2008 Tesla Roadster: Interview with the Engineer

[huyryo]

lol the car is soooo tiny :D

[midgetmayo]

Converted Evora

[muffinmanx99]

only problem with electrice vehicles is no stick shift... oh well the tesla roadster is badass

[Xormithan]

@muffinmanx99 The engine isn't doing much good when you've got the clutch down.

[Afrocanuk]

In the majority of these videos, the car gets the bulk of the credit, but it's the battery that's makes this breakthrough possible. Even now many variations of the Li-Ion battery are either being or are waiting to be tested. Since this car have been out, there have already been improvements made to Li-Ion batteries.

[NotLuckyInLife]

Must have a big bridge rectifier in it. I'd love to get my hands on one and take it apart. Looks like some kick butt technology. Hats of to the folks who got this together. I hope there isn't to many spade connectors as they change resistance when they get warm and when heated over time. All the money to troubleshoot this when they can't do what we have without charging mad money.

[bonds911]

great car

[Gutsyndicate]

You never see engineers wearing suits and sitting in an office, they dress like a blue collar job and always working in a warehouse.

studying all that math and science all this years, and being bossed by MBA.

[rcszigeti]

why not 1 battery?

[MrMadechina]

cooling and cell failure

[salemcripple]

Electric cars are cool. But there is just one huge thing (and a few other smaller ones) i don't like about them. Their lack of sound! You take away that totally awesome sound that only an internal combustion engine can make, you're taking away the second greatest thing about high performance cars. As far as sound goes, no "drill on steroids" will ever replace the sound a Ferrari v12, or a bored out, stroked, huge cam, piece of American muscle. Electric cars just don't have the drama, or passio

[drillococco01]

What? If that was the only BIG problem for an electric car I had already had one.

The BIG problem, rather, is that there isn't an electic supply net on countries and you're basically forced to recharge your car at home and nowhere else. But... the passio and the drama of a 1800's based engine is the last thing ever.

[MrMadechina]

noise is waste. "drill on steriods" sure but nice lotus design sells this car and full torque at zero rpm.

[salemcripple]

Noise is cool. It's a huge part of going to the races. without it, it's like watching a music video with the sound on mute.

[MrMadechina]

noise does add to the excitment.

[zizikelizike]

its the dawn of a new age !

we just need to wait a few years until they get better baterys cuz those suck and have to get exchanged in like 1 year ... (half of the car price are the baterys) xD

so yeah I'll get one when they get under 40.000$ and the'll do atleast 150 miles per charge (200miles maybe)

my 2 cents

[chippievw]

One tip tesla, place the battery's lower, and in a number of different places to lower centre of gravity. They seem to be mounted pretty high.

[tron3entertainment]

The simple fact remains that today's electric cars best serve as second family cars for limited distance driving.

While the battery technology needs dramatic improvements, it wouldn't hurt to throw solar panels on the roof.

Photovoltaics still need lots of work to "solar assist" e-cars. However, solar charging for 8 hours while you work may be the difference between driving home and getting towed.

[afthefragile]

Its hard to design solar panels that conform to the shape of the roof and also solar panels will make the car a lot more expensive...

[Argoon1981]

This car as a 250km+ of range at normal driving, so why are you guys still afraid of the range limit? Is not like everyone drives 300km or more for their day job. You charge your car over night go to job, return and them plug in again and so you will never have to worry about getting stuck with power.

[theBike45]

Everyone familiar with electric cars knows the Tesla technology is brainless and will be totally unreliable - witness one tester running out of juice at 55 miles - the car didn't run out of juice - that would be impossible after only 55 miles - the car has over 15,000 electrical connections to its 8700 obsolete 1st generation li ion flashlight batteries. The connections

just stopped conducting juice. The Tesla technology is amateur hour, automotive style.

[walkiebrook]

Apple's engineers should design the new battery.

the new iCar !!!!

[sango351]

so it IS based on the elise....^_^

[rockscientist01]

3.5 hrs to charge- thats actually pretty quick considering how far you can go. I mean seriously: Except for salesman, who drives 250 miles every day???? and even if you have to drive 100 miles to work (???)- then you work 7-9 hrs, right? So your car can charge.... I mean its probaply not the car you take your family for a cross-country trip in. I'd buy it- Just dont have the cash though :)

[proverb311031]

The charging process will be decreased by a capacitor battery aka a super capacitor, that will allow it to be charged in about ten minutes or so!

We have the technology to do it we just have to keep the oil companies from buying it up like Texico did with the new battery for the EV1!

