xcel
08-27-2008, 12:23 PM
A look under the hood of the electric sports car that is generating a buzz. (http://www.technologyreview.com/Energy/21199/)
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2008_Tesla.jpgKevin Bullis - Technology Review - Aug 27, 2008
2008 Tesla Roadster BEV – 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds, 220 miles per charge and less than 2 cents per mile on domestically provided electricity!
It’s finally out and it's fantastic :) -- Ed.
With its first prototype, the Roadster, introduced in 2006, Tesla Motors ignited interest in electric cars not only as a way to save gas but as a high-performance alternative to some of the fastest sports cars. This year, Tesla started delivering production ¬vehicles, based on the test car shown here. The car sells for $109,000--but costs only a couple of cents per mile to power.
Electric Motor
Most electric cars have used direct-current electric motors that rely on permanent magnets. The motor in Tesla's Roadster doesn't have any magnets; instead, it uses stacks of patterned metal plates and wires that generate electromagnetic fields. Such motors, called alternating-current induction motors, were first advocated in the late 19th century by Nikola Tesla, for whom the company is named. The company picked AC induction motors because they're simple, reliable, and efficient at a wide range of speeds.
Transmission
The first version of the Roadster featured a two-speed transmission, the first gear for quick starts (0 to 60 miles per hour in under four seconds) and the second gear for top speeds (over 120 miles per hour). But problems with that transmission delayed production. Thanks to a redesigned motor and higher-performance transistors that deliver more power, it has been replaced by a single-speed transmission… http://www.technologyreview.com/Energy/21199/
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2008_Tesla.jpgKevin Bullis - Technology Review - Aug 27, 2008
2008 Tesla Roadster BEV – 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds, 220 miles per charge and less than 2 cents per mile on domestically provided electricity!
It’s finally out and it's fantastic :) -- Ed.
With its first prototype, the Roadster, introduced in 2006, Tesla Motors ignited interest in electric cars not only as a way to save gas but as a high-performance alternative to some of the fastest sports cars. This year, Tesla started delivering production ¬vehicles, based on the test car shown here. The car sells for $109,000--but costs only a couple of cents per mile to power.
Electric Motor
Most electric cars have used direct-current electric motors that rely on permanent magnets. The motor in Tesla's Roadster doesn't have any magnets; instead, it uses stacks of patterned metal plates and wires that generate electromagnetic fields. Such motors, called alternating-current induction motors, were first advocated in the late 19th century by Nikola Tesla, for whom the company is named. The company picked AC induction motors because they're simple, reliable, and efficient at a wide range of speeds.
Transmission
The first version of the Roadster featured a two-speed transmission, the first gear for quick starts (0 to 60 miles per hour in under four seconds) and the second gear for top speeds (over 120 miles per hour). But problems with that transmission delayed production. Thanks to a redesigned motor and higher-performance transistors that deliver more power, it has been replaced by a single-speed transmission… http://www.technologyreview.com/Energy/21199/