Tesla Model S Road Testing Underway [with Video]

It has been a long journey, but it looks like the Tesla Model S all-electric sport sedan is one step closer to series production as the California-based automaker announced it is moving on to the final road tests. The first phase called Alpha, which began in 2010, includes both computer simulations and test-drives of prototype vehicles. There will be a Beta phase as well.

“The first Alpha is amazingly agile for a car of its size. It has great handling balance and poised ride with communicative steering. Just goes to show what combining a low center of gravity with a very stiff body structure can achieve”, said test drive Graham Sutherland.

According to Tesla, Alpha cars will be tested in the coming months in all sorts of climatic conditions, which should help engineers improve the EV’s driving dynamics.

Tesla’s second model after the Roadster offers seating for five adults and two children. The Model-S' drivetrain consists of an electric motor coupled to a single-speed transmission and a floor-mounted lithium-ion battery pack. Customers will be able to specify their cars with one of three available battery packs offering a driving range of up to 160, 230 or 300 miles (258, 370 or 483 kilometers).

Roughly the same size as a BMW 5-Series, the Model S sprints to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 5.6 seconds and can reach a top speed of 130 mph (209 km/h). Production is set to begin in 2012 and Tesla is currently taking orders, with the base price set at US$49,000, including a US$7,500 Federal tax credit.

By Csaba Daradics

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Fulton Innovation Wirelessly Charges Tesla Roadster

A few days ago we brought you the news that GM will begin offering in-car wireless charging mats for mobile phones as an option from Q3 2012. These devices, that are making big waves at trade shows both in the U.S. and around the world, do away with the pesky cords and bulky adapters of old, replacing them with two conductive metal plates (i.e. one on the back of your phone and one in your car).

So imagine if you could charge your electric car this way. It should be simple, right? You’d just need to upscale it to suit charging a bigger battery. Well, at the 2011 CES technology trade show in Las Vegas, Fulton Innovation showed such a gadget by wirelessly charging the be-all and end-all of electric vehicles: the Tesla Roadster.

The eCoupled Powerspot, as it is called, works on the same principles as its smaller cousins and can even provide you with charging updates through a smart phone app. Do you want to keep track of how much it costs to recharger your electric car? The app can do that too.

There’s even a video, though admittedly it’s not very interesting. No electrical arching or unearthly humming noise here, I’m afraid; just a silent, practical vision for the future. You can check out the video for yourself, if you’re so inclined. There’s no indication of when this technology will be available, though I suspect we will be seeing it within the next five years or so.

It has, after all, been used by Hino to recharge electric busses for at least the past two years. It’s not so much a matter of if but when, and whether it can be made cost effective. One thing is for sure, the future for electric vehicles just got a little brighter.

By Tristan Hankins

Via: Jalopnik & The Next Web

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Brabus Plugs into the Tesla Roadster with New Sport Green Package

In an effort to provide added value to its customers, Brabus’ Zero Emission division joined forces with German electricity company RWE and created the Green Package for the Tesla Roadster. Along with a host of exterior and interior upgrades, the 'green' package includes a quick charging station for the owner’s garage and 30,000 kilometers (18,641 miles) worth of electric power from RWE. And there’s more; with every purchase, buyers also receive a one-year pass for free use of all public RWE charging stations.

Compared to your standard household power outlet, the quick charging station gets the job done three times faster. That means the Tesla Roadster can be fully charged in less than six hours for an operating range of some 350 km (220 miles).

Being that Brabus is a tuning firm, the company also spiced up the EV. Starting with the exterior, the Germans added a carbon fiber lip to the front bumper and incorporated LED daytime running lights into the front grille. At the rear we can find a discrete carbon fiber wing and diffuser.

The body can be painted in any color while the car rides on 18-inch front and 19-inch rear Monoblock S alloys, shod in 215/35 front and 255/30 rear tires. The alloys are finished in black and have a subtle outline matched to the exterior color.

As with its previous Tesla offerings, Brabus adds a sound generator, which replicates the grunt “of a typical V8, a racecar or two futuristic soundscapes”, according to the company.

The interior can be specified in a combination of perforated leather and Alcantara, but other options are also available, such as scuff plates with illuminated Brabus logos and even a leather-covered floor.

