World's first electric sportscar - 23 July 08

[nichevl]

Did they say in this video that it can do 300km before needing a recharge and that the recharge only takes 10mins !!!

Has anyone worked out the charge current - presumably from a single phase 220 to 240V AC source ?

Want to know the motor details and the battery type and configuration please ?

Thanks

[TecnamTwin]

Tesla now controls a large chunk of the super car market. The Roadster Sport fully maxed with options costs $160,000. She forgot to mention the range of the Roadster in the video-400 km or 250 miles. Granted the Tesla does take 3 hours to charge from empty, but who cares! I'm sleeping when it's doing that.

[alokk7rao7]

Iwantthisone

[BrunoInBrazil]

Wow. Ten minutes, huh?

[ottodob]

british always bashing the americans. tesla> british knock off.

[supermariogalaxian]

Electric cars need to die because they sell extremely poor.

[hurriedtempo481]

I'm in the market for one. Doing my due diligence at fasteconomicalcars (.) com

[JKING313BOY]

230,000 dollars ain't no hoe. But it sure is a beautiful car tho

[noimadfritz]

That lightening looks really nice but that price is a killer

[DanFrederiksen]

indeed Hummer's days were numbered. it's dead now : )

all combustion engine cars will die! they just don't believe it yet. but they're dead

[7ceri]

i like nicer looking cars than this

[dj8work]

@7ceri so ur saying this car isnt "nice" looking?

[7ceri]

i like nicer looking cars than this

[edwong3]

The Lightning is beautiful!

[drbaltazar]

this will become the norm soon ,dont forget with ultracapacitor going nano techno!

its just a mather of time before ultracapacitor get used instead of lithium battery!

(and you divide weight by 3 compared to lithium battery !the only hand brake is oil industry and car company (check to what lengh gm went to kill their own ev-1 car)

because they had no intention of letting their own engineer outwith the gm regular car engineer!(too mutch money would have been lost with their hummer for usa milit!

[nubserver]

160k for me is pocket change

[JasperPalmer]

YES! ... YES YES YES HELL YEAH!

[danrichards23]

what about the coal burning power plants that make the electricity? if everyone goes electric they have to burn more coal. the nuclear power plants will have more nuclear waste to figure out what to do with and there isnt enough wind and water energy yet and solar power is too expensive as far as the new solar panels that are 7 times more effective. they havent even been produced yet.

[Liv2xplore]

@danrichards23 You're talking like it's going to be an instant 1 for 1 swap of gas to electric cars and suddenly everyone will be plugging their cars in at night. It's going to be a very gradual thing where the change happens in small increments and the other technologies will be working to satisfy their needs. Changes in where we get our electricity from, more efficient batteries for less frequent charging, or perhaps electricity from hydrogen fuel cells (if they figure that one out)

[Blackwater200]

@danrichards23 You forgot about solar, and wind farms.....and now we have ocean wave generators.

[ildsc]

now all we need to do is get our electricity from greener sources- the government should install solar panels on every roof (i wish) and recycle more. We'll need hardly any oil and get alot less co2

[xevious2501]

its all about battery technology, theres way better battery technology out there (Ultracapacitor's) lightweight,longer life, holds charge for years, super short recharge time) only that the cost for such batteries is very high and still havent hit the mainstream marketplace.

[rtsoccerplayer]

wow 10 minute charge???

[swat1618]

my dad is getting a yellow one

[RatchetandClankNXTG3]

Good for you.

[RatchetandClankNXTG3]

This isn't the first electric sportscar, get you facts straight first.

[RatchetandClankNXTG3]

Oops, meant your*

[RatchetandClankNXTG3]

The Tesla has been in production. And it wasn't the first. The AC Delco tzero was.

[Guillatinement]

magnetic motor

[Elexceed]

It costs too much!

It is no way as fast as the Japanese Eliica @ 370Kph

You need to be a DICK to waste money on this Lighting for the money they are asking you could buy a Lamborghini Replica & make it electric with Li-ion, in wheel motors & have the same speed & range with 50% cash left over.

How do I know because I am building a EV Lamborghini here in Japan with in-wheel-motors & Li-ion, it will cost under $80k & match this Lighting GT piece of shit!

[Deelucky84]

"Does not cost the earth"

Lady your thick if you think these Electric cars are "zero emissions."

Electricity is generated through burning coal/diesel oil, and thats harmful to the environment.

[yourealiti]

1st of all If we are burning harmful toxins I rather have them burn outside of my city so I can enjoy the fresh air.

