10 | MANE AUTOMOTIVE, F1 & MOTORSPORT | JANUARY 2018
This is the all-new Tesla Roadster
ans of the original Tesla Roaster had been anticipating a successor for quite some time and it was
finally unveiled at an event in November that also showcased the new Tesla semi-truck. Introduced in 2006, the Roadster propelled Tesla to the top of the electric vehicle industry. It was one of the first electric sports cars available to the market. Production on the original Roadster ran from 2008 until 2012. It paved the way for the vehicles we know today, like the Model S and the new Model 3.
This Roadster, however, is unlike any other EV you know and far different from the original. Tesla says the Roadster is the quickest car in the world, with record-setting acceleration, range and performance. During the unveiling, Elon Musk stated that the second-generation Roadster will be the fastest production car ever made. Its numbers are jaw-dropping and it changes everything we know about electric vehicles. Musk called it a "hardcore smackdown to gas-powered cars." The base model Roadster will do 0 to 60mph in 1.9 seconds - making it the first time a production vehicle cracked the two-second threshold. Tesla didn't confirm the top speed, but hinted that it was “above 250 mph.” In comparison, the Koenigsegg Agera RS broke records when it hit a top speed of 277.9mph in late 2017. The battery is no slouch either, as the Roadster comes equipped with a 200 kWh battery pack capable of a 620-mile range, or just over 1,000 km.
The all-new Roadster, which will go for $200,000 USD for the base configuration, will begin production in 2020 with reservations available now starting at $50,000 USD. ■
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