The new Tesla Roadster

[Payman]

Lol, the center screen goes plaid under full acceleration. 



If they can deliver on the promises, this is a pretty cool car.

[Xer0]

If they can deliver on the promises, this is a pretty cool car.

Pretty much Tesla's whole story.  Expect this car to launch 5 years late, 100K more expensive, and still need 6 patches before doing half of what it promises.

[SJ_GTI]

Curious to see how they got 200kw battery on this car.

[Payman]

It's an attractive car, but it looks like a sports coupe in the $30k range, like if Mitsubishi made a new Eclipse. Definitely not a 250 mph electric exotic.

[Laconian]

Looks better than McLarens, which are jumbles of strakes and vents.

[CaminoRacer]

Looks better than McLarens, which are jumbles of strakes and vents.

But at least I know the McLaren has an F1 engineering team behind it.

[12,000 RPM]

All the specs sound GREAT.... but my question is, can it make it ONE LAP around a racetrack?

[giant_mtb]

600 mile range sounds awesome. 

[Xer0]

All the specs sound GREAT.... but my question is, can it make it ONE LAP around a racetrack?

It'll probably go limp at the end of the first straight and run at like 25% power.

[CaminoRacer]

I don't get the hype. It's just a bunch of numbers without a soul.

[giant_mtb]

I don't get the hype. It's just a bunch of numbers without a soul.

Yup.  $250k.

Would make a lot more sense to put this giant, 600-mile range battery system into something economical to sell to the masses.  But what do I know.

[2o6]

Couple things

- it's very attractive, but looks too pedestrian. Like rockraven said, it looks like an Eclipse.


- 200kw/h? How? Tesla has said that length of the cars has limited the Model3 and Model S from having bigger batteries. How does this little car have 200kw/h?

- shouldn't they focus on getting the model 3 out?

- 250MPH sounds fake

[MexicoCityM3]

I am mostly a Musk fan and Tesla admirer, having loved my friend's P90D.

But....even I am starting to doubt Elon's ability to deliver on all these promises enough to keep the company afloat. He's sorta trying to crowdfund a car company with all the reservations and deposits.

As a customer, I am not very happy with my undelivered, no information at all battery reservation.

[565]

If they really achieve those numbers for 200k,  I'll buy one.

[giant_mtb]

If they really achieve those numbers for 200k,  I'll buy one.

Quoted for authentication at a later date.

[565]

Quoted for authentication at a later date.

Lol pressure on.

[GoCougs]

If they really achieve those numbers for 200k,  I'll buy one.

Brings a tear to my, the passing of the TTB mantle since it was left unattended a few weeks back...

[GoCougs]

It'll probably go limp at the end of the first straight and run at like 25% power.

Thing is a 500-600 hp electric motor of any flavor, rated for continuous use, is huge and weighs many thousands of pounds - it needs all that metal and surface area to dissipate heat. Forced air cooling brings size/weight down a decent amount. Liquid cooling can bring it down substantially. The Tesla semi will need such a thing for the semi in the off chance it ever sees the light of day - not sure if the roadster has the room. If not, it'll be a two-minute pig-in-a-poke that the Model S is.

[Payman]

Thing is a 500-600 hp electric motor of any flavor, rated for continuous use, is huge and weighs many thousands of pounds - it needs all that metal and surface area to dissipate heat. Forced air cooling brings size/weight down a decent amount. Liquid cooling can bring it down substantially. The Tesla semi will need such a thing for the semi in the off chance it ever sees the light of day - not sure if the roadster has the room. If not, it'll be a two-minute pig-in-a-poke that the Model S is.

The Roadster has 3 motors, and the truck probably has 4.

[GoCougs]

The Roadster has 3 motors, and the truck probably has 4.

One would still be looking at about the same total size/mass (or, cooling requirements), just split up into three different units.

