First Impression: Tesla Roadster

Electric Cars are nothing new.  They have been around since the early 1900s.  Early gas-powered cars had a mechanical crank to start the engine.  Many drivers broke their wrists when trying to start their engines.  Electric cars did not need a hand crank to start.  For this reason, electric cars were popular among women.  Many men saw electric cars as chick cars and ignored them.  When the gas

2011 Tesla Roadster reviews with cars wallpapers

2011 Tesla Roadster reviews with cars wallpapers

America's Sports Car: Corvette or Tesla

With the Independence Day holiday fresh in our minds, and our nation focused on the troubled and changing economic times, I thought it would be interesting to re-examine what we should consider to be America's sports car. Usually the Chevrolet Corvette immediately comes to mind when thinking of the quintessential American sports car.

Ever since the mid 1950's, the Corvette has symbolized what a classic American sports car should be. A two seater with a big engine up front, able to spin the rear wheels with just a foot on the floor. The Corvette has really come of age recently with the current Z06 model, and the introduction of the 200+ mph ZR1. These cars are lightweight and technically advanced, and worthy of the America's sports car crown.

But let's take a step back, and focus on the changing climate in America. With the auto industry in peril, and the world's focus shifting to more eco-friendly autos, perhaps there is another car to consider. A car from a new company that is working to become a new major player in America, and the world. Tesla Motors has emerged onto the automotive world scene with their Tesla Roadster, an all electric sports car that sprints to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds.

The Tesla is an electric car based on the Lotus Elise, but with an electric motor. The Tesla is six times more efficient than the average sports car while producing only 10% of the pollution. Tesla Motors is based in California, and is starting to open dealerships all around the US, and the world. At $109,000 the Tesla is not cheap, but you won't need to buy any gas or oil to maintain the roadster. Besides, the Corvette ZR1 also will set you back about $100,000, and is much less efficient.

The next release from Tesla, the Model S is going to have all of the performance of the roadster, but it will be a more useable four seat luxury all electric car. Tesla is already taking orders for the Model S so we are just a couple of years away from perhaps the most revolutionary American car debut since the Chrysler minivan.

If the Model S is well received, and America (and the world) embraces the new technology by installing charging stations along our nations highways, it may just change the way we think about cars. Being a sports car guy, I have always been leery of new hybrid and energy efficient alternative forms of transportation. I was always worried that they would take the fun out of driving. After having been in the Tesla Roadster, I no longer fear the new technology. It is truly an amazingly fast car, and it makes absolutely no noise when underway.

The Tesla Model S is going to sell for around $50,000 after the federal tax credit of $7500. That's pretty much the same as your average high line luxury sedan. The standard Model S will reach 60 miles per hour in just 6 seconds, while an optional sport version will achieve 60 mph in under 5 seconds. The top speed for the Model S is 130 mph. The Model S costs around $5 to drive 230 miles.

If the Model S is constructed as well as the Tesla Roadster, and has even half of its performance abilities, than we just might have a new great American sports car that we can all be proud of. Perhaps the day will come in the future when we have an all electric Corvette. For now, I think America has two great sports cars to call its own, the Corvette and the Tesla Roadster!

Electric Sports-Car Maker Tesla Gets $82.5 Million Investment

Tesla Motors Inc., maker of an electric sports car that can accelerate to 60 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds, received an $82.5 million equity investment from a group led by Fjord Capital Management.

“It was an opportunistic investment,” Elon Musk, chief executive officer of San Carlos, California-based Tesla, said today in an interview at the Frankfurt Motor Show. “We were not looking for money.”

Daimler AG, which invested $50 million in Tesla this year along with Aabar Investments PJSC, the Abu Dhabi fund that’s the German carmaker’s biggest shareholder, contributed to the offering to keep its stake at just under 10 percent, Musk said.

The money may be used to fund Tesla’s establishment of retail stores globally. The company, which introduced its all- electric roadster in February 2008, was profitable in the second quarter, Musk said.

2011 New Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet includes AIRCAP® with AIRSCARF®

The highly appealing and emotionally charged Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet is the latest addition to the successful E-Class line-up. The open-top two-door model, which went on sale on 11 January 2010, features a classic fabric soft top, making for a stylistically pure cabriolet feeling. Viewed from the side, the new model is an intriguing proposition - with its clear proportions and a flawless cabriolet silhouette.

