Tesla on Top Gear
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From: Covington WA, USA
Even Tesla admits it's not a good trackday car, because you might get one or two session in before it runs out of charge. Until they solve the range/refueling issue for electric cars, they are going to remain strictly commuting vehicles, which you recharge overnight.
That's one reason fuel cells have promise compared to battery powered cars, but so far the technology for fuel cells just hasn't gotten cheap enough to compete with batteries -- and battery technology is improving faster than fuel cell technology so the gap is actually widening.
That's one reason fuel cells have promise compared to battery powered cars, but so far the technology for fuel cells just hasn't gotten cheap enough to compete with batteries -- and battery technology is improving faster than fuel cell technology so the gap is actually widening.
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From: Salt Lake City, UT
Shady... though I think they got around it by saying:
"We worked out that in our track, it WOULD run out after just 55 miles."
The statement may not be incorrect (maybe they did 22 miles or so and saw that battery charge went down by 50%). Them pushing the car is therefore a dramatization.
"We worked out that in our track, it WOULD run out after just 55 miles."
The statement may not be incorrect (maybe they did 22 miles or so and saw that battery charge went down by 50%). Them pushing the car is therefore a dramatization.
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From: Arlington, Virginia
Originally Posted by 2159ClassicRed' date='Jan 12 2009, 07:07 PM
Are you guys actually taking TG seriously? It's just pure entertainment 
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From: Ft. Lauderdale
think back to your electric R/C car, half speed and the battery lasts 30-40 minutes, full throttle the whole time and 10 minutes same thing with the tesla, 200 miles normal legal speeds, 55 miles on their track.
it's the same as gas powered cars on their track, one episode they put the same amount of gas in 4 supercars to see how long they would go, the ferrari F430 stopped first and only got like 4.5 mpg. if the ferrari f430 has a 15 gallon tank then it would only go 67 miles on their track, not much different than the tesla.
Top Gear's whole point with the tesla is that it's great until the battery dies (55 miles on their track or 200 on the road) and then you're stuck for 16 hours until the battery recharges. later in the show they showcase the Honda FCX Clarity which is zero emissions like the Tesla but is actually practical since it can be refueled like a normal car.
either way it was a great episode and showed an electric car can kick ass on the track. Honda has a new race prototype car with a hydrogen fuel cell system powering it, I'd be curious to see that on a track
http://automobiles.honda.com/fc-sport/
same thing with the tesla, 200 miles normal legal speeds, 55 miles on their track.it's the same as gas powered cars on their track, one episode they put the same amount of gas in 4 supercars to see how long they would go, the ferrari F430 stopped first and only got like 4.5 mpg. if the ferrari f430 has a 15 gallon tank then it would only go 67 miles on their track, not much different than the tesla.
Top Gear's whole point with the tesla is that it's great until the battery dies (55 miles on their track or 200 on the road) and then you're stuck for 16 hours until the battery recharges. later in the show they showcase the Honda FCX Clarity which is zero emissions like the Tesla but is actually practical since it can be refueled like a normal car.
either way it was a great episode and showed an electric car can kick ass on the track. Honda has a new race prototype car with a hydrogen fuel cell system powering it, I'd be curious to see that on a track
http://automobiles.honda.com/fc-sport/