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Image credits: © Tesla.
2007 Tesla Roadster news, pictures, and information | ||
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How It Works
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.Energy Storage System (ESS)
When you set out to build a high-performance electric car, the biggest challenge is obvious from the start: the battery. Its complexities are clear: it's heavy, expensive, and offers limited power and range. Yet it has one quality that eclipses these disadvantages, and motivates you to keep working tirelessly: it's clean.
The Tesla Roadster's 'fuel tank' weighs in at about 1,000 pounds and delivers four to five times the energy-density stores of other batteries. Safe, light, durable, and recyclable, it represents the biggest innovation in the Tesla Roadster and is one of the largest and most advanced lithium-ion battery packs in the world. Why this matters to you, the driver, is that it frees you to drive farther than ever before in an EV, while enjoying the power of world-class performance. The design ensures optimum operating conditions which maximize the life of the cells, while offering high levels of safety.
The architecture provides excellent redundancy and tolerance against cell-to-cell manufacturing variations. The system uses commodity lithium ion cells which, thanks to high demand by the consumer electronics , has spurred development that drives costs down and performance up. Finally, recharge time is impressively quick, enabled by an onboard, high-power charging system. The system addresses thermal balancing wîth a liquid cooling circuit. Multiple passive and active safety devices ensure safe operation over the wide range of driving environments and scenarios. An array of sensors and a dozen microcontrollers communicate wîth the vehicle to allow efficient use and management of the battery pack. Finally, the entire assembly is housed in a rugged enclosure, which protects the system from the harsh road environment while supporting the internal components.
 | Vital Stats |
| Engine : Power: 248 hp | |
Motor The motor for a high-performance electric car requires a device that is simultaneously light, compact, and high in efficiency. The Tesla Roadster EV motor is just that. We accomplish this by starting wîth a well-optimized electromagnetic design and then using the lowest loss conductors and the highest quality magnetic steel possible.
The power of the motor is not only limited by how much power you put into it, but also by how fast it can be cooled, how hot it can operate, and how efficiently it runs. We addressed each of these in innovative ways. Our motor can operate continuously around 120°C, thanks to the array of air-cooling fins on our aluminum housing.
Without proper efficiency, our motor would convert electrical energy into heat instead of rotational energy. That's why we constructed it wîth specially designed, high-quality lamination steel that has very low eddy current losses, particularly at high rpm. The rotor is made wîth a proprietary process that produces a low resistance 'squirrel cage' wîth large end rings using oxygen free copper. This allows the rotor to develop high current flows, and torque, wîth low resistance losses. The use of a small air gap allows tight inductive coupling which, combined wîth low loss magnetic materials, enables the development of high torque at high rpm. Together, these factors allow us to induce large currents, even at high rpm, producing much flatter power and efficiency curves from approximately 2,000 rpm to 12,000 rpm.
The sum of all these features is a single motor wîth efficiencies of 85 to 95 percent, power output of up to 185 kW, and a small footprint that measures just 250 mm (diameter) by 350 mm (length). Transmission
Inside the box, our transmission couples the simplicity and efficiency of a manual wîth the smarts and sophistication of an automatic. The Tesla Roadster has only two forward gears and either one will work for most of your driving. Únlike a manual transmission, the car will not stall if you have it in the wrong gear. Plus it puts you in control of the shifting to fine-tune your driving experience or to achieve the upper limits of acceleration and top speed. And because there is no clutch, you can quickly and easily start from a stop or shift gears on the freeway.
Power Electronics Module (PEM)
You'll see this very important part of the car every time you pop the trunk. It controls over 200 kW of electrical power during peak acceleration, enough power to illuminate 2,000 incandescent lightbulbs (or 10,000 compact fluorescents). The PEM performs several critical functions in the Tesla Roadster, including motor torque control, regenerative braking control, and charging.
When you shift gears or accelerate in the Tesla Roadster, the PEM translates your commands into precisely timed voltages that tell the propulsion motor to respond wîth the proper speed and direction of rotation. Circuits within the PEM monitor temperatures, voltages, and currents for maximum or minimum limits by using a combination of hardware- and firmware-settable values. These circuits prevent damage to the PEM, ESS, or motor when a variance from nominal operating conditions is detected.
