Tesla Roadster, disappeared but not forgotten

Many times a manufacturer will produce a special car, learn from it what they can learn, and then leave it on the ranch and be forgotten. Does anyone remember GM EV1? I do not think so.

Well, Tesla hasn’t forgotten their roots (good job Elon) and is giving the Tesla Roadster some love. In a blog post a few days ago, Tesla stated that they are rolling out some updates for the little Lotus based EV. These include a new battery pack using production methods from the Model S, a new aero package for reduced drag, and low rolling resistance tires, bearings, and brakes. Tesla claims that these improvements should net a 40-50% improvement over the original range. This should put it well over 300 miles. Not half bad for an all electric sports car. If I were one of the lucky few that had one of these, I would be saving my pennies for this upgrade.

We haven’t heard anything about Roadster for a while, but the staff at Automoblog thinks it’s pretty and cool. Manufacturers usually don't take the time to help owners of old products. That is, unless the government starts investigating a possible recall. Roadster has only sold a few thousand vehicles worldwide, so Tesla will not make any (real) money through this transaction. I haven't had a chance to drive a Roadster, but I had a seat on the Lotus Elise (Roadster's petrol sister) for a while. I can only imagine the feeling of momentary torque on this chassis. I continue to be surprised that Tesla can move on and make cars that people really want to drive. I can only imagine what crazy, atypical business decisions they will make next. Who knows, maybe Honda will learn from it and do something interesting.