It is these days the news of the postponement of Tesla Roadster launch to 2022, but to increase the anticipation, the American company allows customers to see it live. One example is in fact on display at the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles, with some previews. So let's see the latest news on the new Roadster project, and find out the reason for its delay. And yes, we will talk about the alleged rockets in the rear of the SpaceX version.
Tesla Roadster, the launch will be in 2022 but is already being seen at the Peterson Museum
Since its inception in 2004 Tesla has drawn a lot of attention to itself, also thanks (or because of, depending on the point of view) of its histrionic CEO, the famous Elon Musk. THE most iconic models of the American House are undoubtedly there Model S, the electric that surprised the world in 2012 with range, performance and first-of-its-kind technology, the Model X, with its crazy Falcon Doors, and the 3, the best-selling electric in the world. Few of Tesla fans, however, remember the first car ever produced by the Palo Alto manufacturer: the Roadster.
Thrown into the distance 2008, the little Roadster was in effect a "beta" of future Tesla. It didn't have the classic Tesla 15-inch multimedia screen we know today, nor super-fast charging, nor the insane performance we know now. It was surprisingly simple and "traditional", with so many commands taken directly from the car it is based on. The most passionate of you in fact will recognize the lines of the Lotus Elise, both inside and out. And indeed, Tesla bought the chassis from Lotus, then going to mount a rear electric motor with 252 HP and 270 Nm of torque, capable of running at over 14.000 rpm. How do we know this? Tesla fitted a striking tachometer to the Roadster's analog instrument cluster. Could it be a clue that they wanted to equip it with a gearbox with two or more speeds?
In any case, one is connected to this motor lithium-ion battery that includes 6.831 cells, for a total of 53 kWh and a weight of 450 kg. The car in total weighs only 1.300 kg, and in fact the driveability is very reminiscent of that of Elise, with very interesting performances: 0-100 km / h in 4 seconds and 200 km / h top speed. The autonomy, on the other hand, is about 393 kg in the EPA cycle. The Roadster cost very much, approx 100.000 €, not a few to have a car based on an “uncomfortable” Elise, which cost 60.000 euros less. In any case, this was one of the first really convincing electric cars in terms of autonomy and driveability, and they were sold over 2.500 units from 2008 to 2012. The experience gained with the Roadster then served in the production of Model S, the car that made Tesla soar in 2012.
The launch postponed to 2022, Elon Musk: "It's not our top priority, but it will come"
And here, 9 years after the first Tesla Roadster went out of production, the two-seater sports car from the House comes back to life in a totally different form. The next generation Tesla Roadster was presented 4 years ago, in 2017 by Elon Musk himself during the event to showcase Tesla's power truck, the Semi. In true Musk style, in fact, while the South African entrepreneur presented the Semi, the "small" Roadster came out of the truck trailer, taking everyone by surprise. The aesthetic has not changed for now, and is very different from that of the first Roadster.
We no longer find a body almost identical to that of Lotus Elise, but a completely new chassis, ready to house the latest generation batteries and motors. The lines are very simple and flimsy, in true Tesla style, with a side without any interruption. There are no mirrors or handles, everything is fluid and incredibly streamlined. Although the name Roadster suggests a "classic" discovery with a folding roof, the Tesla sports car sports a Targa bodywork, that is with the central part of the removable roof, like some Porsche 911s and the new Corvette C8.
Inside then, although we do not yet have a definitive design, we find the usual riot of screens Tesla, with clean and minimalist lines. The passenger compartment is in 2 + 2 configuration, with two seats in front and two folding seats for children or for short trips to the rear. However, not much has changed since 2017. Around that time, Tesla focused on its business model, Model 3, arrived on the market in 2019. The little Tesla was a real lifeline for the company, with which sales have skyrocketed. And today, Tesla's priorities are still other. The problems in the construction of the GigaFactory in Berlin, the development of the Model Y SUV for the world market, without forgetting the 2020 with the Covid-19 pandemic, led Tesla to postpone the launch of the Roadster.
Since the initial launch estimated for 2020, the House has postponed its debut on the market to the end of 2021. Finally, in recent weeks, Elon Musk is back to talking about the home sports car, further postponing the marketing of the Roadster to next year. “We have not forgotten the Tesla Roadster. In these years we have invested in the factories for the production of Model 3 and Y. Our priority, however, is that of perfect the Model Y launch and better develop Cybertruck and Semi. THE final prototypes Roadsters will be completed at the end of the 2021. Tesla Roadster is not our priority at the moment, but it will undoubtedly arrive in 2022. "
What we know so far about the Tesla Roadster: 10.000 Nm of torque, 200 kWh of battery and incredible performance
If there is one thing that Tesla can do very well, it is to keep the characteristics of their models hidden to create hype and anticipation. And it is also the case of Tesla Roadster, of which we do not know many things, while we can already tell you about the most surprising and frankly incredible features. Let's start immediately with the less wow things. As mentioned, the chassis is completely new: it does not derive from any Tesla model, and it was specially developed for the Roadster. We now come to the most interesting features. Unlike the first series of Roadsters, which only had a rear engine, this time the American sports car will use three engines: one in front and two behind. There will then be the four-wheel drive, essential given the level of power and torque that the three engines can deliver.
