The Tesla Roadster

You might be surprised to find an electric vehicle (EV) on my cool car list. Just thinking about the preservation of the environment is a contradiction when driving a supercar. How can you possibly save gas when a car exceeds 100mph? But that is the real testament of innovation is it not? Producing what others said could not be done, and finding your mark about the status quo. That is how I might describe the Tesla Roadster.

Aside from the positive environmental impact, there are many advantages to driving a Tesla, including the savings on gas reduction, government tax credits, and a less expensive price tag, compared to other high-performance cars. True, the car's top speed is a mere 125mph, but who is supposed to drive faster than that anyway? What is impressive, though, is the acceleration of an electric car going from 0-60 in 3.9 seconds. And, then there is the transmission, a simple, single-speed fixed gear. I know you are asking yourself, "who drives a car like that and calls it a supercar?".

You'd be shocked, however, by the numbers of people ordering the Tesla Roadster. So many, in fact, that the price has been reduced considerably since the first sale. With an initial price point of roughly $180,000US, it now sells for about $109,000. But, that was the goal of the company from the beginning. Their intent was not to sell a few exclusive cars for a high price, but rather, to sell lots of cars for a cheaper price. In other words, they are interested in mass appeal, instead of elite ownership.

Founded in 2003, the company is situated in Palo Alto, California. Conceived by a group of Silicon Valley engineers who wanted to prove that EV was the wave of the very near future, they persisted, and in 2008, their first production vehicle hit the streets. Today, they employ more than one thousand people. By 2010, there were over fifteen hundred Tesla Roadsters on the road. Since June 2010, the company trades publicly on NASDAQ. It has eighteen stores (dealerships) throughout the world, and the cars are found in thirty-one countries.

The Tesla Roadster gets about 245 miles per charge on the "custom microprocessor-controlled lithium-ion battery". Using a 240volt connection, the car can be fully charged in four hours, but on a regular 120v, it will take as long as forty hours. But think of the gas you save, and there are no harmful emissions, so if you decide to purchase the convertible model, the Roadster Sport, you don't have to worry about exhaust blowing in your face.

Like the Bugatti Veyron, the Roadster Sport has three different driving modes called Standard, Range and Performance. Using the special key in Performance mode, the car easily rockets forward from 0-60 in 3.7 seconds. The Sport is obviously much more expensive than other Tesla models, but those who have test driven this car feel that is worthy of longtime icons such as Ferrari and Porsche.

For someone who wants to contribute to saving the earth, and who relishes the thought of no more gas fill-ups, but wants the luxury and performance of an expensive supercar, the Tesla Roadster was made for that person.