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Tesla Motors Inc. Roadster

Tesla Motors, Inc. has developed the Tesla Roadster, a 100% electric vehicle named after Nikola Tesla; it has a 250+ mile range. It is not a hybrid. Focus on performance makes it an exceptionally quick car. Major VC backed, as well as backing from Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX ($40 million). Company debuted the car July 19, 2006 in Santa Monica. Tesla Motors, Inc. is a Silicon Valley automobile startup company focusing on the production of high performance, consumer-oriented electric vehicles. The firm was started in 2003 by engineers Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning in San Carlos, and has since grown to include several team members with extensive computer, electrical, and automotive engineering backgrounds from the region. Tesla has also managed to secure initial funding from prominent investors, such as PayPal co-founder Elon Musk, and Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page.

Tesla has a signifigant relationship with Lotus. A design contest was held for the final design of the Tesla Roadster, then codenamed "Dark Star", which Lotus won. Lotus will build the roadster, which is similar in size and appearance to their Elise. Tesla is currently working on a sedan, codenamed "White Star" which may be introduced as early as 2008.

Claims to be more than twice as efficient as any Hybrid on the road. They cost less per mile to drive, use less fuel per mile, and produce less pollution per mile. The Tesla Roadster produces one-tenth of the pollution and is six times as efficient as the best sports car. The Tesla Roadster needs only two gears because the motor delivers high torque over a much wider range of rpm's than any gasoline engine. No reverse gear is needed; the motor runs backwards for reversing.

Official Website

• Tesla Motors, Inc. (http://www.TeslaMotors.com) - One of the best-looking alt energy sites out there.
  • FAQ (http://www.teslamotors.com/learn_more/faqs.php)
  • How it Works (http://www.teslamotors.com/engineering/how_it_works.php)
  • Performance (http://www.teslamotors.com/performance/performance.php)
  • Why the name 'Tesla'? (http://www.teslamotors.com/learn_more/why_tesla.php)
  • Car Styling (http://www.teslamotors.com/styling/body.php) - photos
  • Management (http://www.teslamotors.com/company_people.html)
  • Jobs (http://www.teslamotors.com/jobs.html) - hiring
  • Media (http://www.teslamotors.com/media.html)
    • Tesla Motors Secures $40 Million Investment Round Led by VantagePoint Venture Partners and Elon Musk (http://www.teslamotors.com/press_releases.html) - "The financing will be used to launch the company's first product, a high performance electric sportscar, and to support final safety compliance testing and production. ...The starting point is a high performance sportscar, but the long term vision is to build cars of all kinds, including low cost family vehicles." (May 31, 2006 press release)
      [Note the irony that the equity fund is managed by JPMorgan.com]
  • contact (http://www.teslamotors.com/contact.html)

Latest Developments

March 2008

• Production of the Tesla Roadster has begun (http://www.teslamotors.com/blog2/?p=57) - Milestone (http://www.teslamotors.com/media/press_room.php?id=841) March 17, 2008 is a historical milestone for Tesla Motors as regular production began with VIN002 at the Lotus Cars (http://www.ecotricity.co.uk/projects/lotus/) Hethel, Norfolk UK facility. (Tesla Motors; March 17, 2008)
  

Sept. 2007

From Tesla Motors newsletter

• The Tesla Roadster's range came in at 245 miles per charge, based on the EPA's combined city/highway testing cycle. The highway cycle was 235 and the city cycle was 255. (In EVs city mileage is generally higher thanks to regenerative braking.)

• Tesla Motors CEO announced plans to start building the first Tesla Roadsters in January 2008. Nearly 600 customers have already reserved cars.

July, 2007

From Tesla Motors newsletter

• This month Tesla Motors received a prestigious Gold International Design Excellence (http://www.idsa.org/IDEA2007/gallery/award_details.asp?id=32&cat=6) Award from the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) and BusinessWeek.

• BusinessWeek also featured the Tesla Roadster in its July 30 issue with Tesla: A Carmaker with Silicon Valley Spark (http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_31/b4044419.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index_autos).

