Jul

25

Tesla Roadster - The Electric Car with Pizzazz

Posted by maureen

July 25, 2007 |

Middle age crazy? Feel the need for speed but are environmentally conscious? Empty nester with money to burn? Look no further!

telsa4.jpg

The Tesla Roadster
Rolling off the assembly line in October is Tesla Motors, Inc green vehicle, the Tesla Roadster that can rocket from 0 to 60 in four seconds. Not bad for an electric car but if that doesn’t knock the wind out of your sails than the price tag of $98,000 might take your breath away. However, it will also put on a waiting list that includes the likes of George Clooney and Google Inc founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin.

What sets Tesla apart is the desire of CEO Martin Eberhard, a former computer engineer, to build a car manufacturing company that is also a technology company. With this end in mind the company out sources parts like brakes and seat belts to enable Tesla engineers to focus on a few core technologies: the battery, the computer software and the proprietary motor that make the car go. Unlike Toyota, General Motors and Ford Motor, whose hybrids use nickel metal hydride batteries, Tesla believes its lithium ion technology will ultimately be cheaper and have more storage capacity.


Tesla uses the same lithium ion technology that powers the laptop computer. The energy source for the Tesla Roadster’s is merely a bundle of 6,831 laptop battery cells that sit in the trunk. The company is hoping to continue and increase the benefit from improved technology .Over the past five years production of the laptop cells has tripled while costs are down 8% annually. The company which plans to go public next year has created a second division, Tesla Energy, to sell its energy storage technology.

telsa4.jpg

If the price tag is too rich for you than the company’s next vehicle might be more in line with your pocket book. They have a five passenger sedan (code named White Star) which will sell from $55,000 to $68,000 on the drawing board and hopes of producing a $30,000 electric car within five years.


Comments

2 Comments so far

  1. University Update - George Clooney - Tesla Roadster - The Electric Car with Pizzazz on July 25, 2007 8:49 am

    […] Efron Link to Article george clooney Tesla Roadster - The Electric Car with Pizzazz » Posted at […]

  2. wedding supplies on July 27, 2007 8:18 pm

    laptop batteries… mmm
    you have 20 minutes left
    no 15
    no 10
    sorry shutting down. ah quick where’s the plug!

Name (required)

Email (required)

Website

Speak your mind

<< Post Navigation >>

« « Life Insurance Cash Out | Boomers and Future Investment Directions » »