2nd There are obviously ways to produce safe electricity such as solar, wind, wave...

3rd The electricity to power you car would be super cheap

[Deelucky84]

1. Nice solution for the EARTH.

2. Could all of those opitions really produce enough energy to  cure our energy problem??

3. LOL

[yourealiti]

funny guy

1) alternative energy will help the earth

2)What problem? We must wait for the oil company to lift their monopoly until then we can at least cut emissions in half.

3) Is $0.02/L funny?

[Deelucky84]

Monopoly?? Necessity!!!

I don't think you understand the scale of how much energy we use. If we were to use your idea of converting to SOLAR. We would need a SOLAR PANEL FIELD half the size of the state of California JUST to sustain what we use now, and thats just for the United States. Thats a huge economic undertaking, and there's nothing CHEAP about it. Wave and wind also just produce a fraction of what we use now.

The demand is much bigger than what you think, or care to realize.

[Tarciryan2]

Firstly this ignores advances in solar tech efficiency.

Secondly you ignore the possibility of new systems to reduce the amount of electricity consumed per capita (user efficiency).

Finally you also forget that aside from fission power (nuclear and geothermal), every power source on earth is derrived from solar energy in the first place. Fossil fuels, wind, and wave energy are created with solar energy.

Considering commercial fusion is 40+ years away at a minimum...

[CommanderB9488]

Hydro electricity doesn't pollute the atmosphere.

[Deelucky84]

no it doesn't, but is it a viable opition.....NO

[Liv2xplore]

@Deelucky84 That entirely depends on where you live, hydro-electricity has been used for many years as the primary source of electricity in the Pacific Northwest, supplying over 90% of the electricity to Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. That's pretty Viable.

[masso172]

It is indeed beautiful, but...

The rear window section was copied from the Bugatti Veyron, the side from an Aston Martin and the front i'm debating if from a Jaguar XJ220. A little bit more originality would have given the project an even greater outcome.

[IgnacioFuertes5722]

that s incredible the future now

[JuiC30]

the cheapest Tesla roadster starts at 109 000 dollars what a load of shit, cant this women that calls herself a reporter actually do some research before she talks about something? moron...

[DanieLaixer]

Aston Martin lookalike

[MegaCooper19]

list of thing s that are shite

electric cars

being eco friendly

lastly

FUCK THE METRIC SYSTEM

[Strogenforcer]

MegaCooper19 You're a stupid cunt

[djdexcat]

One complaint I've heard about electric & hybrid cars that should get more attention is that they're TOO quiet. Those who are blind have complained that they are much harder to hear coming, which could easily lead to an accident. In fact, I've had problems with non-deaf bikers that took up the normal lanes because they couldn't hear me coming.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have an electric car, but they should have some kind of additional noise to get around that issue.

[Haroburton56]

I agree with you!

[wildindyan22]

GM gas monster .... ford ....fix or repair daily

[Charles2337]

Why do they make them look so shit.

[M3MPH1SM0J0]

fuck al jazeera

[0RPHiXarts]

um actually the ev1.... do you remember that?

[mikeccuk2006]

yes, but the tesla is fast as a real sport car. So ev1 didnt count

[puffrooster]

I just watched the documentary, "Who Killed The Electric Car" last night and that is the first I heard about the EV1!

I will never buy another GM product again. I can't afford a Lightning but I can afford a Tesla S when it is released in 2012!

[gnarkill57]

Not to mention that most people think that coal releases a lot of mercury into the atmosphere, people this is not the 70s they have come long way. If it were not for the steam coming out of the cooling tower most of the time you would not know they are running. More importantly I am tired of giving other countries all my money so I can go to work. The real answer would be to build more rail ways and increase mass transportation. Ever heard of a 350 MPH train. That would kill that airlines.

[gnarkill57]

Fortunately the US has recently lifted the ban on new nuclear power plants so hopefully in 10 years we will see them start going into service. Currently France is over 85% Nuclear. There is process to to take the spent plutonium, re enrich it an burn it at a slow yield and make it almost handleable by hand.

[pavlos20m]

i WANT THAT CAR !!!!

PURE ENERGY !!!

[monky19]

who do i gotta bonk to get one of them that looked goooood i so want one

[gulgul2006]

Actually if everyone drove electric then we might actually have a real "global warming" issue, not this Al Gore manufactured bullshit... Mars has no atmosphere. Was it all the Hummers on mars that did it? Please. I'd much rather let out CO into the air from cars than the mercury in high doses from the coal driven electric plants. We need to tackle the atom before we shift to electric cars. It's way too early. This is a B A D idea... There's nothing green about using even MORE electricity.

