OnCars drives P1

[doug]

Looks like these guys got to do a pretty thorough review with Elon's car.

OnCars - Read Stories - 2009 Tesla Roadster Part 1 of 3: Design

Video: OnCars - 2009 Tesla Roadster Part 1 of 3: Design

OnCars - Read Stories - 2009 Tesla Roadster Part 2 of 3: Interior & User Experience

Video: OnCars - 2009 Tesla Roadster Part 2 of 3: Interior & User Experience

I assume part 3 will be out soon.

The driver really smokes the tires in the videos.

Having lived with the car for a few days now, I can tell you that if this is the future of personal transportation, sign me up.

I'm hoping part 3 (the performance segment) includes the practicalities of charging, and how far he could go on a single charge while flogging it like that.

 

[vfx]

Nice to see the car thrashed finally. If I were Elon I would get another car for this.

Could not quite decipher this guy's long tailpipe sentence.

While all the focus is on the lack of polluting emissions from these types of cars, their reliance on electricity producing power-plants means that the greenhouse gas emissions simply move from tailpipe to smokestack, although the emissions per mile driven are significantly reduced. ...

Then,

But even taking those drawbacks into account,...

So reducing emissions significantly is a drawback?

 

[dpeilow]

An electrical buzz comes from the drivetrain as the car slows to a stop that is part Jetson’s, part turbine and very cool. If legislators pass a law to make near silent electric cars produce some sort of noise, it's this sound that should be amplified.

That would be cool :biggrin:

 

[TEG]

Nice to see a serious review like that.

(If only I had some press credentials to get a loaner like they did!)

 

[WarpedOne]

In the first vid he says the car is fitted with 1.5 drivetrain.
So, Elon has had the replacement job already.

 

[TEG]

I would have assumed that (given who he is) he would have had one of the first 1.5 prototypes put in there even before they considered it production ready.

 

[graham]

I recall hearing this was this case (but I do not recall the source) that Elon's car tested and debugged the 1.5 drive train long before they started installing them in customer cars.

 

[TEG]

And previously they had talked of letting some early customers have the option of using DT1.0 with the 2 speeds still active (knowing they likely wouldn't last long). In reality I think most early customers (perhaps with a few exceptions) were not given access to 1st gear. It is all a moot point now as everyone should be upgraded to production 1.5 "any day now".

 

[TEG]

Power (SAE): 300 hp (estimated)
Torque: 300 lbs.-ft. (estimated)

Isn't it about time we got some official DT1.5 numbers so we don't keep seeing estimates like this?

 

[vfx]

Part 3 is up

 

[doug]

Part 3 is up

Thanks!

Sadly, Emile Bouret didn't say anything about charging or how long the battery pack will let you act like a hoon.

 

[vfx]

I kinda like that he did not put in charge and battery info. It probably would not have looked that good for 1st time Tesla readers.

Watched Top Gear last night. JC was hooning around the track for what would have been hours to shoot all the camera angles. You know at 8 miles a gallon they have to refill those supercars once or twice during the day. That said, I betting the Tesla review will show a car charging complete with inpatient 'tapping foot" visuals.


Hoon by the way, was a new word for me. Even though I don't do that much any more I wanted to try it in a sentence.

 

[doug]

VIDEO: Tesla Roadster gets a tough workout, drifting included - Autoblog

btw, someone in the autoblog comments says TG will have the Roadster on Dec 14.

 

[vfx]

...btw, someone in the autoblog comments says TG will have the Roadster on Dec 14.

!

 

[dpeilow]

I'm not sure how they know that, I have been checking regular Top Gear sources every week. Looks like I got scooped :frown:

The BBC website should confirm this tomorrow night after this week's show goes out.

 

[graham]

It looks like somewhere between Part 1 and Part 3 of the OnCars video, Elon's car lost the "L" of "T E S L A" across the rear. Perhaps they owe Elon more than just a set of tires...

I hope this does not mean the car logo is easy to come off. My imagination has a Roadster shedding like a deciduous tree in the autumn. "Don't follow too close!"

 

[TEG]

Just in time for Christmas! No-eL

 

[vfx]

Gone are the days of holes and clips.

The letters are just stuck on with two sided tape. I'd say it's really cheezy but it's how all logos and badges are done these days. You can grab them and the move quite easily. The thin tiny Tesla letters don't help much with affixing them rigidly.

 

[just-an-allusion]

OnCars.com's review of the Tesla

Screw those British [cabbages] over at Top Gear, let's get a second opinion on the Tesla's abilities:

After the unfortunate Top Gear review of the Tesla Roadster, this guy over at http://www.onelectricars.com thought he would provide a more in-depth and encouraging review hosted by Emile Bouret of OnCars.com. This three part review is very informative and really covers all the bases, as Emile describes the Tesla Roadster’s design, experience, and performance.

OnCars.com Incredibly In-Depth Tesla Roadster Video Review : On Electric Cars

A double [cabbage] dog bollox on those shrews at Top Gear! ;-)

 

[shark2k]

I found this on Youtube a couple days ago. Was gonna post it but never did, good thing. Anyway, I gotta say, I really enjoyed this review. It was really fun watching this guy drive the Roadster hard like he did (just because it shows that you can do that kind of stuff in an electric, like smoke the tires and do donuts :biggrin

Hopefully we can get more reviews like this. I also thought it was awesome finally getting to hear the Roadster start up. Never heard that before and it really did sound like a video game system. I also really liked hearing the wine from the motor. It did sound like something out of The Jetsons and like a turbine. That sound would be so cool to have when slowing down.

-Shark2k