• Jay Leno recently joined Tesla Motors Chairman Elon Musk for a ride in the Tesla Roadster. Jay described the driving experience as “the first electric car that truly handles” and summed up the Tesla Roadster’s power delivery as “[having] instant torque. The faster you accelerate the faster you go.” “The Most Fun You Can Have Without Fuel.”

• We have now accepted more than 560 reservations for the Tesla Roadster toward an anticipated first year production total of 800 cars.

• GM Electric Vehicle Pioneer Alec Brooks Joins Tesla Motors Team

Sedan

• Tesla electric sedan to join updated Roadster (http://1000www.autoblog.com/2006/11/24/tesla-electric-sedan-to-join-updated-roadster/) - Tesla Motors is working on a sedan. The new four-door model is tipped to share similar dimensions and performance with the BMW 5-Series. Two versions, with ranges of 200 and 300 miles. (AutoBlog; Nov. 24, 2006)

The Roadster

The Tesla Roadster is the first automobile to be produced by electric car firm Tesla Motors. The car was officially unveiled on July 20, 2006. Tesla claims prototypes have been able to accelerate from 0-60 mph (100 km/h) in about 4 seconds, and reach a top speed of 130 mph (210 km/h). Additionally, the car will be able to travel 250 miles (400 km) on a single charge of its lithium ion batteries with an equivalent gas mileage of 135 mpg (1.75 l/100 km). This value must be calculated using assumptions about electricity to gasoline equivalency since the car does not actually use gasoline.

The Roadster was developed in collaboration with Lotus, which supplied a subsequently-modified Lotus Elise chassis as the base for the new car. The design was also penned by Lotus' design studio. Besides the chassis, the Roadster appears to share a number of key components with the Elise, such as the suspension, and many interior pieces. The car will be assembled at the Lotus factory in Hethel, England.

According to the company:

• The car can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in four seconds.
• It plugs into the wall and is not a hybrid.
• The battery gives it a range of 250 miles.
• The sports car won't be cheap; but once the technology is established, it will lead to less-expensive cars for the ordinary driver.

According to other sources:

• The Roadster's AC-induction electric motor can rotate at up to 13,500 rpm. [Detail from Wired (http://blog.wired.com/teslacar/index.album?i=15)]
• At the heart of the electric motor is a high-efficiency rotor made with brazed copper -- which is more conductive than conventional aluminum rotors. [Detail from Wired (http://blog.wired.com/teslacar/index.album?i=19)]
• The included home charger will give the Tesla a full charge in as few as 3.5 hours. [inline (http://www.auto123.com/ArtImages/65894/inline_05.jpg)] (Photo: Tesla Motors)

Specifications

Standard Features

• Twin airbag, seat belt retractors
• 4 wheel ABS
• Traction Control
• Cruise Control
• Central door locking
• Alarm & Immobilizer
• Homelink® device
• Electric windows
• Air conditioning
• Heated Seats
• Radio + 4 speaker audio kit with iPod interface
• Half leather trim
• Full carpet set
• Passenger Footrest
• Black soft top
• Sun Visors
• 7 spoke forged alloy wheels
• Locking wheel lugs
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System
• Tire Inflator
• Cold weather ESS heater kit (sub zero charging)
• Home based charging system (EVSE) with integral safety features
• Unique headlamp assemblies using proprietary HID low-beam and halogen high-beam lamp units
• LED taillights, rear and side marker lights
• Incandescent front directional indicators and marker lights

Dimensions

• Overall length: 155.4 inches / 3946 mm
• Overall width: 73.7 inches / 1873 mm (incl. mirrors)
• Overall height: 44.4 inches / 1127 mm (at curb weight)
• Wheelbase: 92.6 inches / 2352 mm
• Track - front: 57.6 inches / 1464 mm
• Track - rear: 59.0 inches / 1499 mm
• Curb Weight: Around 2500 pounds (subject to complete safety and durability testing) [1] (http://www.teslamotors.com/engineering/tech_specs.php)

