Electric Roadster Ready to Roll

Tesla's battery-powered vehicle meets federal safety standards
By Laila Weir,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 25, 2008 2:00 PM CST
Electric Roadster Ready to Roll
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, right, and Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer, center, talk about alternative fuel policy after test riding the Tesla Roadster electric sports car, in background, during a demonstration by Tesla Motors in Moffett Field , Calif., Thursday,...   (Associated Press)

The long-awaited, all-electric Tesla Roadster has passed federal safety tests with flying colors and will finally go into production March 17—albeit with temporary transmissions on the first models, reports DailyTech. The interim transmissions mean the $100,000 Roadster will do zero to 60 in 5.7 seconds, instead of the promised 4, until Tesla replaces them.

A Tesla Motors VP called the Roadster’s road test success a “great achievement” and said it demonstrates “that EVs are as real as any other vehicle." In terms of safety, he added, “I’d rather carry a load of relatively inert battery cells than 10 gallons of highly volatile, flammable liquid." The car will have a range of approximately 200 miles. (More electric vehicles stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X