Tesla Roadster

It has been promised for almost a decade, and now the Tesla Roadster has finally made its debut, and what a debut it was. The tech company presented the car with a number of crazy stunts, the least impressive being a 0-60 mph sprint time of less than 1,0 second… yes, ONE second. The rest of the demonstration was even more outlandish.

Follow Double Apex on Instagram and Facebook where we share more car content.

Sharp Lines and Race-like

The Tesla roadster presented this week is a far cry from the designs that have been shown before. The latest version, in spaceship-inspired white, is quite rakish and sharp in its execution. It’s no surprise to see the Lotus Espirit shown during the event albeit the submarine version from the James Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me. Other stylistic influences were the SR-71 Blackbird and F-35 aircraft.

The latest Tesla makes use of lightweight, high-strength materials throughout, including magnesium, titanium and carbon fibre. However, we have not seen a quoted mass figure as yet. Some racecar-like inspiration comes from the full inboard suspension system. In addition it has fixed seats, much like any proper racecar. The steering system is steer-by-wire ie, there is no mechanical link between the helm and the front wheels. It’s top speed is quoted as 435 km/h. Although there are plans for that to eventually get to 616 km/h or Mach 0,5.

Space Tech

At the launch event the hypercar blasted from standstill to 96 km/h (0-60 mph) in 0,81 seconds. That was made possible by some of the 10 nozzles that act as ultra high-pressure air tanks. These are used to propel the car, both in the air, and to accelerate quickly when on the ground.

This system makes the car quite unlike anything else in the automotive world right now. The car performed a kick-flip, the kind you’d expect a skateboarder to perform over a low rail, except it was done over multiple cars and a truck; video below.

Another party trick is its ability to drive upside down, from standstill, as you can see below. That is possible thanks to an under-car fan system, similar to that found in the McMurtry Spierling. Tesla’s website explains the tech:

tictacbets-mid-article-deposit-bonus-banner-800×450

Our multi-mode fan and ground sealing system acts as a downforce generator,  pulling air out from beneath the vehicle. This provides enough suction to hold the vehicle upside down, even when stationary. Powered fans and active wings maximize traction and cornering speeds in all conditions, achieving massive downforce at zero speed. Activate Track Mode to lower the car and transform the suspension. High downforce or low drag modes can then be used as needed on the track.

It’s worth noting that all these were performed remotely without a driver onboard. The company founder hedged his bet, telling the crowd that success was not guaranteed: “it will probably work”. Nice confidence in his own product… He also made the bold claim that, “It’s going to crush every track record that has ever existed”.

Tesla says the Roadster will be available in three configurations: Performance, Thrust, and Rocket. The Performance will seat two passengers and feature an active rear wing and fan system. The Thrust will have the same layout and hardware but add rear-mounted cold-gas thrusters for the crazy acceleration times. Finally, the Rocket will have the active aero, fan system, and rear thrusters, but it will only have a driver’s seat and add perimeter-mounted thrusters. Tesla claims these will allow it to move forward, upward, and perform lateral rotations… in essence a flying car.

The Tesla Roadster, which doesn’t really seem like a roadster to our eyes, as it has a fully fixed roof, is touted for a 2028 release date with the company already taking $50 000 deposits (of course it is) for the car starting immediately.