Test Driving the Tesla Roadster

stacybro writes "Wired has an article about the Tesla Roadster. It is similar to other electric cars that we have seen in that the electric engine's serious torque will allow it to do 0-60mph in about 3 seconds. Part of what is different about this is that they are using over 6,831 laptop-type lithium-ion batteries. They are claiming the range is about 250 miles. As the battery tech for laptops improves, so will the range of these cars. The car will run about $80,000, which is about par for an exotic two-seater. So who is doing the poll on which tech CEO will be seen driving one first? My guess is one of the Google or E-Bay guys, since they are investors. It is nice to see more companies serious about helping to getting rid of our oil dependency. It is odd that the big car companies aren't more on this track!"

Comments

Now that's a car

[kimvette]

Part of what is different about this is that they are using over 6,831 laptop type lithium-ion batteries. They are claiming the range is about 250 miles.

Now THAT's a car that'll hit the market with a bang! Not only do you have the instant response of electric motors and full torque from a dead stop, but you will also get rocket assist when you put a heavy load on the Li-ion batteries!

Over 6,831 batteries?

[RedWizzard]

Part of what is different about this is that they are using over 6,831 laptop type lithium-ion batteries

Over 6831? You mean 6832 batteries?

Re:Exploding Batteries?

[SEWilco]

Notice the fast acceleration. Maybe this car uses a lithium-ion Orion drive, where the force of exploding batteries drives the car forward forcefully.

Re:Exploding Batteries?

[TheShadowzero]

Since when do laptops drive down the street? Damn, better keep a better eye on mine...

Re:Global "Dependencies"

[kypper]

Nucular

George? Is that you?

Re:80K?+batteries once a year

[Hektor_Troy]

Which is to say we are still in the same world, in which low volumes and other issues cause electric cars to be 50%-100$ higher than traditional cars.

Since you usually write "a-b" in such a way, that a is smaller than b, you have some cheap ass cars ... from 50 percent to 100$ more expensive. That means the car, at most, costs 200$. Damn.

Re:Recharging time?

[nacturation]

But if i had a car with a range of 250 miles, then i would have to stop on my trip, and it had better not make a 5 hour trip 12 hrs longer, due to recharging time.

Easy... just plug the car's charger into the cigarette lighter and charge as you go! :)

Re:Global "Dependencies"

[Cobralisk]

Does the US know about this arsenal you're developing? Everybody knows nuclear power plants are just a front for WMDs.

Re:Exploding Batteries?

[drsmithy]

Last time I checked cars don't explode while driving down the street; while it seems laptops might...

Don't you watch movies ? Cars explode as soon as all of their wheels are off the ground.

Re:Global "Dependencies"

[rainman_bc]

I'm going to give you a pass on "nucular"

It was planted there deliberately. I know how to spell nuclear -> I just giggle every time Dubya says nucular. No it isn't a regional thing, any more than ebonics is. It's an excuse to justify presidential stupidity.

It isn't a nuculus. Ergo it isn't nucular.

Re:Pricy, but....

[drsquare]

3 hours to recharge? That's what "overnight" is for.

I think a common prank would develop whereby you'd pull out the charging cord of people's cars during the night so they run out of charge on the way to work the next morning.

tesla coil nascar

[mindserfer]

I had this image of a giant Tesla coil tower in the middle of
a fuel-less nascar race....

little electric screammers....

Re:Range

[schon]

Man, just like a techie to overengineer something. That seems like a real lot of work.

My solution?

Baseball cards in the spokes. :)

Re:Electric Cost Per Mile is Cheaper

[MidKnight]

A great post, but as others have mentioned you seem to have made some assumptions that greatly affected the overall calculations. I almost spewed tea out my nose when I got to the point that said...

...trying to outfit any significant portion of U.S. vehicles (Let's say... 10%) with lithium ion batteries will cause a tremendous surge in demand for lithium, driving prices sky high.

If we can assume that we're operating in a free market of sorts (meaning OPEC hasn't already set up a lithium cartel), then it's reasonable to assume that a surge in demand for lithium would trigger a surge in supply as well. Plus, as a previous reply mentioned, lithium makes up a very small part of a Li-On battery.

But the real thing to remember is that this car isn't claiming to be cheaper to operate than your typical gas guzzler. Cheaper to drive day-to-day? Yes. Cheaper over the life of the car? Probably not. But horseless carriages weren't the cheapest mode of transportation 100 years ago either.

 

(PS. How's this for ironic: the thought of a lithium cartel makes me slightly depressed!! Thank you, thank you... I"ll be here all week.)

Re:Global "Dependencies"

[operagost]

We're not helping the situation by pointing the finger at one particular party. After all, Jimmy Carter was beholden to the cardigan sweater industry!