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The first production Tesla Roadster has been delivered, which could signal a new era for electric cars.
Based on an Elise and built by Lotus in Norfolk, the hugely anticipated Tesla runs entirely on electricity.
Despite being dogged by delays and fending off accusations of 'vapourware', Tesla Motors chairman Elon Musk took delivery of the first car yesterday.
The completed sportscar was flown over to Tesla HQ in San Carlos, California in a container, where the battery pack was then installed.
The company-designed lithium-ion batteries are constructed separately in Thailand.
Tesla offers customers a warranty of 100,000 miles for the batteries, which sceptics say could quickly suffer from shrinking performance during their life.
The $100,000 asking price seems to have put few people off, with celebrities queuing up to show off their green credentials.
Full specs of the Roadster have yet to be determined, but the company claims a 150-200 mile range, 130mph top speed and a 0-60 time of 4 seconds.
Thanks to the electric engine, silent running is also part of the deal. |
