Roger wrote an article on his EV (and PV) experiences for Tesla in September of 2010. He has since updated the article with some of the stats from his
18 months of Tesla Roadster ownership (as of April 2012). To view Roger's article, click here.
Owner Name: Roger Stout Occupation: Scientist/Engineer, semiconductor electronics heat transfer expert Vehicle Year/Make/Model: 2010 Tesla Roadster 2.5 Placed in Service: August 25, 2010 Production Vehicle or Conversion: production S/N 1014 Motor Specifications: 375V variable frequency A/C induction Batteries: 53 kWh Lithium ion cells (that's 6831 of those puppies; count 'em) Controller: Tesla Charger: 240V/50A Inverter/Converter: integral to vehicle Drivetrain: 8.3:1 single-speed gearbox (wheels at 125 mph = motor at 14,000 rpm) Range: 245 miles on 100% charge Charging Time: 6 hrs at 240V/40A (48 hrs at 120V/12A) Top speed: 125 mph; computer limited (amps falls from 700 at 48 mph, to 0 at 125 mph) Acceleration: 0-60 in 3.9 s (that's an average acceleration of 0.7 g's, if you do the math) Economy: vehicle lifetime averages over first 19,000 miles: 391 Wh/mile wall to wheel; 291 Wh/mile battery to wheel
My Other Car Is: 2006 Prius, 2007 Prius, 1995 Chevy S10 pickup What I Like Most About My EV: getting to tell everyone about how electric vehicle technology is actually here – deal with it! What I Use My EV For: everyday commute, date night with my wife, anything that doesn't require more than two people or is bigger than a breadbox (or golf bag, I guess) How Owning an EV Has Changed My Driving: 0-60 in 3.9 s; are you kidding? What I Dislike About My EV: nothing; well, OK, the trunk is a little small, and if I want to take 3 people somewhere, I have to drive another car. :( What I Like To See Improved in My EV: the external "universal mobile charger" was not designed for Arizona heat (max operating temperature 105°F – no, really!) The Most Fun I Have With My EV Is: showing it off, giving demo rides, grimacing when guys on Harleys take my pic on the freeway – true story - no hands while they're in the lane next to me going 65 mph! And did I mention, 0-60 in 3.9 seconds? My Favorite EV Trip Is: Biosphere 2 (round trip of 200 miles only took 80% of the battery!) – but they let me in the back gate to park on the lawn for the ribbon cutting of the new GoE3 charge station at Biosphere 2. What a trip!
