Tesla Makes Changes in Roadster as Production Nears

Tesla has recently built the first couple of validation prototypes of the Tesla Roadster. They were built from hard-tooled components for all body panels, include production headlights, taillights, and interior components (including much more comfortable seats), and many other minor parts. CEO Martin Eberhard is shown with one of the prototypes.

Several design decisions that improve the safety and durability of the car were made, understanding that there would be tradeoffs. The two most significant decisions were:

• Many design changes were made to make it more durable and safe. Most changes added weight, increasing the car’s weight by several hundred pounds.
• Lithium ion cells with a slightly lower capacity than the largest cells available were chosen, because the smaller (and more mature) cells have better long-term durability and higher tolerance for abuse.

Driving range tests were performed with a Roadster that incorporated these design changes (and many others) on an EPA-compliant dynamometer. Based on the results of these tests, it is anticipated that the range of the Tesla Roadster will still be greater than 200 miles, but will not meet the original target of 250 miles.

At more than 200 miles, the Tesla Roadster will still have the highest range of any production EV in history by a large margin, and they are continuing to work hard to deliver even better range in the coming months before the first models are delivered. This range is still high enough that most users will not have to worry about charging during a typical day.

They are holding the line on 4-second 0-60 mph acceleration, largely because the extra mass has been offset by improvements in the drivetrain.

Their blog has answers to some of the questions customers asked after being notified about the weight change and reduced mileage.

They are now accepting reservations for 2008 model year cars on a first-come, first-serve basis, the 2007 run having been sold out.

Comments

[GreyFlcn]

More durable battery packs. Always good to know.

700 cycles till it gets 80% remaining charge.

[*_*]

"700 cycles till it gets 80% remaining charge."

That would mean, at a linear degradation rate and 200 mi/charge at 100% charge, you've driven about 125k miles. Not bad. I wonder what the threshold would be to replace them. Maybe whenever the owner finds s/he can't drive to work and back on one charge.

[Gregor]

It's still only for the rich. How long must we wait for an EV to fit the average persons budget?

Oil companies will keep pushing the price of oil up until alternate transportation becomes part of the mass market. Oil companies are seeing the dead end at the end of the tunnel and they are gorging on us right now. The day will come when they will have to reverse their pricing. I'm not suggesting that they go the way of the dinosaur because we still need oil for other things. However, they have a monopoly, together, on the market and we are paying dearly for it.

[Nick]

If the cost is the same $400/KWH Tesla quoted before, and the 215 wh/mile has risen by 10%, then 700 cycles and $.02/mile for electricity gives $.17 per mile, which is pretty close to the operating cost of a gasoline vehicle at $3/gallon and 22 MPG (US fleet CAFE average) of $.14 per mile.

With mass production these vehicles should be as cheap to buy as gas vehicles (excepting the batteries, which are included in the life-cycle cost analysis above), and even cheaper to own overall if they're less expensive to maintain, as they should be.

[Janis Mara]

In response to the comment that the Tesla is "only for the rich," and when will there be an electric vehicle to fit the average person's budget - there is at least one (probably more) EV on the market, the Smart Car, which costs around $25,000. The leetle booger (and it is leetle, about the size of a golf cart) has some problems, though, the greatest of which is that it can't go very far without a charge.

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