These guys have basically made a new Tesla Roadster

Tom White
Deputy News Editor
18 Apr 2017
2 min read

Tesla first made a name for itself electrifying a Lotus chassis. Now these guys have Lotus'd a Tesla electric motor.

In this surprisingly in-depth (yeah, 21 minute...) video, Speed Academy explain in almost far too much detail, how the project has gotten to this point.

It's sitting on a dyno and the produces some seriously impressive numbers, at least twice the power that the Evora donor car would have produced (they compare the dyno graphs at 12 minutes in, very cool stuff).

The things that most struck us are the tidiness of the engine bay and the fact that a lot of talking was done with words like 'programming' rather than 'tuning'. And yeah, we know the Evora isn't a roadster, but close enough.

The motor is out of a wrecked Tesla Model S 85 and was purchased on eBay. It's powered by batteries out of a Chevrolet Volt.

It's a fascinating insight into what can be achieved with electric motors. Especially regarding how a properly programmed control system has a huge effect on how the driver recieves feedback.

This is often overlooked when EVs are covered in the press, where there is often talk about large numbers, and how the car's systems are 'revolutionary', but often not how the systems impact the actual driving aspect.

The original 2008 Tesla Roadster.
The original 2008 Tesla Roadster.

We're keen to see what this project will look like once finished. Why wait for an old/new Tesla Roadster when you can sort of build one yourself?

Tom White
Deputy News Editor
Despite studying ancient history and law at university, it makes sense Tom ended up writing about cars, as he spent the majority of his waking hours finding ways to drive as many as possible. His fascination with automobiles was also accompanied by an affinity for technology growing up, and he is just as comfortable tinkering with gadgets as he is behind the wheel. His time at CarsGuide has given him a nose for industry news and developments at the forefront of car technology.
About Author

Comments