[0453567]

Well, we don't yet have the technology to do it. It's still in question if that technology will ever exist. Many are working very hard on it though and we can keep our fingers crossed. The support of EEStor by Lockheed Martin is some fairly solid ground for optimism. EEStor has released some more tests as well and a car using their super capacitor can be hoped to come from ZENN around fall this year.

[proverb311031]

I am glad that Telsa is offering a fast charger on the Model S line, they can charges in about 45 minutes, even without the updates that you are speaking of!

[kriscurtis]

I am sure there is a point you critics are trying to make here... fact is this is the future and internal combustion engines are old technology. you can like electric cars or not but they are the future and I for one am looking forward to it!

[0453567]

You're preaching to the choir mate. I was just clarifying the facts. I wouldn't want to make the current progress of electric cars to look too much better than it really is lol.

Also didjya hear didjya hear? Look up Hitachi's lithium ion battery. I'm excited ^_^

Still not convinced of EEStor but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[marcusdavidus]

till they dont make the batteries more usable this kind of cars are ONLY nice gadget nothing more. only idiot can wait 16 hours to charge car LOL. maybe this works for lazy americans who ride for milk to shop but for any normal car user 200 km/s on one charging is totally not enought

[cr4pnet]

he said 3,5h to charge...

[Terr0rt0telc0]

3.5 Is still far too long, and although I find parts of marcus's statement crass or somewhat jejune, I have duly noted his opinion. He is correct about it not being a viable option for the average user. Diesel is still a better option by far.

[0453567]

Still very new technology development. It's getting better in leaps and bounds. There is technology already functional that allows for a charge time of a few minutes, it's all a question of research, testing and of bringing the price down over time.

(reference: Lithium Titanate)

[Terr0rt0telc0]

I would much rather prefer to see the myte engine go into production or a comparable engine. You can convert a simple gas engine say a chevy 350sb to run on pure hydrogen, and you can make a simple tank system with rods running into water and have hydrogen on demand. Hydrogen on demand much safer due to not storing the gas, and cheaper than buying it since you pump water. Look it up; much more cost effective, runs better, cheaper, and still get to toss around great engines.

[0453567]

Hydrogen on demand could never really work in the way you're referring for that application. You need electricity to produce the hydrogen via electrolysis and you still probably couldn't produce it as fast as your car could burn through it. You would need hydrogen tanks and hydrogen isn't a very efficient fuel when compared to pure electrical power, although at least it's better than petrol. I will miss gas engines though. I'm a car nut so yah, I'd have to.

[tipoomaster]

did they fix the transmission?

[ragbam]

yes, by eliminating the 2 speed, now its single speed

[fatphilb]

This car looks the nutts nuts.

Top top top marks, im in awe.

[shbycbra427]

Now cut the weight! We need newer batteries that hold more and weigh less. The main thing weighing down this car is the batteries and it already does 0-60 in four seconds. You can only imagine what its performance and range could be.

[dieselplow]

The Tesla vehicle earns credit for innovation, but until they can create a sedan that gets the range of 200 miles plus, with four seats, four passengers, and a trunk full of items from the market. I think we should remain in reality. Remember: their range is based on the small light roadster, with only one adult passenger weighing 150lbs. Of course the weather has to be around 70f d' for maximum range. Any colder or warmer shortens range dramatically. This is the challenge for the Big 3.

[whiskers78753]

I think you are an idiot. You must work for the big 3.

[MastaMusical]

the new sedan will be released in 2011-2012 and it has a range of 300 miles....

[questor333]

I don't know where you would put it but someone needs to create some kind of charger that will extend the range of this car...though the trunk space is limited. 200-240 miles/charge is much better than previous electric vehicles but I thing we can do better with current technology. Maybe high capacity solar battery thin film technology built into the body? The extra cost could be worth it, as long as it (the added cost) could be reasonable.

[mcrickman]

I believe it does come with a small 110 volt charger you can carry with you. Just takes longer to charge at 110 volts.

[Pedemanteiga]

melldeuss

[JUNKYARDOGvideos]

Tesla roadster, how ironic, using the DC grid to charge your

AC car. pretty much the opposite of his concept.

thomas Eddison is screwing him from the grave.

[distrood]

Please learn atleast some basics about electricity and Nikola Tesla.

Obviously you dont realize what Tesla did for the world, and because of comments like yours i think that some people are just naturally stupid...

[JUNKYARDOGvideos]

you will have to explain that. naturally stupid, well yes, arn't we all? please teach me, what exactly about using DC to charge AC is against Nicola Nesla's ideas ? once you half educated yankies look at tv, your just expertts arn't you?

try reading some history, from books,with diverse sources, so what exactly is incorrect about my origonal statement?

[PORTUGAL1010]

The GRID is AC not DC.

I believe it is the other way TESLA the Electricity GENIUS' concepts are alive and well.

