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Tesla Roadster, a New Hope
for Electric-Powered Car
By brother-initiate Thomas Ngo, Florida, USA (Originally in English)
For years, the auto industry has invested hundreds of millions of
dollars on the research and development of pollution free cars that
runs completely on electricity. Tesla Motors, named after the famous
electrical engineer and scientist Nikola Tesla, achieved this goal by
creating a 2-seat electric car that has a top speed of 130 miles (209
km) per hour. It has no tailpipe and no emission.
Front end of the sleek and smooth exterior design
of Tesla Roadster.
Tesla Motors' uber-chic Roadster is a supercharged electric vehicle that looks, feels and drives like many other high-end sport cars but with no noise. Using a unique two-speed transmission and powered by a 3-phase, 4-pole AC induction motor, the Roadster can go from 0-60 mph in about 4 seconds with a top speed of 130 mph. The car can travel 250 miles (402 km) on a single charge. This extended range is due to its state-of-the-art lithium-ion Energy Storage System which takes approximately 3.5 hours to fully charge.
Tesla will ship its first cars later in 2007 from Britain. The first
100 to be made are already pre-purchased by people such as George Clooney
and the investor of the Tesla Roadster, Sergery Brin. Tesla designers
and engineers have gone to great lengths to ensure that the Tesla Roadster
is safe to drive. Their goal is to surpass the rigorous standards of
the Federal Motor Safety Standards, or FMVSS, as implemented by the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). They are also
working to provide purchasers with a photovoltaic panel to make use
of solar energy. 
Rear end of Tesla Roadster with its engine and
component parts.
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