Motor

• Type: 3-phase, 4-pole electric motor
• Max net power: 185 kW (248 hp)
• Max rpm: 13,500
• Efficiency: 90% average, 80% at peak power

Transmission

• Type: Two-speed sequential manual (reverse gear accomplished through reverse direction of motor)

Performance

• 0-60 mph (0-100 km/h): approximately 4.0 s
• Top speed: 130 mph (210 km/h)
• Range: 250 miles (400 km)
• MPG: Electrical equivalent of about 135 miles per gallon [2] (http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/2006/07/20/PM200607208.html)

Safety

• Are Lithium-Ion Electric Cars Safe? (http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=17250&ch=biztech) - The use of a type of battery with a history of overheating raises safety concerns. How Tesla Motors' Roadster addresses safety concerns, including cooling, disconnect, fuses, and casing. (MIT Technology Review; Aug. 3, 2006)

How it works

• How It Works (http://www.teslamotors.com/engineering/how_it_works.php)

"The Tesla Roadster powertrain consists of four main parts: the battery pack (which we call Energy Storage System or ESS), motor, transmission, and the PEM (Power Electronics Module), none of which are “off-the-shelf‿ components. Rather, each includes innovations, both small and large, to support our mission of a high-performance car that’s gentle on the environment. Together, these four components form one of the most instrumented cars ever made."

More ... (http://www.teslamotors.com/engineering/how_it_works.php)

• Tesla Motors is a licensee of AC Propulsion drive system technology. (http://www.acpropulsion.com/vehicles/others.htm)

Company

from http://www.teslamotors.com/company.html and http://www.teslamotors.com/press_releases.html

On July 1, 2002, we set out to create a better car for the world. Our vision was a car that was energy efficient but also good looking and fun to drive. We brought together a passionate team of engineers and designers from the technology and auto industries who are now hard at work on our ambitious goal.

Our cars consume very little energy and do not emit any pollutants. But unlike so many environmentally friendly cars that have come along before, our cars are beautifully styled, thoughtfully built, and designed to make driving fun. But great cars, and the companies that build them, are not made overnight; and so we are not yet ready to announce specifications or delivery dates. As soon as we can tell more about what we are doing, we will.

Tesla Motors was founded by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning.

The company currently employs 70 people, including teams in California, the UK and Taiwan. The background and experience of Tesla's employees mirrors the vehicle itself, drawing from diverse expertise in the electronics, automotive and Internet industries.

Tesla Motors creates vehicles that conform to all U.S. safety, environmental and durability standards. Tesla's cars include modern safety equipment such as airbags, front crumple zones, side impact protection, 2-1/2 mph bumpers. Tesla will sell cars in the US only when they pass the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS).

Tesla will reveal further details of its business and its cars in early July, 2006.

Facility Photos

Tesla Motors, Inc. facility in San Carlos, CA. Facility Photos by Randy Herrick.

Videos

• - Tesla Webmaster's Channel (http://www.youtube.com/teslawebmaster) - Tesla Motor videos.

In the News

• Google News > "Tesla Motors" (http://news.google.com/news?q=%22tesla+motors%22)

• The car isn't in mass production yet (http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9896134-54.html?dlbk)-Tesla is actually only putting out about one or two cars a week right now, but it will steadily increase production. By early next year, it hopes to be producing around 100 cars a month. (CNet; March 17, 2008)
• Tesla Motors' Stealth Bloodbath (http://teslafounders.wordpress.com/2008/01/10/stealth-bloodbath/) - After raising over $100M, Tesla Motors Inc. has fired over thirty people -- nearly the entire team. Nagging transmission problems were partly to blame for the meltdown. (TeslaFounders; Jan. 10, 2008)
  • Redacted (http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/01/18/martin-eberhards-blog-gets-redacted-he-drinks-the-volt-kool-ai/) - "it was explained to me that Tesla and its financial backer(s) can spend far more than I can on a lawsuit…" (AutoBlogGreen; Jan. 18, 2008)

