http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/
stuff it and hire some real writers/editors already.]]>Mar 4th 2008 2:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 2:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 2:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/
that doesn't even make sense, doucheface]]>Mar 4th 2008 2:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 3:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 3:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/
You're so biased towards the opinions of your writers/editors that it's tiring. For all of us. ]]>Mar 4th 2008 3:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 7:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 9:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/
Also you would straighten people out that you have never met? They could kick your ass across the room, for all you know.]]>Mar 4th 2008 9:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 2:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/
The tesla is an elise with a powerpack and some motors instead of an engine.
Why he attempts to make it sound like its a new car i do not know!!

The elise/vx220/speedster is a GREAT car!

Oh and it never had "power" brakes even in elise form.

EV's are useless in the USA none of you care about the enviroment!
Cheap petrol, stupid big cars and a 55mph speed limit.

Rubbish place to drive too, no bloody corners.]]>Mar 4th 2008 2:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=ortega+highway&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=25.854318,58.007813&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=12&iwloc=addr

That is all.]]>Mar 4th 2008 4:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/
The Toyota-engined Elises introduced in late 2004 sure do have power brakes.
]]>Mar 5th 2008 12:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Cheap petrol, stupid big cars and a 55mph speed limit.

Rubbish place to drive too, no bloody corners."

To which I say:
-SOMEONE hasn't been driving in the US for very long...
-The speed limit is 65 on divided highways, not 55. Get your facts straight. (here in California, at least.)
-As for the environment, well, cry me a river.]]>Mar 4th 2008 6:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=page+mill+road,+ca&sll=40.65667,-95.03282&sspn=0.009539,0.019226&ie=UTF8&ll=37.351192,-122.155266&spn=0.079965,0.153809&t=h&z=13]]>Mar 5th 2008 5:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=11765391013648551105,37.254458,-122.347254&saddr=page+mill+road,+ca&daddr=37.25356,-122.350616+to:cabrillo+highway+at+pescadero+creek+road,+ca&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=12&via=1&sll=37.316387,-122.289505&sspn=0.160004,0.307617&ie=UTF8&ll=37.310926,-122.287445&spn=0.160016,0.307617&t=h&z=12]]>Mar 5th 2008 5:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/
and is this really engadget news? maybe autoblog....]]>Mar 4th 2008 2:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 2:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 2:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 3:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/
move over scientology, it's scatology hour!]]>Mar 4th 2008 3:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Who pissed in your Weetabix this morning?
But I don't really care for this article, because I find cars boring unless they have semi-naked grirls sprawled over them.]]>Mar 4th 2008 3:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 2:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/
thats a little too specific for me, something is fishy here!]]>Mar 4th 2008 3:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 3:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 3:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/I think people are buying this car as some kind of daily driver that is super efficient but I think 2 months in the super tiny car will get very old, just like the Elise.

]]>Mar 4th 2008 3:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/
Tesla is $98,000 USD, Curb Weight: 2690 (706 LB more than the Elise) Source: teslamotors.com

So, A: Not 4 times as much, in fact not even twice as much., B: Not 50% more: 36% more.

Yes, you probably drive more than 170 miles combining on the track, and getting to and from the track. And yes, charging will be an issue for the foreseeable future. Since it takes over 3 hours to get a full charge, I don't think this car will be a good track car, at least not at tracks without a nice restaurant to relax in while your ride recharges for the 2nd half of the day, and again for the ride home...

I drive a 350z roadster, and while the Elise is less practical than that, the 350 is far from practical. It's fun, but not comfortable for long drives, and anyway, there is hardly any trunk space, so long trips are out anyway. A weekend trip to Vegas from Phoenix is about it. You're not going to buy a Tesla as your only car: probably for driving to work and for Sunday morning drives...]]>Mar 4th 2008 4:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/I've been looking for Elise's around Chicago and they are under $40k. I was thinking the Tesla was like $120 but Ok. I wasn't thinking of the SC which I assume is similar acceleration for a higher top speed. I also assume most of the electric numbers are made up and way off because EVERY time I look at real values for these things they are off by 30%+. Telsa has already backed off on max millage and increased the charge time...
So it's twice as much and 35.6% heavier. So it requires much more energy to produce and still gets most of the power from coal fired plants, albeit less.
All this for a car that can only get up to 125mph and will be driven in a low millage manor. e.g. a car that gets 4mpg only driven 1000 miles a year is virtually no threat to the environment.
My real point is this thing has everything going for it tech wise, light, small, best battery tech and it fails compared to gas cars and that is a inefficient waist of time. Until battery's quadruple in power/weight and charge times double that of li-ion, electric is going no where. The end.
Have you been in a Elise? It makes your 350Z seem like a Cadillac.]]>Mar 4th 2008 5:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 5:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/
You have to start somewhere. Nobody's (nobody I know of) has made a serious, all electric, mass produced, commercially viable car.

