Tesla Roadster Electric Supercar Begins Production

But no word on when they might go on sale

By Michael Moyer Posted 03.17.2008 at 3:09 pm 5 Comments

Tesla Roadster Tesla Motors

Today the Tesla Motor Company announced that they had begun regular production of the Roadster, the all-electric supercar that does zero-to-60 in less than four seconds.

Good news. Yet the announcement was light on other important details—like when the car would go on sale, how many the company is producing (and how often a new car rolls off the line), and how many they plan to deliver this year. One thing CEO Ze'ev Drori did say: They plan to ramp production up to over 100 Roadsters per month by early 2009. Not enough to make much of a dent in total U.S. oil consumption, for sure, but perhaps enough to push battery technology forward to the point where a mass-market plug-in hybrid like the Chevy Volt becomes a reality. Here's hoping.

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5 Comments

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AvengingRelic

from Easley, SC

03/27/08 at 10:59 am

Can't they create a network of tesla coils like phone cell sites so we can run electric cars without batteries?

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Einstein007

03/29/08 at 9:30 pm

First of all harnessing the power of a tesla coil for use in charging a car is nearly impossible. They would have to set up charging stations which im sure is what A.R. ment. And yes, they could but gas companys have monopolized the energy industry. Did anybody know that the Model T got 20 mpg, and the Model A got 25-30. Look at all the advancements technology has made in other sectors and look at the car industry. Its because people want to make money and they dont care about anything else. The first electric car was made in the late 1880s, but many gas cars today cant get more than 30 mpg. I hope somebody sees the problem with this. If people can spread the word about this than something will get done.

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neodymium

from duncan, sc

04/14/08 at 9:20 pm

It is interesting that average automobile efficiency has actually gone down relative to the maturity of the tech. I'm not sure I can think of too many other technologies that follow this trend (unless "politics" is a technology?)

On the bright side, instead of buying billions of barrels of oil from the middle east, we can now make ourselves beholden to Chinese battery manufacturers. Yay!

Just kidding, I love the concept and as soon as I find a taker for my right kidney, I'll get on the Tesla waiting list.

.........We've had troops in Japan and Germany for over 60 years. Does that mean we LOST WWII ?!?!?...

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billriddle

from Streator, Illinois

04/25/08 at 6:17 am

If we can charge batteries wirelessly, why isn't there some way to do as another fellow reader said?

http://billriddle.gq.nu

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Sciguy.11

06/14/08 at 8:17 am

people are going to beam energy from outer space with microwave rays. We could beam energy from earth to car, but it would probably fry the person in the car, and definately make the car radioactive.