• Tesla Electric Sports Car Plugged In (http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/05/tesla_electric.php) - The California Air Resources Board and California Energy Commission has given Tesla Motors $561,000 for the development of a 16 kw public commercial charging station as part of almost $25 million worth of grants for the Alternative Fuel Incentive Program. (TreeHugger; May 27, 2007)
• Tesla Motors To Open Five Dealer Outlets (http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/03/tesla_to_open_f.php) - Tesla Motors will open five customer service centers in conjunction with the public launch later this year of the Tesla Roadster, an all-electric sports car. More will follow, largely because the company will start producing a line of sedans in 2009. "To do 10,000 units for Whitestar (the codename for the sedan) we need to be in a lot more places." (TreeHugger; Mar. 16, 2007)

• Tesla puts tech in economy cars (http://news.com.com/2061-11128_3-6152975.html) - The folks over at Tesla Motors have set up a new venture named Tesla Energy. They will be selling batteries and related hardware to competing manufactures. (CNET; Jan. 24, 2007)

• Tesla Sports Sedan in 2009? (http://thefraserdomain.typepad.com/energy/2007/01/tesla_update.html) - Tesla Motors dropped hints about an electric sports sedan for the 2009 time frame that will boast the equivalent of 110 miles per gallon and use off-the-shelf lithium ion batteries. It will have room for five adults and a full-sized trunk, with 10,000-20,000 units per year sold for between $50,000 and $75,000. (The Energy Blog; January 18, 2007)

• California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Inspects a Tesla Roadster Electric Sports Car (http://www.planetark.com/envpicstory.cfm/newsid/39341) - photo (Reuters; Nov. 30, 2006)

• Tesla electric sedan to join updated Roadster (http://1000www.autoblog.com/2006/11/24/tesla-electric-sedan-to-join-updated-roadster/) - Tesla Motors is working on a sedan. The new four-door model is tipped to share similar dimensions and performance with the BMW 5-Series. Two versions, with ranges of 200 and 300 miles. (AutoBlog; Nov. 24, 2006)

• Tesla Motors Honored with Breakthrough Award (http://pesn.com/2006/10/09/9500456_Tesla_Motors_Award/) - For the first time, Popular Mechanics has awarded its annual top ten honor to an automobile, citing the Tesla Roadster, with its "6831-cell lithium-ion configuration that can propel the car 250 miles between charges". (PESN; Oct. 9, 2006)
  

• One Sleek Beauty: the Tesla Roadster (http://thefraserdomain.typepad.com/energy/2006/08/telsa_electric.html) - Two-seat electric vehicle being commercialized by Tesla Motors has become the poster child for electric cars. Their initial run of 100 cars sold out in less than three weeks. (The Energy Blog; Aug. 30, 2006)
  