We do not yet know the raw power, although we believe it can be easily over 1.000, even 2.000 hp. Why are we so sure? Why the pair delivered by these engines is impressive: 10.000 Nm, ten thousand. To give you an idea, the car with the most torque currently on the market is the Koenigsegg Gemera with 1.600 hp and “only” 3.500 Nm. The most powerful truck in the world currently on the market, Scania R770, has a 8 hp V770 engine and 3.700 Nm. Tesla Roadster has three times the torque of the most powerful truck on the market.
But it's not just the couple that impress. The battery has a double capacity compared to that of the most capacious mounted on Tesla Model S and X: from 100 to 200 kWh. This number has sparked several controversies, since such a large battery pack with the technologies known at the moment seems to be nothing short of impossible to achieve on such a compact car, and its weight should be monstrous, over 900 kg. In Tesla, however, they let it be known that the Roadster will use a nnew generation of more modern, light and performing batteries. On paper, Elon Musk said Roadster can drive "from Los Angeles to San Francisco and back without ever stopping to recharge ".
This means aautonomy of about 1.000 km, a truly excellent result and that makes the pole with speed performance. According to the house, Tesla Roadster is able to accelerate from 0 to 100 km / h in just 1,9 seconds, cover the quarter mile in an incredible 8,88 seconds and reach a top speed of over 400 km / h.
The novelty of the SpaceX package: rockets in the rear and 0-100 km / h in 1,1 seconds?!? "Not suitable for those with pathologies"
Exceptional performance to say the least, but that apparently in Tesla they are not considered enough. The news of these days is in fact thecar exhibition at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, one of the most beautiful automotive-themed museums in the world, featuring precious, unique and incredible pieces. The Petersen Museum will exhibit the new Roadster alongside the 2008 first series for a couple of weeks, until June 2 this year. And the first visitors noticed an impressive novelty.
In fact, a surprising wording has appeared on the classic plate under the car towards the end. After the classic explanations you could read above, a unreleased SpaceX Package. "To demonstrate the versatility of the electric power supply and add even more character to the car's already high performance" writes the Petersen Museum, "it will be possible opt for the SpaceX Package. This will allow 0-100 km / h acceleration in just 1,1 s. A level of performance almost never reached by production cars ".
How can a 1,9-second car in the 0-100 go just 1,1 seconds, an acceleration of almost 1,5 seconds faster than a Formula 1? Simple, with rockets in the back. No, we are not kidding. Already a few months ago Musk had launched on Twitter the possibility of ordering a Roadster with a “SpaceX Package”, which would have increased performance. Inspired by the space program funded and directed by Musk himself, the SpaceX Package represents the debut of a crazy and almost unbelievable technology. Of another planet, we would like to say.
In fact, the idea seems to be that of equip Tesla Roadster with "some" ultra-compressed air rocket. No, seriously. The rear seats of the Roadster will be replaced by gods very high pressure tanks of compressed cold air, ready to use. These rockets will literally "fire" Tesla Roadster at true dragster speed in the Top Fuel category. However, there are some minor drawbacks. Apparently, this "rocket acceleration" will be usable only once. After 0-100 km / h in 1,1 seconds, in fact, the tanks are completely empty and must be refilled, it is not yet known where and at what price. Given the insane acceleration, then, Tesla immediately stated that this package will not be suitable for the most sensitive individuals, suffering from cardiac, respiratory diseases or in general people whose health can degenerate in case of accelerations of different G.
Tesla Roadster: Founders' Edition pre-order price is $ 250.000
Certainly this burning acceleration will make people talk about it, and could make the Tesla Roadster the fastest production car in the world. And how much will all this cost? Tesla's stated price for the Roadster is 200.000 dollars, about 165.000 euros. A low price on paper given the incredible level of performance, but which we reserve the right to know once production has begun. For those who do not want to wait, however, the special Founders' Edition is already available and can be ordered, a batch of 1.000 Roadster for the first thousand car customers.
This version is already available for purchase with a deposit of $ 50.000, and the total price is $ 250.000, approximately € 205.000. We still don't know what the Founders' Edition version includes, if it offers more power, more luxuries or who knows what other gimmick of the eccentric American house. Finally, there is still a big question mark about the now famous SpaceX Package. Will it be available for Roadsters for road use? How much will it cost? And will it be possible to refuel the tanks with compressed air? These are all questions that cannot be answered at the moment. The wait is certainly long, and we will have to wait at least until the end of this year, when the first prototypes should see the way. And what do you think? Are you intrigued by this Tesla Roadster or is it a little too much? If you had 200.000 euros to spend, would you buy yourself or a traditional thermal Supercar? Let us know here in the comments!
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