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Tesla Roadsters cover 10M miles, American Chiropractic Association members laugh maniacally
If you've been following the development of Tesla's first production car, the Roadster, you probably already know that it can do up to 240ish miles on a charge -- or an awful lot more in perfectly ideal conditions. Cumulatively, though, they can go much, much further. Tesla has sold around 1,500 of the things since they were introduced in 2008, and the company is able to keep track of just how far each has covered. Together that first batch of cars has just covered its 10 millionth mile, which is probably enough to drive to Pluto or to some other arbitrary feat that usually gets bandied about when these sorts of milestones are achieved. Suffice it to say it's a long way. Tesla says roughly 500,000 gallons of gasoline were saved compared to what would have been burned in conventional supercars, but given the pretzel-like contortions required to climb in and out of these things we're left wondering just how many backs were broken in the process.
Fulton Innovation blows our minds with eCoupled wireless Tesla, inductive cereal boxes (video)
Wondering what your future kitchen looks like? Take a gander at what Fulton Innovation is showing at CES this year. They're also giving a peek at the future of retail shopping, and even parking lots. It's all the magic of inductive charging, and now that the Qi standard has been finalized it seems like things are coming together. Really together, in everything from cereal boxes with blinkenlights to Tesla Roadsters that charge almost as quickly as with a wire but, quite obviously, without the wire. Would you like to know more? Click on through. %Gallery-113129%
Hertz plug-in rental program to boast 1,000 vehicles, including the Tesla Roadster
Hertz is getting serious about its about-to-launch, by-the-hour plug in car rental service Connect by Hertz. Set to launch on December 15th in New York City, the company has plans to extend the service into San Francisco, Washington D.C, Texas and London by the end of 2011. The list of cars in the fleet which will be available to rent now includes the previously announced Nissan Leaf, the Volt, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, the Tesla Roadster, the Smart ED, and the Coda Sedan. The program will start extremely small, with only 20 total vehicles available to rent to begin with, but with a plan for between 500 and 1,000 by the end of 2011. The Hertz EV rental program has a fee to join up, and the cars will be rented on a first come, first served basis, but you can sign up now if you're ready to get behind the wheel of one of the aforementioned silent bad boys.
Tesla recalls 439 Roadster 2.0 and 2.5 electric cars due to fire hazard
Tesla Motors is pretty proud of the fact that it decided to recall 439 Roadster 2.0 and 2.5 vehicles after a single one saw "a short, smoke and possible fire behind the right front headlamp," but a fire hazard in every one of 439 shipping products isn't exactly a ratio to be boasting about. At any rate, nearly a third of its 1,300 vehicles sold are affected by the recall, which "involves the 12v low voltage auxiliary cable from a redundant back up system that provides power to various systems, including the headlamps, taillights, turn signals and hazard lights, and airbags in the unlikely event the primary 12V power fails or drops below a minimum threshold value." The repair involves checking the routing of the 12V low voltage auxiliary cable and installing a protective sleeve over it, and it should take around an hour to complete. Unless, of course, you're the Tesla owner residing on the north shore of Kauai. Yeah, we're talking to you... Mr. Guy with "TESLA" on his Hawaii plate. [Thanks, Jim]
Inhabitat's Week in Green: Tesla's Roadster 2.5, the world's smallest electric plane, and solar jellyfish goo
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. From the deep blue seas to the sunny skies, this week novel renewable energy projects lit up the newswires. We watched as the world's largest wave energy site was installed in the UK, and we were excited to see Europe's largest wind farm get a major upgrade. We also took a look at several high-flying turbines that could potentially tap 870 terawatts of high-altitude wind energy, and we were shocked to see scientists develop a new type of solar cell made from bioluminescent jellyfish. We also showcased several soaring advances in green aviation as the Solar Impulse sun-powered airplane rallied for a series of trips across Switzerland and Cri-Cri, the wold's smallest electric plane, took its inaugural flight. Electric transportation also hit the streets as we took a spin in Tesla's brand new Roadster 2.5. In other news, this week we saw the light as Hulger brought their stunningly sculpted Plumen bulbs to market, and we marveled at a fresh new solar panel-inspired clothing line and a photovoltaic roofing system that doesn't look like a Blade Runner prop. Finally, we celebrated the last days of summer with this awesome solar Ibex cooker that bakes and boils using the power of the sun.