• First 100 sold (http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/16/first-batch-of-tesla-motors-electric-cars-sold-out/)
• Silicon Valley Takes On Detroit (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/07/22/eveningnews/main1826843.shtml) - Former computer exec launches 1-cent-per-mile electric car. "It's batteries, it's drive electronics, it's electric motors. Those are skills that are present in Silicon Valley and not present in Detroit." (CBS; July 22, 2006)
• The Electric Tesla Roadster offering performance, style, efficiency and cred. (http://www.gizmag.co.uk/go/5898/) - the biggest thing the new electric Tesla Roadster which was unveiled overnight has going for it is cred. The kinda cred that comes when names like Elon Musk (PayPal founder and Tesla Chairman), Jeff Skoll (eBay), Larry Page and Sergey Brin (Google) invest and when California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger calls past for a photo session. (Gizmag; July 21, 2006)
• Tesla's electric sports car (http://news.com.com/Photos+Teslas+electric+sports+car/2300-11386_3-6096355.html?tag=fd_carsl) - The Tesla Roadster is an all-electric sports car. It costs $90,000 and doesn't come out until next year, but it cooks. The car and its technology were unveiled this week at a promotional event in Santa Monica, Calif. (CNet; July 20, 2006)
• Tesla Motors Hosts World Debut of Tesla Roadster Offering Performance, Style and Efficiency -- With a Conscience (http://www.pleiades-enterprises.bigstep.com/generic174.html) - Silicon Valley Manufacturer Unveils Sleek, Clean and Fast Performance Electric Vehicle Before Crowd of Well-Wishers (pleiades-enterprises; JULY 20, 2006)
• Battery-Fueled Car Will Smoke You (http://wired.com/news/wiredmag/0,71414-0.html?tw=wn_index_1) - The Tesla Roadster is powered by 6,831 rechargeable lithium-ion batteries -- the same cells that run a laptop computer. Range: 250 miles. Fuel efficiency: 1 to 2 cents per mile. Top speed: more than 130 mph. (Wired; July 19, 2006)
  • Test Driving the Tesla Roadster (http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/07/20/0021209) - It is nice to see more companies serious about helping to getting rid of our oil dependency. (Slashdot; July 19)
    • Electric Cars and Their Discontents (http://backslash.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/07/21/174214) - A compilation of comments Slandot's July 20 post about the lithium-ion battery-powered Tesla roadster. (Slashdot; July 21)
• Silicon Valley racing ahead with electric cars (http://edition.cnn.com/2006/TECH/06/29/electric.cars.ap/index.html) - Like many Silicon Valley engineers, Martin Eberhard loves cars, especially fast ones. But the self-described "closet gearhead" didn't feel comfortable buying a hot rod that guzzled gas from the Middle East or some other troubled region. (CNN; June 29, 2006)
• An All-Electric Car That Accelerates Faster Than a Ferrari (http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=17042) - Several Silicon Valley entrepreneurs are racing to bring high-end electric cars to market. (MIT Technology Review; June 27, 2006)
• Reincarnation (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13459799/site/newsweek/) - GM's electric car may be dead, but start-up automaker Tesla is betting that pump-weary Americans are ready for a rebirth. (Newsweek; June 21, 2006)
• Tesla Motors Powers Up (http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=17290&hed=Tesla+Motors+Powers+Up) - Now, electric vehicles are getting a fresh jolt of attention. Oil is above $70 a barrel. Sony Pictures will release a documentary touting electric cars titled Who Killed the Electric Car? (Red Herring; June 19, 2006)
• Electric sports car ready to challenge Porsche? (http://news.com.com/Electric+sports+car+ready+to+challenge+Porsche/2100-11389_3-6080269.html) - Tesla Motors says its Tesla Roadster can accelerate, brake and handle like a high-end sports car. (CNET News.com, CA - Jun 5, 2006)
• Tesla Motors Secures $40 Million Investment Round Led by VantagePoint Venture Partners and Elon Musk (http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2006/05/31/1665649.htm) - BusinessWire press release from company. (TMCnet - May 31, 2006)
• Tesla Motors gets $40M funding (http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2006/05/29/daily64.html) - abbreviated (Phoenix Business Journal, AZ - Jun 4, 2006)

Comments

We Need Something More Practical

On July 20, 2006, Pierre wrote (http://pub6.bravenet.com/forum/487525627/fetch/740672/):

It's the equivalent of a GM "concept" car at best. For openers no price yet and you can bet when there is it will be close to six figures. It's tiny, probably dangerous and has no load carrying capacity to speak of. In short it's a very expensive toy for very rich people. And worst of all, when the power ends (as it will very quickly on a hilly trip) you can't recharge it by itself. We do NOT need this. What we need is a medium sized sport sedan with decent performance, room for 4 adults, all needed safety features, adequate if not flashing performance and a hybrid system that is mainly electric (rather than like the rice burners mainly gas) and recharges from an AC line at night and from a small, efficient ICE, possibly diesel, during the day. Recharge needs to be fast enough from the self-contained engine to make waits for power very, very rare. This isn't rocket science but nobody seems to have the vision to make one. It's what we will all be driving (in addition to all-electrics in cities only) in about 15 years.