By Csaba Daradics

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2011 Tesla Electric Sports Cars Roadster 2.5

2011 Tesla Electric Sports Cars Roadster 2.5

Tesla launched the new Roadster this week and is delivering to customers now. More than 1,200 current Tesla owners in at least 23 countries have logged over five million electric miles in their Roadsters. CHICHESTER, UK — Tesla Motors (TSLA) will unveil its next-generation sports car to the public this weekend at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The latest version of revolutionary electric sports car, Tesla Roadster 2.5.

‘Goodwood is one of the most beloved motoring events in the world and a highlight of the English summer – so it’s only appropriate that this iconic celebration will be the public launch of the latest Roadster,’ said Cristiano Carlutti, Tesla’s Vice President of European Operations.

The Festival of Speed is the world's largest motoring garden party - a unique weekend that brings together a heady mix of cars, stars and motor sport 'royalty' to create the largest car culture festival worldwide. Held in the immaculate grounds of Goodwood House, this annual hill-climb extravaganza celebrates all things automotive.

Its two newest Tesla Stores–in Newport Beach, California, and Copenhagen, Denmark–will open with evening receptions. Both will have the Roadster 2.5 on display. The 2011 Tesla Roadster 2.5 features improvements in design and technology, including a new front fascia, rear diffuser, improved seat comfort, sound dampening and an optional large touch screen navigation system with back-up camera.

Inside, the most significant alteration is undoubtedly more comfortable seats, which have larger bolsters and now include a lumbar support system. Interior noise has been reduced in several ways, including new sound-suppressing front fender liners.

Finally, Tesla has further modified the Roadster’s power-control system, adding unspecified hardware to permit “spirited driving” (which we presume means maximum electric power) in exceptionally hot climates.
Prospective customers can see the Tesla Roadster 2.5 at Goodwood or at the London showroom at 49-51 Cheval Place in Knightsbridge, near Harrod’s. Tesla is now delivering this latest version of the car in all Tesla markets in Europe, Asia and North America.

2010 Tesla Electric Roadster TAG Heuer Sports Car Concept

With the 2010 Tesla Roadster TAG Heuer, on display at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, pioneering luxury Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer and electric carmaker Tesla Motors have teamed up in a worldwide partnership as the iconic Swiss brand celebrates its 150th anniversary.

2010 Tesla Electric Roadster TAG Heuer

This one-of-a-kind collector's car includes a unique interior by Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen, incorporating TAG Heuer avant-garde design elements and a specially designed center console due to host TAG Heuer's cutting edge concept watch.

2010 Tesla Electric Roadster TAG Heuer

This car also features a TAG Heuer Meridiist mobile phone as well as a one-fifth second Heuer Limited Edition Stopwatch. This Swiss-made timepiece with mechanical movement pays tribute to the 1860 founding of the company and evoques the mythic revival of the brand's vintage stopwatches.

2010 Tesla Electric Roadster TAG Heuer

The car's exterior color scheme is Foucault Field Gray, embodying the innovative spirit of both companies. The design was inspired by the new TAG Heuer concept watch, a technical milestone in mechanical movements, which brings technologically advanced art to life through motion.

2010 Tesla Electric Roadster TAG Heuer

Since its founding in an artisan's workshop in the Swiss Jura, TAG Heuer has become one of the world's best-known luxury brands - maker of avant-garde watches, eyewear and premium mobile phones for refined consumers around the globe.

2010 Tesla Electric Roadster TAG Heuer

TAG Heuer, a star brand from the luxury group and worldwide leader Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH), also has deep roots in the automotive sector. Company founder Edouard Heuer received in 1911 the patent for The Time of Trip, the first car dashboard chronograph, followed in 1933 by the Autavia - the first dashboard timekeeper for both automobiles and aviation. The benchmark in cutting-edge chronographs and timekeeping technology since 1860, TAG Heuer is the watch brand that can claim the longest and strongest association with motor sports and dream cars. Both watches and chronographs are inspired and driven by motor sports, from Formula One to GT cars.

 2010 Tesla Electric Roadster TAG Heuer

"TAG Heuer has a rich history and expertise with the world's most prestigious racing teams - but this is the first ever partnership we've forged with an electric sports car company," said Jean-Christophe Babin, President and CEO of TAG Heuer. "We believe that high-performance drivers are increasingly searching for products that are efficient, socially responsible and stylish. TAG Heuer and Tesla are two of the few companies arleady achieving these ideals today."

