# Tesla Roadster **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Tags:** tesla, roadster\ **Created:** [November 17, 2017, 5:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tesla-roadster/109469 "2017-11-17T17:06:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 5:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tesla-roadster/109469/1 "2017-11-17T17:06:49Z")
Tesla announced a new 2+2 Roadster. It will go from 0 to 60 mph in 1.9 seconds, 0 to 100 in 4.2 seconds, and do the quarter mile in 8.9 seconds. Top speed is over 250 mph, and undisclosed. Cost is about $250,000. I just know that someone will test all that on the street and with stock tires. Why did they do it? Just to show that they could and blow away ICEmobiles. I’m sure it has more civil modes. You probably will have to push that insane mode button to unleash that kind of power. For that kind of money, they should send they buyer to school to learn how to handle the power, and provide the car at the track after graduation. ---
**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 5:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tesla-roadster/109469/2 "2017-11-17T17:15:12Z")
Whatever the merits of such a car, the reason they are announcing it probably has to do with Tesla’s need for cash now. Having people put up earnest money gives Tesla that; it also suppresses those people’s demand for a different ridiculous car that may be in production before the new Tesla. ---
**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 5:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tesla-roadster/109469/3 "2017-11-17T17:22:30Z")
At the same time they also announced their semi-truck, 500 mile range. Now if they could only deliver the vehicles they announced last year. ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 6:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tesla-roadster/109469/4 "2017-11-17T18:07:26Z")
The new roadster goes past “ludicrous speed” to “plaid” (really): ;-] ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 6:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tesla-roadster/109469/5 "2017-11-17T18:25:27Z")
why do they spell plaid with an “I”? it is pronounced “plad”. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 7:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tesla-roadster/109469/6 "2017-11-17T19:02:20Z")
> [@jtsanders](#): > > Tesla announced a new 2+2 Roadster. It will go from 0 to 60 mph in 1.9 seconds, 0 to 100 in 4.2 seconds, and do the quarter mile in 8.9 seconds. Top speed is over 250 mph, and undisclosed. Cost is about $250,000. Cool. I like the idea. Hey, why not? Aston Martin is set to release an insane vehicle called the Valkyrie. It’s expected cost is $3.2 million each. The road versions are already sold out. The first one hasn’t been built yet. The first 500 of Bugatti’s new replacement for the Veyron, the Chiron, are sold out at $3million each. I like the idea of Tesla joining the club. They’ve certainly already changed everybody’s assumptions about what an electric vehicle is. ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 7:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tesla-roadster/109469/7 "2017-11-17T19:26:02Z")
> [@Cavell](#): > > why do they spell plaid with an “I”? From Gaelic _plaide_, a blanket. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2017, 8:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tesla-roadster/109469/8 "2017-11-17T20:43:34Z")
The other announcement was Tesla’s Semi. > **[This is Tesla’s big new all-electric truck – the Tesla Semi](https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/16/this-is-teslas-big-new-all-electric-truck-the-tesla-semi/)** > > It boasts a considerable charge capacity, and has a very aesthetically distinct look, as you can see, which will obviously help it stand out from other commercial freight vehicles on the road. The Tesla Semi will go 0 to 60 mph in just 5 seconds,... ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2017, 12:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tesla-roadster/109469/9 "2017-11-18T00:12:26Z")
It keeps Tesla in the news, and some folks like to have the option to go fast when they want to, and they’ll maybe buy one. Cash and news is good for any company. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2017, 7:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tesla-roadster/109469/10 "2017-11-18T07:24:57Z")
We have a local Solar City (Tesla owned) plant. Even though NY state paid $750,000,000 to build the plant and gave it to Solar City they are more than a year behind getting into production. In the meantime, orders for solar panels are slowing. They have an online calculator to show you how much money you can save over 30 years. Ever using their (specious) figures I would save $4000 less than the $16000 federal credit. They get their figures by overestimating my electric bill, compounding 2% raise every year in electric rates and not accounting for inflation devaluing the money you get back or taking into account 30 years of financing costs on the 65,000 they want now for the system. Does anyone have any Idea what $65,000 invested in the market 30 years ago would be wort now.z? ---
