Tesla Advice

Depending on who you ask, the second-generation Tesla Roadster might just be the quickest series-production car of all time – or maybe it’s the stuff of dreams, literally. Since its reveal all the way back in November 2017, the new Roadster has been the subject of much debate, with Tesla founder Elon Musk claiming at the time it would sprint from zero to 60mph (0-97km/h) in a record 1.9 seconds while on the way to 100mph (161km/h) in 4.2s. Yep, that was an insane set of claims, which was complemented by two others: a quarter-mile (0-402m) time of 8.8 seconds and a “provisional” top speed of more than 402km/h. Fast forward to June 2018 and Mr Musk announced at Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting that those performance claims were for the Roadster’s entry-level variant, rightfully describing it as “crazy”. So, just how quick and fast can the Roadster get? Well, we still don’t know for sure, as the flagship version with the SpaceX-inspired ‘rocket thruster’ option is yet to have its acceleration and max-speed claims issued – well, clearly. To make matters a little more confusing, Mr Musk took to Twitter in July 2019 to claim the Roadster would complete the zero-to-60mph (0-97km/h) dash in 2.1s. When asked which variant of the Roadster he was referring to, Mr Musk clarified it was the entry-level version without the ‘rocket thruster’ option. Confused? We are, too. For what it’s worth, Tesla’s website still lists the entry-level Roadster’s zero-to-60mph (0-97km/h) time as 1.9s, so maybe that’s with the ‘rocket thruster’ option? And if so, how quick is the flagship with it? As always, time will tell. What is seemingly for sure, though, is the Roadster will be up there with the quickest and fastest cars money can buy when it’s officially released as early as late 2021. And in case you were wondering, yes, it’s been delayed, having originally been scheduled for deliveries from 2020. Either way, the Roadster will face stiff competition from the very best from this millennium, including from within the Tesla model line-up, with the eagerly anticipated Model S Plaid large sedan revealed in September 2020 with zero-to-60mph (0-97km/h) and -100km/h claims of less than 2.0s and 2.1s respectively. It remains to be seen exactly how the Roadster and Model S Plaid measure up, but you’d be wise to put your money on the former to come out on top in a straight line… and around corners. Other official Roadster challengers include the Ariel Atom 500 (0-100km/h in less than 2.3s), Dodge Challenger SRT Demon (2.3s), Bugatti Chiron (2.4s) and Bugatti Veyron Super Sport (2.5s), among others. For reference, the Roadster’s tri-motor powertrain features one electric motor up front and two at the rear, combining to deliver a ridiculous 10,000Nm of maximum torque to the wheels, all four of which are driven. Its peak power hasn’t been claimed yet. Despite its epic performance claims, the Roadster can still travel 1014 kilometres (620 miles) between full charges thanks to its 200kWh battery, according to Tesla. And yep, that’s yet another unprecedented claim. Assuming the Roadster comes to reality, it will be very interesting to see what its official acceleration and top-speed claims are, along with its other data. That said, the inevitable tests that look to confirm them will be even more so. Bring on the unofficial videos already!

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The original Tesla Roadster was the first car sold to the public by the company, from 2008 to 2012. It thrust them into the limelight by making electric cars sexy and fun, before the company turned their attention to passenger car models. Tesla then shocked the world when it unveiled a second-generation Roadster model in November, 2017. While the first model was a fun premium-market sports car the new model will be a whole different kettle of fish. When the Mk2 Roadster was unveiled in 2017, Tesla founder Elon Musk declared it will move into hypercar territory, as the fastest production car offered on sale. Tesla claims the new Roadster will do 0-100km/h in 2.1-seconds, run the quarter-mile in an insane 8.8-seconds, and top out at over 400km/h (250mph). Expected to start production in 2020 the regular Roadster will be priced near $300,000, with 1000 Founders’ Series limited-edition models costing over $350,000, and both variants requiring an up-front deposit of $50,000 (USD). While the first Roadster used an existing Lotus Elise platform, meaning Tesla was able to avoid the costly process of developing a whole car from scratch, then new Roadster is a full in-house affair. Automotive industry experts doubt Tesla will be able to deliver cars before the end of 2020 due to Tesla’s reputation for missing production dates for new models, like the chronic issues manufacturing issues which plagued the Model 3’s release. Tesla also intend to deliver the production Model Y compact crossover utility vehicle ahead of the Roadster as the far cheaper SUV will be a volume-seller against the exotic Roadster. Another hurdle for Tesla to overcome is the newfound competition in the electric hypercar class from Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and Rimac. There is no word yet on whether Tesla intend to sell the Roadster in Australia, though changing import laws may provide a way for Muskians to get their hands on the road-rocket when it finally goes on-sale.

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