Tesla Roadster to Make First Road Trip

[xcel]

Tesla offers a solution to our dependence on foreign oil supplies today.

Todd Woody - Business 2.0 - Aug. 14, 2007

The Tesla Roadster offers double the well to wheel efficiency of the popular Prius-II via its all-electric drivetrain and emits just one-third the carbon dioxide when considering the electrical generation to fuel it.

The Tesla Roadster hits the highway later this month for the electric sports car's first public road trip, a 200-mile journey from San Francisco through the Sierras to Lake Tahoe. Sure, it's a publicity stunt but one designed to demolish the perception that electric cars are short-range put-put mobiles more suited to suburban cul-de-sacs than the open road. As the Silicon Valley startup gears up for production of the zero-to-60-in-four super car this fall, it will use the final prototype of the Roadster for the August 29 road trip. The Global Hyatt hotel chain is sponsoring the event and the Roadster will stop at Hyatts in Sacramento and Incline Village, Nevada, on Lake Tahoe. Hyatt is considering installing charging stations at some properties - Tesla in May won a $561,000 grant from the state of California to develop charging stations that can be deployed at hotels. While this is the first public road trip for the Roadster, Tesla has put the $98,000 car through its paces during long-distance testing, says Tesla public relations director David Vespremi … [Read More]

[Right Lane Cruiser]

Too bad this thing is about $80K out of my range!!

[c0da]

But think of the huge tax credit you'll get, hehe. Probably not even close to what you need though.

[WriConsult]

Getting a hotel chain on board was a smart idea. The inability to take electric cars on roadtrips has always been their achilles' heel.

If Tesla can convince the hotels that it's in their interest to install charging stations in their properties like Tahoe, Vegas and San Francisco (and points in between as needed) it will definitely sell a few Teslas to prominent Hollywood types. Good exposure.

[greenhumanjames]

give it 5 plus years and they will drop in price, it sounds like more companys are going with the same concept of hybrid/diesel sports cars, volkswagens new concept bluesport will be with a diesel motor.

[Elixer]

Hmm... I guess if you buy a $98,000 car the idea of running an extension cord through the window and down the balcony is a bit of a novel idea....