The forgotten Tesla Roadster is about to get a big upgrade.
The car, which ended production in 2012, was the company's first stab at building an electric sports car. It's been overshadowed by the newer Model S, but Tesla Motors is hoping to give owners a late Christmas gift to ease their range anxiety.
ArsTechnica reports that the company is planning to roll out a 70kW battery pack for the Roadster. In theory, this will allow the car to travel 640km on a single charge. That's about a 65% increase over the original. Of course your mileage will vary depending on how and where you drive.
Tesla also says the car will be getting a new body kit and tires to reduce drag on the vehicle, further boosting efficiency.
This range boost puts the Roadster on par with your typical family sedan, though it doesn't come cheap. Pricing for the upgrade has yet to be announced, but owners originally shelled out over $100,000 for the cars.
Tesla plans to break ground on their "Gigafactory" next year, in hopes of further reducing battery prices. High cost and low range remain the biggest obstacles to the mass adoption of electric vehicles.
Photo by Tesla Motors Inc.
No comments:
Post a Comment