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Tesla Motors says its Roadster is not a converted Lotus Elise
Tesla Motors sure has been doing a lot of explaining about its all-electric Tesla Roadster since it first announced it way back when, and it's now aiming to clear up what it says is another common misconception about the car: that it's a converted Lotus Elise. According to Tesla's Darryl Siry, the total number of shared parts between the cars is actually "under 7%," and that "if you were to try to convert an Elise to a Tesla and started throwing away parts that aren't carried over what you would basically be left with a windshield, dashboard (complete with airbags!), front wishbones and a removable soft top." He does admit, however, that the remaining pieces (particularly the dashboard and steering wheel) are so noticeable that they give drivers the impression of an Elise, as we've seen in some of the road tests of the vehicle. If you're still not convinced, you can find Siry's full, lengthy explanation at the read link below.
ZAP revives hundred-year-old Detroit Electric brand
It's taken a while, but it looks like we could soon be seeing a new batch of Detroit Electrics roaming the roads, as ZAP has just announced that its reviving the hundred-year-old brand for some of its own all-electric vehicles. According to the company, those will be developed in a joint venture with the China Youngman Automotive Group, and will include the Zap Alias (pictured above), which we've seen previously under slightly more mysterious circumstances. Other details are expectedly light at the moment, but ZAP will apparently have plenty more to say about its new retro ways at the NADA 2008 auto show, which gets underway in San Francisco next week.
Tesla Roadster gets reviewed and road-tested
While they didn't put it though quite the same rigorous tests that the feds did, our pals at AutoblogGreen did recently get to spend a fair bit of time being the wheel of Tesla's much-hyped Roadster, and they've now thankfully churned out a fairly thorough review to make us all a little jealous. As you might expect, they readily admit that the car is "not for everyone" (even among those that can afford it), but for those that know what they're getting into, they say you can expect a "hard-edged sports car that fits like a pair of good leather driving gloves." That extends in no small part to the car's Lotus roots, which AutoblogGreen found evident in everything from the car's "cozy" interior to its non-boosted steering system, which they say provides "amazing feedback to the driver." If that's not enough to convince you, you can hit up the link below for the complete review and, of course, plenty of pictures.
16-year-old converts gas truck to electric, reminds us of our wasted youth
We don't know about you, but we were doing far, far less productive things than Andrew Angelloti when we were 16. The green-minded youth -- a forum member over at Ecomodder -- has taken his 1988 Mazda pickup truck and converted it to run solely on electricity using $6,000 he'd earned as a part-time lifeguard. According to Andrew, the truck reaches a top speed of 55 MPH, sports a range of 40 miles per charge, and has acceleration that's, "Not that bad." The mod uses 20 flooded lead-acid batteries (for 120 volts), and a 60 HP, 9-inch electric motor. For most of us, that one major conversion would be enough, but Andrew is cracking away on his second EV mod, working his magic on a 1992 Toyota Tercel and gunning for more speed and a larger motor. Who said kids were lazy these days?[Via Digg]
Zap to unveil "made for iPod" electric cars at Macworld
It looks like the folks at Zap just couldn't let the CES news cycle slip by without getting a word in, as they've just taken the opportunity to announce that they'll be showing off their new "made for iPod" electric cars at that other big show happening this month. That designation, of course, means the car will be equipped with an Apple-approved dock that'll let you both play music through the car's speakers and recharge it using Zap's so-called "Recharge-It-All" system. What's more, it seems that those docks won't be limited to just one car, with Zap saying that first iPod-ready cars will be available later this year, and that it expects to include the docks in every Zap car from then on.