[greenmotorsport]

Anyone remember the Baker EV in 1909 ?

[hninlaypo]

the tesla is not even close to being the first electric car. If you want to be technical, there were locomotive electrics in the early 1800s, as well as a slew of other electric cars, such as the citicar and the infamous ev1 launched by GM during the 1990s.

[SideSam]

it says "World's first electric sportscar". Agin, sportscar.

[22bryant]

the first sport electric car iscall tesla

this is the second

before you post a video

u must research

Im from the san francisco bay area

san carlos is in the bay,where the first electric sport car was made

fool europeans never fool americans

[SIPENERGY]

what an ass of a statement. First electric sports car was built in 1899 (Lohner iirc), by a then-young Dr Ferdinand Porsche. And he was nowhere near CA at the time, either.....

[1imax111]

i have an idea, make the batteries so that you can swap them at swapping stations. voila, you can travel as far as there are swapping stations.

problem solved. Now give us electric cars!!!!!!!

[drumzstix666]

actually u can just go to the nearest gas station with a powerful amp charger and use the gas station's plug so that way u get more kilometers and free fill up, haha i'm so smart! well not really...

[1imax111]

you'd have to find a way to get such high amp transfer safe, for humans and the battery

[ajtj500]

Let's do better than swapping batteries. Make cars that have duel systems so that while one is running the car, the other is is recharging from the turning wheels. On long trips one would never have to stop except for other matters...

[1imax111]

Ever heard of friction?

[22bryant]

the firsts electric sport car is call tesla

made in san carlos california

you are wrong ,dude

[lyzadmortem]

I am confused! lol

Isn't this tesla roadster?

and which is lightning?

[drumzstix666]

dude tesla is the first mass produced electric sports car, commuter cars tango was the first ever sports electric car.

[22bryant]

the first electric sport car was made in the san francisco bay area

in san carlos california to be exact

the name is tesla

[ffsallnamestaken]

she is hot..

[manuhack99]

he probably does :)).... hope he get's fired if he does :))

[tzeimet]

What is the car at the end?

[ionellovidell]

fuck this... with what do u think they produce the electricity to charge those bateries...change the whole system and then we'll have 100% green cars

[ffsallnamestaken]

You can pick your electricity source yourself...................... pick up the phone and dont pick coal power, wind, solar and water is just as cheap, in my country atleast... ;)

[AlessandroAUS]

Its 0-100kmh not 0-100mph and its in 3.9sec and not 3.3

[BeNGALi4LFE]

why did they only list the disadvantages (which arent that bad except for the price) of the tesla but listed mostly good things about the lightning gt??

[LOLDISNEYLAND]

omg this is such a beautiful yet muscle design! Brits always had excellent industrial design in their key concepts. The idea behind electrics isn't so much about being "green", it's about efficiency and performance. An electric outperforms any petrol engine in regards to power output to the wheels. So electrics make excellent sports cars but also great city cars.

[VerystrangeMaster]

this tesla roadster is much cheaper than ferarri or lambo and it's more performance oriented and probably much more durable. Why is everyone so skeptic ? And if there is a small problem with electric cars, it doesn't mean that it can't be fixed in time.

[jackooboy1]

Tesla kicks ass.

[deejayzyx]

than run out of battery life in 30 minutes

there has to be something out there that can make us travel fast and that doesn't require that much energy

[AlessandroAUS]

It can travel around 200miles on a single charge. So in order to have it got flat you would have to drive at (200 divided by 0.5 (1/2 an hour)) = 400mph. Yeah, right...

[sockosockosocko]

regular ev's meet my needs

[deejayzyx]

green and boring

has anyone ever tested what happens if you throw a lightning bolt on a electric car

just curious to see what happens to 70,000 batteries when you have 100000 Watt a second energy into them.

see that would bring more attention to electric cars, make a commercial and let me do the music haha

[JoSeToTo]

Never seen that, but looking forward to

[riohaga]

Looks like a Vette and Viper morphed together. Hopefully they can actually produce this car and pave the way for a practical electric vehicle for the rest of us withough 150 large

[iisbraindead]

watch?v=2fQThcztTxs

[pathdestroyer]

that lightening GT is a stunning piece of machine...finally some beautiful Eletric car...lightening is every inch of british styling IMO way much exciting looking than tesla roadster.

