I whole heartly agree! I wish I had $100,000 to get one now, but as an alternate plan am babying my 1997 Honda along in hopes of making it last until the price comes down. My entire house in electric, no gas, and up to now I have not been able to justify the cost of solar panels. Being able to power my car in addition to my home power needs would make that a more viable option for me.

Judith, Hidden Valley Lake, CA

Judith, Hidden Valley Lake, CA

What Leno says, I respect wholeheartedly. He hit the nail right on the head and didn't miss, not even once.

He knows his stuff. Anyone who knows his collection knows that.

Ted, Bensalem, PA

As a college student at Ithaca College, a college which is continually increasing sustainability and concerned with the environment this is a dream car for me. Honestly speaking if the average consumer did have a spare $100,000, I believe they would buy it and love it. I actually did come across a Tesla in my hometown of Horseheads, NY. She really is a thing of beauty. There isn't much trunk space so for something along the lines of packing for a trip or moving into college it is not functional. Tesla says that they will also be coming out with a Sedan model car and are hoping to release that into the 2009 model year as well at trying to price it lower for the average consumer to now buy. I think that the Tesla Roadster will decrease in price as well over the next few years. Hopefully enough for me to get one before I graduate. Until then I will keep hoping to win the lottery and save my money for one of the best investments I can hope to make in my life.

Brendan Hurley, Ithaca, New York

The charging time shouldn't be much of an issue in real world situations. With the high voltage home charging system, the Tesla easily charges fully overnight and can charge to 80% capacity in only a few hours. You come home at night, plug the Tesla in, and the next morning you have 200 miles worth of charge. This will exceed the needs of a vast majority of drivers.

Rory, Washington, DC

9/11/07 the battery seems to be a limiting issue...I read where the Phoenix discovered that the phosphate li-on battery has a quick recharge time, longer range time termed the "golden chalice" for auto electric energy solution..with the same acceleration capabilities....maybe Toyota will downsize its Prius engine configuration to use this battery with an electric engine with a recharge fan, as suggested, or exchange the gas engine to electric and downsize the gas engine for use as a battery charger to use when needed??...suggest reading about the most recent info about this phosphate li on battery. pack which can be recharged using a home 220 outlet that is used for a clothes dryer.....the fed and state gov't buy the most vehicles....if they go electric....the prices will drop.... Are there electric auto kits?? just adapt a suitable electric powered unit for the gas powered unit in our current vehicle?

Ron, Longwood, FL, USA

$100'000, of which at least half should be subsidised by the government and by companies turning billion $ profits at the expense of the environment. If only your government had even the slightest bit of environmental intergrity. Alas, it will be another few decades before such a great vehicle will reach a competitive price level. This car should retail at $35'000, let Exxon & co pick up the rest. How else can they be forced to invest in the future. Makes me sick

ROb, Basel, Switzerland

So what about the size of the car, A guy like Leno is not a small guy, how did he like the interior space?

Oh yeah, what about a place like Phoenix? How will the car handle out here? Sign me up as a test driver anytime. i weegh in at 240+/- mostly muscle so I want to know how this car fits guys like me that commutes every day.

By the way I work at the main electrical generating company here which has a power station for electrical cars on site.

Daily fill ups, Kool Stuff.

Bring it on!

Dan Wagner, Phoenix, AZ

Dude, don't even pretend you have battery concerns on this car. Are you seriously going to drive a 2-seater convertible 1,650 miles a week, week in and week out for 3 years which is 257,000 miles!!? Do you drive all your $100,000 cars like that? Also an equivalent petrol car will require a lot of maintenance in 257,000 miles - compared to the Tesla as described in the article will require zero maintenance. If I had a Lotus Elise, which is arguably the gas equivalent of the Tesla, I would try very hard and be happy if I put 20,000 miles on it per year. This is a 2,600 lb car that sits pretty low on the road. For your kind of driving, I'd say you need a vehicle with a backseat for a sometimes 3rd passenger and trunk to carry your work stuff - it will be a 3,500 lb sedan. The average driver who can afford a Tesla roadster will probably have 3 cars, and the battery pack will last them over 10 years.

misterTwo, Lakewood,

I'm concerned about the replacement cost of the batteries. As an outside sales-person with short daily trips of between 140-160 miles driven 5-6 days a week, the battery life will be almost used up in about three (3) years. Can you estimate the cost of battery replacement 3 years from now and, with newer anticipated technological improvements, 6 - 10 yars from now?

Roger W. Panning, Cincinnati, USA

I want one. A clean world please!

Hey Mr, Leno, nice car collection eh :)

Karl Von J., Cancun, Mexico

I wan't one! When will I be able to afford one?

Legion, Cape Coral,

Other than maybe better suspension and handling aspects , I don't see how the Elise could top the Telsa on the track. Think about it...linear torque all controled by one pedal. No shifting gears, no power band to stay in and no missed shifts or driver error to contend with. I would have to say that if a Tesla was set up with regards to track performance, there would be few cars in any price range that could top it on the track.

Steve, Mantua, New Jersey

electric cars are tha answer. hydrogen may never becom viable it is far less efficent than electric cars and this is why:
electric car- power from grid to batteries to motor around, 70% to 80% efficent
Hydrogen car- power from grid to water electrolysis to hydrogen compressor to fuel cell to motor, about 25% efficent

so electric cars are the way forward plus we have the infrastructure.

