Tesla Roadster keeps on rollin', goes 313 miles on single charge

What could be a better feeling than beating a world record? Beating your own world record. The Tesla Roadster has put an extra exclamation mark on its world-conquering single-charge antics by raising the bar from 241 miles back in April to an even more impressive 313 this week. As you can see in that homemade "world record" sign above, that's 501 kilometers in metric terms, or pretty much the exact distance between Paris and Amsterdam. The Global Green Challenge in Australia -- where this feat was achieved -- allows only production battery-powered vehicles to compete, meaning that the new record is down to driver skill on the part of one Mr. Simon Hackett, and not some newfound techno mojo. Kinda makes those long recharge times seem like less of a burden, no?

[billman2t Posted Oct 31st 2009 10:55AM]

The last time I drove in Oz, that was the wrong side of the road ;-D

just 2 more months and EEStor is supposed to deliver their ultracap power pack - it would mean 400mi before recharges and 10 minute (@440v) recharge times - the world will change overnight!

[rcappo Posted Oct 31st 2009 3:18PM]

That is what I was thinking. Then again, if you are in the middle of nowhere in the Outback, you can pull over to whatever side of the road you want.

And I am waiting for new developments in the battery/energy storage industry. That is the only thing really holding EV cars back.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 31st 2009 11:09AM]

keep the spirit alive.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 31st 2009 12:02PM]

This roadster sucks. It's as useful as a box on wheels, which is useful if you're not
looking for performance. The top gear show review says it all. Buy a lotus exige instead and save your money.

[jakey Posted Oct 31st 2009 3:55PM]

Try the acceleration/response. Pretty much anyone who has driven it says it's unmatched by any other car on the planet. With the Exige, you have to shift down to access the max acceleration. With the Tesla, you just slam down on the pedal at any time. The closest thing is a twin-clutch gearbox, but even that is not truly instantaneous.

For a first effort, it really isn't bad. Give batteries some time to improve and the weight will go down, which will address the handling (which in general isn't that bad, it's still only 2700lbs). Cost will also go down. The weight balance can be improved, since because of the extreme rear weight bias they tuned the car for heavy understeer for safety. But the rear weight bias helps drag racing immensely (helps load the rear wheels during launch).

As for EV sports cars in general, in-wheel motors also allow for direct torque vectoring, which also has performance benefits. In general, I don't see a future of EV sports cars being that bad.

[ConceptVBS Posted Oct 31st 2009 12:42PM]

So how fast were they going on average? A two seater roadster driving 30 mph is not realistic in everyday life.

In other news..

[nrb Posted Nov 1st 2009 5:41PM]

They were hypermiling and averaged 35mph.

[fastm3driver Posted Oct 31st 2009 12:46PM]

So when you get to Paris you only need 2 days to charge it again! Awesome.

[rcappo Posted Oct 31st 2009 3:18PM]

Yeah, because there is no quick way to get around Paris and not have to worry about finding parking spots.

And it doesn't take two days to recharge. Even then, spending two days in Paris isn't too much of a problem.

[ssnuggets Posted Oct 31st 2009 12:48PM]

Oh great...now they are stuck in the middle of nowhere with a dead battery and a car that goes nowhere...congratulations guys! Good luck getting home...

[Pingles Posted Oct 31st 2009 1:36PM]

Saw a Tesla in a parking lot at a Tech company in San Jose, CA and they are TINY!

And that's right, folks: my claim-to-fame? I SAW A TESLA! PARKED!

[blland Posted Oct 31st 2009 2:27PM]

no problem. here in winnipeg, lithium ions tend to freeze in situ.

[Twinnie Posted Oct 31st 2009 2:47PM]

Why was Steven Spielberg test driving it?

[Bort Simpson Posted Oct 31st 2009 5:16PM]

Maybe he's doing research for his new film: Batteries Not Included II

But it does look more like George Lucas. Look at the neck.

[jhancock20 Posted Oct 31st 2009 8:51PM]

Was actually at the finsih line of the bi-yearly solar challenge yesterday (Photos up soon) and saw this vehicle in the flesh - as well as the 30 odd solar vehicles. The winner averaged about 100kph and came in a day earlier than the winner in the last race here in 07.

Was fascinating to see all the technology on display and to chat with some of the teams.

And FYI Simon is the CEO of one of the ISPs here in Australia.

[cybersri Posted Nov 1st 2009 8:39AM]

Tesla got the same design of the lotus roadster + same size of the roadster...

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 1st 2009 1:15PM]

Is that Steven Spielberg holding that sign???

[jscholz Posted Nov 1st 2009 1:50PM]

Anyone given thought to how these guys are getting back home?

[Wwhat Posted Nov 1st 2009 2:43PM]

Looks like a perfect place to be without power, now they need the battery-recharge truck, so it'll be a long wait till that is invented and arrives.

Additionally here's a little tip for these guys, when planning to run out of gas take a nice girl not an unhealthy looking guy as passenger.

In fact when you know it's for PR consider just taking some attractive happening people to drive the damn thing.

[jamesFF Posted Nov 1st 2009 4:01PM]

Now someone will have to carry a car battery several miles to the nearest charge station.

[jhancock20 Posted Nov 1st 2009 9:37PM]

Got some pikkies up at last.

Se the actual car at the bottom of this page here

http://jmbh.org/gallery/v/Events/sc2009/?g2_page=4

[TeeWill Posted Nov 2nd 2009 5:58PM]

I just wanted to extend my congratulations to Steven Spielberg for setting this prestigious record!