The first Tesla Roadster, produced from 2008 to 2012, was stunningly fast for the time, capable in its fastest iteration of achieving 60 miles per hour in 3.7 seconds. And 244 miles of range was quite impressive, too. Just 2,450 were built. But, with the second Roadster due in 2020, Tesla is seriously increasing the stakes—and taking aim at the world’s supercars.
Let’s do the numbers. The all-wheel-drive Roadster, with three electric motors, will have four seats instead of the two in the previous car, a removable glass roof, and insane acceleration of 1.9 seconds to 60 mph. The company says 250 miles per hour is possible. The torque figure is given as an awesome 7,400 pound feet.
The Roadster will go 620 miles on a charge of the 200 kilowatt-hour battery pack, which tops any electric on the road. But the Roadster won’t be competitive just with other electric cars, but will rival the performance of any vehicle on the road today.
The price is squarely in supercar territory, too. The first cars will be “Founder’s Editions,” selling for a lofty $250,000—with the full amount due at reservation time. Only 1,000 will be built. After that, the car will go down to $200,000, and you’ll need a $50,000 deposit to get in line.
If this wasn’t Tesla, skepticism would be warranted, but Elon Musk’s cars have usually matched his performance claims. Prospective buyers will probably have to suspend their disbelief, though, when it comes to the SpaceX technology that Musk says could be on board—composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPV), a.k.a. thrusters, adopted from those used by SpaceX’s Falcon rockets. Musk says they could replace the rear seats for customers for whom the stock model is too slow.
Jessica Caldwell, executive director of industry analysis at Edmunds.com, notes that Tesla’s Model Three has been out for a while and the company needed an “image booster” like the Roadster. “Anything that is considered cool has a shelf life,” she says. “New and exciting models like this continue Tesla’s moment in the sun.”
I saw the Tesla Roadster, which shares some DNA with the Model Three, as a static display at Art Basel in Switzerland last September. But since then the car seems to be, literally and figuratively, on a fast track. Tesla test drivers say the performance numbers aren’t theoretical, but have actually been reached where the rubber meets the road.
So maybe the car will be that fast if available tires can keep it on the road. But judging by past performance, there could be delays before the Roadster reaches customers. And because the battery pack is twice as large as that seen in the range-topping Model S 100D, at-home charge times could be quite long. But Tesla’s newest V3 Superchargers, due this year, should be up to the job.
Tesla doesn’t advertise in the Super Bowl, but it does use a variety of guerrilla marketing tactics, including referrals. Tesla fanatics—and they are legion—were told they could get a free Roadster if they made enough confirmed referrals. Electrek reports that so many participants have achieved the goal that the program is being halted, and more than 80 Roadsters will have to be given away.
Since special editions are very popular, Tesla likely won’t have any trouble selling out its 1,000 Founder’s Edition cars. It’s what happens afterward that we’ll be watching closely. Making only Roadsters was never a feasible business plan for Tesla, which is why its next three models were far more family friendly. The new Roadster is what’s known as a 2+2, which means its rear seats will be sized for compliant children.
Let’s go back to the numbers. Lamborghini sold 5,750 cars globally in 2018, a 51% increase over the 3,815 it sold in 2017. Why? The new Urus SUV, plain and simple. Sports cars remain a niche market.
“The Roadster is a prestige vehicle,” Caldwell says. She adds that Tesla has made us think about electric cars differently—as performance oriented, not just as sluggish eco-boxes. “The car is delivering for the brand,” she says, “but the market for $200,000 cars is very small.”
The new Roadster is indeed a morale enhancer for Tesla as the company navigates tricky financial waters, and it will achieve its purpose simply by being the baddest, fastest supercar on the block.
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