John, swansea, UK

To Sam from Tampa, of course a group of college students or industry experts can build "A" car that is more advanced than this one, but this isn't just ONE car it is a production model unlike the Lightening and the Phoenix is way behind Tesla in its overall lifecycle, so I would hope like heck if they are just now starting that they will eventually have something that is more advanced than the Tesla, but if you never want something built unless it is the most advanced nothing would ever get done because as soon as you start, some new part, some new resin, some new alloy would become available. You would have to keep starting over. This is the same mentality of all these people who keep saying these cars aren't green because making electricity is not green. It is greener than oil/gasoline and has the potential in the future to get better and better. Gas will ALWAYS have bad emmisions. Why wait for the "PERFECT" solution someday, when you can have a really good solution today.

Jeff Hall, Shelton, CT

After seeing the movie "Who Killed The Electric Car?" My life has not been the same. I now Love Electric Vehicles and have educated myself and my friends and family of the Greatness and Inevitability of the (Battery, Not fuel cell) Electricity Powered Vehicle. Tesla Motors, Great Job. Now please build an Electric Vehicle for Under twenty thousand and allow owners to lease the batteries and you will make a world very very happy. Thank you Tesla Motors. I'm waiting for you to build my Electric Vehicle.

Joseph, Pasadena, California, USA

Gas is DEAD. The future belongs to electric cars and boats and planes. It's just how you use the power.

Croydon Kemp, Sturgeon Bay, WI

Leno never said he wouldn't buy one. He said it will start with the rich. He is rich and he is correct that this technology will start with wealthy customers. It has been the same with most technological advances. I am glad that this car is sporting. Sports cars and race cars often pioneer performance and safety revolutions that trickle down into the economy market. Economy cars rarely use the state-of-the-art. That is what makes them inexpensive. Tesla's success translates into the success of other vehicles going to similar propulsion systems.

jt, sherman, tx

I'm not going to bother to read in case someone else has brought this up. I hope they have.

Leno, buddy, you'd shell out 1 mill for an F1 and a half mill for a Carrera GT but won't ante up (down rather) the 100 grand for a Roadster?

You're getting more performance for your money and you know it.

Don't pretend you're not rich either. Jesus. It's embarrassing.

Michael, North Vancouver, Canada

I am absolutely dazzled by the Tesla news and would get a reverse mortgage on the house to pay for it , but the inevitable spousal objections would intervene. It seems to me that the Tesla people have a winner but and its a big but that big oil is going to stifle the whole thing. Also the taxers are going to have to cook up a way of getting their revenues out of the EV. Good luck, Tesla Motors!

Chuck Holmes, Stockton, USA California

Cut the cost by lower the horse power and expect more range at a more reasonable speed. Like 65 mph. Imploy solar panels and a miniture solar steam turbine. Also why can crystals create radio freak but be reverse engerneered to pro duce electricity. Get rid of the extras go to skinny tires an light wieght seats. make them single seaters.

guy, beaver falls, pa

You need non-polluting electrical generation and the only sound source you can this from is geothermal. A 2006 report by MIT that took into account the use of Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) concluded that it would be affordable to generate 100 GWe (gigawatts of electricity) or more by 2050 in the United States alone, for a maximum investment of $1 billion US in research and development over 15 years.

The MIT report estimated that there was enough energy in hard rocks 10 km below the United States to supply all the world's current needs for 30,000 years. There seems no reason why the steam should not feed an existing coal, oil or nuclear fired generating plant.

D, Seattle,

I know you are planning a realistically priced sedan soon, but you want to kick it into HIGH gear and really scare the big three... make a minivan for about $40K, but you better be prepared for the screaming hordes that will be lining up for them.

Jeff Hall, Shelton, CT

Electric cars will replace gasoline and even diesel cars. I can't wait to buy an American car that leads the pack and runs only on electricity. It is about time.

Lenny Stoltman, North Bend, WA

It is just so logical. I am just afraid that they will get to you like they did Tucker. Please sell me a kit. I would put it in my Porshe in a second. I can't wait for years for a Tesla that I can afford.

John Nein, Pelham, NH

There is no question that EV is just waiting to explode around the country. Hydrogen, with no infrastructure and fuel cells not perfected, is at least 50 years away and by then won't be as "cheap" as gas is today. Bio-fuels has no national consensus and again, no infrastructure. There is no question that GM & Chevron ultimately viewed the EV-1 as a threat and ignored growing demand. We are being gouged at the pump and they make billions in profits: Big Auto is threatened by a simpler product with less parts and less repairs. Government will lose tax revenue from people buying a less gas. Demand drives technological advances & mass production. The first ICEs had problems but got better and cheaper; EV will too! Why worry about charging time when you can do it virtually anywhere? Batteries will continue to improve and will be recyclable. The Tesla is already a huge success just from word of mouth. Cheaper, more practical EVs are just around the corner. Wake up America - vote EV !!!

Dave, Mundelein, USA

Dear Tesla,
Please adopt a abandoned model mini-van like the Mazda MPV. All the mechanical engineering is done. Ford should be willing to partner with you and even do the production for you in their underutilized factories.

Two to three children families will bless you for the rest of their days.

Stephen Hamilton, Menlo Park, CA

The Tesla is absolutely brilliant. Now we need working-class version: an EV similar to a MINI Cooper or VW Rabbit with the Tesla's 200+ mile range but at a sub-$40,000 price. with its reduced fuel/maintenance costs and tax incentives, even a $35K "Tesla Rabbit" could compete against its $20K conventional counterparts. 0-60 in 11 seconds and an 80MPH top speed would be acceptable compromises if those lower performance levels would help drop the price or extend the range. Tesla -- I'll buy one tomorrow if you'll build it!

Ed Keeter, Grand Rapids, MI

As for the so-called negative impact on our economy, that's what John Studebaker feared when making wheelbarrows. So he built automobiles. It always evens out in the long run and the world prospers. Change is the only thing that is constant.
Just think of all the problems that will be eliminated by the adoption of electric cars, and the new industries needing employees to develop and service the new system.