**Author:** ![B.L.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/848f3c/32.png) [@B.L.E](https://community.cartalk.com/u/B.L.E)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2017, 11:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tesla-roadster/109469/11 "2017-11-18T11:45:47Z")
> [@jtsanders](#): > > It will go from 0 to 60 mph in 1.9 seconds, 0 to 100 in 4.2 seconds, and do the quarter mile in 8.9 seconds. Top speed is over 250 mph, and undisclosed. Cost is about $250,000. I just know that someone will test all that on the street and with stock tires. Why did they do it? Just to show that they could and blow away ICEmobiles. Extreme electric vehicles should be compared to extreme ICEmobiles. Top fuel dragsters are already going 60 mph by the time the rear tires cross the start line and zero to 100 in less than one second. Put street tires on that Tesla and test it on regular street pavement and it will likely struggle to do zero to sixty in three seconds, there just isn’t enough traction. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2017, 3:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tesla-roadster/109469/12 "2017-11-18T15:06:16Z")
@B.L.E, I agree with most of what you say, except that the Tesla Roadster is street legal and is not a custom car. There are outrageous custom cars, like Rod Saboury’s Corvette that are fast by track standards and street legal, but they are one-off creations. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2017, 4:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tesla-roadster/109469/13 "2017-11-18T16:31:13Z")
> [@B.L.E](#): > > Put street tires on that Tesla and test it on regular street pavement and it will likely struggle to do zero to sixty in three seconds ??? And that’s bad? I’m inclined to agree with B.L.E. that these vehicles should be, and I suspect will be, in the elite group of supercars. While they’ll be totally street drivable, their uniqueness and price will put them in multistall garages parked next to Ferraris, Lambos, and Bentleys. Not bad company. I’d like to get my hands on one of the first Tesla roadsters. They were really cool IMHO. I continue to be amazed at how much Tesla has changed our assumptions about electric vehicles. ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2017, 4:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tesla-roadster/109469/14 "2017-11-18T16:55:08Z")
> [@the\_same\_mountainbike](#): > > I continue to be amazed at how much Tesla has changed our assumptions about electric vehicles. So you assumed an electric car company did **_not_** need massive government subsidy to stay alive? ;-] ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2017, 5:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tesla-roadster/109469/15 "2017-11-18T17:37:38Z")
> [@B.L.E](#): > > Put street tires on that Tesla and test it on regular street pavement and it will likely struggle to do zero to sixty in three seconds, there just isn’t enough traction. The Model S is already down to 2.2 seconds, on street tires, on regular pavement. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2017, 9:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tesla-roadster/109469/16 "2017-11-18T21:13:38Z")
I wonder if they let some air out of the tires to gain extra grip for the 2.2 second run. ---
**Author:** ![B.L.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/848f3c/32.png) [@B.L.E](https://community.cartalk.com/u/B.L.E)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2017, 10:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tesla-roadster/109469/17 "2017-11-18T22:36:38Z")
> [@shadowfax](#): > > The Model S is already down to 2.2 seconds, on street tires, on regular pavement. In order to do that, the tires would need a coefficient of friction of around 1.25, and the weight transfer to the driving wheels would need to approach 100%. It would take 2.73 seconds for gravity to accelerate a car to 60 in a free fall in a vacuum. If that was indeed done, it was likely done using street legal sport tires and on ideal pavement conditions, if not on a drag strip sprayed with rosin, and it was likely done exactly one time in a row. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2017, 10:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tesla-roadster/109469/18 "2017-11-18T22:39:45Z")
This might be a good “takeaway” . . . Tesla vehicles have been, are, and probably will continue to be, vehicles which are not aimed at the masses They are sporty and luxurious, and not inexpensive As such, we should view them more as sports cars and luxury vehicles, and less as electric vehicles Tesla cars aren’t competing with the Nissan Leaf. They’re competing with the BMW 7 Series and Porsche roadsters, for example ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2017, 11:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tesla-roadster/109469/19 "2017-11-18T23:41:36Z")
> [@B.L.E](#): > > If that was indeed done, it was likely done using street legal sport tires and on ideal pavement conditions, if not on a drag strip sprayed with rosin, and it was likely done exactly one time in a row. Well, yeah, the tires are obviously not retreads from Honest Earl’s Used Tires. 😉 And I’m sure the pavement was at least good - they’re probably not doing 0-60 runs through Chicago potholes. Remember that all of the wheels are driving wheels, it’s an AWD car. As for gravitational acceleration, well, yes, there’s some g-forces going on any time you get loose objects in the cabin to fly backward and stick to the seat backs during acceleration. ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2017, 11:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tesla-roadster/109469/20 "2017-11-18T23:54:33Z")
There’s no price yet but I’d stand in this line first > **[GM unveils fastest Corvette ever](https://money.cnn.com/2017/11/13/autos/chevrolet-corvette-zr1/index.html)** > > The new 755 horsepower Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 will have a top speed of 210 miles an hour. ![171112180139-2019-chevrolet-corvette-zr1-780x439](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/c/c93f9c20888afd9cfb90eb101e202098fec77cd4.jpg) [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tesla-roadster/109469.md?page=2)