During normal operation, the PEM monitors things like the voltage delivered by the ESS, the speed of rotation of the propulsion motor, and temperatures of the motor and power electronics. Should you like to know these things yourself, simply glance at the on-board Vehicle Display System.
Efficiency & Performance Efficiency. Performance. Pick Two.
Gone are the days when sports cars demanded a choice between efficiency and performance. Now it's no longer a zero-sum game. Instead, you get peak performance at every moment, wîth little mileage penalty.
Instant Freedom
The first time you drive the Tesla Roadster, prepare to be surprised. You're at freeway speed in seconds without even thinking about it. There's no clutch to contend wîth and no race-car driving techniques to perform. Just the touch of your foot and you're off, without any of the sluggishness of an automatic.
How powerful is the acceleration? A quick story to illustrate. A favorite trick here at Tesla Motors is to invite a passenger along and ask him to turn on the radio. At the precise moment we ask, we accelerate. Our passenger simply can't sit forward enough to reach the dials. But who needs music when you're experiencing such a symphony of motion.
Rest assured that this responsiveness works at all speeds, as noticeable when you're inching your way through parking lots as when flying along freeways.
100% Torque, 100% of the Time
The Tesla Roadster delivers full availability of performance every moment you are in the car, even while at a stoplight. Its peak torque begins at zero rpm and stays powerful beyond 13,000 rpm.
This is the precise opposite of what you experience wîth a gasoline engine, which has very little torque at a low rpm and only reaches peak torque in a narrow rpm range. This forces you to make frequent gear changes to maintain optimal torque. With the Tesla Roadster, you get great acceleration and the highest energy efficiency at the same time. All while requiring no special driving skills to enjoy it. This makes the Tesla Roadster six times as efficient as the best sports cars while producing one-tenth of the pollution.Source - Tesla
The first performance electric car manufactured by Tesla Motors, the high-performance, zero-emissions Tesla Roadster, was unveiled before a throng of well-wishers, car buffs, and potential customers Wednesday evening during Tesla's 'Signature One Hundred' event at Barker Hangar.More than 350 invited guests spent the evening learning about the new sports car, speaking wîth Tesla Motors executives, and going for rides along the tarmac at the Santa Monica Airport, adjacent to the event. Many signed up to be among the first to take delivery of the Tesla Roadster, becoming Signature One Hundred Members.
Celebrities in attendance included actor Ed Begley Jr., producer Richard Donner, businessman Michael Eisner, PayPal founder (and Tesla Motors Chairman) Elon Musk, Participant Productions' Founder and CEO Jeff Skoll, also of eBay fame, and producer and car collector Joel Silver. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger stopped by prior to the evening's activities to learn more about Tesla Motors and the Roadster.
'We're thrilled to have the support of top people from so many different industries,' said Martin Eberhard, CEO of Tesla Motors. 'High-tech, CleanTech, entertainment, automotive, you name it. It's gratifying to have others realize the significance or what Tesla Motors is doing.'
The electric-powered Tesla Roadster boasts a top speed of more than 130 mph and a range of 250 miles on a single charge, a combination heretofore unseen in a mass-produced electric vehicle. 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 about four seconds.
'The Tesla Roadster delivers sports car performance without using any gasoline,' said Eberhard. 'This is what we hoped to achieve when we started the company three years ago, to build a car wîth zero emissions that people would love to drive.'
Úsing a unique two-speed manual transmission, the Tesla Roadster's power comes from a 3-phase, 4-pole AC induction motor coupled wîth the Power Electronics Module (PEM) which provides multiple functionality of inverting direct current to 3-phase alternating current, the charging system, and the regenerative braking system.
The Roadster's Energy Storage System (ESS) provides power to the entire vehicle, including the motor. Its durable, tamper-resistant enclosure includes: 6,831 lithium-ion cells; a network of microprocessors for maintaining charge balance and temperature among the batteries; a cooling system; and an independent safety system designed to disconnect power outside the enclosure under a variety of detectable safety situations.