Norm, Lincoln , California, USA

why don't the sevice stations offer battery trading for greater range. Like Propane gas, you bring in the drained one and pick up a fully charged, ready to go fresh one?

David, Incline Village,

Buy a Telsa, convert to windtricity (as easy as calling your local utility company), and start changing the world one dollar at a time.

jason, San Antonio, usa/texas

Amazing article. This highlights the tension between Electric Fuel and the Bio Fuel. The big Power companies will not support this as it negates the need for a distribuiton network from which a lot of profit is generated.

If this kind of technology became wide spread there would be no need for refineries, tanker firms, Service Station franchises etc..as drivers will simply recharge at home. This will have a negative impact on our economy as all the above create jobs. Progress is good but at what cost?

Nick, London, U.k

I'm not sure it's that straightforward. Conversion rates from coal to electricity at the home are poor; add in the pipeline emissions, externalities from power station construction, issues with battery manufacture/replacements et al and then see whether we have seen the future yet.

Neil Marshall, Cambridge, UK

David,

The vehicle itself is in fact "zero emission". Where it gets it power from is an entirely different argument. It is still ridiculously more efficient to run an electric vehicle even if you use coal fired power plants to generate the electricity.

The best way for people to change the world is to vote with their dollars. Buy a Telsa to encourage a better future.

Taylor, Richmond, B.C., Canada

If I had the money, the Tesla would be an awesome daily driver. It's an eight mile round trip to work. Now we would need a gas powered car as well, since Dallas is 190 miles away. There are some things in Texas you can only get in the big city.
To many people are letting perfection be the enemy of good enough. Let's get the sustainble fuels ball rolling, so that when the oil/fossil fuel gravy train does dry up, the world we be somehat prepared.

Michael, Abilene, USA/Texas

David,
I think it is common knowledge that EVs are only as clean as the source of the electricity. And while it's unlikely that they truly are zero emission at least they have the potential to be. Something that an ICE cannot say. I believe that Tesla has made arrangements with some PV installers to provide solar charging stations as an option for Tesla buyers. The US generates around 50% of its electricity by burning coal. Whether or not this is the electricity charging your Tesla is dependent on your location. Even if you get 100% of your electricity from coal it will result in less CO2 since these powerplants operate more efficiently than an ICE in today's vehicles. So the "green" aspect of the Tesla is undeniable. It's just a matter of how green.

Tim Egan, California , MD

This Tesla looks good - but I wish people would stop calling electric cars "zero emission". OK, they don't produce fumes at the point of use, but the coal/oil fired power station that makes the electricity certainly does.

David Rendle, Maidenhead,

Sorry Ron ... you can't put a windmill on an electric car and run forever. The drag and extra friction would exceed the amount of energy generated. The laws of thermodynamics are quite harsh and non-negotiable.

Neil, Vancouver, BC

The more I read about the Tesla, the more I work towards saving my money so that one day I can purchase one for myself. Thank goodness for those who can afford one at $100,000. This means the technology will continue to improve while the cost goes down. I look forward to seeing you Roadster Owners driving around the streets while creating zero emissions.

Bill Corey, Las Vegas, Nevada

In response to Ed from Guildford, the charman of the board and initial investor Elon Musk is the primary investor in a company called SolarCity and hopes to sell discounted solar cell packages with the car. Obviously in California this is an easything to do and will offset the cost and environmental impact of the car considerably however in the UK it's harder for us to use solar cells efficiently. A wind turbine would probably do a better job although obviously they have a much larger impact on the look of your home and garden than solar cells. I will be lining up to buy one of these when they comes to the UK and are more affordable.

Andrew, Glasgow, UK

Great write-up.
Electric cars will arrive to the masses when the Chevy Volt goes live.
See http://www.gm-volt.com

LD, Suffern,

What a shame Jeremy Clarkson snuck off on holiday and left Jay Leno to review what could have resulted in the delicious prospect of Jeremy eating some humble pie in relation to his derision thusfar of the capabilities of electric vehicles. Not to say that Jay didn't do a good job but I would have welcomed a bit more about the green benefits of the Telsa which can be discovered on the teslamotors.com website. Whichever way you cut it, the Tesla is a marvellous feat of engineering that has the potential to provide fast, fun motoring with green performance to blow the opposition out of the water. Tesla are in negotiation with a 'major' car manufacturer relating to the licencing of their power train. Watch this space - I predict that the Tesla constitutes the beginning of the end for petrol-driven vehicles. I can't wait to get my hands on this technology.

David Watson, Waterlooville, Hants

Wrong Jay Leno ! Vegetarian burgers are much more savory, satiating and fortifying then dead animal flesh disguised into a hamburger. I don't watch his show but many fellow Americans truly love Mr. Leno.

Brien Comerford, Glenview, United Staes

The Electrics are here! It is time to make a commitment that we will never buy another gas car. By the way, you can put a simple air flow driven fan in the front of your electric car, which will drive an alternator, and the car will run forever...Oh by the way, the patents have existed since 1989. Just google it.

Ron Wose, Manteca, USA / California

If each battery for the Tesla is as good as the 1909 one, then all batteries should be homogenous.
At the end of your 200 mile drive, pop into a station and simply swap the battery for a charged one.
The station recharges the empty one and sells it to someone else. You buy a pre-used battery, but because there's no distinction between a used and new one, you're just buying a quantity of electricity.
Now I can go green, as it will be practical.

