TESLA MOTORS - BEING GREEN DOESN'T HAVE TO BE BORING

In Menlo Park, California about 10 minutes from Stanford University you can find the Tesla Motors Showroom. Unlike the big 3 who have recently closed up shop in Menlo Park, the Tesla Motor Corporation is thriving despite the economy. The little roadsters can be seen in various stages and colors at this shop. By the time the showroom received the cars, they are a rolling chassis that only needs the motor and transmission. A final examination of the fit and finish as well as a comprehensive function test of the entire car is done prior to the customer receiving the it.

The staff at Tesla Motors take great pride in their product for many reasons. Not only is the performance and craftsmanship of the Tesla Roadster amazing, but even more important is the fact that they are setting a president that an electric vehicle can be more efficient than their gasoline powered competitors. This roadster can go 240 miles on a single charge while maintaining the characteristics of an exotic sports car. At 0-60 in 3.9 seconds, this little roadster can hold it's own against car costing more than twice as much. The roadster sells for roughly $100,000

The Roadster is powered by 6,831 slightly modified laptop batteries and proprietary computer technology from Telsa Motors. The power is then sent to a Borg Warner 1 speed transmission connected to a customized 400 volt motor. Being an electric motor, the torque is almost instant and stays at full power to 7,000 RPMs. There's a linear drop in power from 7,000 RPMs to 14,000 RPMs. What this means for the driver has an extraordinary power band and incredible excelleration. Performance is also enhanced by having the alluminum chassis custom built by lotus and carbon fiber body panels built in France by Sotira. This makes the car a relatively light build having a rigid chassis for great handling ability.

The Tesla Motor Corporation is using the Roadster as a capital building venture to create other cars that are more practical in application. They are currently wrapping up the design and final prototype of a sedan that can hold 5 adults with an optional seat to hold 2 children as well. The 'Model S' set to begin production in late 2011 and will start at just under $50,000 after the federal incentive of $7,500. There will be a few different options including a battery pack that will give it more than 300 miles on a single charge. A mock up of the exterior can be seen at the Menlo Park showroom. The sedan is sleek with a swooping European body lines and a long wheel base. The car will perform well, too. The 0-60 being will be in the mid five second range. As the production of the Model S is ramped up to 20,000 units a year, the money will be used to create other vehicles on the same platform. unlike the chassis on the Roadster, the Model S platform will be easily suited for other applications such as SUVs and other passenger vehicles. They are hoping to create a sub $30,000 car soon after the take off of the Model S Sedan.

Environment consciousness is a great concern to the Tesla Motor Corporation and they have made every reasonable effort to make a minimal impact on the environment. The Lithium Ion batteries a classified as landfill material, however, Tesla has been working with a recycling plant to prevent the batteries from going into the ground. They understand that production of electricity is not always a clean operation and are working with solar companies in an effort to create a cleaner ways of charging the vehicles. Homes with a good solar panel setup will be able to charge the cars for next to nothing while being environmentally friendly. There's a few different ways to charge the vehicles that include both 110v and 220v applications. The batteries are said to last for approximately 100,000 miles or roughly 7 years for the average driver.

Dependence on foreign oil is another concern of the Tesla Motor Corporation and the EV does not require any gasoline or oil. As developing nations are ramping up their oil consumption, the price of oil will only increase. Not only are the people at Tesla making clean cars with zero emissions, they are also creating a avenue for peace among nations. As the technology of solar power and battery storage increases, the electric vehicle will become more affordable and and energy efficient making it the logical choice for people of all income levels. America will become less dependent on OPEC nations.