Cars and automobiles have always made news every time a new model has entered the market. But this time, the fuss is totally about something different.
Bold Claims
The CEO of Tesla Motors, Elon Musk (you know the guy in that terrible Iron Man II movie though Musk is the real Tony Stark – though Musk combined with the now deceases Steve Jobs and also Thomas Edison), has claimed that the new sports car from Tesla being called the Roadster will shoot up to 60 mph in 1.9 seconds and manage a range of 620 miles on a single charge (but it still takes a long time to charge up those batteries). Skeptics have branded the claim as 'outlandish', while Musk himself has said that even though the figures seem unreal, they are actually not.
This has led to widespread speculation among automobile critics. If the numbers seem unreal, how does Musk aim to achieve it? But according to a battery researcher, the numbers aren't unreal, but pretty reasonable.
Only Rally Cars
While there is no commercial car yet that can reach to 60 mph in half a second, the Tesla Model S has been known to reach that mark in around 2.4 seconds. There are other kinds of automobiles that are known to rocket to 60 mph in less than two seconds, and they are rally cars. Researchers believe that the Tesla Roadster will use some of the elements found in these vehicles.
The Roadster has electric motors powering all four wheels (yes, it is an EV), and they churn out insane speed. Besides, they could also use the elements of rally cars, like 600 horsepower engine, special tires, and a sub 3,000-pound curb weight. All these could well come together to power the car to 60 mph in under two seconds.
But how long does it take to charge up those batteries when you run out of power? That is the ultimate question. Not very many people want to sit at a charging station for hours and hours in the middle of violent state like California or anywhere!
Other researchers have said the batteries of the vehicle also affect the speed. The claimed battery capacity of Tesla Roadster (200 kWh) doesn't just give it a higher cruising range, but also enhances the acceleration time. Motor output and acceleration depend on the power the vehicle draws from each battery cell. The pack in Roadster is double the size of the one in the Tesla Model S P100, and so the speed is expected to be more.
The car is tiny that is for sure. It is only two doors and it is about the same size of a Porsche. It does not look that great. Other Teslas are much sharper. This Roadster is not that awesome looking and does not exact scintillate the senses. But actually from the rear the curves are amazing. It is a tight fit around those tires so this car is appealing after all.
But it will only appeal to those people who want a small sports car. This is not the most practical car to own. The price tag is $250,000 and who knows how long it takes to charge up? 8+ hours? That is how long it takes the Model S to charge up (9.5 hours actually). That is not impressive!
Everyone is asking the wrong question here, why would you want a car that goes that fast unless you are The Transporter and always trying to outrun the police or some villians? Well, perhaps if you are try to run down some Decepticon like Barricade or beat some chump in some Fast and Furious movie. There is no reason to have a car that zooms this quickly. The milk you bought from the grocery store will not spoil that quickly.
Need Quality Tires
However, it all really boils down to the capacity of the tires. A robust motor and faster acceleration won't hold if the tires aren't strong enough. If they are able to have enough grip and hold, then an output of 60 mph shouldn't be impossible in under two seconds.
Although all these won't allow the car to be lightweight like those rally cars, the Roadster should well remain within two-ton curb weight with clever use of lighter materials. Whether the vehicle delivers on its huge claims or not is only a matter of time.
Though it does not matter if it does – why would you buy a car that is so expensive that really does so little?