Paul Fletcher, Provo, Turks & Ciaocs Islands

As to those who said that Electric is not green ... (Jeremy Moore)
My Tesla is going to be powered by the Solar Panels on my roof.
I have surplus capacity over my house needs due to efficiency in home usage: 101 Compact Florescent Bulbs/ Swamp Cooling instead of AC/ Solar Tube Daylighting/ Super Insulating.
My house is green, my bicycles are green, my Tesla (when it arrives in June 2008) will be green powered by Solar Produced electricity right here at home. I have 4620 watts on the roof now... and will have another 1500 on the roof by fall. My usage is now just 55% of my production. I will be able to drive 20,000 miles a year on my surplus ... and at hotels on trips, I will specify a 1st floor room with windows which open (for the power cord).
It is green!

Steve , Golden, , Colorado

Progress. I like it. Keep up the good work!
I understand other more affordable models are in the works as well. With the ever increasing cost of fuel, the price tag will not be the only economic factor to consider as the cost per mile will significantly affect the monthly budget. Looking forward to bringing it home some day. Whoever can afford it, enjoy it.

Manny, Dallas,

How many people travel more than 200 miles at a time on a regular basis? Not many. If they do it's seriously time to re-evaluate their lives, because the price of gas is going nowhere but up. If you absolutely have to go long distances then maybe a Plug-in Hybrid Electrical Vehicle (PHEV) would be your thing. Use electricity for the short trips and gas for the long ones. Problem solved.

Neil, Vancouver, BC

Not as much fun as a Razzle from Chelfing Automotive !

bisek giddue, London, London

Most of these will be second, third or fourth cars in a family so range really isn't a big problem. The car will be usable for 90% of journeys anyway. Tesla are going exactly the right way about this, proving the technology at the top of the market and then moving to the mainstream as fast as possible. Such a shame they can't make the car available to us Brits paying $9.00 per gallon for our fuel plus £8 a day to drive in London.

Andrew Kelsey, Royston, UK

Josh, those karts are awesome!

Ken, I think you've lost it on the Elise styling. That thing has been making me drool for years. Their sales figures suggest that I'm not the only one. As for the range, let me put it like this: I only go more than 200 miles a couple few times a year. If I had one of these, I guarantee I could get *any* of my friends to trade cars for the weekend when I needed to. And finally, the price of electricity certainly doesn't look set to increase at the same kind of rates gasoline will in the near future. And as we improve our grid generation, these cars get the improvements for free, without any changes to the cars.

Gino, you obviously don't know much about hydrogen vehicles. Fuel cells aren't even theoretically capable of the kind of efficiencies we see in battery-electric systems today. You have to use electricity from the grid to make hydrogen just like you take it out to charge a battery...except you need more of it.

Hunter, Springfield, Missouri

I really enjoyed this article. I work in an industry that core business is spinning an electric motor.

However in my garage I have a 1970 Ford Mustang Convertible with 302 4bbl, 5speed, restromod. I agree wholeheartly with Mr. Leno that the fun is between 40 to 80, the acceration rush!

So I am looking forward to the day I ether win the lotto or the Telsa or its future competitors come up with something I can drive to work and have both fun, styling and be kind to the planet.

Also I knew that Mr. Leno was a car nut, but I was really impressed on how well this article was written. I guess your not just a pretty face!

Andy Urda, Waukegan, USA / IL

The Tesla is a car I would definately buy once the price comes down a bit. But the real question is can it perform in real world conditions where the average speed on the highway is 75 to 85 mph. Will the car still get 200+miles per charge? I love the fact that there is a possibility that it could be charged with solar also. I plan on building an off the grid home and the car would fit into my plan nicely. I feel this is the car of the future and most definitely I'll be owning one ASAP.

Reuben V Harris, Perth Amboy, New Jersey

So Jeremy Moore wrote "It is idiotic to talk about electric cars being green at present. What creates the electricity? Most likely fossil fuel at a power station."

Mr. Moore, where do you think gasoline comes from? It is made in refineries, which use enormous amouts of ELECTRICAL POWER! A typical refinery has several electrical substations dedicated to supply it. It takes about 10KWH of electricity to produce each gallon of gasoline. Now, you can put that electricity in your Tesla and go 50 miles, or you can make gasoline and put that in your car and go what, maybe 25 miles? So an electric car not only eliminates oil, but also saves electricity as well.

Thomas Jamison, Mount Airy, Maryland, USA

Its getting tiring to hear the same "its not a perfect solution" whining. it is true most electricity comes from carbon based sources at present (coal and natural gas for example) but electric cars like the Tesla are a HUGE step in the right direction, using a ridiculously less amount of carbon per mile driven (even when the electricity comes solely from a coal fired plant). it also provides the opportunity to power at home with solar panels or wind energy from a slowly greening grid. take a look at companies like nanosolar who are contributing to the rapid decline in cost for solar panels. good work Tesla, technology works in a series of incremental steps and you are setting the pace.

dave cascino, Newburgh, NY

I agree with the poster who made the point about where the electricity comes from. The source needs to be green - however, even without the electricity being green, this car is far more efficient than a Diesel or Petrol powered car.

I met some of the Telsa people when the car was at Goodwood, and one chap said it was possible to charge the car from solar panels on your garage roof - now that really would be guilt free motoring....

Ed, Guildford, UK

The 'emissions elsewhere' argument is almost 2% true.
Firstly, electricity generation creates less than 20% of the emissions that burning gas does, mile-for-mile, if the juice fuels an electric vehicle (EV.)
Secondly, petrol doesn't magically appear in the pump, either. Emissions from just refining oil (we'll leave out the oil-war costs entirely, this time) to make your gallon of gasoline outweigh the emissions generated by making electricity to propel an EV the same distance.
I have a guest blog on EVWorld.com (as EVolution) that gives chapter and verse on this common 'long-tailpipe' objection and the one-sided approach it requires.
Someone else objected that more power-generation plants will be needed to fuel EVs.
True - ten years from now.
The US Department of Energy, six months ago, said that 80% of all the cars in America, were they suddenly EVs, could be recharged overnights (how it's usually done, at off-peak, cheap rates) without the need for a single extra power plant.