[quelorepario]

Some how it would be lack of respect and contradictory to the name they are presumably willing to honor.

[pavledaljev]

lol

no Serbian scientist Nikola Tesla

no Tesla Roadster

[niswel]

Everything there is will be: e e e e-lectric! Electro is the way of the future!

[Tr1llobite]

i believe they use Lithium ion batteries, they should try to use Lithium Polymer, could actually make it cheaper because they would need less, i also think that they should make that motor bigger with the extra space that they would get :)

[bedlambikes]

I'd be miserable if my "life" started as an beautiful Elise and turned into this sack of shit.

[gonzaloxxx]

I WANT ONE!

[IsaaxTeddy]

I was thinking, why can't Tesla just provide conversion solutions to those existing gasoline driven cars? Just cnange the engine, drv train and add up a battery will do.

[mluu510]

lol, easier said than done. they have to make a custom kit for each model of the car. battery pack is very big and heavy too.

[tuankietfantazy]

does anyone know how long it takes to charge from empty to full?

[bennycake06]

3.5 hours

[Soodla]

What we need to spin it off - is 5 person family car.

Also you can imagine how much you will save on oil and orther accessories like oil/air filters etc. Not to mention the main thing - GAS.

[waltermh111]

spin it off? tesla is already in planning stages for a sedan. if i understand correct, and assuming no snags, they should have news on it in 2009, maybe 2010 release.

obviously now that the tech that will power any type of EV is finished, the hard parts done. Except of course working to continue improvements in milage per full charge.

though of course, 90% of america would be happy with a car that can go 200miles on a charge.

[pabauza]

My Ford charges me 29 cents per mile. That's 15 times more than the Tesla.

[pabauza]

These cars are about 80% efficient. That means the petrol or coal used to recharge is put to better use when you use in an electric car. If you burn gasoline in a conventional engine only 20% of that energy is converted into motion VS 80% in the Tesla. Still you can get SOLAR PANELS for your house and recharge it with no polution at all. The options exist people. And a mile in the tesla is at 2 cents a mile, THATS 2 CENTS.

[emuthefoo]

so instead of pay out the nose for gas, you will just pay out the nose on your electricity bill. and so in essence you will not save money nor will you be saving the earth

[FireFoxConn]

totaly wrong actually. the cost to charge this thing is a little less then a penny a mile. compared to the countless dollars spent in crude oil that add to pollution. this puts a huge dent in the impact on earth.

try researching a little before commenting, thnx.

[emuthefoo]

well when i run my ac my bill goes up alot. and also, power plants pollute alot. sure i might not have researched but in reality makes sense. but all this could makes sense to me since i live in california and we have an energy crisis. i cant run my ac, i cant do laundry till after 7pm, i disconnect all my cellphone chargers all for the reason that i will be charged out the wazoo, k thnx

[absolute141]

yeah dude i don't kno what you're talking about. to start, the energy crisis of california was in 2000-2001.. so i don't know where you get your news from, but yeah.. and if you do the math, you will discover that electric energy is much more efficient, cheaper, and pollutes less than using gasoline in an internal combustion engine.

[chrishibbert20]

Yes your right, the lighter weight plus reduced friction losses means less power waisted before you even plug in!

[maoristereo]

you are an idiot, you spend as much per charge of the battery as for half a galon of gas. the charger spends about as much juice as your computer, dumbass

[FireFoxConn]

"the charger spends about as much juice as your computer, dumbass" lmao and how is that relevant to gas efficiency? Like i said the facts are that it costs less then a penny per mile in energy to run this vehicle when gasoline costs much more then that. also, when you run your AC it runs higher amps then the charger of this roadster, thats why it costs so much. again, please look things up before calling people names.

[maoristereo]

i was saying that in aproval of the car, not the gas ones. why dont you try reading things through before shooting your mouth, genious?

[coolerdude44]

idiots this interview was fascinating

[tribalforrealz]

Damn if it had lotus/toyota engine it would be so sexy it should be the next mr2 haha

[MPaulHolmes]

That interviewer was retarded. He actually is. He only has 13 chromosomes.  He's my great-great-grandfather. Our whole family hates him. He's retarded, stupid, and old.

He's an embarassment. Tesla should run him over, but then the beautiful car would have old people stink all over it.

[Brasker]

This guy talks so slow and is soooo boring

the car looks cool and its pretty good for a 100% electric but that guy jut wont let me finish viewing the video awake!!

[conj2610]

that car reminds me of the coast car from trackmania... :O

[edisme518123]

It's a nice car, I'd like to see more like it.

