When it comes to electric vehicles, no brand has made an impact quite as Tesla has. When you consider their impact on the world of sports cars (a realm where petrol undeniably dominates), Tesla has also made waves in the industry with their Roadster.
The Tesla Roadster is an electric sports car that was initially released in 2008 and discontinued sales in 2011. The original Roadster achieved top speeds of around 125mph but those speeds could be doubled with the release of the second-generation Roadster which Tesla claims can achieve over 250mph.
The original Tesla Roadster was an important milestone for electric sports vehicles but also for Tesla itself. However, if reports about the second-generation Roadster prove to be true, this new vehicle is set to be a game changer.
The original Tesla Roadster
The original version of the Tesla Roadster was important not just for its position as an electric vehicle looking to shake up the sports car scene, but also for paving the way for future car development and production at Tesla.
The original Tesla Roadster was produced in 2008. However, Tesla overhauled the production process and a significant upgrade followed in 2010.
Tesla claimed the Sport version produced in 2010 could achieve 0-60mph in 3.7 seconds. The top speed of an original Tesla Roadster was around 125mph.
Only 2,500 original Roadsters were produced and the vehicle was discontinued so Tesla could focus on its other, less expensive electric vehicles. However, the success of the original Roadster was crucial in laying the foundation for developing electric cars at Tesla and helped enable mass production of future Tesla vehicles.
A new car on the block
In 2017 Tesla made an exciting announcement, the Roadster would be returning. However, what really captured the attention of car enthusiasts around the world was the specs for the second-generation Roadster.
Bold claims from Tesla would see the Roadster, if proved accurate, dominating in the sports car world as a record-breaking vehicle. Even more impressive, breaking these records as an electric vehicle against stiff competition.
The world’s fastest car?
The Tesla Roadster could become the world’s fastest car if it lives up to the claims Elon Musk has made about it. The Tesla founder has claimed that the Roadster will be able to reach 60mph in only 1.9 seconds.
This speed would make it faster than a Porsche 918 Spyder as well as a Ferrari LaFerrari. Even more impressive, that superfast speed is for the base model.
Musk claims that an upgraded model that features a Space-X options package will enable the Tesla Roadster to achieve 60mph in just 1.9 seconds. It would reach 100mph in just 4.2 seconds.
If the Roadster does manage to reach 60mph in 1.9 seconds, this will make it the world’s fastest production car. The car will supposedly achieve incredible top speeds of over 250mph, with a maximum range of 620 miles.
Sports cars aren’t known for their spacious interiors but Tesla’s new Roadster will have seating for up to four people (the original Roadster could fit two people). It will also reportedly come with a glass roof that can be stored inside the trunk to create a convertible.
The second-generation Roadster also welcomes an aggressively sleek styling compared to the original. Of course, the most incredible aspect of the new Roadster remains its astounding top speed, double that of the original Roadster.
Still waiting on the game changer
When Tesla initially announced the second-generation Roadster, the car world was naturally curious to know when this vehicle would be released. It was expected that the first second-generation Roadsters would be produced in 2020.
However, production has been delayed and reports are that a possible 2021 production date could be expected instead. The base Roadster will reportedly be on offer for $200,000 while a limited edition Founders Series model will cost an additional $50,000.
The Founders Series model will be limited to just 1,000 units. Reservations are available now for both the base Roadster and the limited edition Founders Series model.
When Tesla initially unveiled the second-generation Roadster in 2017, it was a concept car. While some details may change from what is currently known about the car to what the final version will be, car enthusiasts will undoubtedly be hoping that the bold performance claims become reality.