Hugh E Webber, Orlando, Florida, USA

Tesla translation: I read somwhere that "Tesla" is Serbian for "adz." I've never heard of it used with sexual connotations before. That's a new one for me!

Fast charging: The limit on fast-charging lies more in the cables and connectors used to do the deed -- and in the physics of moving electrons at the high voltages and currents that are necessary to achieve a 4-minute recharge of a large storage device (i.e., one that could propel a Tesla Roadster 200+ miles) -- than in the ability of the srorage device to accept a charge quickly. The existing Tesla storage system could theoretically charge even more quickly than it does, assuming electricity could be delivered to it just as quickly. For the foreseeable future, I'd expect to pull no more than between 1 and 2 additional miles of range for every minute spent charging from common outlets, regardless of battery charge-speed capacity.

James Anderson Merritt, Santa Cruz, CA USA

The Lightning EV will be a custom built car between 2 and 3 times as expensive as the Tesla. Right now it's just vaporware.

There are no hydrogen wells. You get hydrogen by extracting it from petroleum, or by electrolyzing water. The first still uses oil, the second uses a *lot* of power. It's more efficient to put the electricity into a battery than to split the water. The *only* advantage hydrogen could have is quick refueling. I think that's more than offset by the costs of building a cryogenic hydrogen infrastructure.

Battery recharge speed is not only limited by the battery technology, but by the capacity of the charger. Few houses can handle more than an electric dryer hookup.

Bob, Plano, TX

I saw the car go up the hill at Goodwood, Fantastic!!!!
I want one....
Very, very quick

Craig, Aldershot, UK

A note to Neil of London and others:
Electricity doesn't always come from fossil fuels. Sometimes it comes from nuclear, geothermal or renewable sources. And even when it comes from fossil fuels, it's a lot easier to put emissions reduction hardware on a power plant than on a car!

As for the question of range, 200 miles would easily get me to and from work with miles to spare for running errands, and I have a long commute!

Michael, Pueblo, Colorado, US

0-60mph in under 3 seconds and 100mph top speed can be had at around 15% of the price in a battery electric go kart. British company Gravitron makes one. Saw it on display at Harrods a couple of years ago but did not get chance to drive it.

josh, Des Moines, IA - it IS you.

Bob, London, UK

Fine as a rich man's toy, but who wants a car that does less than 200 miles on a "tankful" (and have you done 200 miles at speed in it?) and takes maybe eight hours to fill up? And what about this business of electricity escaping or dying; how long does it take to escape or die? As for five cents a gallon, how long do you think that's going to last?

I have to say though, it looks a damned sight better than the standard Elise. I couldn't style a car to save my life, but, like most people, I can tell a bummer at a glance (insects tend not to make good models). The styling of the standard version must have cost Lotus millions in lost sales - but I digress.

Ken Leyland, Liverpool, U.K.

there's definatly a small advantage in saving the climate with electric cars but thats it, its small, the reeal way forward is hydrogen powered veichles, be the sport or what ever, and you dont have to wait for them to charge and they are truely green

gino, madrid,

It is idiotic to talk about electric cars being green at present.

What creates the electricity? Most likely fossil fuel at a power station. How much energy is lost in the creation of the electrcity then lost again as it comes down the wire? Nobody puts a figure on this that allows any comparison.

Now if the electricity is from renewables that may be different! But how long to charge this from your personal windmill?

Jeremy Moore, Bournemouth, UK

First off - I'm a Tesla employee (just so everyone knows). Regarding the batteries used in the Roadster, there were several factors that went into our decision; amongst them were LONG TERM reliability, and availability in large numbers. There are other batteries to choose from, but we picked the cells that satisfied several criteria, rather than just automatically going for the "most advanced."

As far as the 10-minute charge time - well that's great if you have two or three cells in something like a phone or an MP3 player; then you only need to supply an Ampere or so of charging current. Now try charging enough cells to move a car. If you're going to do that in ten minutes, you're going to need 1500 Amp service and a cable the size of a tree trunk. Also, these 'quick charge' batteries are not available in large quantities, and have not proven themselves to be durable over long periods of time. The battery pack in the Roadster is guaranteed for 100,000 miles, and I'm out of room ;-)

Tim P, San Carlos, California

How is this "green" when the majority of electricity that is used to charge it is generated by burning oil ?

130 mph with a national speed limit of 70 ?

It may appease the conscious of "petrol heads" but is not a realistic solution to ever dwindling oil reserves and global warming..

This product is its own contradiction ...

Henry Raison, Portsmouth, UK

Steve,

You spend the extra $60K because it's electric and you want to save the environment, not because you want that last extra bit of performance.

Jason, Colorado Springs,

Jay claims:

"[Tesla has] also built a car that weighs 2,600lb, which is a few pounds heavier than the standard Lotus,"

A few..?

The standard US Elise weighs 1984lbs.

That's 25% less than the Tesla. Hey, but whose concerned about facts, like comparative weights or the silly idea that electric cars are somehow 'green'.

Andy, London,

That thing is gorgeous. This is exactly what the electric car market needs. Nobody wants to buy a fridge with headlights and four wheels. People want classy, sexy cars which are fun and just beautiful to look at. Who wouldn't want to have a ride in a car which looks like that?

I bet this is not the last time we're going to hear about Tesla.

Jukka, Sipoo, Finland

Jay - I saw you driving down the 101 freeway in downtown LA a couple months back in a red Stanley Steamer! I was right behind you and got a cloud of water vapor on the windshield. Don't forget to mention steam as an alternative fuel option.

