Tesla Roadster S

Tesla
ter S
Roads
WORDS DAMION
44
4.1 1
ANG
STON CH
SMY PHOTOS EA
d
e
r
e
w
o
p
c
i
r
t
c
e
l
e
The
m
a
e
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d
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p
i
p
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a
superc
n
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t
c
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d
o
r
p
a
w
is no
e
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s
s
u
A
n
o
y
t
i
l
car rea
's
a
l
s
e
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s
e
o
d
o
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.
s
road
k
r
o
w
m
a
e
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d
c
i
r
t
elec
?
d
l
r
o
w
l
a
e
r
e
h
t
in
4.1 1
12.10
45
45
o
t
r
e
w
o
p
s
'
a
l
Tes
Plug in, baby!
ich plugs into a
the mobile unit wh
ket (15A) and
really can plug the
soc
e
you
–
ssi
e
Au
jok
rd
no
It's
standa
nt. However,
overnight).
poi
an
er
(or
pow
rs
any
hou
o
15
takes
Tesla int
k and charging
of charging, too:
tan
es
h
typ
fis
r
ee
you
thr
ng
are
There
unpluggi
st method.
to 80 percent;
we
s
slo
rge
the
cha
is
de
ter
Mo
ndard
your Roads
ll-mounted Sta
wa
cent, while
al
per
ion
0
10
opt
rs
an
ive
Tesla offers
'Range' del
the car
battery to
rge
the
cha
s
l
rge
wil
t
cha
tha
e'
anc
63A system
rs and 'Perform
hou
ess to 90
f
acc
hal
-ayou
e
and
giv
eeto
100 percent
from flat in thr
access
l.
is,
tal
t
ins
tha
–
to
k
0
00
pac
percent of the
costs around $3
s
that, there's a
The filler light flashe
ls.
cel
re
mo
For half the cost of
to
to indicate
tem of up to 32A,
ore turning green
bef
nge
ora
universal mobile sys
k is full.
rging time to seven
that the battery pac
which doubles cha
west method is
slo
the
n,
The
rs.
hou
46
4.1 1
No gearbox so no
gearstick, while
there's an array of
telemetry to peruse
M
Sydney.
, Chinatown in
idnight Thursday
the red
er
ov
g
rs are droolin
A group of teenage
them
of
e
on
e
for
be
in
ated
go.
sportscar we’re se
n
ca
it
t
fas
it is and how
him,
asks what the hell
l
tel
we
t,
or
Sp
ster
The Tesla Road
Then we
d fully electric.
is damn quick an
.
ice
pr
er
stick
mention its $246K
t pause.
he replies withou
“No thanks, man,”
l!”
tro
pe
d
An
rs.
ca
e
es
“I’ll stick to Japan
e first
th
is
S
r
Tesla’s Roadste
rhaps not forever.
t unlike
pe
Ye
t
c.
bu
bli
t,
pu
igh
an
ton
ali
Maybe
d to the Austr
n sportscar offere
, our first serving
electric productio
this country so far
in
en
se
’ve
we
id
br
d of a space-age
hy
y
tea
er
ins
ev
r
almost
rs d'oeuvre. Fo
ho
ing
tic
en
ectric i-Miev,
an
is
ishi’s bubbly all-el
of pure electric
rs such as Mitsub
ca
ntra. And it
of
g
ma
lin
lls
se
sty
x
e
se
look-at-m
e old-fashioned
th
th
wi
ck
Tesla as we
stu
e
s
th
ha
time we park
the Roadster S
s gathering every
wd
ic-powered
cro
ctr
all
ele
sm
ing
th
be
wi
works,
proof that simply
It’s
D.