[indiasrainbow]

is it expensive because of the patents on components? are there a few people that own the battery patents perhaps so only they can supply the technology , therefore keeping prices high?

or are there simply not enough factories set up to produce the demand? or both?

thanks for help on understanding this.

[margor59]

I think its because there is no massive production so all the process is, at the end, very expensive for few cars.

well, just what i think, maybe im wrong

[Al3zza]

120-150 for a car, why not Ferrari or Lamborghini?

[zongyii]

bcos ferrari or lambo consumed much much much more fuel, driving it for long term end up $(car + fuel) = $this

[cherrynutz]

At least there thinking of cool looking cars (ass on the lightning gt looks sweet, kinda like a vette manta ray concept car), being a corvette guy, I want something that doesn't look like a tiny egg going down the road with no power, I like the idea of environmentally friendly combined with a sleek sports car that actually has power. I hope they keep going with stuff like this.

[kompaj]

really nice sport car!

But What I would really like to see is the mass production of electric cars for the commoon people. :)

[citi0rhythm]

thats honestly a godly good looking car~

[1234Hopkins]

lol these stupid people really think that our enviornment is bad when its really not. Stupid Liberals. DRIVE A HUMMER! DRIVE A FOR F-650! DRIVE DRIVE DRIVE!!!

[redsoil5]

Obviously you're an American even if I'm not looking at your profile.The reason why Americans are being hated because of thinking like yours.

[wotsdadeal]

It's not as much about the environment as it is about taking power away from people controlling oil.

[emforty2]

short range=bicycle

long range=rail

[fabricekanda]

I like her English! beside the car.

[krankiev]

Hey guess what. Most electricity is produced with fossil fuels.

[vindigga6]

u know wat pisses me off. theyre shittin on tesla like the lightening is better? the lightening is probably gonna cost waay more like 5x more then the tesla. same exceleration and roughly same mileage. and that dumb 10 min charge thing theyre talkin about? ure gonna need some heavy duty charging unit to accomplish that. where as the tesla only needs 220v the lightening probably needs 800v and it would take the same time as a tesla on a 220v

[monkeyman1140]

If GM had bothered to support the EV-1 back in the late 90's, they wouldn't be broke now.

[anthonycut]

Ford made my EV in 2000....no bailout for them!

[deKubber]

why wouldn't the Venturi Fetish be the world's first sportscar?

[toothpik00]

Car companies need to be more green NOW. The technology is there and it has been for 50 years. If they started refining electric cars back then we would have better batteries, better motors, and 1000km ranges. But we don't and it's all because of the oil companies. Finally, people are starting to notice that.

[pathdestroyer]

although preposterously expensive which will cost u an arm and a leg to buy one (as expected) but such a beautiful and stunning car designed by someone with some imagination..way much better looking than tesla IMO

[weghead1000]

such a cool car... im gona look it up

[HAZ2575]

y do'nt they just make a re-chargeable car battery they should run the car for 9 months without charge

[cyborgtroy]

Because that technology doesn't exist.

[deKubber]

...or tow a trailer with a small generator on the back for long distances?

[krankiev]

it would take more energy to pull the generator than it would produce.

[chocolateeskimoo]

why do boyfriends cheat?

enjoy the photos, he'll be so mad

[joline4907]

rofl this video is scandalous in a odd way.

[Inmate527]

What happens when the batteries die?

[kafka27]

the same thing when you run out of fuel in your internal combustion engine

[f50superfan]

loool

[mrtonyis]

I got a 1999 Rav 4 EV and it`s still running on it`s original batteries and still gets a full range and power. It`s no wonder Chevron locked up the patents on the 95Amp battery moduls and only allowed Toyota to make measly 6Amp battery modules. Nearing on 10 years daily use, what more do people want?

[leored79]

hi mate..

what is the range of your EV? charging etc..

[nephilymbass]

there are no belts on an electric car. Look under the hood of your car an electric motor is very simple. Theres batteries an electric motor similar to whats in an electric fork lift and a power regulator. The "volt" does have an alternator but its only on when its using gas. Regenerative breaking is the new thing there working to get right. in that case when you take your foot of the "Gas" the electric motor will shut off and the wheels turning from momentum will create electricity to charge

[rdhawke]

My question is: why can't these cars just have alternators like our cars do now? DUH! Once the motor is "on" it turns the alternator belt, which in turn, via cables, keeps all those little batteries charged, c'mon, this isn't rocket science, just plain common sense. I think they're all yanking our chains; 'plug ins'...FEH! Somebody doesn't want electric cars to 'really' catch on. Just as they can neither hold back the sun or the tide, can they impede the progress of technology...forever.

