There's no exhaust system, no spark plugs and no oil to replace and dispose of. The battery pack, or Energy Storage System (ESS) consists of 6,381 lithium ion cells and is located in front of the rear axle for better weight distribution. The resulting trunk space isn't cavernous, but there's sufficient room for a bag of clubs or a couple of overnight bags. The ESS can be recharged in six hours by plugging into a 240 amp outlet . In Quebec, which has an abundance of hydroelectric power, this works out to 3¢ per kilowatt hour, while in Ontario it's closer to 10¢ per kw/hr. Purchasers of the Tesla are eligible for a $8,500 refundable tax credit, except—curiously—in British Columbia.
At first glance, the new 2.5 Roadster still resembles the Lotus Elise, Lotus having helped out with chassis development with the original model. But the Roadster is lower and wider and shares only 6% of parts with the Elise. Moulded entirely from carbon fibre, the body is extremely lightweight. Up front, there's an aggressive new fascia and in behind, a new diffuser to channel airflow more efficiently.
My tester, an Arctic White, fully loaded Sport model valued at $175,000 Cdn, has a removable, roll-up cloth targa top. After stowing the top, Hans Ulsrud, Tesla's Regional Sales Manager, tosses me the keys and wishing me a fun drive, remarks that I'm the first Canadian journalist to drive this car. No pressure there.
The seats are beautifully bolstered and hug the body's contours nicely, although I couldn't imagine a large person fitting in them. The cabin itself is more civilized than Elises I've experienced: with plenty of sound deadening insulation, carpet, beautiful leather trim and door panels, heated seats and an Alpine infotainment system consisting of touch-screen Navigation, back-up camera and iPod connectivity.
Bisecting the cabin is an aluminum centre console with illuminated pushbutton gear selectors. On top is an information screen displaying time, temperature, date, direction, range, speed, energy consumption… and g-forces.
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| The ESS can be recharged in six hours by plugging into a 240 amp outlet. (Photo: Lesley Wimbush/Auto123.com) |
At first glance, the new 2.5 Roadster still resembles the Lotus Elise, Lotus having helped out with chassis development with the original model. But the Roadster is lower and wider and shares only 6% of parts with the Elise. Moulded entirely from carbon fibre, the body is extremely lightweight. Up front, there's an aggressive new fascia and in behind, a new diffuser to channel airflow more efficiently.
My tester, an Arctic White, fully loaded Sport model valued at $175,000 Cdn, has a removable, roll-up cloth targa top. After stowing the top, Hans Ulsrud, Tesla's Regional Sales Manager, tosses me the keys and wishing me a fun drive, remarks that I'm the first Canadian journalist to drive this car. No pressure there.
The seats are beautifully bolstered and hug the body's contours nicely, although I couldn't imagine a large person fitting in them. The cabin itself is more civilized than Elises I've experienced: with plenty of sound deadening insulation, carpet, beautiful leather trim and door panels, heated seats and an Alpine infotainment system consisting of touch-screen Navigation, back-up camera and iPod connectivity.
Bisecting the cabin is an aluminum centre console with illuminated pushbutton gear selectors. On top is an information screen displaying time, temperature, date, direction, range, speed, energy consumption… and g-forces.
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| Bisecting the cabin is an aluminum centre console with illuminated pushbutton gear selectors. (Photo: Lesley Wimbush/Auto123.com) |