Wednesday 1st April 2009
Tesla Roadster To Get Its Own Race Series
Green racing series on the cards
An eco racing series could be just around the corner after a group of prospective Tesla Roadster owners expressed an interest in a single-make series.
Surprisingly, the momentum behind the Tesla racing series has come from the oil rich Middle East. There’s no doubt the Lotus Elise based Tesla Roadster would prove an entertaining track prospect, but at roughly £95k for the road car
it may struggle to gather support.
Tesla communictions manger Rachel Konrad say "The Roadster's acceleration certainly makes it competitive against other premium sports cars, so it's not surprising that some customers are interested in competitions.”
However, there may be a few barriers to this new form of ‘green motorsport’. Continual hard driving may force the Tesla’s motor to overheat,causing a loss of power that wouldn’t make for very exciting racing. Races would also have to be kept to short Sprint events, as a Le Mans-style 24 hour race would no doubt be made up of more battery charging than racing.
|
Droptheclutch
Original Poster
1,342 posts
62 months
|
1st of April...
Come on, there's got to be a better April fools joke than that!
|
|
|
jimjim150
70 posts
21 months
|
|
|
Blukoo
1,856 posts
34 months
|
I read this in a magazine somewhere, so I don't think this is the April fools joke. Its was a small bit about how the environmentally friendly car owners has kinda missed the point in the vehicles... Edit: looky... 
|
|
|
tangerine_sedge
324 posts
55 months
|
Technically, I presume that they are eligible for the Lotus Elise on Track championship? It would be interesting to see one run against the Elises/Exiges but I have no idea what class it would go into. It would be an interesting marketing project for Tesla/Lotus to follow though 
|
|
|
Fetchez la vache
3,645 posts
51 months
|
As mentioned at the end surely the issue would be attempting to run any decent length race at full whack.
If they can somehow up the distace, then this great PR aimed at petrolhead commuters who presumably this thing is aimed at (and have over £90k to spend on one - I think).
|
Advertisement
|
|
|
ScoobieWRX
3,138 posts
63 months
|
Maybe they could strap a couple of bicycle dynamos to the wheel arches or perhaps a couple of windmills in the front air intake to generate a trickle charge. Could extend their range by several feet!! 
|
|
|
stew-S160
4,742 posts
75 months
|
will they have pit stops? which take 3 hours!
|
|
|
Spiritual_Beggar
3,215 posts
31 months
|
Hang on a minute here......Back the hell up.......
People have actually bought this car??!!! At £95k on the road price!!!! Seriously!!!!
|
|
|
OJ
6,439 posts
65 months
|
If this isn't a joke, they'll need some fairly serious fire fighting equipment... not sure I'd want to push 400 kilos worth of Lithium Ion batteries to it's absolute limit on a regular basis
On a positive note, the nimby's would struggle to make a case against it
|
|
|
ChapppeRS
1,552 posts
28 months
|
Inside sources say the race will last approximately 2-4 laps depending on how carefully the cars are driven and the track being used.
|
|
|
mrk4thom
152 posts
94 months
|
In other words full size scalextric.
|
|
|
OJ
6,439 posts
65 months
|
ChapppeRS said: Inside sources say the race will last approximately 2-4 laps depending on how carefully the cars are driven and the track being used. Mmmm, I'd say 10 at full chat before something starts overheating. Perhaps less if it's really in the middle east
|
|
|
Nickellarse
406 posts
26 months
|
It would be the quietest race ever!
|
|
|
Mr JP
69 posts
55 months
|
Nickellarse said: It would be the quietest race ever!
Apart from this...... 
|
|
|
Mr JP
69 posts
55 months
|
Nickellarse said: It would be the quietest race ever!
Apart from this......
|
|
|
Mr JP
69 posts
55 months
|
Nickellarse said: It would be the quietest race ever!
Apart from this......
|
|
|
millband
894 posts
51 months
|
I think it'd be a brilliant move, certainly the best way to improve the product for the future.
|
|
|
Ed.
718 posts
75 months
|
Mr JP said: Nickellarse said: It would be the quietest race ever!
Apart from this...... So funny its had to be said 3 times?
|
|
|
Nickellarse
406 posts
26 months
|
Ed. said: Mr JP said: Nickellarse said: It would be the quietest race ever!
Apart from this...... So funny its had to be said 3 times?  those diesels are very quiet...
|
|
|
XitUp
3,577 posts
41 months
|
Battery swapping pit stops maybe?
|
|
