A&Q about Lotus
Q:
Get a fat guy to sit in your passenger seat holding two bags of cement. That's what the handling will be like.
Btw, here's a direct link to the Winding Road magazine article after you acquire a login. Turn to page 46. LotusSport is right, this is great stuff and definitely worth flipping through the whole issue.
A:
Beware of fat guys sitting in your passenger seat! The passenger capacity of the car is only 440 lbs... I've got a 'hefty' friend that I took for a ride in the car. After I thought about it I realized he really shouldn't have been in there with me as we were damn close to the max capacity of the car.
A:
Originally Posted by Taxcheat
Unless you get your electricity from a hydroelectric dam, all you're doing is shifting the emissions from the tailpipe to a coal burning electric plant.
The good news is that I live in CA which tends t omean hydro-electric!! Not to mention that I live in Davis where we all have our own solar energy plants at our homes
As for the Tesla, a friend of mine will be taking delivery of his by the end of the year. We are thinking about getting rid of the Insight and getting the Tesla (which will sit along side the Exige), but allow the wife to be single passenger in HOV lanes for her commute to SF. We are going to see what Dave's feels like before spending the $$'s, but this is the first electric car we would even think about owning (it helps the wife loves the Exige and is totally willing to make the Tesla her daily driver).
Rick
A:
Check this out for more info and great pics of Tesla.
A:
One thing to remember is that electric motors have GOBS of torque at the low compared to gas/deisel engines so 240 HP could be an understatement in many ways. i wouldn't count on that range driving aggressively though... but it would get you many places crusing normally on the highway
They may also have the luxury of being able to place weight exactly where they want it compared to a gas car so they can do more to affect the center of mass, up, down, forward backward. What would be interesting to know is the pricepoint if they were tooled to sell as many as the Elise. The cost might not be much different.
A:
I agree with Gizmo, the goal is a product that people are willing to buy because it's a great performing car, not just because they want a greener-than-thou fashion statement. I don't think that necessarily means it has to work exactly like a gasoline car. . . It can be its own creature.
Like recharge time for example -- you can't pull into a station, gas up and keep going. On the other hand, where are you going to get a gasoline-powered car that starts every morning with a full tank? There are advantages and disadvantages, and it will appeal to different people depending on their priorities and driving habits.
Regarding weight. . . Yeah, it's about 500 pounds heavier than an Elise, but so are a lot of cars. It's about 500 pounds lighter than my Esprit V8, and the price and performance might suggest that's a better comparison. The suspension has been beefed up, they are adding another stabilizer bar to the rear end. It's not going to handle just like an Elise, but remember it also has a lower CG and all that electric-motor torque -- advantages and disadvantages. It'll be its own thing, not an electric Elise.
Somebody did some calculations and made a chart estimating range-versus-speed of the Tesla Roadster, I found this interesting:
A:
Originally Posted by rbullett
Did anyone attend the introduction of the Tesla Roadster. web site www.teslamotors.com
It was at Pebble. I gave it top score in my review of the '06 Concours. Every afternoon a crowd would gather just to hear it drive away. I'm not very talented at uploaded high rez pics onto the board but here are a few pics from Pebble. If you click on the pic it will go to a larger image.
Car and Driver also has a review online:
If I had 100K I would b on their list.
A:
how long would it take to fully charge the battery?
A:
According to them...about 3.5 hours on a 220 line
A:
Or 33 hours if you have to make do with a regular 120 line somewhere in an emergency.
A:
An interesting program about the Tesla on BBC radio. Unfortunately it is an audio stream, not a download/podcast
A:
Originally Posted by Renn 208
They recently took the car to the Hethel test track (the only tracking the car's seen), but I wasn't able to ask if Gavin had a go in it, and what the driving impressions were.
************************************************** *****
I will let you all know the real deal on the Tesla in a few weeks.Yes, I bought one of the first 200 to be delivered 4th qtr 2007 thru Miami center.I will be flying out to California Nov 10th for a drive ..
This is one expensive test drive...all monies up front to secure the early production.So far everything I have read has been extremely positive...I will advise!!!This is automotive history in the making anyway one looks at it!
A:
Originally Posted by Stewart W
This is automotive history in the making anyway one looks at it!
That's pretty much my overriding feeling about it...
BTW, looks like they made the cover of Robb Report (I never read that mag, but saw it at the grocery store)
A:
Stewart you da man!. I do not have enough faith to buy sight or test drive unseen. congrats to you
A:
Originally Posted by Stewart W
...I will advise!!!
Can't wait for the first hand report
Originally Posted by Stewart W
This is automotive history in the making anyway one looks at it!
Absolutely!
Congrats - I'm sure you are going to love it!
A:
This was on the MSN home page today ...
A:
I am flying to California in the morning for my test drive .Initial owners are invited..this is absolutely the most expensive test drive I have ever taken..Car fully paid up front.As I said in my earlier mail.."automotive history in the making"..I will report on forum for those interested besides Aedo..
A:
Originally Posted by Stewart W
Car fully paid up front.
Where were you when I was trying to find a rich, old guy to sell me an Elise cheap just 'cause???
Enjoy the Tesla! If it's half as good as the band you should do just fine. Report back my good man!
A:
Interesting quote from that Car&Driver article posted earlier:
Criticism that electric cars are hardly green considering that amps have to be made, usually by burning coal or in the production of radioactive waste, is “bull****,” Eberhard declares. “The amount of actual pollution put into the air per mile is much smaller.”