[SCOTSDOC]

Price is out-rageous A HUNDRED TO A HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND POUNDS! Somebody has 'high hopes'.

I want 300 miles and 60 mph before I'll buy and I'll expect an ECONOMIC price.

Meantime I'll stick with  my Hyundai Elantra!

[Inmate527]

Well when you think about it. The car costs just as much as a Porche.

[joggerman1234]

yeah...the best point has already been made by people before me. Electric cars have more potential then even turbocharged internal combustion engines. The technology is there we haven't explored it because the petro industry would not exist as it does. The Bernays utopia would have a class of rulers controlling a massive consumer-based population. Think, how integral is the petro industry to achieving that ideal? Very... And that is the sad truth...

[Nichen]

The answer to battery technology is EEStor. The future is already here ladies and gentlemen :)

[DanFrederiksen]

not quite true title though. Tesla should be first or even the Venturi Fetish. or Tzero. or.. :)

[StinkFingerr]

We're not going to be able to convert to electric cars without more nuclear power plants.

[mrpainintheheinie]

why does the tesla take 3.5 hours to recharge while the lighting just takes 10 minutes?

tesla tech originated in silicon valley and yet it falls behind?

[ConnecticutFA]

Becausethey are hyping. It is so bad to dump that much electricity into a car.

to carry that much current through a cable the cable would be about as thick as your wrist. to get that power to recharge the batteries if its 120V it would require 1800 AMPS

for 220V thats 900 AMPS

440V 450 amps

your dryer outlet in the states is 220V 30 amps while your average house plug is 120V 15 amps

[mrpainintheheinie]

thank you.

[chrishibbert20]

Fast charging depends on the battery construction, typically fast charging shortens the life of the battery though.

The Tesla having a 400km range though means 3.5 hour recharge will be ok for most.

Also if you do drive 200km to work maybe you could recharge at work, it comes with a plug in charger supplied in the trunk.

Not many travel 200km to work I think.

[randommagnum]

The electric car is bad financial news for the part of the world which Al-Jazeera serves.

[janebusby]

The electric cars are bad for everybody random!...

Bad for Saudi Arabia. Bad for oil companies. Bad for the local garage. Bad for tyre companies. Bad for all governments who make billions from gas taxes.

Infact everyone except us the consumer!

Once the oil age has ended, nothing will ever generate the level of profit that oil has, ever again!

Electric cars have been around in some form for nearly 200 years. But we don't have them because they upset too many people.

[mrpainintheheinie]

i agree with everything you said. oil transport, drilling, refining employs more people than any industry but how are they bad for tire companies? even these cars run on tires.

keep up the good work. people need to know that electric cars are not some future technology or that they are hassles. in fact, they are much lower in maintenance.

[randommagnum]

"Once the oil age has ended, nothing will ever generate the level of profit that oil has, ever again!"

I don't know about that. You could be right but it's a little hard to say unless you could see into the future with a crystal ball or something.

[ascendedsayian101]

Me:"YEA Due lets go on a roadtrip, whooooo"

Friend:"This is sooo gonna rock"

Me:"Dude I love this country side view and this cars fast as hell:

Friend:"Totally"

Car:"Tuk Tuk Tuk Tukkkkk Tuckkkkkk"

Me:"Ahhh shitt were out of power"

Friend:"Now What dude"

Me:"Fuck this shit u got an outlet"

Friend:"Fuck no dude, u said this was gonna be a Fuckin Roadtrip, Fuck U"

[antonioscheel]

10 minute recharge!! thats massive, travel 300k stop for charge have a coffee and sandwich and your on your way again!

[vonOhzu]

Lighting does look better than tesla.

[mayrami212]

ConEdison is going to be very happy when this car reaches the USA!!! lol

[frankodelic]

There are tons of highway capable electric cars coming out w/in the next year or so. Google; Commuter Cars — Tango T600 Venturi — Fetish Lightning Car Company — Lightning GT Think — City Phoenix Motorcars — Sport Utility Truck / SUV Universal Electric Vehicles — Spyder Aptera — Typ-1e Obvio — 828e Venture Vehicles — VentureOne e50 / Q100 / EV Miles Electric Vehicles — XS500

[sonofthedestroyer]

The concept of charging a powerful sports car with a plug and socket is quite amusing.

