The Tesla Roadster just got better: its manufacturers equipped it with a new gearbox, a more efficient one, that has about 30% more torque on a single gear ratio and achieves 10% more mileage on average.
The new gearbox has about 280 foot-pounds of torque, and you will be able to travel an extra 23 miles with the car in the same conditions as you were driving before the upgrade.
There has been an interim transmission which has equipped the cars sold until now (27 pieces). Tesla says that their existing customers can have their gearbox upgraded for free. The upgraded gearbox also “cooled” things down about 20%, because it probably eliminated friction in some degree.
“Tesla Motors starts production of 10 new Roadsters each week. Customers typically take delivery four to six weeks after production begins. The company expects production starts to ramp up to at least 20 vehicles per week within a few months and 40 per week by early 2009.”, says the electric automobile producer about their production capacity.
Until this electric car pioneer will reach the markets of Europe, there will be some time in which others will profit and produce fully electric vehicles. Although I’d like a Tesla for my own use, I would refuse others. Tesla should definitely open production sites in Europe, if they want good coverage for their car and a clean, green vehicle for giving example to others and for minimizing the pollution with the car’s transport from the US to Europe and other continents (there will surely be customers who will want their cars shipped across the ocean. That is not the “green”-est thing to do, taking into account the current transportation methods based on fossil fuel. That movement will increase Tesla’s carbon footprint, reducing its eco-friendly purpose.
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They are to be applauded, congratulated and encouraged to keep up the good work. They are pushing back on the wall of the frontier of practical knowledge. They are mid-wives to a painfully pregnant industry. Yes, the initial products are more costly. The price will follow the trail that all products take as they move from new to mass-produced. I would love to drive one of these cars powered by overdue and suppressed technology. Who killed the electric car?
That’s pretty impressive. However, the price is still too high for an average person