CB
’s
ey
dn
drive around Sy
sla’s
le party trick.
n Valley, where Te
is not the Telsa’s so
California’s Silico
of
t
And
ar
S.
r
he
ste
m
ad
fro
Ro
es
This car com
r’ to describe its
figures
s such as ‘superca
raw
rd
in
wo
ss,
e
us
ma
rs
of
cto
kg
spin do
a mere 1238
motor propelling
ult is a power-towith an 215kW AC
ing from. The res
m
co
're
ey
th
ere
wh
wn on Porsche's
e
se
do
att
we
ow
at least,
ne, just one kil
ton
r
pe
W
9k
17
d
weight of aroun
Despite regenerative
braking, the Tesla
's
still runs AP Racing
Lotus-spec discs
l-stop.
or, it’s a warrior, ful
t just an eco-warri
no
, with
is
us
r
vio
ca
is
ob
Th
ots
S.
r
ro
the Roadste
s its Lotus Elise
ke
ma
g
en at
lin
ev
d,
sty
r
an
y wider, lower
The Matchbox-ca
ed in
nce, but it’s actuall
ak
sta
clo
ing
b
tu
ac
en
um
m
d
ini
its low an
bonded alum
heavier. There’s a
of those batteries
1238 kegs, much
pers, so the heft
m
bu
c
sti
pla
th
wi
ls
ne
count how much
pa
ac
re
o
carbonfib
en you take int
wh
t
ren
pa
ap
e
or
exotic materials.
becomes even m
ls
saved by the use of
en
be
dy
ea
alr
ckets, the Tesla fee
s
weight ha
leather sports bu
ug
sn
e
os
th
o
int
Once you climb
a
r
e
r
r
a
C
e
h
c
s
r
o
P
a
s
e
h
c
t
a
weight m
nne).
Exige S (174kW/to
s's supercharged
tu
by a
Lo
red
an
we
th
r
po
tte
it’s
be
Carrera, and
of the fact that
s
les
ard
er in
reg
,
eth
ine
tog
ch
lls strapped
It’s a potent ma
batteries – 6831 ce
that's
ium
ll,
lith
We
g.
yle
0k
-st
45
top
g
stack of lap
ighs a whoppin
powerpack that we
percar levels of
series to create a
logy, to achieve su
ho
tec
nt
rre
cu
ing
us
whole point of
,
e
ed
th
s
what's requir
ions. And that’
iss
em
pe
lpi
tai
ro
ze
performance with
Cabin is roomier
than an Elise, and
,
more upmarket, too
despite Lotus DNA
ing
iliar Momo steer
ge. There’s the fam
ed
an
th
ium
om
em
ro
pr
ad
a
ally has more he
like an Elise with
ll find
od. The cabin actu
sti
-p
ll
sh
wi
s
da
s
ke
tu
blo
l
Lo
d
wheel an
ped, though tal
feel quite as cram
ster’s regular soft
an Elise, so doesn’t
e box for the Road
th
k
Tic
.
low
bit
a
of
ro
re
fib
the carbon
…
it in the rain, then
s are manually
top and don’t drive
even the mirror
d
an
n
lum
co
ing
in a car loaded
er
ste
nic
,
iro
ats
The se
might seem a little
,
nd
ha
e
on
on
,
icetag. On the
adjustable, which
a quarter-mill pr
ty, and boasting
ici
ctr
the further the
t,
ele
lan
ch
rp
mu
with so
able for the powe
ail
av
e
arg
ch
kes sense.
e
or
systems kinda ma
other hand, the m
g onboard electric
itin
’s an eery
lim
ere
th
So
.
ed
ge
rn
ran
tu
available
al, but once it’s
rm
no
n
tio
um panel
ua
ini
sit
m
the sleek alu
The key start is
select Drive from
ifter, but
ply
sh
sim
no
u
yo
’s
ere
en
th
Th
silence.
ift would be –
sh
ar
ge
e
th
er down,
th
ere
fur
, Reverse and,
that’s situated wh
Park, Neutral, Drive
emium
pr
for
a
s
ve
ton
ut
ha
-b
ey
sh
th
simple pu
d like a domino,
ge
en to
ran
Ar
gre
to
l).
r
ro
be
nt
anging from am
TC (traction co
t where
u press them, ch
yo
en
m
en
ge
wh
l
ran
ar
fee
d
ple
‘click’ an
arkably sim
you’re in. It’s a rem
show what mode
e temptation.
