Great review, it summarizes all the facts very well. Is it really true that the european Roadster doesn't light up the brake lights when regenerating? I see a lot of cars going to kiss the heck of the Roadster. Here in Italy you drive following the car before you with a maximum distance of 1 meter...
doug
Administrator / Head Moderator
Dragon - The Roadster brakes no harder than a conventional manual sports car would brake after downshifting. This is why the lights are not allowed to go on earlier. Tesla had no choice. This is decided by regulators. In practice it is no issue in my experience. Those that follow by one meter are a problem in any case and will inevitably hit someone - usually rather sooner than later.
PeterW
Member
Alfred, are you saying that a conventional manual sports car can downshift almost to a complete stop as fast the Roadster does when you lift your foot off the pedal?
GSP
Member
- Dec 28, 2007
- 2,565
- 795
Nice Work!
Very good review, lots of detail, organized and easy to read.
One suggestion: I would add "Copper rotor" to the motor specs. This is somewhat exotic for induction motors, and provides higher efficiency than motors with conventional Aluminum rotors. Also, "steel windings" on page 4 needs to be changed to "Copper rotor windings." There is probably a better word than "windings," they are cast in place copper bars with end rings. As far as I know, no one uses steel for the magnetic "heart" of the rotor, just for the "frame" that holds the electro-magnets.
GSP
Very good review, lots of detail, organized and easy to read.
One suggestion: I would add "Copper rotor" to the motor specs. This is somewhat exotic for induction motors, and provides higher efficiency than motors with conventional Aluminum rotors. Also, "steel windings" on page 4 needs to be changed to "Copper rotor windings." There is probably a better word than "windings," they are cast in place copper bars with end rings. As far as I know, no one uses steel for the magnetic "heart" of the rotor, just for the "frame" that holds the electro-magnets.
GSP
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AnOutsider
S532 # XS27
- Apr 3, 2009
- 11,957
- 198
Haven't done it in a roadster, but the R8 slows a good bit when easing off the gas, even more when down shifting. I do that instead of braking usually (especially when it's cold out and the brakes like to squeal)
Peter: Of course not, certainly not to a crawl. But take the typical approach on a pass down towards a hairpin. For safety reasons and to avoid fading you would shift from 3d into 2nd. In 2nd that would feel similar (Roadster 2.0 and later). At lower speeds the slowdown is fairly gentle (2.0 and 2.5 certainly). I had no bad experiences that would indicate that other drivers have a problem with this. Maybe that is not everywhere the same. As with other cars it can be a good idea to touch the brake to signal a slowdown, if a car behind you is close and may not realise why you are slowing down - certainly on the Rimutaka....
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Doug_G
Lead Moderator
The Roadster regen is pretty strong, more like the effect of downshifting into first gear. Of course you can't downshift an ICE to 1st at highway speeds, but the Roadster is always in first gear...
Thanks for all the feedback guys, it's a completely brand new site and it's my first car review.. hope you liked it.
However it's not my first site or first review... http://www.dpreview.com/misc/about.asp
(I'm no longer working full time on dpreview, zemotoring is my new baby)
--
Phil Askey
However it's not my first site or first review... http://www.dpreview.com/misc/about.asp
(I'm no longer working full time on dpreview, zemotoring is my new baby)
--
Phil Askey
TEG
Teslafanatic
- Aug 20, 2006
- 21,722
- 8,693
I might be wrong, but I think that term is only used "in some engineering circles" and may not be appropriate for a general info public document.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squirrel-cage_rotor
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