Tesla Roadster electric vehicle makes its racing debut 12/08/2010
The Tesla Roadster, a pioneering all-electric luxury sports car, recently made its racing debut at an exhibition during the Race of Champions.
According to CNet, the Race of Champions is an annual event where top drivers from around the world race cars around a parallel road course. Because the drivers use identical equipment and race on the same track, the event is considered to be a pure test of racing skill.
The Roadster had to undergo modifications for its exhibition, where two vehicles were piloted by Formula 1 drivers Michael Schumacher and Sebastien Loeb. Autoevolution reports that the cars were fitted with roll cages, special tow elements and an electric circuit kill switch to help improve safety. The passenger seat was removed, while the driver's seat was remade out of carbon fiber and fitted with a harness.
The cars' drive systems, however, were not modified. The electric engine of the Roadster accelerates from zero to 62 miles per hour in 3.8 seconds and reaches a maximum speed of 125 mph.
"I'm lucky to have had a ride in the Tesla Roadster and I was really impressed," Fredrik Johnsson, a founder of the Race of Champions, told the source. "I'm proud that the Race of Champions is leading the way in promoting green technologies in motorsport."