"JohnH" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 23 Jul 2006 07:46:29 -0400, "Eisboch" wrote:


"JohnH" wrote in message
. ..
could small boats be next? This thing is cute, goes a long ways, and has
a
nice web site. According to today's NYTimes, it'll cost in the $80-100K
range. Who'll be the first?

http://www.teslamotors.com/


Interesting site and claims, considering they haven't built one yet.
Far be it from me to be cynical, but how, using the best of current
battery
technology, can these guys get 250 miles between charges when the best
anybody else can get is 60-100 miles in a much more stripped down and
basic
E car? Something does not add up.

Eisboch


Well, the initial info I got came from the NYTimes, so it must be true.

Editorial
Go Speed Racer!

Published: July 23, 2006

Virtue alone will not break the grip that petroleum holds on the
automobile
market. That's why the introduction of a sleek, high-performance roadster
that happens to be electric rather than gasoline-fueled is worth noting.

Tesla Motors, a Silicon Valley start-up, has developed a two-seater that
goes from zero to 60 miles an hour in four seconds, leaving the days of
electric cars as glorified golf carts in the dust. The company seems to
understands what it means to love cars as well as the environment. (On its
Web site, Tesla revels in the power of the car's acceleration pinning
passengers to their seats.)

With a range of about 250 miles, the Tesla Roadster can go much farther on
a single charge than earlier electric cars. And 150 of those miles cost
about the same as one gallon of gas. But the car itself will not be cheap,
running from $85,000 to $100,000. Rather than a stumbling block in this
case, it's actually a selling point.

Martin Eberhard, the company's chief executive, recognizes that new
technologies usually start out as high-end products. He and his team are
making their car the newest hot gadget, a status symbol. If rappers and
football stars buy them, maybe the company can make a dent in the market.

Tesla already has plans for a mainstream vehicle down the road if it can
expand its business. Perhaps this is one area where trickle-down theories
could really work.


I noticed they use a two speed transmission, although you don't have to use
first gear. In first gear the regenerative braking system recharges the
batteries at a higher rate than second gear.

My hunch is that the 250 mile range estimate is based on brand new
batteries, driving in first gear only, modest use of the "E" pedal when
accelerating and not exceeding about 15-20 mph. I further speculate that
under more "normal" driving, the range will be less than half of the claim.

Eisboch