th
en
be
y
sil
ea
uld’ve
ned to a diff
techno overkill co
ed unit that’s joi
nt
ou
m
idm
a
is
r
drivetrain is
oto
e
rner. The entir
The electric m
Tesla by Borg Wa
e
r-cylinder.
th
fou
for
all
de
sm
a
ma
specially
up less space than
es
tak
d
M (Power
an
PE
t
e
igh
a large box – th
simple, lightwe
d you’ll also find
an
r’
ve
co
e
gin
‘en
Lift the
4.1 1
47
Push-button set-up
is an exercise in
simplicity and works
an absolute treat
$246K Sport model
boasts 30Nm extra
over ($206K) base
370Nm Roadster
into direct
ating current (AC)
ich converts altern
e battery
wh
–
th
)
d
ule
Ad
.
od
M
ain
ics
ag
Electron
converts it back
en
th
e,
the rear
to
rag
sto
red
ectly transfer
current (DC) for
is to it. Power’s dir
r simply
ere
oto
th
m
all
e
s
th
at’
e,
th
d
ers
packs an
gear. For rev
there’s just a single
ritory becomes
wheels, meaning
of this foreign ter
all
l
Al
n.
tio
ec
dir
e
sit
l.
po
da
u’d usually
op
pe
'
e
th
ud
spins in
throttle where yo
squeeze the 'lo
o roll out of the
the moment you
a V10 in it. The
als
apart from
d
th
es
an
wi
ak
s
se
br
rn
e
Eli
tu
th
o
an
ch
abundantly clear
e
later int
from
ely need to tou
e Tesla feels lik
m
rar
th
u
0N
d,
yo
40
ee
t,
celerator
sp
on
fac
ac
w
es
e
In
.
th
slo
pil
se
r
Even at
brake in an Eli
e electric moto
lt. You can mash
th
ha
s
as
te
de
pe
plo
ing
m
er
ex
co
gg
a
sla
sta
Te
to
the
ster
mendous grip.
instant torque is
il the throttle and
bringing the Road
d this
ing stance and tre
it was
right, one rpm. Na
iting its flat corner
almost literally. An
,
plo
nk
of Sydney’s CBD
ex
just 1rpm. That’s
bli
ts
er,
a
ee
rli
in
str
ea
e
ing
th
d
ar
riv
ge
ar
un
e’s
no
aro
d
p,
little
nin
an
-u
e
,
rp
th
ild
too
are none of
no gradual bu
forward, with wa
It rides quite well,
edged bump. There
ty: there’s no lag,
ici
the
rectr
ua
as
sq
ele
ing
d
of
az
st.
od
ty
e
ru
am
au
th
th
is the be
only upset by
e Lotus, which is
ost indescribable
th
halm
in
hig
d
d
,
an
the
t
iet
fin
,
l
qu
tan
ine
u’l
a
ins
yo
aks
dible are the wh
ough there is
changing – just
vibrations or cre
drugs.
The only things au
well, isn't any. Th
nd
on
el.
,
bla
th
y
,
ere
gg
He
th
ted
bu
in
e
lf
mu
de
ois
e
go
th
ma
l-n
At ful
e an electric
chassis is still
ul that it’s not
e whole time; lik
noise. We’re gratef
e
ite addictive.
tyr
qu
d
it's
an
d
nd
an
wi
r,
pitched whirl th
he
hig
roaring
ctric
pitch, louder and
car shrieks its ele
It simply builds in
eelspin before the
wh
of
tad
a
’s
ere
With TC off, th
t
s
o
m
l
a
,
t
n
a
t
s
n
i
t
s
u
J
.
g
a
l
o
There's n
e
s no real techniqu
rfoot, but there wa
de
c.
un
l
se
fee
4.3
s
of
ha
e
e
tim
ttl
m/h
scream. The thro
0m with a 0-100k
runs,
.9sec standing 40
. Of six dragstrip
too
t,
en
in performing a 12
ist
ns
co
d
An
y.
