site more often. I’m looking for more car sites and blogs for this will enhance my car knowledge. I want to know more about Car Racing and this car is one hell of a performer when it comes to speed.
Hello, the biggest issue for the EV Industry is financing! Many are asking, who will finance or lease these vehicles. I’ve been contacting your office on and off for over two years….most recently in October 2008, I was told “they” are not accepting these kinds of calls. I’ve been in the business of auto and equipment finance and leasing for over 33 years, I’m not sure why no one at Tesla will discuss financing, when I do have solutions! It’s obvious, cash deals creates CASH. But’s It’s frustrating for me and many consumers, because we all have a passion for moving this technolgy forward and owning (financing) an electric car. Whether intrntional or not, Tesla is leading the EV industry. I hope by now, you realize, ther are others also who have learned how not to sale and finance a car! I hope someone at Tesla will consider my passion to assist and join the cause. Isn’t it time to answer the call….for financing.
N. Marcellous, Jr.
I was thinking about how to keep electric car batteries charged so they would not have to be plugged in ever again and could go as far as you would like. In gasoline cars it is alternators that are turned by the engine. Why not put an alternator in line with the axle so the wheels can turn it to produce electricity back to the batteries!
The point I am thinking about, is whether such car gonna work good in extremely cold conditions. I see, you’ve made the frost test, but could you please tell, what temperature it was? You know, -40C is usual winter temperature in Russia and I’m really interested, whether the Tesla motor can work in such conditions.