2011 New Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet

In keeping with the motto "four seasons, four personalities", all-year-round suitability was right at the top of the developers' list of priorities. With the new E-Class Cabriolet, the cabriolet season lasts the whole year because, while many cabriolets tend to disappear from the roads of Western Europe in the autumn, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet (length/breadth/height: 4698/1786/1402 mm) provides driving pleasure and comfort whether the roof is open or closed.

2011 New Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet

The soft top can be opened and closed fully automatically within 20 seconds - even when driving at speeds of up to 40 km/h. The cabriolet roof is stowed in a special compartment behind the rear panel. A retractable cover separates the soft top compartment from the boot area; it must be closed in order to close the soft top. If the roof is to remain closed, the cover can be slid rearwards, in which case the boot capacity is increased by 90 litres to 390 litres. A through-loading feature is included as standard for the new Cabriolet, as is EASY-ENTRY - a manually operated entry and exit aid for the rear passengers.

2011 New Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet

The powerplants for the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet are equally innovative: the new direct-injection diesel and petrol models combine efficiency with effortlessly superior power delivery. The exemplary, low fuel consumption has not only been achieved because of the new engines, but also with a number of practical measures. These include on-demand activation of the steering and fuel pumps, the use of tyres with low rolling resistance and an alternator control system which takes account of the current driving situation and the vehicle's electrical power requirements, plus the crucial factor of outstanding aerodynamics. The Cabriolet's cd figure of 0.28 is the best in its class, marking a continuation of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class success story in the field of aerodynamics.

2011 New Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet

In 1989, Mercedes-Benz introduced a world premiere in the shape of a draught-stop for the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, followed in 2004 by the AIRSCARF® neck-level heating system to further enhance comfort in open-top models. Now comes another world-first: the AIRCAP® automatic draught-stop, which can be activated at the push of a button, greatly reduces turbulence in the interior of the new Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet, creating a sea of warm air. It is also much easier to implement and use than conventional draught-stops: there is no tricky installation, the two individual rear seats remain free and the Cabriolet's flowing side lines remain uninterrupted. AIRCAP® is therefore a classic Mercedes innovation: functional, comfort-enhancing, elegant and safe.

2011 New Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet

AIRCAP® consists of two components: a wind deflector that can be extended by around six centimetres with a net in the windscreen frame and a draught-stop between the rear seats.

2011 New Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet

As well as enhancing occupant comfort and wellbeing, the reduction in draught when AIRCAP® is activated (it can be activated at speeds of up to 160 km/h and remains in use right up to the car's top speed) reduces the interior noise level - so passengers in all seats find it far easier to communicate.

2011 New Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet

The Cabriolet Comfort package includes AIRCAP® with AIRSCARF®. This patented system functions like an invisible scarf, which warms the occupants' head and neck areas. AIRSCARF® is integrated into the backrests of the front seats and provides warm air through outlets in the head restraints.

2011 New Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet

The Mercedes engineers have modified this unique innovation specifically for the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet: in this model, an adjustment wheel pivots the outlet nozzle upwards and downwards by a total of 36 degrees over and above the head restraint height adjustment, meaning that the driver and front passenger can enjoy the unique neck-level heating regardless of how short or tall they are.

2010 Tesla Roadster Sports Car UK-Version Electric Vehicle

Tesla Motors has announced production of the right-hand-drive version of its iconic Tesla Roadster sports car, the only highway-capable electric vehicle for sale worldwide. The 2010 Tesla Roadster UK-Version includes a suite of unique noise-reduction materials.

2010 Tesla Roadster Sports Car UK-Version Electric Vehicle

Prospective customers and media may test-drive right-hand-drive cars available at Tesla's showroom, 49-51 Cheval Place in London's Knightsbridge district (SW7 1EW). The 2010 Tesla Roadster UK-Version includes a suite of unique noise-reduction materials, an upgraded sound system and other enhancements that make it ideal for daily commuting or weekend drives.

2010 Tesla Roadster Sports Car UK-Version Electric Vehicle

The Tesla Roadster accelerates faster than virtually any other car on the road, making it the only production car faster than a Porsche and twice as energy efficient as a Prius. It is quickly becoming the choice amongst discerning drivers who demand performance with a clean conscience.

2010 Tesla Roadster Sports Car UK-Version Electric Vehicle

The Tesla Roadster easily travels more than 200 miles per charge in mixed driving conditions, consumes no petroleum and plugs into conventional 220-volt sockets throughout Europe. It can be fully or partially recharged by solar or wind power. A customer's Tesla Roadster recently set a world distance record for EVs with 313 miles on a single charge.

