The Palo Alto, California-based Tesla Motors produces the electric-powered Tesla Roadster and the full-size Model S four-door sedan. A 2012 launch date is set for the Model S. A group of investors, including Elon Musk and Martin Eberhard, co-founded the company in 2003. Eberhard no longer works for the company. The roadster debuted in 2008 and features an alternating-current induction motor and rechargeable battery pack. In 2011, the company had more than 1,000 employees.
Concept
Tesla conceived the roadster as an alternative to the internal combustion engine, to demonstrate that an all-electric sports car can effectively compete against conventional vehicles. The base price of a 2011 Tesla Roadster is about $109,000. The vehicle sits on the British-built Lotus chassis and features a Lotus-designed body. Automotive journalists note the roadsters speeds are competitive with other sports cars in Tesla's class, but the vehicle doesn't always live up to it's claimed 225- to 250-mile range before recharging. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency gives the Tesla a stated range of 244 miles on a fully charged battery, but during one test drive, the range was closer to 150 to 200 miles.
Power
The Tesla employs a battery-powered, three-phase AC induction motor originally patented in 1888 by Nikola Tesla. The motor was primarily an industrial powerplant. The motor features a rotor to turn the wheels and a stationary stator that develops a magnetic field to induce current to the rotor to produce torque. The 990 lb. liquid-cooled battery pack features lithium-ion cells and provides up to 215 kW of electrical power. The motor develops up to 288 horsepower and 295 foot-pounds of torque. It's capable of reaching 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds. Its top speed is 130 mph. The Tesla plugs into an AC outlet, although recharging is slow at only five miles of driving gained for every hour of charging. A Tesla-supplied home charger provides 56 miles per hour of charging.
Roadster Specs
The two-seat Tesla Roadster features the Lotus 92.6-inch wheelbase and overall body length of 155.1 inches. It stands only 44.3 inches from the pavement to the top of the roofline, and is 72.9 inches wide. Its curbside weight is 2,723 lbs. The headroom in the cabin is a tight squeeze at 36.7 inches, but legroom is ample at 42 inches. The shoulder room measures 26 inches. The chassis features all-wheel independent suspension with upper/lower unequal length wishbones and coil springs equipped with telescopic dampers.
Model S
The 2012 Model S sedan has a 116.5-inch wheelbase, and its body measures 196 inches long. It's marketed as a luxury car that can seat five adults and two kids, with cargo space in the trunk and under the hood. Optional equipment includes battery packs that offer 160-, 230- or 300-mile driving ranges. Tesla engineers expect the Model S to recharge in 45 minutes with Tesla's QuickCharge system. Although designed as a luxury car, it can achieve 60 mph from a stop in 5.6 seconds, and a top speed of 120 mph.
0 comments:
Post a Comment