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News and information on some of the hottest vehicles.

Tesla Roadster



The Tesla Roadster is an all-electric sports car produced by the electric car firm Tesla Motors and is the first car produced by the company.

The Roadster can travel 244 miles (393 km) on a single charge of its lithium-ion battery pack, and can accelerate from 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) in 3.9 seconds. An improved, Sport version of the Roadster has been released with adjustable dampers and a new hand-wound motor, capable of 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) in 3.7 seconds. The Roadster's efficiency, as of September 2008[update], was reported as 120 mpgge (2.0 L/100 km). It uses 135 W·h/km (4.60 mi/kW·h), battery-to-wheel, and has an efficiency of 90% on average.

The Roadster was developed with design help from Lotus Cars, who supplied the basic chassis development technology from the Lotus Elise. First unveiled to the public on 19 July 2006, series production of the car began on 17 March 2008.

Reference: wikipidia.org

Specifications

Performance Specifications*

Style
Drivetrain
Motor


Chassis
Brakes
Acceleration
Top Speed
Range
Battery Life
Battery
Full Charge


Technical Specifications*

Motor 375 volt AC induction air-cooled electric motor with variable frequency drive.
Max Net Power 248 HP (185 kW) @ 5000-8000 rpm
Max rpm 14,000
Efficiency 92% average, 85% at peak power
Torque 276 ft/lb (375 Nm) @ 0-4500 rpm
Transmission
Single speed fixed gear with electrically-actuated parking lock mechanism and mechanical lubrication pump
Overall Final Drive8.28:1
ReverseReverse direction of motor, limited to 15 mph
Final Drive Ratio3.12:1
Front Suspension Independent. Upper and lower unequal length wishbones. Co-axial coil spring/telescopic damper. Sway bar.
Rear Suspension Independent. Upper and lower unequal length wishbones. Co-axial coil spring/telescopic damper. Sway bar.
Brakes
Hydraulically operated. Tandem master cylinder with vacuum servo and anti-lock braking system. Front and rear ventilated disc. Cable operated self adjusting hand brake on rear calipers.
Wheels
Type Forged Light alloy
Size - front 6J x 16
Size - rear 7.5J x 17
Tires
Type Yokohama Neova AD07 LTS
Size - front 175/55 R16
Size - rear 225/45 R17
Dimensions
Overall length (in. / mm) 155.4 / 3946
Overall width - incl. mirrors (in. / mm) 72.9 / 1851
Overall height (mid-laden weight) (in. / mm) 44.35 / 1126.5
Wheelbase (in. / mm) 92.6 / 2351
Track - front (in. / mm) 57.7 / 1455.6
Track - rear (in. / mm) 59.0 / 1484.5
Curb weight (lbs/kgs) 2723/1238
Leg Room (in./mm) 42.0 / 1067
Front Head Room (in./mm) 36.7 / 932
Front Shoulder Room (in./mm) 26.0 / 660
Standard Interior features
  1. Heated sport seats with inflatable lumbar support
  2. Three-spoke leather-wrapped MOMO sport steering wheel
  3. Leather seats and trim in black, dark gray, light gray, or beige
  4. Stereo sound system with single-disc CD player, iPod interface, and MP3 playback
  5. Cruise Control
  6. Homelink universal transmitter to operate compatible garage, gate, and home lighting/home security systems
  7. Power windows and locks
  8. Air conditioning
  9. Retractable cup holder
Standard Exterior Features
  1. Double-insulated black soft top
  2. Halogen low and high-beam headlamp assemblies
  3. LED tail lights
  4. Forged uni-directional seven-spoke wheels in silver finish: 16" front, 17" rear
  5. Locking wheel lugs
  6. Battery heater for cold weather charging to -20 degrees Celsius
  7. High Power Connector with integral safety features for 3.5 hour charge

Standard Safety and Security Features

  1. Four-sensor, four-channel anti-lock braking system (ABS)
  2. Traction control
  3. Tire pressure monitoring system
  4. Front and rear crumple zones
  5. Driver and passenger front airbags
  6. Rigid occupant safety cell
  7. Side impact door beams
  8. Seatbelt pretensioners
  9. Integrated headrests
  10. Emergency tire Inflator/sealant
  11. Vehicle theft-deterrent and motor immobilizer system
  12. PIN code prevents unauthorized vehicle operation
  13. Valet Mode restricts vehicle speed, acceleration, and distance
Factory-installed options and accessories
  1. Premium leather seats available in nine colors or combination of colors with embroidered Tesla Motors logo
  2. Premium audio package. Includes satellite radio, navigation and 7 speaker sound system with subwoofer
  3. Microfiber cloth seats in black
  4. Bluetooth cellular phone integration
  5. Matching body-colored carbon fiber hardtop with full headliner
  6. Metallic and premium paint
  7. Tesla Motors custom floor mats
  8. Mobile Connector for travel charging

* Specifications as of Summer 2008

Reference: teslamotors.com