Would be interesting to see Li-Poly batteries used instead. Li-Poly weighs about 1/4 that of Li-Ion, can be laid in a linear configuration, and produces about 30% more power. Only problem is it's 2x the price and has been rumored to explode on high impact. (Not sure if recent developments have fixed this)

[dude486]

(sigh) What can I say .If this is the future,

the future depresses me. This better not replace modern muscle or i'll be ticked >:(

I like it, Its a nice car. But it has its place. so let it stay in that place.

[edisme518123]

Well, you can go pay Ford $50,000 for an almost-500hp Shelby GT500 with it's solid axle rear end, gas-gulping V8, cheap inside and out, down to the wanna-be muscle exhaust that sounds like a well-tuned Harley at best. So, while you're busy doing donuts, the rest of us will be ripping up the corners in cars that won't cause another war over oil.

[dude486]

Its not my fault there a damn war over oil!

the other countries are just too damn selfish

and greedy! And I never said that it should

run gas!

[0453567]

You can put electric power in any sort of car. When this technology takes off you'll start seeing American Muscle cars with electric power.

[dude486]

Yeah cause I want that to happen -.- Its not that I don't like all this talk of electric cars taking the place of gas powered.

Ok I don't but according everybody on this subject its a necessity. and I'm just not convinced of that yet.

[dude486]

FYI  I don't care too much the GT500. Why you act like V8 muscle cars are going to destroy the world? You act like anyone

who wants or owns one is an idiot. I got

all from your response anyway.

[callmm]

omg i live a mile away from the place they were charging it, alices restaurant

[musclecarkid]

Not the most professional interview. Interesting content about the car though. LOL. The guy in the blue shirt is funny... and i think a little drunk :) Where's my scotch??!?!

[callmm]

they are never professional

[CAESARbonds]

professional news don't care about EVs. They are only complaining about high gas prices, and give useless "hints" to raise your milage.

They might present Hydrogen, but refuse to look at the EVs.

By the way, stop whining it is not a perfect interview but not that bad. I have seen much worse. Imho it is ok

[mrdvs694]

shitbox

[lastchild01]

the ppl in this vid are retarded, this is the future tho, i just wish tesla would make the sedan already. this company is going to change the world, i will be applying there after university

[fuckyoumyman]

U R A FUKEN DORK! Get a babe that knows what she is talking about, not you!

[ShinWR1]

does it comes with a FLex capacitor? cool lights on the car where you put the juice in.

[Zdaytona05]

wtf, why did they waste time with the first 30 seconds of that vid!

Its an awesome car though, hopefully it will be the future

[Nichen]

It is the future

[samatronexcel]

It has to be.

[f00kumofo123]

That thing has fewer parts and a technology that's like 100+ years old (except for batteries). Why the hell does it cost 90k? It makes no fucking sense. If others will follow soon, in 3 years I expect the price drop to under 30k.

[ekuwa69]

Batteries(Li-ion) are very expensive.

[stopcrazypp]

An exige with less power and torque already costs $57k. The battery alone costs $20k so that is already $80k. Add the fact this is a completely new company that needs to recover development costs with this car (this IS their first car). Also unlike gasoline cars there's no established large suppliers of EV parts so more expensive parts too. The car also is 90% different than the elise so they didn't cut costs by sharing parts. Full carbon fiber body. See why it costs $100k now?

[f00kumofo123]

Don't tell me that nonsense. Why do you even mention Exige? Exige is a gas car, Tesla is electric - extremely cheaper electric power components. Interior is ugly, so it's only carbon fiber body - 50K of carbon - that's fucking insane. 200% overpriced. No wonder only stupid hollywood buys it.

[stopcrazypp]

Didn't you read? Battery alone is 20k, add to 57k price exige: 80k already! Where did you get electric components are cheaper? There is no large supply chain for electric components so they are more EXPENSIVE. Why do you think GM just raised the price of the Volt by $5k? A weaker 200hp (roadster has 250hp) ac-150 gen2 EV motor system already costs $25k. The 2ZZ-GE SC in the Exige costs LESS THAN $10k. Which one is cheaper? Also Tesla has to pay back the money spend starting a whole new company!

[Hao420]

That think so quiet!!~

[mchamp3802]

the way that the guy presents the tesla just has noo enthusiasm whatsoever. He makes an amazing electric car sound soooo boring

A great guy to help tell your children bedtime stories and make them pass out

[hyp3rdrv]

At least he isnt as boring as that black guy from autonetwork that talks 100% in monotone and acts like he hates his job.

[inhuman216]

You leave the enthusiasm and opinion at the audience. He has to present facts professionally being one of the engineer of the car.

[stopcrazypp]

He's an engineer not a PR person. Engineers tend to be boring, but they get the job done and that's the important part.