Unlike some of the electric or electric/hybrid cars that have been introduced recently, the new 2012 Tesla Model S promises to deliver real-world usability with extended range of up to 300 miles on an electric charge. Compared to the Chevy Volt, an electric car that travels only 30 miles on electricity before a gasoline engine kicks in allowing it to travel another 300 miles on gas, the Tesla sounds like it will be a real breakthrough for the future standards of electric vehicle performance and technology.
Tesla’s Model S boasts seating for up to seven passengers and it can reach 60 mph from a standing start in an astonishingly quick 5.6 seconds thanks to thousands of lithium-ion battery cells that use a new electrode chemistry developed by Panasonic which deliver 85 kilowatt-hours, giving the Model S more than triple the battery capacity of the diminutive all-electric Nissan Leaf. The new batteries lie under the floor in a flat pack spreading the width of the car and about two thirds of its total length. This set-up allows room for five adults in the main interior and enough space in the trunk for two backward-facing jump seats.
The Model s features a unique cooling system that employs channels filled with liquid coolant to protect the motor, its circuitry and the batteries from heat, and allows this Tesla power plant to deliver twice the horsepower the previous Tesla Roadster had on tap.The combination of full-size proportions and full-featured performance relies on a body constructed from 97 percent aluminum that uses heavier steel parts only in the central supports and front-end crash zones where they are necessary for safety. The Tesla Model S also promises to deliver super-fast charging time when hooked up to the proposed proprietary Tesla 440-volt charging stations that will be installed along the I-5 Corridor between Los Angeles and San Francisco in the future. The Model S will recharge in just one hour at the 4440-volt stations, however home charging units will still require an overnight charge time.
All of this clean energy performance and technology is especially encouraging considering the leap forward they represent for the electric car industry as a whole. However, the automotive magic does not come without a price and the Tesla Model S will not be cheap when it hits the showrooms at around $77,000 next year.
New.com