The eagerly awaited Tesla Roadster is one step closer today after the company prototype has been spotted at various locations in the USA, most recently at the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California. It’s first public view since a early concept demonstration was completed in late 2017.
While official video of the car in full action is yet to be released, simulated speed comparisons have been released recently, comparing the vehicle, by algorithm, to other various supercars and race cars. Each of which shows the Tesla Roadster is going to be something absolutely new in terms of high performance vehicles, and with a revised maximum range from of 1000 kilometres per charge or more, one of the longest range EV’s ever built.
Elon Musk today took to twitter to announce to the public his 2020 version of the Tesla Roadster will definitely be able to deliver 1000km range or higher.
Considering the range anxiety many Australians have preventing serious uptake and ownership of electric vehicles, this is a step in the right direction, however that being said, the Tesla Roadster is not exactly your entry level car. The roadster is designed to be the fastest car in the world to date, with incredible acceleration of 0 to 100kph in 1.95 seconds, and a maximum top speed of 402kph.
This places the car faster than the Bugatti Veyron, without the massive price tag.
Sources who have personally driven the Tesla Roadster have expressed opinions that the performance capabilities of the car may actually be conservative, meaning the final roadster we receive in 2020 may actually have higher performance than stated, or have the ability for modification to achieve the absolute limits of the vehicle.
The car will go on sale for a figure of $200,000 USD, in Australia it’s possible to pre-order now for a price of $319,000 AUD directly from Tesla’s website, and while this is still extremely expensive, it’s far cheaper than most other supercars such as Lamborghini and Ferrari, and a tiny fraction of the cost of a Veyron.
The low price is possible because of the minimal cost of engineering an electric drivetrain for a supercar compared to a petrol based engine. For most cars, the engine and gearbox design and manufacturing takes up a huge amount of production costs, electric vehicles don’t have as much of a problem in this regard, especially when it comes to manufacturing costs, meaning companies can focus on other areas of the car such as aerodynamics, handling and design to further enhance the overall vehicle and have a better chance of running a profit.
The Tesla Roadster is expected to launch to the public by mid 2020.
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