Top Gear - Tesla: lots more to come

[dpeilow]

This type of position is typical of the Daily Mail. They are very much the "it's new, therefore it must have something wrong" type of paper. For example, 10 years ago the internet was the cause of all society's ills. It doesn't have the nickname "Daily Wail" for nothing.

I've got a feeling they ran a story about a Prius hitting someone in a similar vein a while ago.

 

[WarpedOne]

It is sounding like range for enthusiastic drivers isn't going to live up to the EPA numbers.

Show me ONE car that does live up to EPA numbers when pushed to the limits. It just the basic physics. EPA highway cycle is this:

• Duration: 765 seconds
• Total distance: 10.26 miles (16.45 km)
• Average Speed: 48.3 mi/h (77.7 km/h)

If you're pushing it beyond that, the energy has to come from somewhere. And twice as hard is four or eight times the power i.e. "energy consumption".

 

[dpeilow]

I found this interesting:

There's none of the elastic spring that you get from a mental turbocharged Caterham or similar: all 295lb ft of torque is available from 0rpm, so there's simply an incredible sensation of being yanked up to speed by some enormous winch.

It struck me yesterday that the sensation I felt - albeit very briefly around London - was the closest I have felt to a glider (sailplane) launch on four wheels. If you've ever done that, you will understand how the linear acceleration feels.

 

[TEG]

The closest thing for me is when a roller-coaster launches. Not too surprising since most tend to be electric powered.

 

[malcolm]

Thanks TEG. Useful shorthand:

Tesla Roadster acceleration; less like Reventon, more like Rita.

Rita - Queen of Speed - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(except Rita uses hydraulics to launch)

 

[SByer]

Ah, yes. Especially a LIM launched roller coaster. I'm thinking the one at Disney's California Adventure, in particular.

 

[vfx]

Ah, yes. Especially a LIM launched roller coaster. I'm thinking the one at Disney's California Adventure, in particular.

i compared it to the "Superman" ride at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia,

I actually think the Roaster is faster but I have not found the Superman ride's 0-60 times.

 

[vfx]

was the closest I have felt to a glider (sailplane) launch on four wheels.

So you mean the bungy launch of a sailplane?

I have jumped off some bridges and felt the return acceleration

 

[flabby]

Ah, yes. Especially a LIM launched roller coaster. I'm thinking the one at Disney's California Adventure, in particular.

Last time I rode this Disneyland roller coaster, I asked them what the acceleration was just so I could compare it to Tesla's Roadster:smile:...the roller coaster was a little faster.

 

[TEG]

0-120 in 4 seconds:

 

[dpeilow]

So you mean the bungy launch of a sailplane?

I have jumped off some bridges and felt the return acceleration

On the few leasons I've had, we were launched by a big Chevy V8, but some clubs use electric winches. There's a small length of bungee on the otherwise wire cable to reduce the shock on the hitch when the cable goes taught - but by the time that happens, the engine is already at full revs. The first time you do it, the acceleration is quite an eye-opener. :biggrin:

 

[dpeilow]

Roadster and Top Gear

Just picked up the December Top Gear magazine. There is a preview of the current season (we are 3 shows in now) and a "green section" in the middle.

Nothing about the Roadster on TV is mentioned, but it does say James May is off to California to look at the Honda FCX at some point.

However, in the green section, amongst the Volts and PBP articles, is a two page review of the Roadster. They reviewed the Blue car - AU58 AJY - that we think is the one that was crashed.

However, I was two thirds of the way through it when I read "at 85mph, the juice used per mile is about double what it is at 55mph. I had to slipstream trucks to get myself home." Hmm - that sounds familiar. Then I noticed one of the photos was too. Sure enough, the author is the same Paul Horrell from the Motortrend article.

That aside, it is a different article to the MT one - probably the best review I have seen so far, even if some of the points are the same. I can't find it online, so I will put it on the scanner tomorrow. There are some choice quotes, such as, "It's performance is immense, but it's so controllable, so instant, so transparent and so silently effective that it just feels like and extension of you." "The promise is delivered. The Tesla sniffs out corners with giddy enthusiasm and serves up steering feedback so intimate it's almost rude." "The traction control, even in slippery conditions, is masterful." "It feels very complete. It's gone beyond intriguing now. It's real. And it's amazing".


I'm still waiting with fingers crossed for it to show up on the TV show, it certainly isn't showing on the next episode page yet.

 

[dpeilow]

As promised, here are the scans. If I get time I will upload the stuff on the Volt and PBP.

 

[graham]

This is a great review! Thank you for scanning/sharing it dpeilow!

 

[vfx]

Yeah, good AND accurate.

 

[graham]

Yeah, good AND accurate.

Imagine that! :biggrin:

Now if we can only get them to film it for television...

 

[tomsax]

I'd like to see the math behind the 40g/km CO2 emissions when powered from "gas-fired power stations." I assume that means natural gas? If so, my figures say it's more like 120g/km.

I'm assuming 32.5 kwh per 100 miles (EPA sticker from F016) and 0.596 kg/kwh for natural gas generation (from an EPA study).

 

[shark2k]

It is interesting to learn that at 85 MPH the juice used per mile is about double what it is at 55 MPH. I'm curious how this relates to gas powered cars, because I know the faster you go in a gas powered car, the more gas you use, so it only makes sense that that would also happen in an electric car.

It would be awesome for this car to be on Top Gear just because I like being able to see fun videos of this car and I'm sure it would be fun on Top Gear.

-Shark2k

 

[TEG]

Speeding wastes gas - Mar. 27, 2008

 

[shark2k]

Thanks TEG.

-Shark2k