Tesla - A True Lotus?

[mopho]

I've driven the Honda Clarity hydrogen fuel cell car, it's pretty nifty, but the issues that David mentioned are significant.
At the moment there is only one place to refuel the car, so your limited to how far you can go

[twincamman]

many years ago ol Smoky Unik made a generator that ran off a propeller to save the scavenging loss from the fan belt for the grand national race series ---always thought that was a capital idea to power a battery car --I am looking at perhaps converting my Europa to an electric car when the Renault motor detonates some day ---ed

[leedsj]

To briefly return to the original question, I think it's just been definitively answered by the latest edition of BBC's Top Gear who tested two Teslas: they were enormously fun to drive, overpriced, and both broke down.

FYI - the BBC has had to apologise for completely fictionalising the Tesla having to be pushed. At no time did it run out of charge it seems:

http://current.com/items/89645624/top_gear_lie_about_the_tesla_s_performance_on_their_track.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Top_Gear#Tesla_road_test

[yandy]

Indeed yandy wrote:

To briefly return to the original question, I think it's just been definitively answered by the latest edition of BBC's Top Gear who tested two Teslas: they were enormously fun to drive, overpriced, and both broke down.

Somewhat in jest.

The tea-cosy hatted teenager rather missed the point though in defining Rachel Konrad as a BBC 'spokeswoman' - she's a true Tesla Girl. And as any OMD fan knows, Tesla Girls not only spend their time 'testing out theories, electric chairs and dynamos', but 'you wouldn't believe them if they said'.

So in fact there was 20% charge left in the car after 55 miles - it was good for 69 after all. The second electric chair didn't break down (per se) - it blew a fuse. Still a true Lotus then

[leedsj]

The second electric chair didn't break down (per se) - it blew a fuse. Still a true Lotus then

hahaha - absolutely!

[hatman]

many years ago ol Smoky Unik made a generator that ran off a propeller to save the scavenging loss from the fan belt

But they'd still have to pay for it increased drag and, overall, it may well have proved less power-efficient than the standard fanbelt drive. There really isn't such a thing as a free lunch it seems.