Tesla Motors' looking to license Roadster's battery technology
By Darren Murph 
posted December 1st 2006 4:46PM
posted December 1st 2006 4:46PM
After the glamorous unveiling of Tesla Motors' ultra-speedy, purely electric vehicle, it didn't take long for deep-pocketed believers to throw down their deposits for the yet-to-be-released Roadster. But apparently appeasing head honchos isn't all that Tesla's about, as it's now considering licensing the outlandish (albeit very remarkable) battery technology to other firms looking to jump in the EV game without all those up front R&D costs. In an exclusive interview with AutoblogGreen, the firm stated that Tesla "had been in talks with other companies" in an effort to get their 7,000 Li-ion cell pack out to other companies. While they couldn't pry much deeper than that, the biggest upshot to grabbing its technology is the UN-approved label that's been slapped on the 56 kWh, 366V Li-ion pack; its proprietary "redundant active / passive safety features" help prevent propagation of a "thermal runaway event" (read: an explosion), which certainly helps when trying to get your electric vehicle past those pesky regulators. Nevertheless, Tesla Motors is currently 
Stormy night under jet black skies,
Billy pulls into town
the thunder rolled and the lightning bolts
come crashin' to the ground
Cold as ice, hard as stone,
as he walks into the room
With another man who was feeling the same way,
all hell's breakin' loose
Huh?
Al Capone and A Bad Boy Jones
On the wrong side of the law.
Johnny D and his company,
Always first to the draw.
Gangster lean, feelin so mean,
Tryin to take more than their share.
Cause all they saw was ruling it all.
The scent of blood was in the air.
Great, just make this technology more affordable, I'm looking to buy a car within 5-8 years, I hope an electric vehicle is out by then. I HATE GAS.
I would be nice to see electric retake the lead on the alternative feul vehicle market. The EV1 has already proven the technology and this hydrogen business is a load of crap.
.
Hey,
good things come from new sources of engery...
Down with the black, crude, sludge
I'm so proud of them for selling their tech as opposed to keeping it to themselves!
I love Tesla, When they release their 4-door, I will be RIGHT THERE!
7,000 Li-ion cell pack? Something about that just sounds inelegant to me. Hrm.
Dunno how they got it lasting more than a few hundred charges, too.
I also worry that you can only get a couple hundred charges out of it. If you charge you car every day, we're going to need batteries that can be cycled at least 1000 times before they wear out. That's ~5x what we can do today, and everyone knows how slow battery tech improves.
Yeah, GM will end up buying the technology, and sit on it. Car manufactures make money from gasoline cars, these electric cars have no oil, air filters, carbs, smog devices, fuel filters, radiators,... not even a transmission. See "Who Killed The Electric Car".
i have seen the movie, and i couldnt agree with you more...gov't & big oil will buy out all other competitors and "work to develop" the tech. that already exists..aka..sitting on it
I read about this in Wired, and I want one. Electric cars may drive in bus/taxi lanes and get free passage on all toll roads in Norway :)
"Rudy @ Dec 2nd 2006 11:28AM
Yeah, GM will end up buying the technology, and sit on it. Car manufactures make money from gasoline cars, these electric cars have no oil, air filters, carbs, smog devices, fuel filters, radiators,... not even a transmission. See "Who Killed The Electric Car". "
Not exactly.
From the Tesla Roadster Spec Sheet:
"The unique two-speed electrically actuated manual transmission is also designed for optimum efficiency, with an integral free differential and final drive. There is no external oil cooling required. The transmission is cooled internally with a splash lubrication system. The gearshift is electro-mechanical with an electro-mechanical transmission lock (park position) on the final drive. There is no clutch. Torque change and speed matching for shifting is done using computer software. Maximum torque is 260Nm and maximum input speed is 13,500 rpm. Since electric motors can run in either direction, theres no need for the additional weight from a reverse gear; a simple switching arrangement reverses the motor. An on-board controller provides traction control."
Mr. Kelly just posted a comment in the AutoblogGreen article stating that they are not licensing the technology, but selling battery packs.
--Bill