Pininfarina sets out to build its own all-electric car
Pininfarina may be best known as the design firm behind vehicles from Ferrari, Maserati and the like, but it's mainly popped up on our radar as of late due to its sporadic forays into hard drive design. We're now getting a little closer to the company's bread and butter, however, as the firm recently announced that it's planning to build it's own all-electric car. That'll apparently be done in collaboration with France's Bolloré Group, who'll supply the car's Lithium Metal Polymer battery technology while Pininfarina handles just about everything else (including the branding). Details on the car itself are still a bit light, obviously, but it'll apparently be a four-seater, and boast a range of 155 miles in city driving, with a top speed of 81 miles per hour. No word on what they expect the car to cost, unfortunately, but Pininfarina's hoping to have it available in Europe, Japan, and the United States by 2010.[Via Core77]
Smith brings "world's largest all-electric truck" to the US
This one's been spreading its all-electric charm around Europe for a little while already, but it looks like Smith Electric Vehicles' Smith Newton truck is now finally making its way to the US market. According to the company, with a gross vehicle weight of over 24,000lbs, the vehicle is the "world's largest all-electric truck," with a rack of "suitcase-sized" 278 volt batteries and a 120 kilowatt motor required to push it along at speeds up to 50 mph. That combo also gives the vehicle a range of some 150 miles, and an acceleration from 0-30mph that the company says is faster than the equivalent diesel-powered truck. No word on what it'll set you back, but Smith is set to open a factory in Fresno sometime next year to accommodate its new US presence, with a larger factory capable of turning out 10,000 vehicles a year to follow in 2010. [Via Far East Gizmos]
Aptera's 300 MPG car available for pre-order
Aptera certainly managed to attract a fair bit of attention for itself earlier this year, when its concept car turned as many heads for its space age looks as it did for its promised 200 MPG range. Now the company looks to be taking the next step on the long road to availability, with it accepting pre-orders for the car, which apparently now boasts a range of 300 MPG in typical driving conditions. What's more, the company says its also readying an all-electric version of the vehicle in addition to the plug-in hybrid model, with promising to last for around 120 miles before needing a recharge. Both models will also apparently come packed with features, include driver and passenger side airbags, interior and exterior LED lighting, a "solar assisted" climate control system, and an "advanced drive computer" that includes GPS, a rear-view camera, and a complete vehicle diagnostic system. All that apparently comes at a bit of a premium over the initially-estimated $20,000 price, however, with the electric and plug-in hybrid models now set to run $26,900 and $29,900, respectively. If that's still in your ballpark, you can reserve yours now for a mere $500, with the first vehicles promised to be in drivers hands in 12 months or so.[Via Digg]
Tesla Roadster to roll out before the end of the year
It's been a long time coming, but Tesla Motors CEO and co-founder Martin Eberhard is now saying that the company's first batch of all-electric Tesla Roadsters will "definitely ship" by October or November of this year. That's a bit later than the the summer release that had been anticipated, but that date apparently had to be pushed back after the company was forced to change transmission vendors. This latest delay also follows a slight scaling back of range targets earlier this year, although neither set-back seems to have been enough to get any of the 600 or so buyers already lined up to ask for their $100,000 back. According to Reuters, Tesla plans to make 1,000 2008 model year cars, which you'll soon be able to check out a dealership likely not near you. After that, the company plans to produce a five-passenger sedan dubbed the "White Star," which it says will sell for between $50,000 and $65,000, although likely not before the 2010 model year at the earliest.[Via Motor Authority]
Tesla announces its first dealership; no, you still can't have one.
We knew Tesla had plans to open up dealerships in some of the, how should we say, more affluent markets in the US, and according to the company its first dealership and service center will be opened in one of the richest neighborhoods in the States, Menlo Park (just an electric hop, skip, and jump away from its San Carlos-based HQ).[Via AutoblogGreen]
Tesla scales back range targets
While we doubt it'll be enough to get any of the lucky few first customers to cancel their orders, those planning a long haul trip in their shiny new Tesla Roadster may find themselves slightly disappointed when they finally get the keys, as the company's pulling back a bit on its promised 250 mile range on a single charge. Apparently, testing the car on an EPA-compliant dynamometer proved to be a bit more taxing than their initial estimates, forcing them to reconsider their boasting. While Tesla's not quite ready to get specific with the new numbers, it says it'll still come in at greater than 200 miles, which would still peg it well above other, less stylish electric vehicles. Now, if they'd only find an excuse to scale back the price.
Tesla Motors' looking to license Roadster's battery technology
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 testing crashing "10 to 20 vehicles" in Europe to make sure all systems are go, and we can't help but hope a few more muscle car competitors that don't drink octane show up real soon.
Homebuilt "Evette" electric car gets 200 miles per charge
It may not be as badass-looking or quite as fast as the Wrightspeed X1, but Tom and Yvette Sines' "Evette" electric car does have the edge in at least one area: it's street-legal. And it ain't too shabby in terms of performance either, with a range of 200 miles and a top speed of 60 miles per hour. Like the Wrightspeed, however, a big chunk of the car is nothing but batteries, with twenty-four 12-volt batteries packed into that fiberglass body, which can supposedly be recharged at a cost of just $2 (although they'll have to be replaced every three to five years). While it's a one of a kind wonder for now, the husband and wife duo are currently seeking investors to help them mass produce the car, which they say could go for as little as $25,000 once production ramps up -- although we're guessing they'd probably have to change the name, or face some expenses of another sort.[Via Autoblog Green]