2010 Tesla Roadster Sports Car UK-Version Electric Vehicle

"The right-hand-drive model is our response to growing demand from high-performance car buyers in the UK who are also interested in their impact on the environment," said Cristiano Carlutti, Tesla's Vice President for European Sales and Operations. "Tesla is dramatically expanding its retail footprint in Europe, we look forward to building our community of owners and fans throughout the continent."

2010 Tesla Roadster Sports Car UK-Version Electric Vehicle

UK companies that purchase a Tesla Roadster benefit from a 100 percent Writing Down Allowance, meaning they can deduct the price of the car from their taxable profits. The Tesla Roadster is the only sports car that has ever qualified for a such a tax incentive in the UK.

2010 Tesla Roadster Sports Car UK-Version Electric Vehicle

The Tesla Roadster starts at £86,950 and costs about 1.5p per mile, compared to as much as 32p per mile for petro-powered sports cars. Tesla Roadster drivers are do not have to pay the London congestion charge, saving up to nearly £1,700 annually. They can park for free and without time limits in various London boroughs, they get four hours of free charging at certain parking sites, and they are exempt from the forthcoming Showroom Tax of £950.

Tesla Roadster Electric Sports Car by Tesla Motors

Tesla Roadster Electric Sports Car by Tesla Motors

The first electric car manufactured by Tesla Motors, the high-performance, zero-emissions Tesla Roadster sports car, was unveiled before a crowd of car buffs and potential customers.
The electric Tesla Roadster has the equivalent of 135 mpg and a range of 250 miles on a single charge, a combination unseen until now in a mass-produced electric car. Its extended range is due to its state-of-the-art lithium-ion Energy Storage System.
The Tesla Roadster is capable of accelerating from 0-60 mph in four seconds.
Using a unique two-speed electrically activated manual transmission, the Tesla Roadster's power comes from a 3-phase, 4-pole AC induction motor. The motor is controlled by the Power Electronics Module (PEM) which also controls the inverting direct current to 3-phase alternating current, charging and braking systems.

Tesla Roadster Electric Sports Car by Tesla Motors

Tesla Motors's engineers have gone to great lengths to ensure that not only is the Tesla Roadster safe to drive, but also is safe when charging, at home or on the road.
The electric motor's efficiency rating is likely to be as high as 95 percent, while the internal combustion engine's efficiency is 20 percent or less. With this efficiency, the Tesla Roadster achieves the equivalent of 135 mpg.
That efficiency doesn't slow this sleek sports car down, either. Estimated 0-60 mph time is around four seconds, and with an electric motor
, the torque is instantaneous, throw-you-back-in-the-seat responsive.

Tesla Roadster Sport

Not long ago, Tesla Motors Inc. has officially revealed the new Tesla Roadster Sport. The price of the Tesla Roadster Sport starts at $128,500 in the US and €112,000 (excluding VAT) in Europe where the deliveries start in late June 2009.

The Roadster is a high-performance all-electric, zero-emission sports car that has 15 % more peak power. The car able to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds (3.9 seconds for the standard Roadster). In order to get this figure, the Roadster Sport comes with a hand-wound stator and increased winding density for lower resistance and higher peak torque. A set of Yokohama Ultra High Performance tires and improved suspension with adjustable dampers and anti-roll bars tuned to the customer’s preference.

Tesla hires away Mazda’s chief designer

Mazda's top designer to become its new Design Director and head up a team of in-house designers at a new studio. Franz von Holzhausen is the current rock star of the automobile design world, having been the creative force behind the last few year's worth of Mazda concepts that include the Nagare and Furai, as well as overseeing the design of all Mazda production vehicles in North America since February 2005. von Holzhausen has also been a designer at both General Motors and Volkswagen.

Tesla’s leadership has been looking for a lead designer for its next two vehicles, wanting to give the company’s more prolifically produced cars a unique look. That requires in-house design - the Roadster was designed by Lotus - and von Holzhausen was reportedly the company’s first choice. He resigned from Mazda on Thursday of last week according to a report by Car Design News, and is already tasked with setting up a complete design team.

Tesla Roadster

The Tesla Roadster is and powerful roadster. It runs on exhaust-free plug power, and it's already primed for more power. A specialty car importer is quoting the Euro Tesla's power at or over 300 hp, with a 13,000 rpm red line and a single speed transmission.

The revised gearbox drops a gear, adds an upgraded power electronics module, and provides better cooling. It seems the hype machine that is the Tesla Roadster is beginning to heat up, and more power will only make us want the green little drop-top more.