These guys have basically made a new Tesla Roadster

Tom White

Deputy News Editor

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

Tom’s way into motoring journalism was anything but straightforward despite annoying his parents to no end as a child by identifying makes and models with ease, and acquiring a large collection of Matchbox models. Other interests took over in the intervening years, including tinkering with electronics and computers, and an interest in the past, which eventually culminated in a Bachelor of Arts and Science from the University Of Sydney with a major in Ancient History. During this time, Tom was exposed to all sorts of cars by working as a valet and eventually the Bell Captain at The Star casino in Sydney. He then went on another side-quest, studying law at Macquarie University before applying for a job at CarsGuide. After being hired Tom worked his way up the ranks in a variety of roles and refined his craft, now serving as CarsGuide's Deputy News Editor, with special interests in new technologies and electric vehicles, as well as emerging trends from China. Tom has been recognised by his peers as the EV Journalist of the Year at the 2026 Newspress Australia Awards. He’s personally owned a selection of wheels from a 1981 Holden Gemini to a 2009 Ford Falcon, through to his current 2011 Subaru Forester and many others in between. You can find Tom on LinkedIn and Instagram. Education Bachelor of Arts and Sciences | The University of Sydney | 2010 - 2014 Graduate Certificate of Laws | Macquarie University | 2015 - 2016 Awards 2026 Newspress Australia EV Journalist of the Year Featured Publications CarsGuide | 2016 - present
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