Words: Josh Lee
Last week, Tesla revealed a reimagining of its very first product: the Roadster. Labelled the “hardcore smackdown to gasoline cars” by CEO Elon Musk, this new four-wheeler is set to break records and woo automotive fans with world-beating specs. For the petrolheads out there, here’s everything you need to know about this audacious automobile, from its ridiculous speed range to its price tag…
Only the details about the “base model” have been revealed
When the new Roadster was unveiled last Friday, Tesla noted that all stats had been derived from the “base model”, suggesting that there may be further room for improvement in the next few years.
It does 0 – 60 in 1.9 seconds
According to Musk, prototypes of the base model can reach 60mph in just 1.9 seconds from a standstill. The final version could potentially better that. The South African-born entrepreneur teased the audience, stating there will be a “special options package” in the future which will bring the car’s speed to “the next level.”
Not only does this F1-standard-performance mean that the new Roadster is 0.4 seconds faster than the Model SP100d (the fastest Tesla to date) when speeding to 60, but it’ll be the first car to accelerate at this pace in under two seconds
It achieves 0 – 100mph in 4.2 seconds
If that wasn’t enough to get drivers drooling, the Roadster 2.0 will also hit the 100 mark in just over four seconds before going on to do the quarter mile in 8.8.
It has a top speed of 250mph
If drivers can find a straight that’s long enough, they’ll be happy to hear that the Roadstar has a provisional speed of 250mph, a ridiculous feat given that electric cars shouldn’t be challenging the likes of the Bugatti Chiron (which boasts a 16-cylinder quad-turbo engine) or the Koenigsegg Agera RS, which recently achieved 277.87 mph in Nevada.
It runs on three motors
We’re not sure how the Roadster can reach such speedy heights, but we think it has something to do with its three electric motors – one upfront to drive the front wheel and two at the back. Additionally, power is sent to all four wheels and there’s torque vectoring.
It can do around 630 miles on a single charge
If you weren’t impressed by its velocity creds, you definitely will be swayed by the Roadster’s mile range. Cramming a 200kWh battery into its slim body, it can drive around 630 miles between charges. The Model S 100d – at 55pmh and in 20-degree-celsius – can only deliver 424 miles.
It has the potential to accommodate four passengers
Joining the Audi TT coupe and the Porsche 911 in the 2+2 category (meaning that it’s fitted with two seats in the front and two smaller seats in the back), the Roadster can drive four people, depending on their size.
It will cost $200,000
The standard retail price of the base model will start at $200,000 (approx. £150,900), meaning that it’ll be the most expensive offering in the Tesla portfolio. But in comparison to cars of a similar performance level – such as the Bugatti Chiron, which costs around £2.5m – the Roadster can be considered quite cheap.
A Founders Edition has also been announced and that’ll cost $250,000 (approx. £189,000). It hasn’t been confirmed whether improved performance will be reserved for this.
It’s set for release in 2020
Tesla hopes that this all-electric beauty will be available on the market in three years’ time. Whether the deadline will be met is another matter given the complications the company has previously faced when trying to finalise its past models.
You can already pre-order a Roadster now with a $50,000 (£37,700) deposit.
Like the sound of the Tesla Roadster? Here are 6 other innovative ideas that Elon Musk has had.
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