Just thought I'd point out the first fast and practical electric car I've known about.

http://www.teslamotors.com/

 

Try the search function, n00b.

https://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/...ighlight=tesla

/couldn't resist.
//runs away from Jason.

 

 

Now that's funny...

 

http://www.technoride.com/article/Tesla+Sells+Out+its+AllElectric+Roadsters/186255_1.aspx

Tesla Sells Out its All-Electric Roadsters
REVIEW DATE: 16-AUG-2006
By Errol Pierre-Louis
It seems the Tesla Roadster's hefty price tag hasn't scared away buyers. Less than a month after unveiling its new all-electric sports car, Tesla Motors' CEO Martin Eberhard announced that the company has already sold all 100 of its limited-edition Roadsters.

Tesla Motors introduced the world to the Roadster at its "Signature Hundred Event" on July 19th. The Tesla Roadster reaches top speeds of 130 mph with a 0-to-60 time of about 4 seconds. It travels 250 miles on a single charge of its whisper-quiet electric motor.

Among early buyers were Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin and eBay co-founder Jeff Skoll, all of whom are investors in Tesla Motors. While Tesla has received one-hundred $100,000 deposits, each of which guarantees a Tesla Roadster for the depositor, only a few of these vehicles have been completed.

 

Man, it's hard to believe they are getting that kind of performance and that kind of range out of that car. There has got to be a catch somewhere.

 

For starters, it's not due to ship until Fall 2007. Factor in at least 10 months of delays and you're looking at mid-2008. That's two years from now before they have to deliver on any of their promises.

I'll get on a waiting list for an '08 Prius, thanks.

 

I mean, I just checked out their website and all that checks out, but with that performance, you would think the range would be about 40 miles or so. That's amazing.

 

The difference that makes elecrtic very well suited for high-performance vehicles is that there is no parasitic drag associated with increasing the kilowatts of the engine, whereas increasing the displacement on a gasoline engine requires a lot more pumping losses.

Another point of note is that efficiency is fairly level at all levels of output -- a gasoline engine is only at peak efficiency, about ~28%, at a very narrow band of RPMs. Hybrid vehicles are designed to maximize the time vehicles operate in this band. Hard accelerations, and wide-open-throttle of any kind causes efficiency to plummet. On the other hand, the Tesla is 90% efficient at normal power outputs, and 80% efficient at max throttle, so you lose almost nothing by accelerating flat-out, instead of operating with less than a third the efficiency as you would at WOT on a gasoline engine.

 

Yup, it's pretty amazing. I cant wait for the technology to be proven to the point of mass production so the rest of us can drive a EV that's comprable (or better than) to any ICE auto in the near future. Not to mention, kick the oil habit, and reduce pollution at the same time!