Visualized: Tesla owner talks smack using world's greatest vanity plate
Owning one of the world's most electrifying and exclusive four-wheelers not enough for you? In that case, you'll probably be wanting a bright orange paintjob and a vanity plate that rubs pretty much every other road user up the wrong way.
Tesla Roadster goes continent-hopping, expands markets to include Canada and Japan
Seems like reports of the Roadster's demise were indeed exaggerated. Tesla has announced it's bringing its iconic electric automobile to five new nations. Canada and Japan are accompanied by Hong Kong, Poland and Turkey in being able to now take deliveries of freshly charged Roadsters. Of course, sufficiently motivated buyers could have imported theirs by now, but it's always good to have local support on an official basis and this does seem to signal a more ambitious outlook on the part of Tesla. Also included in the press release -- yours to peruse after the break -- is word that the company has shifted 1,200 Roadsters since inception. That might not be a lot but you have to start somewhere, let's hope the next 1,200 don't take nearly as long to hit the road.
TAG Heuer's Tesla Roadster gets pictured on the road
The good people of Tesla couldn't leave us with just stock studio photography of their new TAG Heuer special edition vehicle, oh no. They've treated us to a full gallery of the car out on the road, sporting its new regalia and that radical paintjob with pride. To remind you, the only special thing about this edition is indeed that TAG Heuer has reskinned its exterior, while a center console mount for a Meridiist phone and room for a Limited Edition Stopwatch can be classified as product placements for the crowd who'd buy things just because there's an allotted space for them. Anyhow, a couple more pictures await after the break (sans that silly flare on the Tesla logo above) or you can hit the source for the full experience.
Tesla switches gears, plans to keep Roadster till 2012
Well, that was quick. Just weeks after hearing that Tesla would be nixing Roadster production prior to the world ending, it looks as if those planning to blow their life savings in the next 18 or so months took issue with the intentions. So much so, in fact, that Tesla has now "negotiated agreements with key suppliers that will increase total Roadster production by 40 percent and extend sales into 2012." Better still, the iconic electric supercar will soon be hitting Australia and Asia, so even if you hit the relocate button in the next little while, you should still be covered should you choose to buy (or lease) in.
TAG Heuer and Tesla Motors team up to show off products you can't afford
The Tesla Roadster runs on batteries, and so too do (many) TAG Heuer watches. It's out of this obvious correlation that the TAG Heuer Tesla Roadster was born, a one-off special edition skinned in some unfortunate graphics then blessed with an extra slot in the center console for a similarly spendy Meridiist phone. There's also room in there for a one-fifth second analog Heuer Limited Edition Stopwatch, which sounds like a very useful addition indeed. Those attending Geneva Motor Show later this week will have a chance to see this (otherwise stock) car in-person, while the rest of us will have to make do with the gallery of photos below, which truly shows that "technology -- whether worn on your wrist or driven on the road -- can help us live better while we tread more lightly on this planet." These words courtesy of Elon Musk, who can surely be seen at the show wearing a giant piece of wrist-borne chronography. %Gallery-86723%
Tesla launches Roadster lease program for wannabe eco-ballers
Ain't got a hundred large to dump on a new Tesla Roadster? Fret not, as the outfit famous for producing the world's first commercially viable electric supercar now has another option for you to ponder: leasing. For those unfamiliar, it's somewhere in between buying one outright and swiping one while the salesperson's not looking, and it'll require just over $12,000 up front along with 36 payments of $1,658 in order to temporarily own the car of your dreams. Of course, that's just a model scenario based on a Roadster with an $111,005 MSRP, though the somewhat snazzier Roadster Sport is also included in the deal. Come to think of it -- if you get in on a lease now, there's a good chance that the Volt you pre-ordered will finally be in stock by the time you bid your Tesla a fond farewell. Right, Ed?