The Tesla Roadster comes complete wîth its Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (EVSE), a home-based charging system. An optional mobile charging kit, for re-charging while away from the EVSE, also features this automatic disconnect system. Charging the Tesla Roadster takes approximately 3.5 hours.
The Tesla Roadster is capable of driving up to 250 miles (EPA Highway) on a single charge, a range roughly triple that of previous mass-produced electric vehicles, like General Motors' EV1.
'It didn't make sense to sell a car that couldn't go 90 miles on a charge. You'd spend more time charging the old EVs than driving them,' said Eberhard. 'Lithium-ion technology, which has been proven in many different applications, has allowed us to achieve exactly what we thought it would in terms of power, range and efficiency.'
The body design of the Tesla Roadster, which included a collaborative effort by the company's employees, has been headed by Barney Hatt, Principal Designer at the Lotus Design Studio in England. The result is a sleek, stylish sports car that will appeal to enthusiasts and environmentalists the world over.
Tesla designers and engineers have gone to great lengths to ensure that not only is the Tesla Roadster safe to drive, but also when charging the performance electric car, at home or on the road. Their goal is to not only meet, but to surpass the rigorous standards of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, or FMVSS, as implemented by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Tesla co-founders Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, who serves as Vice President, Engineering, have brought together a team of automotive veterans plus Silicon Valley electronics and Internet engineers to bring the Tesla Roadster to life.
Research and Development for Tesla Motors is based at the Corporate Headquarters in San Carlos, Calif. Engines are manufactured at Tesla's facility in Taiwan, and assembly takes place at Tesla's plant in England.
Eberhard and Tarpenning provided the early funding for the company, and were joined in 2003 by Musk, CEO of SpaceX, who is the major investor in the company and serves as Chairman of Tesla Motors.
Musk worked wîth Eberhard and Tarpenning to attract more investors and approach Venture Capital firms, and in June 2006, Tesla Motors announced that the company had secured and additional $40 million in financing led by Musk and VantagePoint Venture Partners, one of the largest CleanTech investors in the Silicon Valley.
Deliveries of the Tesla Roadster are expected to begin next summer.
About Tesla Motors
Tesla Motors was founded in July 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning to create efficient electric cars for people who love to drive. The Chairman of Tesla Motors, a privately held company, is Elon Musk, who has lead or co-led all three rounds of investment resulting in $60 million in funding. Mr. Musk has been instrumental in both corporate and product development at Tesla Motors.
The company currently employs 70 people, including teams in California, the Ú.K. 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 Ú.S. safety, environmental and durability standards. ( posted on conceptcarz.com) Tesla's cars include modern safety equipment such as airbags, front crumple zones, side impact protection, and 2½ mph bumpers. Tesla will sell cars in the Ú.S. only when they pass the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS).Source - Tesla
A New Jersey philanthropist was the 500th person to take ownership of a Tesla Roadster, an important milestone for the world's leading electric vehicle manufacturer.
Martin Tuchman, former chairman and CEO of Interpool, is chairman of The Tuchman Foundation and a board member of The Parkinson's Alliance and Parkinson's Disease Foundation of Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York. He plans to charge his Roadster partly wîth solar energy thanks to photovoltaic panels he helped install throughout his hometown of Kingston, NJ.
'My Roadster drives like a dream -- it's amazing,' said Tuchman, a former automotive engineer and owner of a 1967 Mercedes 250 and a 1993 Jaguar convertible. Tuchman converted his 1937 Chris-Craft into an electric boat so he could take it on nearby Lake Carnegie, which prohibits gas-powered boats. He plans to use his Roadster as his primary commuter car.
Tuchman took delivery of a Twilight Blue Roadster last weekend, a few weeks before the anticipated opening of a Tesla showroom in New York's Chelsea Art District. Greater New York is Tesla's largest market outside of California, and local EV owners enjoy numerous incentives.
