17 March 2010

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Tesla Roadster from BRABUS

One of the most eagerly anticipated vehicles of the 21st Century, the Tesla Roadster is an all-electric sports car and the first vehicle from California based start-up company Tesla Motors. Now it is being made available with a tune-up courtesy of one of the world’s best-known tuning brands, BRABUS.

History of the Tesla Roadster from BRABUS

From the moment it was unveiled in Santa Monica, California, in 2006, the Tesla Roadster, developed by Tesla Motors with design help from Lotus Cars, has been a huge talking point in the industry. Would it prove to be a groundbreaking vehicle that opened new doors for electric sports cars or would it be a failed concept from a little-known start-up that failed to get off the ground?

The Tesla Roadster has certainly encountered some problems along the way with production delivery originally planned for October 2007 but series production of the car not actually beginning until March 2008. However, by February 2009 200 Roadsters had been produced with sales taking off to the point that 1,500 of the vehicles were planned for 2009.

The success of the Tesla Roadster in the USA prompted collaboration with the new BRABUS business division Zero Emission and a vehicle bearing the BRABUS logo was unveiled at the 2008 Essen Motor Show.

The aim of BRABUS is to fine tune the Tesla Roadster for individuals with a number of unique features. These include a tyre/wheel combination that improves handling characteristics, a space sound generator, and a lightweight carbon fibre front lip.

Environmental credentials of the Tesla Roadster from BRABUS

The appeal of the Tesla Roadster from BRABUS is obvious – a high performance, eye-catching sports car that somehow manages to be “environmentally friendly”.

The Tesla Roadster is all-electric and therefore produces no emissions. It should be noted however that until electricity is produced from completely renewable sources, any electric vehicle cannot truly be categorised as zero emission.

Nevertheless, the Tesla Roadster from BRABUS represents a significant step forward for green motoring with excellent energy efficiency. According to tests in August 2008 Tesla Motors reported that the original Roadster with new single speed gearbox and upgraded electronics had an estimated range of 244 miles with an EPA combined cycle, plug-to-wheel efficiency of 28kWh/100mi. It had excellent performance statistics to begin with – it can race from 0-60mph in 3.9 seconds – and so with further upgrades and reduced weight, the Tesla Roadster from BRABUS gives motorists that truly love to drive the experience they crave without sacrificing their environmental beliefs in a vehicle that is much cheaper to run.

A full recharge of the battery system on the original Tesla Roadster requires three and a half hours using the High Power Connector however, recharge cycles usually start from a partially charged state and therefore do not normally require this length of time.