But seriously, If I had the bucks I'd be on the Tesla list now. I don't care if the $$ pencil out - I'm tired of supporting Bush/Cheney and the oil industry. Period.

jiverson, Atascadero, California

Many years ago an article was written by Nigel Hawkes on quick charging of car batteries. Having done some experiments myself ( basic ) a charge time of about 4 minutes seems reasonable. A few letters later and a probe for info at Ford in Germany has produced a blank. NO REPLIES. What is up?

John Holton, Ludlow, U.K.

Tesla is a last name, as in, Nicola. Don't try to translate names, especially into sexually terms.

Roy, Mo-Town, WV

To Neil-

Technically, yes, EVs shift emissions to the power companies. But consider that 1) power companies can be very efficient in dealing with their emissions -- it's easier to prevent or sequester emissions at the single point of a power-plant than at millions of individual exhaust systems; and 2) even assuming electricity from fossil fuels, net emissions for a Tesla (or any efficient EV) to travel X miles are fewer than for even a hybrid to go the same distance. If the net result is that there are fewer emissions, then to criticize those emissions as "only being shifted" misses the big point. Finally, with a regular auto or even a hybrid, you will likely be putting out emissions from the combustion of fuel based on fossil or other hydrocarbon sources. But the electrons for EVs can come from solar, wind, geothermal, conventional hydroelectric, ocean wave and other non-polluting sources.

Visit www.teslamotors.com to find facts and analysis that are relevant to your concern

James Anderson Merritt, Santa Cruz, CA USA

Totally impractical and look at the price!! The answer lies in the Perendev "magnetic motor". Why don't you cover that?

Thomas Quirico, Burtchville, USA/Michigan

re willy williams. Range is mentioned as a claimed 'well over 200 miles'.

JDKW, london, uk

the solution to the range and recharging problem is interchangeable batteries.

Just drive up to the gas station, pay a fee and they swap your empty battery for a full one in less time than it takes to fill up a tank.

Mark, melbourne,

What do you think about the electric cross-over vehicle Zap is working on (http://www.zapworld.com/ZAPWorld.aspx?id=4560)? I was also interested in the Tesla at first, but 1) it's a sports car, not practical and 2) it's really expensive. Would love to hear what you think about what Zap is doing.

Tony, Woodinville, WA

Yes but where does electricity come from, most is not from renewable sources, so not entirely "green". Same thing with photoelectric roof tiles, simply cost prohibitive, as it would cost £20 K to tile my roof, but then it would take me 25 years to recoup my costs. No economy's of scale in the "green" market as it is still controlled by BP, Exxon etc.

Great technology though, but as the Prius has been found to produce more emissions per mile per passenger, than my 7 seater, the benefits at the moment are marginal.

Matt Dent, Bristol, UK

I used to argue, too, that electric power comes from power plants, and, so, is just as bad for powering cars as gas.

But emissions in gas cars are not contained. The problem isn't centralized as it would be if only the powerplants were "un-green". The city populace would have escalated lung problems. The emissions can't be contained and pumped under ground or run through "adsorbers" and "desorbers" . . . bubbled through water, etc.

Don't let people tell you that power plants are just as bad as cars. It's easier to regulate powerplants. The technology could change without affecting the infrastructure of generating electricity. Electricity is like money . . . it's the common denominator. It's the right generalization of power.

E, DC, USA

Electric is great but has anyone thought of what to do with all these extremely hard to dispose of batteries? I mean since we can't produce nuclear energy because of the greenies then we end up using a lot of oil to produce our energy. I don't care what your car runs on either way there is no free lunch here.
But great looking car....

Scott, Huntsville, Alabama

I've wanted one for at least 9 months - ever since I first heard of them. No chance in the UK (except import) even though they're actually built by Lotus in Norwich (what is the carbon footprint -let alone tax implications of this then - export and then re-import?). Still my current car has many standard items that were once only available as extras on top of the range models. I just need to wait and wait - I hope I'm from the long-lived ranch of the family.

Simon, Hull, UK

I´m looking forward to the review of the Baker Electric - it sounds good and the price tag would make an interesting line alone. Joking aside, it would be nice to see an article about such an unusual vintage car

John, Malaga,

This offering is as exciting as the ICE was when horses were still clattering along at 30mph+ and 'cars' were being proceeded by men with red flags.

It's interesting, but not reality yet.. Hydrogen or bio-fuel is the future, not batteries.

Mike, Dover, Kent

In reply to Sam from Tampa, the speed an electric car can be charged is limited by how fast electricity can flow down the wires into your house, not by the battery technology. There will never be a car that can be charged in 10 minutes in today's world -- it will always take hours, and even then you need a special upgrade from the electric company.

Ian, San Diego, California

As Leno points out, the customer will stick with what he has until something better, not merely just as good, comes along.

The Tesla Roadster, from all reports, beats everything for short-distance driving. But even if the 200 miles per charge is valid, it still takes awhile to recharge while a gasoline-engine car is ready to go in a few minutes. For those of us who routinely travel further than 200 miles in a single trip, it's no choice. Convenience is king of sales.

Auto racing has been the ideal laboratory for automotive technology from the beginning. Most, if not all, improvements in our cars over the last century can be traced to the track. Until a Tesla Roadster can go 500 miles in a single charge or, at least, recharge as fast as a gasoline car refuels (Daytona, anyone?) no electric car stands a chance in the market, no matter what ecologists preach nor how loudly.

TJ Cassidy, Arlington, Virginia, USA

Very good article and I'm glad we are finally moving closer to getting electric cars with improved range. I do need to make one correction to your text though.

You say 'Antilock brakes started out on the big Cadillacs and Lincolns. They didn’t start out on economy cars.'

This is not entirely correct. Mercedes Benz invented ABS and pioneered it. They were the first to fit it to production cars.