Zero-emission vehicles are exempt from New Jersey sales, use and luxury taxes. Single occupants of alternative-fuel vehicles may also use the high-occupancy commuter lanes on the New Jersey Turnpike. These incentives are on top of a $7,500 ÚS federal tax credit, which fully applies to all Tesla Roadsters.
San Carlos, Calif.-based Tesla is the only production automaker selling highway-capable EVs in the Únited States or Europe. The Roadster beats nearly every other car for acceleration yet is twice as energy efficient as a Toyota Prius. It costs roughly $4 to refuel and can be completely recharged in as little as 3.5 hours.
Michael van der Sande, Tesla Senior Vice President of Global Sales, Service and Marketing, called the 500th delivery an important symbol for the world's newest production automaker.
'We now have more than 500 real-world customers providing valuable feedback on our cars and contributing to Tesla's spirit of continuous improvement,' van der Sande §äid. 'We intend to leverage our first-mover advantage and continue to build brand loyalty for years – from our 500th to our 500,000th delivery.'
About Tesla Motors:
Based in California's Silicon Valley, Tesla Motors builds electric vehicles wîth exceptional design, performance and efficiency, while conforming to all North American and European safety, environmental and durability standards. ( posted on conceptcarz.com) The Roadster, which has a 0-to-60 mph acceleration of 3.9 seconds, is the only highway-capable EV for sale in North America or Europe. It is six times as efficient as rival sports cars and has a range of 244 miles per charge. Tesla expects to produce the Model S sedan in late 2011. The anticipated base price of the sedan will be $49,900 after a $7,500 ÚS tax credit.Source - NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)
Martin Tuchman, former chairman and CEO of Interpool, is chairman of The Tuchman Foundation and a board member of The Parkinson's Alliance and Parkinson's Disease Foundation of Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York. He plans to charge his Roadster partly wîth solar energy thanks to photovoltaic panels he helped install throughout his hometown of Kingston, NJ.
'My Roadster drives like a dream -- it's amazing,' said Tuchman, a former automotive engineer and owner of a 1967 Mercedes 250 and a 1993 Jaguar convertible. Tuchman converted his 1937 Chris-Craft into an electric boat so he could take it on nearby Lake Carnegie, which prohibits gas-powered boats. He plans to use his Roadster as his primary commuter car.
Tuchman took delivery of a Twilight Blue Roadster last weekend, a few weeks before the anticipated opening of a Tesla showroom in New York's Chelsea Art District. Greater New York is Tesla's largest market outside of California, and local EV owners enjoy numerous incentives. Zero-emission vehicles are exempt from New Jersey sales, use and luxury taxes. Single occupants of alternative-fuel vehicles may also use the high-occupancy commuter lanes on the New Jersey Turnpike. These incentives are on top of a $7,500 ÚS federal tax credit, which fully applies to all Tesla Roadsters.
Tesla will also soon be opening stores in Chicago, London, Seattle, Miami, Washington, Monaco and Munich. Tesla will begin deliveries in Europe this summer.
San Carlos, Calif.-based Tesla is the only production automaker selling highway-capable EVs in the Únited States or Europe. The Roadster beats nearly every other car for acceleration yet is twice as energy efficient as a Toyota Prius. It costs roughly $4 to refuel and can be completely recharged in as little as 3.5 hours. Michael van der Sande, Tesla Senior Vice President of Global Sales, Service and Marketing, called the 500th delivery an important symbol for the world's newest production automaker.
'We now have more than 500 real-world customers providing valuable feedback on our cars and contributing to Tesla's spirit of continuous improvement,' van der Sande §äid. 'We intend to leverage our first-mover advantage and continue to build brand loyalty for years – from our 500th to our 500,000th delivery.'
