Tesla Sport Sedan prototype pics

http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/24/teslas-4-door-all-electric-model-s-sports-sedan-gets-pictured/

Looks good, hopefully this one will make it to production without any further influence from upper management...

I wonder why the HUGE air scoop in the nose? What is it that needs that much cooling?

Lets just hope the company stays around long enough to sell them.

Looks very 350Z-ish. I too wonder why the huge scoop? That would be a real aero drag which would cut range, so there must be a real good reason. Or it could be just a blacked out styling thing...

The electric engine and batteries have a liquid cooling system, the big scoop up front would be for the radiator.

Looks like the love child of a 350Z and RX8 or MX5. There's something Mazda-ish about the headlights, grille, and hood. Then again, everybody uses the same CFD software these days, so cars are all starting to look alike.

Well, I really like it.

My big worry with Tesla is that with a 60k pricetag, it's not really going to make a big splash in troubled times. I understand they can't do something a little more affordable, like sub-20k, as they've got to pay off all the R&D they've done first? Anyway, maybe it will be a success, I expect by the time they're available gas will again be unbearably high, coupled with a troubled economy, so hopefully they'll sell what they need to sell and can work on a car for the rest of us.

My other concern is they plan on building this $250 million facility in California, which is going to start construction in 2009. Hope that will still be feasible. Again, the economy.

Duende wrote: I understand they can't do something a little more affordable, like sub-20k, as they've got to pay off all the R&D they've done first? Anyway, maybe it will be a success, I expect by the time they're available gas will again be unbearably high, coupled with a troubled economy, so hopefully they'll sell what they need to sell and can work on a car for the rest of us.

With the battery technology currently available, I don't think that the $60k price tag is unreasonable. Roughly 20-30% of the total cost is for the Lithium Ion batteries. I have looked into converting petrol cars to electric. Having enough lithium ion cells to supply the necessary voltage to produce 200+hp and enough capacity for 240 mile range are ultra expensive. For a consumer to do that would cost $20-30k just for the batteries, Tesla can source the batteries for slightly less; they charge $20k for a battery replacement. That is why most conversions use cheaper and heavier lead-acid batteries, and only have a 50 mile range.

Makes sense.

How is their system different from the Chevy Volt? I really haven't looked into any of these much at all. Kind've a believe it when I see it guy.

Duende wrote: My other concern is they plan on building this $250 million facility in California, which is going to start construction in 2009. Hope that will still be feasible. Again, the economy.

$250 million in California? Are they going to be building these cars out of a 4 bedroom house? :)

I think it looks great. And imagine a group of these out on the track together. It would sound like RC car racing. Whiiiiiirr! whiiiiir!

Duende wrote: Makes sense. How is their system different from the Chevy Volt? I really haven't looked into any of these much at all. Kind've a believe it when I see it guy.

this may make little sence, but i think GM can keep the cost down better, simply due to more resources. Then again, I have not looked very closely at either car.

YaNi wrote:

Duende wrote: I understand they can't do something a little more affordable, like sub-20k, as they've got to pay off all the R&D they've done first? Anyway, maybe it will be a success, I expect by the time they're available gas will again be unbearably high, coupled with a troubled economy, so hopefully they'll sell what they need to sell and can work on a car for the rest of us.

With the battery technology currently available, I don't think that the $60k price tag is unreasonable. Roughly 20-30% of the total cost is for the Lithium Ion batteries. I have looked into converting petrol cars to electric. Having enough lithium ion cells to supply the necessary voltage to produce 200+hp and enough capacity for 240 mile range are ultra expensive. For a consumer to do that would cost $20-30k just for the batteries, Tesla can source the batteries for slightly less; they charge $20k for a battery replacement. That is why most conversions use cheaper and heavier lead-acid batteries, and only have a 50 mile range.

Sooo if these cars come to fruition, the Grassroots community can expect, within a few years, inexpensive Teslas on the market with dead batteries. Sounds like a sweet candidate for a V8 swap.