2010 Tesla Electric Roadster TAG Heuer

Tesla Motors began developing an electric sports car in 2004 and remains the only automaker selling highway-capable electric cars. The Tesla Roadster accelerates faster than nearly any other supercar yet is twice as energy efficient as a Toyota Prius - the only car that delivers supercar performance guilt-free, with zero tailpipe emissions and a carbon footprint dramatically lower than any comparable sports car.

2010 Tesla Electric Roadster TAG Heuer

Based in California's Silicon Valley, Tesla has delivered more than 1,000 cars to consumers in 21 countries. Advertising Age magazine recently named Tesla one of America's "hottest brands." The Tesla Roadster is quickly becoming the must-have car among Hollywood celebrities, European royalty and socially responsible trendsetters worldwide.

2011 New Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet includes AIRCAP® with AIRSCARF®

The highly appealing and emotionally charged Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet is the latest addition to the successful E-Class line-up. The open-top two-door model, which went on sale on 11 January 2010, features a classic fabric soft top, making for a stylistically pure cabriolet feeling. Viewed from the side, the new model is an intriguing proposition - with its clear proportions and a flawless cabriolet silhouette.

2011 New Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet

In keeping with the motto "four seasons, four personalities", all-year-round suitability was right at the top of the developers' list of priorities. With the new E-Class Cabriolet, the cabriolet season lasts the whole year because, while many cabriolets tend to disappear from the roads of Western Europe in the autumn, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet (length/breadth/height: 4698/1786/1402 mm) provides driving pleasure and comfort whether the roof is open or closed.

2011 New Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet

The soft top can be opened and closed fully automatically within 20 seconds - even when driving at speeds of up to 40 km/h. The cabriolet roof is stowed in a special compartment behind the rear panel. A retractable cover separates the soft top compartment from the boot area; it must be closed in order to close the soft top. If the roof is to remain closed, the cover can be slid rearwards, in which case the boot capacity is increased by 90 litres to 390 litres. A through-loading feature is included as standard for the new Cabriolet, as is EASY-ENTRY - a manually operated entry and exit aid for the rear passengers.

2011 New Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet

The powerplants for the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet are equally innovative: the new direct-injection diesel and petrol models combine efficiency with effortlessly superior power delivery. The exemplary, low fuel consumption has not only been achieved because of the new engines, but also with a number of practical measures. These include on-demand activation of the steering and fuel pumps, the use of tyres with low rolling resistance and an alternator control system which takes account of the current driving situation and the vehicle's electrical power requirements, plus the crucial factor of outstanding aerodynamics. The Cabriolet's cd figure of 0.28 is the best in its class, marking a continuation of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class success story in the field of aerodynamics.

2011 New Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet

In 1989, Mercedes-Benz introduced a world premiere in the shape of a draught-stop for the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, followed in 2004 by the AIRSCARF® neck-level heating system to further enhance comfort in open-top models. Now comes another world-first: the AIRCAP® automatic draught-stop, which can be activated at the push of a button, greatly reduces turbulence in the interior of the new Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet, creating a sea of warm air. It is also much easier to implement and use than conventional draught-stops: there is no tricky installation, the two individual rear seats remain free and the Cabriolet's flowing side lines remain uninterrupted. AIRCAP® is therefore a classic Mercedes innovation: functional, comfort-enhancing, elegant and safe.

2011 New Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet

AIRCAP® consists of two components: a wind deflector that can be extended by around six centimetres with a net in the windscreen frame and a draught-stop between the rear seats.

2011 New Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet

As well as enhancing occupant comfort and wellbeing, the reduction in draught when AIRCAP® is activated (it can be activated at speeds of up to 160 km/h and remains in use right up to the car's top speed) reduces the interior noise level - so passengers in all seats find it far easier to communicate.

2011 New Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet

The Cabriolet Comfort package includes AIRCAP® with AIRSCARF®. This patented system functions like an invisible scarf, which warms the occupants' head and neck areas. AIRSCARF® is integrated into the backrests of the front seats and provides warm air through outlets in the head restraints.

2011 New Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet

The Mercedes engineers have modified this unique innovation specifically for the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet: in this model, an adjustment wheel pivots the outlet nozzle upwards and downwards by a total of 36 degrees over and above the head restraint height adjustment, meaning that the driver and front passenger can enjoy the unique neck-level heating regardless of how short or tall they are.