About Tesla Motors:
Based in California's Silicon Valley, Tesla Motors builds electric vehicles wîth exceptional design, performance and efficiency, while conforming to all North American and European safety, environmental and durability standards. ( posted on conceptcarz.com) The Roadster, which has a 0-to-60 mph acceleration of 3.9 seconds, is the only highway-capable EV for sale in North America or Europe. It is six times as efficient as rival sports cars and has a range of 244 miles per charge. Tesla expects to produce the Model S sedan in late 2011. The anticipated base price of the sedan will be $49,900 after a $7,500 ÚS tax credit.Source - NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)
An all-electric sports vehicle that was produced by Tesla Motors, the Tesla Roadster happens to be the first vehicle produced by this company. Able to travel 244 miles on just a single charge of its lithium-ion battery pack, the Roadster can achieve 0-60 mph in just 3.9 seconds. Newly released a newly improved, Sport version of the Roadster with adjustable dampers and a brand new hand-wound motor that was capable of achieving 0-60 mph in only 3.7 seconds. Officially, the vehicle was debuted to the public on July 19, 2006 in Santa Monica, California at a special 350 person invitation only event that was hosted at Barker Hangar at Santa Monica Airport. The first auto show that the Tesla Roadster appeared on was the San Francisco International Auto Show that was held on November 18 through 26 in 2006.
By late August 2006, Tesla's 'Signature One Hundred' original set of fully equipped vehicles had sold out, and the company began accepting reservations by September of 2006 for their 2008 models. By October the second 100 models had been reserved, and by January 15, 2008 all 650 Tesla Roadsters planned for 2008 model year had been reserved. Roadsters were only available with the steering wheel on the left-hand side, since the vehicle had originally only been available in the U.S.
The design of the Roadster came about with help from Lotus Cars, who were responsible for the basic chassis development technology that came from the Lotus Elise. The Tesla Roadster was originally debuted to the public on July 19, 2006 and a series production of the vehicle began on March 17, 2008. The styling was created with input from Telsa, but also from Barney Hatt at Lotus's design studio. The designers chose to create the body panels from resin transfer molded carbon fiber composite which minimized weight. This choice transformed the Roadster into one of the least expensive vehicles with a completely carbon fiber skin.
Much more advanced version of the AC motor and the drive-train were utilized than the ones found in the GM EV1 and the Ac Propulsion tzero. The AC Propulsion's EV Power System design and Reductive Charging paten was licensed by Tesla Motors, and covered integration of the inverter and charging electronics which reduced the price, the complex nature of the vehicle and the mass. Following this, Telsa Motors then designed and constructed their own motor, power electronics and other various drivetrain components that resulted in the construction of this licensed technology from AC Propulsion.
From 2004 until 207, several variations of the Tesla Roadster were constructed. Original studies were done in two test vehicles. The EP1 thru the EP10 were 10 engineering prototypes that eventually led to a numerous amount of minor changes that were constructed and tested from late 2006 until early 207. Nearly 26 Validation Prototypes were introduced in the beginning of March 27, 2007. In preparation for series production, these final modifications were both crash tested and endurance rated.
The NHTSA told the public in January of 2008 that it would grant a waiver of the advanced air bag rule. This waiver noted that the Tesla Roadster now included standard air bags.
Assembled at the Lotus factory in Hethel, England, the Tesla Roadster featured drivetrain
Features and body components tat were supplied to the factory, directly from Tesla. Just less than 10% of the Roadster's components were shared with the Lotus Elise, and these are restricted to the air bags, the tires, the windshield, a few dashboard parts and several dashboard components. The parts supply chain extends worldwide and the Tesla Motor's plan in Taiwan manufactures the motors, while the Energy Storage Systems was originally manufactured in Thailand. Eventually, the development was moved to San Carlos, California following the start of production. The chassis of the roadster was manufactured in Norway, while SOTIRA in St. Meloir & Pouance, France constructed the RTM carbon fiber body panels. Both the airbags and the brakes were made by Siemens in Germany, while the crash testing was done at Siemens as well.
Though originally planned for October of 2007, the production delivery was delayed in September of 2007 until the first calendar quarter of 2008. The actual series production of the Tesla Roadster began on March 17, 2008, following two years of testing and prototyping. The first original Roadster was dubbed as the 'P1' and was hand delivered to Tesla Motor's Chairman, Elon Musk, on February 1, 2008.