But there is an irony here. Only very rich people can afford. Most of these very rich people became rich by exploiting Earth and other humans. So the idea that they will afford an eco-sports car is silly.

[RemiG2006]

We would already have GE EV-1 on the roads if it wasn't killed!

[hannahmontanarox3409]

nice thanks for sharing my dear friend ~rajesh

[rblwoaclu]

they have cars that run on compressed air.or there's this new invention called legs and feet.

[HEYBUDD]

Legs and feet are not new nimrod. Perhaps if you would take some time from you busy schedule of posting convaluted, devisive comments on youtube and did a little fact checking....you would know that legs and feet have been around for allmost as long as humans. Legs came first though, and neither were commonly used until the 18th century. Pick up a book sometime for goodness sake! Stop spreading these lies on the internet, your compromising the intellectual certanty of information in the tubes.

[rblwoaclu]

he that justifieth the wicked ,and he that condemeth the just bith are abominable to God.

he that studies discords loveth quarrels and he that exhalteth his door seeketh ruin.

thats the book u should read nimrod!! im rubber your glue whatever u say bounces off of me and sticks on u!!!!lol relax.your veins gonna blow.you spelled convoluted wrong buy a dictionary. big words lol

[Odziz]

Yes there is a solution already to distance trvel, its called Project Better Place. Already active in Israel and Denmark. This is being extended to Portugal and Shia Aggasi (PBP) is already in talks with Palestine EV enthusiasts.

As for charging, its done overnight, nobody drives when their sleeping.

[biantai888]

The Wrightspeed X1 prototype was first.

60 mph = 96.56064 kph ~~ 97 kph

Wrightspeed X1 Prototype

0-30 mph (46 kph): 1.35 sec

0-60 mph (97 kph): 3.07 sec

0-100 mph (161 kph): 6.87 sec

No clutch, no shifting,...first gear takes you to 112mph...

The X1 production car will be better...much better.

[teemuruskeepaa]

00.22 She says 'consumers want something fast but environmentally friendly. Maybe this Tesla is the answer'. She implies that the consumer's want came before the Tesla Roadster, when in fact it was Tesla who created the car first, to enter the markets. This is again the cultural propaganda, that all is well in the market economy politically

[takotheoktopus]

This video is misleading since the first electric sports car was the Tesla Roadster and this video seems to promote the Lightning electric sports car as if it were the first.

[Odziz]

Incorrect the first electric sports car was the TZero by AC Propulsion.

[takotheoktopus]

Straight from AC Propulsion's website "The tzero is not for sale. It is a concept & development vehicle"

The Tesla Roadster was the first electric sports car available to the public.

[Odziz]

You stated 'first electric sports car', not first production electric sports car.

Dozens of news sites have touted the Lightning GT as the first electric sports car.

Google: first electric sports car

[stopcrazypp]

I looked that the results and a lot of them seem to claim "UK's first electric sports car". I don't think even Lightning the company claims they are the first electric sports car, just that they are in the UK. The ones making "world's first electric sports car" claims just didn't check their facts. It is plain fact that Tesla is before the Lightning, since Tesla is already delivering cars, while the Lightning was introduced not long ago.

[Odziz]

Also Tango Electric Car

Mostly known as "That small electric car that George Clooney drives!", the electric Tango is faster than you might think: With a 0 to 60 time of 4 seconds, it can smoke quite a few sports cars. Bonus: You can park 3-4 of them side by side in a regular parking spot.

[stopcrazypp]

That is pretty amazing for a car like that, but I think people will argue if it is a sports car mostly based on it body shape (looks like most of the NEV quadricycles) and doubts about it's handling characteristics. Both the Tesla & the Lightning are doubtlessly sports cars, even if not super cars.

[Odziz]

Also the Venturi Fetish electric sorts car from France.

[takotheoktopus]

I stand corrected. It would seem that the Venturi Fetish was the first electric sports car available to the public. If you really wanted to be picky about when the first electric sports car was made, one could point to the La Jamais Contente made in 1899.

[stopcrazypp]

Actually you were right about the Tesla, it's the first production electric sports car. While the Fetish concept was introduced earlier in 2004 & the Tesla was introduced 2006, the Fetish is scheduled for June 2009 production, while the Tesla is already delivering cars now. So the Tesla is the first electric sports car avaliable to the public. The tzero is even earlier (1997) but not it's not production.