Tesla still leading the electric car parade

I must admit I've been fascinated with the Tesla Roadster ever since it was first announced back in 2006. I was even more enamored when I learned the reasoning behind the $100K roadster. The engineers at the Golden State manufacturer seriously wanted to give the whole concept of the electric car a major stimulus by proving you didn't have to drive a boring, gutless vehicle in an effort to go greener.

March 18 the members of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press group were invited to lunch with the folks from Tesla and a visit to the manufacturers gallery in on the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder. This was my first chance to see the swift, quiet beauty and I was every bit as impressed as expected.

Ricardo Reyes, the company's erudite VP of communication flew in from California for the event.
“You don't have to drive an unattractive car to do something positive for the environment,” Reyes said. He continued to say the move to more electric vehicles is being driven by unpredictable oil prices plus greater acceptance of electric and alternative cars.

Tesla welcomes the new entries into the field by Nissan, Mini and Chevy. “The more electric vehicles the better,” he said. “The infrastructure's there and the technology is getting better and better.”

Recently they drove a roadster all the way from California to the Chicago Auto Show, stopping at RV parks to recharge – because they have the higher output hookups.

The concept was first developed years ago when one of the founders was looking for a sports car you could drive and feel no environmental guilt. In 2006, there was no such vehicle. Today we have the Tesla Roadster.
Boulder was picked for their first Colorado retail shop because the upscale demographics of Denver's northern neighbor fit their potential buyers. The gallery is as much there to educate the public as to sell cars.

“It's a high end product but there are no velvet ropes,” Reyes remarked. It doesn't hurt that Denver is just 10 minutes away - at least it is in one of these roadsters, traffic permitting.

The car utilizes 6,831 lithium ion cobalt batteries to provide a range of 240 miles. Each battery is about twice the size of a standard AA battery. It takes about 3.5 hours to charge fully, depending on the power source.

When you own one you begin to change your driving habits. You never need to go to a gas station, so you'll need to obtain you're own bucket of window washer and squeegee to keep the wind screen clean.

You'll treat it more like your cell phone or laptop - whenever you get back to your garage you simply plug it back in. It will charge from a standard 110 outlet or even better from an appliance 220 hookup. “It is by far the most efficient vehicle on the road,” Reyes stated confidently.

I was happy my first ride in the roadster was with Tony Longhurst of the Boulder gallery - he could confidently demonstrate the car's capability on the streets of Boulder safely. The car achieves breathtaking acceleration - idle to 60 in 3.7 seconds. It has a downright wicked cornering ability. The motor makes even less noise than the low level wind noise. It's the closest thing to hang-gliding on wheels, except in the Tesla, the sun shines right on your face.

I am so looking forward to returning to take one of these fabulous roadsters for a personal spin.

Sincere thanks to Zak Edson, director of product planning, Ricardo Reyes and Tony Longhurst for their gracious and informative hospitality. Get up and visit the store sometime - these electric car evangelicals are spreading the gospel truth of 21st Century transportation for all who care to listen.