Following the completion of car number one at Hethel, the Tesla Company publicly announced that problems were affecting transmission reliability. With a life expectancy of as low as merely a few thousand miles, the development transmission, with first gear, was only able to reach 0-60 mph in just 4 seconds. The first two transmission suppliers for Tesla Motors' was not able to produce transmissions in large quantities, and was unable to withstand the gear-shift requirements of the high torque, high rpm electric motor.
The Tesla Roadster produced a maximum net power of 248 hp and was powered by a 3-phase, 4-pole electric motor. Unveiled at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, the Sport Model came with a higher density, hand would stator that produced a maximum of 288 hp. These motors were designed for rotational speeds of up to 14,000 rpm, while the regular motor delivers an efficiency of typically 90% or 80% at peak power.
The Tesla Motors company announced in December 2007 plans to ship the original Roadster models with the transmission locked into second gear, which provided acceleration time of 0-60 mph in just 5.7 seconds. The original production vehicle, the P1 came with both transmission gears enabled, and was not delivered with the interim solution. When the finalized transmission, PEM; power electronics module and cooling system became available, the original transmissions will be replaced out under warranty, as set out in the original plan. Due to an error in equipment calibration at the lab when the original test occurred, the EPA range of the model was restated from 245 miles to 221.
Tesla constructed three Roadsters in their initial two months of production. The P1 and the P2 were built before the start of regular series production that commenced on March 17, 2008. Tesla had delivered 27 of these models to customers by September 10, 2008. A much better, improved transmission had been refined and hopes were high that a production total of 20 cars per week would be constructed by December 2008, and eventually 40 per week by March of 2009. Unfortunately though, over the span the next 20 days, only 3 more models were delivered to customers, which brought the grand total to only 30 by September 30th 2008. By November 19, 2008, an estimated 70 models had been delivered to awaiting customers, and by December 9th, 2008, the 100th vehicle had been sent out. A total of 200 Roadsters were produced and delivered to customers by February 11th 1009.
On May 1, 2008, the first Tesla Motor Service center was opened in Los Angeles, CA on Santa Monica Boulevard. The second showroom was publicly opened in Tesla Motors and service area in Menlo Park, CA on July 22, 2008. This location will also be the final assembly area for the Tesla Roadster.
The base model was finally priced at $98,000 for the 2008 Tesla Roadster, along with a destination charge of $950. Fully loaded with all optional equipment, the first 200 Roadsters that were ordered by October 2006 were priced around $100,000.
Telsa has plans to deliver around 1500 vehicles for the 2009 year, and the price has been increased to $109,000. This newest model features options ranging from audio to color and heavy duty cables that could add up to another $10,000. Telsa reached an agreement by February 2009 to open stores in Chicago and was very close to finalizing new locations spots in New York, Seattle and Miami.
The Telsa Company had plans to begin sales in Europe during the third quarter of 2008 and was originally limited to 250 vehicles, all priced below €100,000. Since there are no future plans to build Roadsters with the steering-wheel on the right-hand side, the cars won't initially go on sale in the U.K.
On August 21, 2008, the 2009 Signature Edition Tesla Roadster was officially available in Europe, and only 250 vehicles were available and were priced at €99,000. For a €3,000 Euro refundable reservation fee, the 2010 Roadster could be reserved. Tesla Motors Inc. began selling cars to Canadian customers on March 3, 2009 and deliver was setup for 2009.By Jessica Donaldson
By late August 2006, Tesla's 'Signature One Hundred' original set of fully equipped vehicles had sold out, and the company began accepting reservations by September of 2006 for their 2008 models. By October the second 100 models had been reserved, and by January 15, 2008 all 650 Tesla Roadsters planned for 2008 model year had been reserved. Roadsters were only available with the steering wheel on the left-hand side, since the vehicle had originally only been available in the U.S.