or
rit
ter
r
Genuine superca
same 0-100.
ical 12.9 with the
gics: if getting to
four were an ident
rney for us car tra
jou
e
th
of
d
en
e
d again, but
th
Yet it could spell
will do it again an
ur aim, the Tesla
yo
nt to work
is
wa
c
se
n’t
do
4.3
u
in
yo
100km/h
Nissan GT-R. If
a
or
1
91
a
car.
in
is
th
fun
in
uld do a 12.9
you’ll have more
ed for
ur dear-old gran co
uir
yo
…
req
is
sla
le
Te
sc
e
th
mu
e
for it, tak
though. Serious
it,
er
ner.
ste
ur
to
-b
le
rm
ab
ea
She mightn't be
ing. It's a real for
Racing
e unassisted steer
th
AP
e
th
th
wi
s
to
rn
ks
tu
an
d
th
low-spee
nt approach
requires a differe
overrun around
Tackling corners
ws the car on the
slo
ich
wh
e,
od
m
e
you can brake
tiv
at
era
th
en
ns
reg
ea
brakes’
thout it. This m
wi
r
ca
a
an
th
er
three times quick
haust note.
power sans an ex
from fully electric
red
n’t be beaten.
fea
ca
we
sla
e
Te
nc
e
experie
per corner, th
ck
bu
for
,
ise
NSW) to your
-w
(in
Consumption
d less than $10
e will currently ad
arg
sort of range
ch
at
l
th
ful
a
ile
of
wh
t
st
The co
und 360km. Bu
aro
of
ge
ran
er the Tesla
a
eth
for
electricity bill
y is out as to wh
commuter, the jur
y
home again
cit
ck
a
ba
d
for
an
le
ck
ab
is avail
to make it to the tra
up
d
ce
uation.
jui
eq
e
ly
th
nt
hot laps into
can be sufficie
ce you throw a few
it hard, so
on
ng
am
ivi
ste
dr
n
e
ow
u’r
its
yo
under
ore 'juice' when
m
es
us
es seven
r
tak
oto
e
m
arg
e
Of course, th
r point, a full ch
we
po
y
an
at
in
d that
r
Ad
ca
g the
dream for some.
while you can plu
ll kill the electric
wi
ound
e
(ar
tim
es
wn
riv
do
ar
is
hours. And th
ttery’s end-of-life
sy.
ro
d $15K once the ba
at
un
th
aro
all
k
for
loo
up
e
you’r
benefits don’t
the running cost
improve, but right
seven years) and
g may or may not
rin
oto
m
ic
ctr
ele
of
st
e doesn't spell the
co
ur
e
fut
ur
ic
fut
The
es is that an electr
ov
pr
S
r
ste
nd premium
ad
Ro
now what the
ads will still dema
otoring. Petrolhe
m
perience.
ce
ex
an
rm
ing
rfo
olv
pe
inv
end of
ake and offer an
br
,
ate
ler
-dropping
ce
jaw
ac
ds
le,
cars that hand
perience that ad
at'll slap a
ers an Elise-like ex
th
liv
sh
de
S
ru
r
ne
ste
ali
ad
ren
Ro
The
mplete with an ad
co
,
in talent
on
cti
ing
nt
tra
d
wa
t
an
acceleration
mod cons, it’s no
e
m
so
ks
look
lac
it
e
Te
Whil
that make the sla
grin on any face.