Tesla Motors CEO 'does not devote his full time and attention to Tesla'
We've already discussed the seemingly suicidal situation Tesla finds itself in with relation to its 2011 Roadster production cessation, but that SEC submission for the company's IPO is a long, long affair (which you may read below), and there were more nuggets of madness to be found. Apparently, CEO Elon Musk is a busy man -- with CEO and CTO functions at SpaceX and a chairmanship at SolarCity to attend to -- and so he couldn't possibly be expected to focus his full attention on ensuring that the half billion dollar state loan his company received gets spent as wisely as possible. Add Musk's corporate bigamy to an expectation of "continuing losses" and dwindling waiting lists and you have to wonder who, other than the US government, will be buying shares when this offering goes public.
Tesla Roadster to bid adieu in 2011, successor coming in 2013
Much like the replicants of Philip K Dick's fertile imagination, it seems like Tesla's Roadster will live a famous, but short life. In its pre-IPO filings to the SEC, the company has cited "tooling changes at a supplier" as the reason it will stop selling its current gen Roadster and Roadster Sport EVs after 2011. Given that all Roadsters are built at the Lotus factory in England, this probably suggests new Elise or Exige models are on the way and the manufacturing facilities are being updated accordingly. It also means Tesla will be left without any product to sell until the planned 2012 launch of the Model S sedan, while its next generation of two-door sporty supercars won't be arriving until 2013. Sigh.
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?
Tesla Roadster Sport gets taken for a test drive, photo shoot
Like the Tesla Roadster but think it's just not expensive enough for you? Then fear not, person we'd like to get to know, 'cause the Tesla Roadster Sport is here complete with a $19,500 premium over its less sporty counterpart. Thankfully, according to the lucky folks at Autoblog Green, you will get quite a few bonuses for that extra cash, including an improved 0-60 time of 3.7 seconds, a new suspension that can be set to one of ten different settings and, perhaps most importantly, a new set of black-finish forged wheels (paired with some Yokohama ADVAN A048 tires) that'll ensure no one mistakes it for a "low end" Tesla. Be sure to hit up the read link below for Autoblog Green's full report, not to mention plenty of pics inside and out.
SolarCity charging stations on Highway 101 give Tesla owners a little more time in the sun
The Tesla Roadster is by far the best-known electric car of the moment -- despite the company only having sold about 700 of the things. A high price point hasn't kept the car from capturing the minds of enviro-minded gearheads everywhere, of which there must be quite a few working at SolarCity. The California-based solar installation firm has created four Tesla charging stations along Highway 101 between Los Angeles and San Francisco, with a fifth coming online next month. The (apparently free) chargers provide a 240V charge at 70 amps, blowing away Eberhard's RFMC rapid charger and bringing the cars to full capacity in only 3.5 hours. Why, that's just enough time for a nice lunch and a bit of shopping. Sadly the plugs only work with Teslas, but will be retrofitted once some other suitable EV comes along in suitable numbers.
