2008 Tesla Roadster

[Leedom]

I came across the 2008 Tesla Roadster the other day and I must say it looks good for an electric car. Pretty quick too. Wonder how much they run?
0 to 60 in less than 4
100K miles battery life
3.5hr charge time

Not bad.

http://www.teslamotors.com/

http://www.teslamotors.com/images/content/wallpaper_4982_300x225.jpg

[Vettezuki]

I came across the 2008 Tesla Roadster the other day and I must say it looks good for an electric car. Pretty quick too. Wonder how much they run?
0 to 60 in less than 4
100K miles battery life
3.5hr charge time

Not bad.

http://www.teslamotors.com/

http://www.teslamotors.com/images/content/wallpaper_4982_300x225.jpg

Chassis/body etc. by Lotus. They know a thing or two about handling that's for sure. I know they're sold out through this year for sure.

I was wondering about electric cars the other day, and if you could get an old semi-ghetto diesel generator, then made your own bio-diesel, you could run your electric car cheap. (Of course you could just run a diesel car directly from bio-diesel which would be more effecient.)

[BRUTAL64]

Chassis/body etc. by Lotus. They know a thing or two about handling that's for sure. I know they're sold out through this year for sure.

I was wondering about electric cars the other day, and if you could get an old semi-ghetto diesel generator, then made your own bio-diesel, you could run your electric car cheap. (Of course you could just run a diesel car directly from bio-diesel which would be more effecient.)

Well, what would it take to build said vehicle?

[Vettezuki]

Well, what would it take to build said vehicle?

You mean electric? I've been pondering using a Fox Body to make an electric drag car. To do a nice job (notch Fox, reinforced, 8.8" rear, electric motor/battery etc.) something on the order of $7,500 - $10,000. :huh:

[SeanPlunk]

The Tesla is awesome, but it also demonstrates a lot of the limitations involved with electric cars. Even though it's based on an Elise chasis, it weighs over 600lbs more than an Elise (2800lbs vs. 2200lbs). While this isn't so bad for straight line performance (the Tesla and the Elise both run low 13's) because of the extra torque, it certainly isn't going to help handling. Also, the Tesla has problems tearing transmissions up. It was originally supposed to come with a 2-speed transmission, but it was eating those up so fast they had to ship it with a 1 speed tranny. I think electric cars are definitely the future. As far as drag racing is concerned, the instant torque and high rpm's of the electric motor are definitely awesome as long as you can hook. I think by 2025 we'll see a variety of off the shelf 12-second capable quarter mile electric cars. I don't think they'll be as fun to work on as normal I.C.E. cars though.

[BRUTAL64]

You mean electric? I've been pondering using a Fox Body to make an electric drag car. To do a nice job (notch Fox, reinforced, 8.8" rear, electric motor/battery etc.) something on the order of $7,500 - $10,000. :huh:

Do you know of anyone with a shop to build such a vehicle?

[Vettezuki]

Do you know of anyone with a shop to build such a vehicle?


A shop that builds electric drag cars? No. I have a nice patio though, and maybe even could get a little industrial space on the cheap. My grandpa's business is in motion control, a very different thing than the kind of motors and control units that would go into a drag car, but the electrical engineering part of it is bascially the same, so he could be an a good resource to tap.

It's something I've been mulling over. The idea would be for it to be a STRONG promotional tool (and a lot of fun). I think people would be interested in and would follow such a build. Especially if we did it in a How To sort of way. :huh:

[Leedom]

Build it and we can put our stickers all over it. If we put about 10 on there we could probably run a good 11 sec 1/4 mile. Those Motorgen.com stickers are amazing power adders. The original design got about 50HP and 43lb/ft at 1000RMP with just one of them!! :thumbs_up: Problem was they were not CARB approved so here in CA we had to restrict the stickers to 0 HP and 0 lb/ft. :huh:

[BRUTAL64]

A shop that builds electric drag cars? No. I have a nice patio though, and maybe even could get a little industrial space on the cheap. My grandpa's business is in motion control, a very different thing than the kind of motors and control units that would go into a drag car, but the electrical engineering part of it is bascially the same, so he could be an a good resource to tap.

It's something I've been mulling over. The idea would be for it to be a STRONG promotional tool (and a lot of fun). I think people would be interested in and would follow such a build. Especially if we did it in a How To sort of way. :huh:


If you need any help here, let me know. Of course I don't know jack about this. But I have built quite a few cars. Bird is the source for this.

An electic powered Drag car would spark quite an interest.

[enkeivette]

The Tesla is awesome, but it also demonstrates a lot of the limitations involved with electric cars. Even though it's based on an Elise chasis, it weighs over 600lbs more than an Elise (2800lbs vs. 2200lbs). While this isn't so bad for straight line performance (the Tesla and the Elise both run low 13's) because of the extra torque, it certainly isn't going to help handling. Also, the Tesla has problems tearing transmissions up. It was originally supposed to come with a 2-speed transmission, but it was eating those up so fast they had to ship it with a 1 speed tranny. I think electric cars are definitely the future. As far as drag racing is concerned, the instant torque and high rpm's of the electric motor are definitely awesome as long as you can hook. I think by 2025 we'll see a variety of off the shelf 12-second capable quarter mile electric cars. I don't think they'll be as fun to work on as normal I.C.E. cars though.

Save weight by ditching the batteries, and instead putting on alternator on the electric motor so it can power itself! Infinite power!!! :smack:

Well at least I think I'm funny.

[Vettezuki]

Save weight by ditching the batteries, and instead putting on alternator on the electric motor so it can power itself! Infinite power!!! :smack:

Well at least I think I'm funny.

You are far funnier than you realize. :sm_up_there:

Actually, we could do a ghetto regenerative braking by using a flywheel on the front hubs with a generator.