t there in exotica
ger
ou
rs
fin
ca
otw
are
e
nic
ere
a
th
or depth, and
ng-edged. And it’s
tti
cu
so
ing
…
eth
m
so
them up
like good value for
ners as you round
id smug-mobile ow
salute to the hybr
empt
(Right) Damo's att
icity
at syphoning electr
k
from Macca's carpar
r
was quite a shocke
48
4.1 1
TESLA ROADSTER
t
s
u
r
h
t
e
l
b
a
b
i
r
indesc
S
eat roadster
BODY 2-door, 2-s
s
eel
wh
r
rea
DRIVE
ion with variable
ENGINE AC induct
e mounted
ers
nsv
tra
y,
frequenc
ergy storage)
(en
CAPACITY 56kWh
0rpm
500
@
kW
215
R
POWE
100rpm
1-5
@
Nm
400
TORQUE
e/14,000rpm
REDLINE/CUT non
kWh
FUEL/TANK AC/56
Wh/km
155
ION
PT
UM
NS
CO
8kg
123
T
IGH
KERB WE
HT 174kW/tonne
POWER-TO-WEIG
Single-speed
TRANSMISSION
fixed gear
2
FINAL DRIVE 3.1
ble A-arms, coil
SUSPENSION dou
(f); double
bar
ll
i-ro
ant
springs,
s, anti-roll
ing
spr
l
coi
s,
rm
A-a
bar (r)
EIGHT
LENGTH/WIDTH/H
m
3940/1728/1145m
2mm
WHEELBASE 235
5/1501mm
146
)
(f/r
KS
TRAC
pinion
and
k
rac
G
STEERIN
2.8 turns
LOCK-TO-LOCK
E 10.0m
TURNING CIRCL
ventilated/drilled
mm
292
ES
BRAK
calipers (f);
discs, two-piston
/drilled discs,
292mm ventilated rs (r); ABS, TC
ipe
single-piston cal
-inch (f),
WHEELS 16 x 6.0
alloy
17 x 7.5-inch (r),
Advan Neova AD07
TYRES Yokohama
(f),
80W
8
R1
/55
SIZE 175
(r)
225/45 R17 91W
PRICE $246,000
*
ED $282,645
AS TEST
at carbon accents,
s,
exterior clear-co
ium seat
*includes
bre accents, premand sat-nav unit,
interior carbonfi
infotainment
7-inch touchscreenCD, DVD, 7-speaker audio,
reversing camera, USB connection
Bluetooth, iPod and

p
and handling;
8.0/10
RATING
A bonded-alloy tub
re
cloaked in carbonfib
p
bodywork helps kee
weight at 1238kg
+
Acceleration, gri
ning costs
green but sexy, run
steering,
Price, unassisted
- battery replacement costs
ROADSTER S
Power Struggle
s torque come from?
Where does all thi
weighs just 52kG
ine
The Tesla's eng
.
e of a watermelon
siz
the
and is about
ing
nat
ter
(al
AC
ase
It's a three-ph
t has two primary
current) motor tha
.
el rotor and a stator
components: a ste
s
bar
per
The rotor has cop
when it spins, it
intersecting it, and
The stator creates
s.
eel
wh
the
ns
tur
und the rotor
a magnetic field aro
, and as a result
it)
ng
chi
tou
out
(with
the rotor. So,
hin
wit
t
ren
cur
s
induce
rotor chases the
this field within the
tor outside
sta
the
by
d
field create
torque,
the
s
ate
cre
s
the rotor. Thi
se fields
The
ce.
for
g
which is turnin
re
c, and as such the
are electromagneti
the
:
up
set
the
in
are no magnets
created solely by
magnetic fields are
xt in the driveline
the electricity. Ne
to
acts like a bridge
is the PEM, which
to
(as it's impossible
DC
as
AC
the
re
sto
re's the firmware,
the
n
The
).
AC
re
sto
really that simple.
as-in the ECU. It's
0.33sec
0-10km/h
0.71sec
0-20km/h
1.10sec
/h
km
0-30
1.48sec
0-40km/h
1.86sec
/h
0-50km
2.25sec
/h
km
60
02.65sec
0-70km/h
3.10sec
/h
0-80km
3.64sec
0-90km/h
4.28sec
h
0-100km/
5.06sec
h
m/
0k
0-11
5.98sec
0-120km/h
7.07sec
h
0-130km/
8.40sec
h
m/
0k
14
0.05sec
10
0-150km/h
.16sec
12
h
m/
0-160k
.07km/h
400m 12.98@163
.88sec
)2
80-120km/h (drive
4.1 1
49