The design of the Roadster came about with help from Lotus Cars, who were responsible for the basic chassis development technology that came from the Lotus Elise. The Tesla Roadster was originally debuted to the public on July 19, 2006 and a series production of the vehicle began on March 17, 2008. The styling was created with input from Telsa, but also from Barney Hatt at Lotus's design studio. The designers chose to create the body panels from resin transfer molded carbon fiber composite which minimized weight. This choice transformed the Roadster into one of the least expensive vehicles with a completely carbon fiber skin.
Much more advanced version of the AC motor and the drive-train were utilized than the ones found in the GM EV1 and the Ac Propulsion tzero. The AC Propulsion's EV Power System design and Reductive Charging paten was licensed by Tesla Motors, and covered integration of the inverter and charging electronics which reduced the price, the complex nature of the vehicle and the mass. Following this, Telsa Motors then designed and constructed their own motor, power electronics and other various drivetrain components that resulted in the construction of this licensed technology from AC Propulsion.
From 2004 until 207, several variations of the Tesla Roadster were constructed. Original studies were done in two test vehicles. The EP1 thru the EP10 were 10 engineering prototypes that eventually led to a numerous amount of minor changes that were constructed and tested from late 2006 until early 207. Nearly 26 Validation Prototypes were introduced in the beginning of March 27, 2007. In preparation for series production, these final modifications were both crash tested and endurance rated.
The NHTSA told the public in January of 2008 that it would grant a waiver of the advanced air bag rule. This waiver noted that the Tesla Roadster now included standard air bags.
Assembled at the Lotus factory in Hethel, England, the Tesla Roadster featured drivetrain
Features and body components tat were supplied to the factory, directly from Tesla. Just less than 10% of the Roadster's components were shared with the Lotus Elise, and these are restricted to the air bags, the tires, the windshield, a few dashboard parts and several dashboard components. The parts supply chain extends worldwide and the Tesla Motor's plan in Taiwan manufactures the motors, while the Energy Storage Systems was originally manufactured in Thailand. Eventually, the development was moved to San Carlos, California following the start of production. The chassis of the roadster was manufactured in Norway, while SOTIRA in St. Meloir & Pouance, France constructed the RTM carbon fiber body panels. Both the airbags and the brakes were made by Siemens in Germany, while the crash testing was done at Siemens as well.
Though originally planned for October of 2007, the production delivery was delayed in September of 2007 until the first calendar quarter of 2008. The actual series production of the Tesla Roadster began on March 17, 2008, following two years of testing and prototyping. The first original Roadster was dubbed as the 'P1' and was hand delivered to Tesla Motor's Chairman, Elon Musk, on February 1, 2008.
Following the completion of car number one at Hethel, the Tesla Company publicly announced that problems were affecting transmission reliability. With a life expectancy of as low as merely a few thousand miles, the development transmission, with first gear, was only able to reach 0-60 mph in just 4 seconds. The first two transmission suppliers for Tesla Motors' was not able to produce transmissions in large quantities, and was unable to withstand the gear-shift requirements of the high torque, high rpm electric motor.
The Tesla Roadster produced a maximum net power of 248 hp and was powered by a 3-phase, 4-pole electric motor. Unveiled at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, the Sport Model came with a higher density, hand would stator that produced a maximum of 288 hp. These motors were designed for rotational speeds of up to 14,000 rpm, while the regular motor delivers an efficiency of typically 90% or 80% at peak power.
The Tesla Motors company announced in December 2007 plans to ship the original Roadster models with the transmission locked into second gear, which provided acceleration time of 0-60 mph in just 5.7 seconds. The original production vehicle, the P1 came with both transmission gears enabled, and was not delivered with the interim solution. When the finalized transmission, PEM; power electronics module and cooling system became available, the original transmissions will be replaced out under warranty, as set out in the original plan. Due to an error in equipment calibration at the lab when the original test occurred, the EPA range of the model was restated from 245 miles to 221.