Eberhard's RFMC rapid charger for Tesla Roadster now up for order
If you're one of the lucky few who own a Tesla Roadster, this will certainly be of interest to you. And, for the rest of us -- well, let's indulge ourselves in a bit of vicarious living for a moment, shall we? Eberhard's just made its rapid charger -- the Roadster Foundry Mobile Connector (or RFMC) -- available to order. The RFMC comes with adapters that will allow charging at 12, 16, 24, 32 or 40 amps, and a fully depleted battery will charge overnight when charging at 40 amps. All you need to do (owning a Roadster is the hardest part, no doubt) to get the newer, faster charger is send the standard MC120 charger the car came with, plus $960 to EV components, wait for the new RFMC to show up, then go back to your normal life -- you know, sitting on a desolate beach in your insane car watching the sun go down. [Via Autoblog Green]
Tesla goes Big Apple with Chelsea showroom
It's a time of dire news for auto manufacturers, with losses widening, dealerships closing, and whole brands disappearing. Not so for Tesla, which despite all that bickering up top has managed to scrounge together the funds to open up a shop in Chelsea in western Manhattan, a swanky area full of art galleries and the beret-clad people who frequent them. No surprise, then, that Tesla has outfitted the walls of this new dealership with large prints of its very own manufacturing process -- probably not earning it much cred in the 'hood. Annual operating cost is estimated to be a cool $1.5 million, pocket change by GM and Toyota standards, but surely a little more significant for a small company like this. Tesla used the space to show off the 2010 Roadster, which we still don't have full details on, but have heard features slightly improved circuitry, a locking glove box, and WiFi to enable remote, wireless diagnostics. Surely a Tesla-branded application store of some sort can't be far behind.
Daimler buys 10% stake in Tesla, offers parts and know-how
Daimler and Tesla have been working together in a limited capacity for some time now, but the two made their relationship official in a pretty big way earlier today, with Daimler announcing that it has bought a 10% stake in Tesla, and that it'll be lending a hand with both parts and engineering. Of course, as with most things Tesla, there's no firm price tag attached to the deal, although it's said to be in the "double digit millions." They're a bit more specific when it comes to the working relationship, however, which will apparently include Tesla "leveraging Daimler's engineering, production and supply chain expertise" in ways that'll "accelerate" bringing the Model S to production. Tesla will also reportedly work on battery pack integration and battery management systems for Daimler from here on out, and the two will continue to collaborate on Daimler's second-generation Smart ED electric vehicle that's slated to go into production later this year. Interestingly, as AutoBlog points out, the deal also gives Tesla access to the automotive lithium-ion cells being produced by Daimler subsidiary Li-Tec which, when we're talking about electric vehicles, is no small thing.
Tesla reportedly snags some funding from GE (updated)
This isn't fully official just yet, but a recently leaked Car and Driver interview with Tesla CEO Elon Musk looks to have all but confirmed that the company received some funding from GE Capital as part of its current $40 million haul. While the exact amount GE has invested isn't clear, the company is apparently the second-largest investor in this round of financing, behind only Musk himself. As you're no doubt aware, this is on top of the $350 million in loans that Tesla is apparently close to securing from the U.S. government, which isn't exactly enough for it to rest easy given its ambitions, but is at least slightly encouraging for folks itching to get behind the wheel of a Model S. Musk even goes one step further in an attempt to assure potential customers in the interview, saying that "even in the worst case of an Armageddon scenario, I'll personally refund people [their money] if need be," adding quickly that he thinks there's "very little danger of that."Update: According to Earth2Tech, this deal is off the table... and may have never been on it to begin with. GE Capital was apparently "closely watching" Tesla, but there had been no official deal. When the site reached out to Tesla, here's what they had to say:GE had committed to invest in Tesla and sent an e-mail confirming the investment, but GE backed out on the day it was supposed to wire funds to Tesla. The decision came after GE went into company-wide capital conservation mode.So, really, no kind of investment at all. If you were a Tesla shareholder, you'd probably be thinking about putting a tighter leash on Elon Musk right around now.Update 2: Here's a statement directly from Tesla:GE has not invested in Tesla.When Car & Driver interviewed Elon Musk a couple months ago, GE had committed to invest in Tesla and had sent an e-mail confirming the investment. But GE backed out on the day it was supposed to wire funds to Tesla. The decision came after GE went into company-wide capital conservation mode.In any case, GE's investment allocation was taken up by venture capital firms Westly Group, Technology Partners and Draper Fisher Jurvetson, and Tesla closed the $40 million round without a problem earlier this year.Read - GE Invests In TeslaRead - GE "Watching" Tesla, Does Not (Yet) Invest