[FoMoJo]

http://business.financialpost.com/news/retail-marketing/loblaw-says-it-ordered-25-tesla-electric-trucks-wants-fully-electric-fleet-by-2030

Loblaw says it ordered 25 Tesla electric trucks, wants fully electric fleet by 2030

Loblaw Companies Ltd. says it is among the first purchasers of Tesla's new electric truck.

Canada's largest supermarket chain (TSX:L) says it has pre-ordered 25 of the vehicles called the Tesla Semi.

"It's part of our commitment to electrify our fleet," spokeswoman Catherine Thomas said.

Earlier this month, Loblaw committed to have a fully electric fleet as part of the company's commitment to reduce its carbon footprint by 2030.
That would involve adding 350 zero-emission vehicles and more than 2,500 trailers to the fleet.

The Ontario-based grocer said removing diesel from its transport trucks and refrigerated trailers could reduce more than 94,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, the equivalent of removing more than 20,000 cars from the road.

By 2030, Loblaw expects to have reduced emissions from electricity use by 35 per cent, transportation by 25 per cent, and refrigerants by 50 per cent.

First deliveries of the Tesla trucks are expected in 2019.
No price for the trucks was provided, but reservations for the Tesla Semi cost US$5,000 per truck.
Wal-Mart says it has also pre-ordered 15 vehicles, including 10 for its Canadian routes.

"We have a long history of testing new technology — including alternative-fuel trucks — and we are excited to be among the first to pilot this new heavy-duty electric vehicle," Wal-Mart spokesman Ryan Curell wrote in an email.

"We believe we can learn how this technology performs within our supply chain, as well as how it could help us meet some of our long-term sustainability goals, such as lowering emissions."

Tesla declined to identify any other Canadian buyers for the truck that it says can go from zero to 100 kph in five seconds without a trailer, compared to 15 seconds for a comparable diesel truck.

It says the Tesla Semi requires no shifting for smooth acceleration and its brakes recover 98 per cent of kinetic energy to the battery.
"Overall, the Semi is more responsive, covers more miles than a diesel truck in the same amount of time, and more safely integrates with passenger car traffic," it said on the company's website.

Tesla says that a fully loaded Semi consumes less than two kilowatt-hours of energy per mile and has a range of about 800 kilometres. That could save owners at least US$200,000 in fuel costs over 1.6 million km.

[Soup DeVille]

"Covers more miles in the same amount of time?"

How does that work? Truckers are almost always up against the speed limit or their own truck's speed limiter; and their hours of service are limited by law.

How the hell does making the truck electric make it faster?

And honestly; what asshole in their right mind wants a truck weighing 20,000 lbs empty to do 0-60 in 5 seconds?

[Payman]

And honestly; what asshole in their right mind wants a truck weighing 20,000 lbs empty to do 0-60 in 5 seconds?

[MX793]

"Covers more miles in the same amount of time?"

How does that work? Truckers are almost always up against the speed limit or their own truck's speed limiter; and their hours of service are limited by law.

How the hell does making the truck electric make it faster?

And honestly; what asshole in their right mind wants a truck weighing 20,000 lbs empty to do 0-60 in 5 seconds?

That faster acceleration will shave whole minutes off of a trip.  MINUTES!

[MX793]

Tesla clearly has little idea of the duty cycle of a typical long-haul rig.  They do very little stop and go out on the highway, meaning that there will be little regenerative braking unless they are in a hilly area with a lot of downhills.  Something like a local delivery truck/van (like a Sprinter or UPS van) would be far better suited to all-electric.

[Payman]

What's the range with a reefer trailer? 

[MX793]

What's the range with a reefer trailer? 

And would the refrigerator unit be electric as well, or diesel powered?

[Payman]

And would the refrigerator unit be electric as well, or diesel powered?

I thought they ran off a generator which ran off the engine?

[2o6]

OK, back to the Roadster - how on earth will this be reasonably safe at 250MPH? I can't picture aero being ideal for stability for this car.

[Payman]

OK, back to the Roadster - how on earth will this be reasonably safe at 250MPH? I can't picture aero being ideal for stability for this car.

2000 lb battery pack is its downforce.