Tesla constructed three Roadsters in their initial two months of production. The P1 and the P2 were built before the start of regular series production that commenced on March 17, 2008. Tesla had delivered 27 of these models to customers by September 10, 2008. A much better, improved transmission had been refined and hopes were high that a production total of 20 cars per week would be constructed by December 2008, and eventually 40 per week by March of 2009. Unfortunately though, over the span the next 20 days, only 3 more models were delivered to customers, which brought the grand total to only 30 by September 30th 2008. By November 19, 2008, an estimated 70 models had been delivered to awaiting customers, and by December 9th, 2008, the 100th vehicle had been sent out. A total of 200 Roadsters were produced and delivered to customers by February 11th 1009.
On May 1, 2008, the first Tesla Motor Service center was opened in Los Angeles, CA on Santa Monica Boulevard. The second showroom was publicly opened in Tesla Motors and service area in Menlo Park, CA on July 22, 2008. This location will also be the final assembly area for the Tesla Roadster.
The base model was finally priced at $98,000 for the 2008 Tesla Roadster, along with a destination charge of $950. Fully loaded with all optional equipment, the first 200 Roadsters that were ordered by October 2006 were priced around $100,000.
Telsa has plans to deliver around 1500 vehicles for the 2009 year, and the price has been increased to $109,000. This newest model features options ranging from audio to color and heavy duty cables that could add up to another $10,000. Telsa reached an agreement by February 2009 to open stores in Chicago and was very close to finalizing new locations spots in New York, Seattle and Miami.
The Telsa Company had plans to begin sales in Europe during the third quarter of 2008 and was originally limited to 250 vehicles, all priced below €100,000. Since there are no future plans to build Roadsters with the steering-wheel on the right-hand side, the cars won't initially go on sale in the U.K.
On August 21, 2008, the 2009 Signature Edition Tesla Roadster was officially available in Europe, and only 250 vehicles were available and were priced at €99,000. For a €3,000 Euro refundable reservation fee, the 2010 Roadster could be reserved. Tesla Motors Inc. began selling cars to Canadian customers on March 3, 2009 and deliver was setup for 2009.By Jessica Donaldson
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 | To celebrate Earth Day, Nissan and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg today launched a new electric vehicle taxi pilot with the world's best-selling electric car, Nissan LEAF. This pilot program, which puts six LEAF taxis into service beginning this spring, will help Nissan, the city, the taxi industry and the public understand how zero emission vehicles can be integrated into future taxi fleets. Joe Castelli, vice president, Nissan Commercial Vehicles said: 'As part of our commitment to z...[Read more...] |
| WITH A NEW ELECTRIC TAXI PROGRAM, RIO DE JANEIRO ENTERS ZERO EMISSIONS ERA | |
 | Through a partnership between the Rio de Janeiro City Government, NBA and Petrobras Distribuidora, the city capital will have 15 Nissan LEAF taxis. RIO DE JANEIRO – Beginning this month, the city of Rio de Janeiro enters the zero-emission mobility era with the launch of the electric taxi program, a partnership between the Rio de Janeiro City Government, NBA and Petrobras Distribuidora. In the first phase, two Nissan LEAF taxis, pure-electric vehicles that produce no tailpipe-pollution...[Read more...] |
| BMW I3 CONCEPT COUPE: EUROPEAN PREMIERE PLUS INTELLIGENT RANGE-ENHANCING SOLUTIONS | |
 | The BMW i3 Concept Coupe celebrates its European premiere in Geneva, while the BMW i8 Concept Spyder also makes an appearance. These two concept models reflect the current status of the ongoing development process and illustrate the potential breadth of an extended BMW i portfolio. At the same time they show how high-performance, zero-emission mobility is also able to deliver when it comes to emotional excitement and sheer appeal. Both models are built around BMW eDrive technology, which will pr...[Read more...] |
| Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid wins EBUS Award | |
 | • Award for the advanced hybrid technology from Mercedes-Benz • Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid impresses with synergies from the passenger car segment • Judges praise the 'seriousness' of development efforts In the fuel cell bus category, the Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid won the EBUS Award, the environmental award for public local transport. Roman Biondi, brand spokesman for Mercedes-Benz buses and EvoBus, and Ulrich Piotrowski, the Market Launch Manager for Mercedes-Benz hybrid and electric buses, a...[Read more...] |
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