Michel, London,

Willy, if you're interested the range on a Tesla Roadster is about 200 Miles. It was initially advertised as being 250 but some modifications needed to be made to shift it out of the kit-car category.

Personally I'd love one. Innovation like this always has to be aimed at the higher end of the market - consumer products are all about compromise which is why you rarely see any big changes there until their costs have been absorbed through repeated manufacture and development at the top end.

"Who killed the electric car" was a ridiculous movie. It's there from the start why no one wanted to buy one! It had a 60 mile range! It wasn't commercially viable because they aimed it at consumers. Tesla have done the smart thing and their sales records show it.

John Swaine, St Julians, Malta

"In the real world I have a Porsche Carrera GT, I have a McLaren F1, and anybody that tells you they’ve taken those cars to 200mph is a liar. They haven’t. Believe me. I did a couple of hundred laps at Talladega and the fastest I got to was 190mph – on a track. By myself. And it was scary. Nobody does those speeds on a public road. If you do, you should be in prison. The real-world fun of acceleration is between 40mph and 80mph."

This is by Jay Leno? I really admire the man and all, but this is a lame statement. Drive the 15 freeway at 3:00 am to Las Vegas, and you'll see an average speed limit of 140, on my streetbikes, I feel comfortable at 180, and taken them to 200mph on the 15. In my porsche, the car starts to "feel" normal at about 120mph-130mph, and my Mercedes S550's governer kicks in at exactly 140mph. I'm sorry Jay, but driving fast on a desolate public road, should not land me in jail. That doesn't make me a liar, it just makes me feel like I live life on the edge.

SoCalMan, San Dimas, USA

In response to Steve from Colorado's comment, you are spending an extra $60k to make a statement and own an electric sports car, not because you want to be 0.9 seconds faster than a Lotus!

Ben, Canberra, Australia

Does this car recharge itself by magic? Or, realistically, by solar power?

If it plugs into the mains to recharge then unless you have all-green power plants you're simply shifting the emissions from the car to the power plant

Neil, London,

Doesn't "Tom (London, UK)" know who Nikola Tesla was, and what he achieved?

Mike, Marina Del Rey, California, USA

Wasn't the Jensen car only sold in the UK, so in the context of this article about buying cars in the US, saying that anti-lock brakes were started on Cadillacs and Lincolns in US is technically correct.

Sean, Manchester, England

If people ever really take to electric cars, we will need completely to rebuild our electricity generation and transmission systems. The load demanded by a streetful of cars, charging up overnight, would be far in excess of what the present wiring, cabling and transformers could supply. The load demanded by an entire country charging up its electric cars would overhwhelm the generaing capacity.

Frank Upton, Solihull,

It's fantastic that some innovative companies are finally devoting serious R&D funding to electric car technology. As Jay points out in the article, electric cars have been around for a long time so it's amazing to think it's taken over 90 years for the technology to be revived. The internal combustion engine has had it day - long live battery power!
Now the only questions I have are a.) when are they going to bring out a mid-market version and b.) when will it be available in Europe?

MB, Edinburgh,

If the car needs no maintenance and therefore has a long life, one could finance the car with a second mortgage for less than 400 poiunds per month, which is not expensive when you consider there is no fuel cost. Many motorists spend more than 400 pounds per month in total on fuel plus car payments.

Em Hawthorne, Ottawa, CAN

I live in 'Sunny' Australia, and I hope I live long enough to one day have an E.V. and house, powered by a solar cell on my roof. Even at $100,000, there must be some serious economies in NEVER having to buy fuel ever again !

There are forthcoming developments in Solar Cell and power storage technology which should drastically reduce the cost and increase the efficiency of these systems, which should hopefully mean that the internal combustion is already on borrowed time. as far as I'm concerned, they can't come soon enough.

By the way, any news on the 'Zap-X' also developed with Lotus ?

tokenpom, Bundaberg, QLD, Australia

Hey willy williams, RTFA. They claim 200 miles per charge, which isn't too shabby if you're just using it to get around town.

Johnny Johnson, Vancouver, Canada

The Tesla Roadster's electrical motor cranks up to 14,000 rpm.

Jeffrey, Hazleton, USA/Pa

Whilst it does sound like a positive step it is only a way to buy off your guilt. Where does the electricity come from? Oil and Gas fired power statons thats where.

Guy, Paris,

How funny ,, briliant car in every respect, but will not find a byer in Georgia,, Tesla is translation means "Sperm" will you drive one?

Tom, London, UK

Wow no fuel; very GREEN. All that electricity comes from lollypop trees. It's carried to your homes by unicorns. Really neato. It's just like the super duper cars that run on corn alcohol. Corn, now that's a scalable fuel source.

For God's sake please represent stories appropriately. I'm all for electric cars but Lordy, the dumb people out there will actually perpetuate the "no fuel" headline.

Dale, Gilbert, AZ

"Must have dreadful range as it was not mentioned"

The article: "They are claiming well over 200 miles per charge"

In the US, I suspect the lack of suitable charging points would be more of a problem but 200 miles is pretty useful range in the UK.

Katie, Cambridge, UK

Awesome.
I had seen this car at the 2006 San Francisco Auto Expo.

Kiran Vaka, Mountain View, USA / California

Everyday I drive 11 miles to work and 11 miles home again with a few detours here or there. I like the idea of not giving the govenment obscene amounts of tax money with every fill-up at the petrol station. If I need to do 300 miles I can rent a gas car for $30 per day. Electric cars are starting to make a lot of sense to me and my "regular Joe" colleagues at work. We can't wait for the Chevy Volt to hit the showrooms and excited to think that the guys from Google are investing money in the technology.