Their first car involves a ton of brand-new engineering, and working around current technological limitations, so its going to be pretty expensive. Still, I think $100k for what they've done is remarkably affordable.

They want their next vehicle to be priced $30-35k. It's not cheap, but that puts an all-electric car into a lot more people's price ranges.]]>Mar 4th 2008 7:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 10:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 3:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 3:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 3:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/
In profile, and in the rear.

'All along, Tesla was developing its own signature styling for the Roadster. Once completed, every single panel on the Roadster was unique. The only exterior parts that are carryover are the rear-view mirrors, which Tesla carried over to avoid expensive development and safety testing costs. The headlights and taillights were designed to be unique to Tesla as well because they are so important to the character of the car.'

Read as: 'We changed the eyes and arse to disguise the foundations of its form, but you all saw right through our elaborate rouse.'

Changing the headlights does not make it a new car. It makes it a special edition.]]>Mar 4th 2008 4:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/
So hypothetically if they take the battery out, I can pick up the Tesla and carry it around? Yeah, I have issues with that on several levels.

Although, if its true, I'm totally going to their factory, find a model that somehow doesn't have the battery in it (even though its a structural element), picking it up, and putting a picture of it on teh webz.]]>Mar 4th 2008 7:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/I'm sure you got it from the article that it is a different car, and that it only looks like the elise in profile. Well, the Europa S is similar in the changes since it is also "variations of the same bonded aluminum chassis" and I would think you wouldn't say it's the same car as the Elise. I mean just the EV drivetrain alone and the 1000lb battery pack should separate them. I'd like to see anyone try to build the same car starting out with an ICE based Elise. You'd probably break it by trying to somehow squeeze that 1000lb battery and the 4ft wide PEM in there. Even if you don't, the 1000lb battery will probably overwhelm it's payload. The Tesla's chassis was specifically designed to accomodate the battery and use it as a stressed member for better rigidity.]]>Mar 4th 2008 9:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 10:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/
I'm not suggesting that everything Lotus touches is golden (see Delorean), but aside from a respectable stint as an F1 constructor, Lotus engineering is all over the place as a contractor, from the Corvette ZR1 engine, to the modern GM ecotec engines, to chassis and suspension development for nearly every manufacturer. Their in-house products may not appeal to most, but that's their forte... minimalist, lightweight, well-handling sports cars.]]>Mar 4th 2008 3:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 4:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 4:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 5:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 5:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 7:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/The CHASSIS is completely different:
"For starters, placing a 1,000 pound battery in the midsection of the car changes everything about the behavior of the structures that were originally engineered for the ICE powered Elise. In order to accommodate the added weight of the battery pack, the aluminum tub chassis had to be redesigned to a Tesla specification, increasing strength and using the battery pack as a stressed member to increase rigidity. Since we had decided to redesign the chassis, we also chose to redesign the side rails so that they would sit a few inches lower than those in the Elise, greatly improving ingress and egress. The chassis is produced for Tesla and does not start its life as an Elise chassis."
With emphasis on the part of how the Roadster's chassis does NOT start it's live as an Elise chassis. GOD DAMN IT PEOPLE!! READ!!!
Sorry man, I'm just pissed off at people who always come in and complain about the price of the Tesla Roadster and continually say it's just an electric Elise.

Number shared is 7% by parts count for all of you asking how they got the figure.]]>Mar 4th 2008 9:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 5th 2008 7:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/Mar 4th 2008 7:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/04/tesla-motors-says-its-roadster-is-not-a-converted-lotus-elise/
my opinion (as worthless as it may be): i think it is a nice looking car....but kinda unpractical, as are all sports cars. ]]>Mar 4th 2008 8:50PM