[fivesix]

i didnt hear anything about this "greenfest" we supposedly had up here? :S

[AshSimmonds]

It's been spotted up in Darwin on Aussie Elises for some "alternate power" show at Hidden Valley coming up.



A few months old vid.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j71kCJBZ0NE" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j71kCJBZ0NE</a>

[PA]

It's been spotted up in Darwin on Aussie Elises for some "alternate power" show at Hidden Valley coming up.

It is participating n the Solar Race from Darwin to Adelaide.

[AshSimmonds]

The Tesla Roadster, owned and driven by Internode's Simon Hackett with co-driver Emilis Prelgauskas, is believed to have set a world record for a production electric car for the longest distance travelled on a single charge.

Event organisers are awaiting confirmation of the long-distance feat, but Internode says the Tesla Roadster covered 501km - from Alice Spring to a marker 183km north of Coober Pedy - on a single charge of its all-electric drivetrain, with just under 5km left in its batteries on arrival.

The Tesla Roadster is all-electric sportscar is capable of sprinting to 100km/h in just over four seconds and showed its pace as part of the Clipsal 500's Murray Walker Extreme Machines display earlier this year.

The 185kW/380Nm lithium-ion battery-powered two-seater, which has cost Mr Hackett close to $200,000, also claims a top speed of 200km/h and a normal driving range of just under 400km.

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,26271590-2682,00.html?from=public_rss

[mhh]

That is truly impressive - the car won't excite us fossil fuel enthusiasts but the record is an amazing achievement.

[1q2w3e4r]

Love this part of the article at SMH though

The only electric car in the field – there’s a separate World Solar Challenge running in conjunction with the Eco Challenge – is the US-made Tesla roadster.

However, the Tesla needs to be followed by a trayback truck carrying a high-voltage generator that needs to charge the electric car every 350km.

The truck is expected to consume more than 20 litres of fuel per 100km – triple that of the HSV Maloo – and around 700 litres over the 3000km course.

And that’s before you consider the diesel used by the generator as it charges the Tesla.

Organisers defend the Tesla’s green performance by saying the Tesla driver – internet entrepreneur Simon Hackett – is using the exercise to encourage governments to develop electric car recharging networks.

“Tesla is demonstrating that if electric fuel stations were available that it is entirely feasible and practical for a car of that nature to travel vast distances,” said Drewer.

http://www.smh.com.au/drive/green-motoring/v8-turbo-on-track-for-green-challenge-glory-20091026-hf83.html

[AshSimmonds]

Three Tesla workers dead in plane crash

THREE employees from US electric carmaker Tesla died overnight when their small plane crashed in a residential area in East Palo Alto, south of San Francisco, officials said.

"Tesla is a small, tightly-knit company, and this is a tragic day for us," Tesla chief executive Elon Musk said in a statement. He declined to release the victims' identities until their families were notified.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with them," Mr Musk added.

The aircraft, a twin engine Cessna 310 carrying three people, crashed around 8:00 am (1600 GMT) after hitting an electricity pole, causing significant power outages, East Palo Alto police said.

The crash damaged several homes and destroyed vehicles some 25 miles (40 kilometres) south of San Francisco, although no injuries were reported on the ground.

The plane had just taken off from Palo Alto, a region of Silicon Valley where Tesla is based, along with other high-tech California companies.

In late January, the company, which calls itself "the world's only automaker selling highway-capable electric cars," announced it had filed a registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed initial public offering of its common stock.

The firm is led by South Africa-born Musk, 38, who made a fortune after co-founding and selling online payment company PayPal to eBay. He also founded space launch vehicle manufacturer Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX).

The Tesla Roadster, a high-performance sports car, costs more than 100,000 dollars and can go nearly 250 miles (400 kilometres) on a single charge.

In 2012 the firm aims to debut its "Model S," a five-passenger sedan powered by lithium-ion battery packs capable of between 160 and 300 miles per charge.

http://www.news.com.au/business/three-tesla-workers-dead-in-plane-crash/story-e6frfm1i-1225831847973

[dkabab]

http://www.news.com.au/business/three-tesla-workers-dead-in-plane-crash/story-e6frfm1i-1225831847973

.....crashed around 8:00 am (1600 GMT) after hitting an electricity pole, causing significant power outages, East Palo Alto police said.....

isnt it ironic..... dont ya think

[AshSimmonds]

http://green.venturebeat.com/2010/06/29/last-minute-sprint-boosts-tesla-shares-to-23-89-valuation-to-2-2b/

Last minute sprint boosts Tesla shares to $23.89, valuation to $2.2B
Camille Ricketts

The Nasdaq is closed, and Tesla Motors (TSLA) is ending its first day on the market at $23.89 a share, a 40.5 percent increase over the $17 pricing it announced last night. This is a rock star showing for the electric car company, which has exceeded expectations that were already sky high.

As of 20 minutes before 4 p.m. EST, the stock price was hovering between $21 and $22. It shot up above $23 in the last few minutes of trading, indicating delayed interest from investors not wanting to miss out on what has become one of the hottest picks on the market.

The closing price point pushes Tesla’s valuation to $2.2 billion, beating the company’s original goal of $1.4 billion by a long long shot.

Stay tuned for an accounting of how much each of Tesla’s private investors got in today’s sale. Big winners include VantagePoint Venture Partners, the company’s very first venture capital backer, Valor Equity Parnters, and of course CEO Elon Musk, who rang the bell opening the Nasdaq this morning.

Tesla was a rare bright spot in an otherwise dark market. The Nasdaq Composite Index fell 85.47 points (3.85 percent) over the course of the day.

[AshSimmonds]

2010 Tesla Roadster 2.5 unveiled
Tim Beissmann

California-based EV manufacturer Tesla Motors has unveiled a revised version of its $US109,000 ($130,000) Roaster.

The Roadster 2.5 demonstrates that Tesla will give its range of vehicles a family resemblance. The new front fascia with diffusing vents is similar to the svelte Model S sedan, and Tesla says the new rear diffuser also points to the brand’s future design language.

The choice of silver or black directional forged alloys completes a relatively minor facelift to the exterior.

Inside, Tesla has again gone to work on the seats to make them more comfortable with larger supportive bolsters and a new lumbar support system, while cabin noise has also been reduced.

An optional 7in touchscreen display – including navigation and reversing camera – rounds out the additions.

Performance is unchanged, meaning the AC induction motor and single-speed gearbox still produce up to 215kW and almost all of the available 400Nm of torque from 0rpm. The dash from 0-100km/h is all over in a blistering 3.7 seconds.

Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, said the revisions to the Roadster were a direct result of customer feedback from more than 1200 owners from around 23 countries who have cumulatively driven more than eight million kilometres.

    “Although development of the Model S is our main focus, this shows that we still care a great deal about improving the Tesla Roadster,” Mr Musk said.

    “Where feasible, we will also offer existing customers the ability to purchase the upgrades now available in version 2.5.”

The launch of the Roadster 2.5 coincided with the opening of Tesla’s two newest stores in Newport Beach, California, and Copenhagen, Denmark.

More: http://www.caradvice.com.au/72622/2010-tesla-roadster-2-5-unveiled/