Richard Tucker, Cotter, Arkansas

I'm curious how often you have to replace the batteries and what that runs. I've heard horror stories of having to replace the power cells yearly, at a significant cost.

A different Stevej, Colorado

Steve, Colorado,

Having seen this car many times right in front of me, it is an amazing piece of machinery. However, I must disagree with their comparison between the Tesla and the Lotus. The only piece used is the read end chassis, and when sitting side by side, the two are impressively different (I prefer the Tesla).

As for the batteries, It's actually quite decent for a Sports Car. Remember, this thing isn't made for distance, it's made for the driver. When you have it go 0-60 in 3.9 (got that from watching the road test), does the range really matter that much?

All in all, it's an amazing car. I hope Tesla does very well, and I'm sure that they'll gain publicity once these babies start shipping.

Craig Hickman, Los Altos Hills, CA/USA

Must have dreadful range as it was not mentioned

willy williams, atlanta, ga

Steve,

You would spend the extra 60k to help the environment and to show the oil companies that they dont control the world anymore. If you have the extra 60k sitting around and didnt buy the tesla then your the idiot.

Doug, Dekalb, IL

Cool car. Is it me, or does the overall writing of this article seem very elementary? Maybe the main ideas need to be strung together more, or more evidence needs to be given for declarative statements. I'm not sure, but this just sounds weird to me...

josh, Des Moines, IA

Great article Jay. A pleasant surprise to find you writing for The Times. All the best.

Richard, DALLAS, USA

Just a few years ago hardly anyone had even heard of a hybrid vehicle but now they are being touted as the answer to our problems.The EV has been a non entity in most main stream conversations about future alternatives to the ICE, with various forms of hybreds and fuel cells getting the majority of support from automakers and government. There are several reasons why the EV keeps getting discounted as a viable alternative to the ICE but we know the biggest is money. However instead of the EV being years away as an alternative Tesla is putting a fantastic product on the road now and Jay Leno's endorsement goes a long way to lend credibility to Tesla and the EV tecnology they have developed.

david moxness, newhall, USA / California

It's very nice to see Jay Leno (host of the Tonight Show) give such praise for electric vehicles (EV's). He's definitely in the know about the technology.

Though I do disagree that battery technology did not improve in the 20th century. The NiMH technology in the EV1 and Rav4-EV was a great improvement, but was killed by GM and then Chevron (aka big oil) who refused to license it (see www.ev1.org).

Also I get a kick out of Jay saying the EV1 had "only" a range of 120 miles... which meets the needs of probably 95% of the population for every day driving! (even 1/2 that meets 90%). Big auto, big oil, and the George W. Bush admin killed the electric car (rent the movie "Who Killed the Electric Car?").

Hopefully Jay will translate his praise for the Tesla and electric cars into free press for the technology on his talk show!

Jeff M, Windham, New Hampshire, USA

DrTaras, all I meant was that if you were to drive one a long distance, it takes too long to charge once the battery runs out to make it an only car.
It would certainly be the car I drove 90% of the time!

Gus, Los Angeles, USA / California

Let's see, I can spend $40k for an Elise or $100k for a Tesla. And what do I get for my extra $60k, 0-60 in 4.0 rather than 4.9 secs. I bet an extra $5k on top of my $40k would get me that kind of performance aftermarket. So why would I buy a Tesla? Because I'm an idiot?

Steve, Colorado,

Every morning you start out with a full "tank" of electricity & never had to go anywhere to get it! I wish I could still drive my ICE (internal combustion engine) cars for another few decades, but the dang physics of foreign dependence on oil, global warming & over $4/gallon (coming soon) keeps getting in the way!

DrTaras, Woodland Hills, USA/CA

"Antilock brakes started out on the big Cadillacs and Lincolns." Are you sure about this? What about Jensen in the 60s? Maybe that doesn't qualify in your book because it was "foreign"....

Gervas Douglas, Andorra la Vella,

The Tesla Roadster was designed to change the way people view electric cars. It certainly did that for me, and it seems to have made quite an impression on Jay as well. I can hardly wait for these things to start hitting the road, when more people will get to see and drive them. If they live up to what's been said and shown thus far, they'll be the best rolling advertisements for electric vehicles that I could imagine.

Tony Belding, Hamilton, Texas

It look great but how do I buy one in the UK?

Peter Burgess, London, UK

Nice article, but I would like you to brush up on your battery technology chops:
I would agree with the statement that :"....in the 98 years since that car was made, battery technology and therefore electric car technology has not changed a huge amount..."
if you take into consideration how much of its potential has been hampered and downright ridden into the ground by the "Lip-Service-Pioneers" GM, convicted and fined $ 5000.- (!) for the conspiracy against the very well laid out electric "tram/street car" system in the U.S. (whee, 5 grand, that's gotta hurt! Who's that judge working for??) and buying up the NiMH patent and threatening Toyota to stop manufacturing the RAV 4 EV - successfully.

I invite you to make your own Google Alert with the words "+battery+technology" and see what drops in your mail box on a daily basis. Please don't underestimate this country's resourcefulness. The electric car always had serious enemies- in our own government - paid by the Saudi Arabia.

RidTheFuture, Pasadena, CA

The Tesla Raodster... Great car but really just a stepping stone to the future. It doesn't use the most advanced batteries (check out Altairnano or 123). In fact the batteries it is based on are the same one's that heat up like heck and can even explode in your cell phone or laptop. There are batteries out there that can be charged in 10 minutes, why isn't Tesla using them??

I think the Lightning EV, and even the slower Phoenix SUV is far more advanced than this offering by Tesla. I am excited that you are giving some attention to EV's though.

sam, Tampa, FL

I would love to have one.
But, it still couldn't be my only car, dang physics of charging batteries gets in the way!

Gus, Los Angeles, USA / California