On July 21, Pierre added:

What a gorgeous piece of design-- rather reminescent of a Porsche Boxster but even better looking. Elegant packaging too. The number of large, bare, very complex circuit boards is a bit alarming. So much could go wrong go wrong wrong go wrong wrong go go go go wrong.

"Tesla's sports car drives for a penny a mile." Sure it does. Unless you include maintainance and depreciation. Then, it's probably more like $10 per mile.

Plug-in Hybrid Sedan far Superior

On July 14, 2006, Pierre wrote (http://pub6.bravenet.com/forum/487525627/fetch/738562/):

What seems to escape everyone is that a plugin hybrid mid size sedan with adequate performance and safety, adapted from a proven design and with excellent fuel economy would be an all around winner. Very few people need an all out electric sports car at huge cost and with an unknown maitainance cost and reliability.

Price will Drop as Industry Picks Up

On July 15, 2006, 'informed' wrote (http://pub6.bravenet.com/forum/487525627/fetch/738682/):

This whole electric car thing reminds me of when I was just a kid in the sixties and slot cars first came out. In the beginning the cars were expensive and slow. Then all the after-market start-ups came into the picture with better and cheaper high performance parts and in no time the whole industry changed. If nothing else, I am hoping that new firms such a Tesla Motors will spur others into getting the high performance after-market going for electric vehicles thus bringing the price down to what most people can afford.

Tesla on Cutting Edge

On July 23, 2006, ADK wrote:

Based on your experience with laptops over many years, you should know how quickly the technology of li-ion batteries has developed in the last 10 years. The energy density has increased and the price has come down. The competition in that market is the reason electric cars with reasonable range and power are becoming possible today. Large, car-sized battery packs are really only available in lead-acid or NiMH forms, where the weight and power are even more prohibitive than the range. AC Propulsion, with their Tzero, decided to go the route of a battery pack made up of thousands of 18650-size laptop cells. It was more complex, but had great range and power compared to the alternatives. The cost is still a huge problem, but they've done the preliminary development and cost is coming down rapidly. AC Propulsion only made a few Tzeros, since the batteries were a huge part of the cost. They don't make full cars any more, but their battery management and drive system technology is in every li-ion electric car today. Venturi started making their Fetish electric car based heavily on the Tzero a few years ago, but with a cost of roughly a quarter mil, can rightly be called impractical toys for the overly rich. Not many people spend that much more than $100k for a car. Tesla, however, is entering into the realm of feasibility. AC Propulsion does the electrics, Lotus does the car, Tesla does the marketing and infrastructure. And 70-100k is way more reasonable than you might think. I don't know where you're from, and how many luxury cars you see on the streets, but there is a lot of business to be made there. It may not be saving the planet yet, but if this technology goes from prototype to $250k car to sub-$100k car in 3 years, everyman's electric car is not far away. And if Tesla is the first company to make more than a handful of electric cars, they will probably be the first company to make thousands of them down the road. Think of the Tesla roadster as an omen of things to come, don't just dismiss it because it's a bit on the expensive side.

The Original Tesla Car: Pace Arrow

• Google > Tesla "Pace Arrow" (http://www.google.com/search?q=tesla+%22pace+arrow%22)

• Tesla's "1930 Pierce Arrow" Electric Automobile (http://waterpoweredcar.com/teslascar.html) (WaterPoweredCar.com)

Related Technologies

• Directory:Ian Wright's X1 - High performance X1 electric race car humiliates Ferrari and Porche both off the line and in a 1/4 mile. All with a 150 mile range, and recharge time of 4.5 hours.
  

Contact

http://www.teslamotors.com/contact.html

Tesla Motors, Inc
1050 Bing Street
San Carlos, CA 94070
Phone: 650.413.4000; Fax: 650.413.4099
E-Mail: info@teslamotors.com (mailto:info@teslamotors.com?subject=Tesla_Motors_Inc_featured_at_PESWiki.com)

See also

• Directory:Electric Cars
• Directory:Electric Vehicles

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