The return of the Roadster — with speeds of just 1.9 seconds for 0 to 60 4.2 seconds for 0 to 100, it can handle a quarter mile in 8.9 seconds.“The point of all this is just to give a hardcore smackdown to gasoline cars.” according to CEO Elon Musk.
The Roadster is the new version of its original sports car. The original Roadster was born in 2005 when English carmaker Lotus agreed to sell Tesla bare Elise shells. Tesla then stuffed lithium-ion battery cells and electric motors into them, creating the first all-electric car to travel more than 200 miles on a single charge. It was also legitimately quick, with a 0 to 60 mph time of 3.9 seconds.
Musk said he wouldn’t confirm the top speed, but hinted that it was “above 250 mph.” By comparison, the Agera RS by Sweden’s Koenigsegg currently holds the world record at 277.9 mph.
The vehicle has three motors, one in the front and two in the rear, all-wheel drive and torque steering. Imagine driving to Los Angeles to San Francisco, and back, without recharging, Musk teased.
The base model will start at $200,000, and with a $50,000 deposit required upfront. Interested parties can place their deposits today.
