Given the current movement to 'go green' combined with the high cost of gasoline, the electric car is gaining in popularity. The Smart Car has been spotted weaving in and out of New York City traffic. However, the Smart Car is an energy efficient, practical, relatively inexpensive workhorse with a boxy shape.Lotus has had considerable influence since the inception. Lotus provided design assistance and furnished the basic chassis development technology from the Lotus Elise. The styling was developed by Barney Hatt at Lotus' design studio however he did consult with Tesla engineers. It was Tesla engineers who decided to use resin transfer molded carbon fiber to construct the body panels.
The Roadster is available in two models, the Standard Model and the Sports Model. The Roadster is equipped with a 3-phase, 4-pole AC induction motor that can produce 248 hp. The Sport Model can produce 288 hp. The Standard Model can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds while the Sport model can do this in 3.7 seconds. The electronically limited top speed is 125 mph. The Roadster's battery pack is called the Energy Storage System or ESS. It requires three and one half hours to fully recharge the battery. The battery weighs 992 pounds and in 2008, the cost of a replacement was $20,000.
However, owning it will require a celebrity's income. To date the Roadsters have been sold on a reservation basis. Six hundred fifty were planned for 2008 and all were reserved. In 2009, Tesla plans to market 1500 vehicles. While the 2008 models were priced at $98,000 with a $950.00 destination charge, the price of the 2009 models has been raised to $109,000.
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