Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) announced in a press release that owners of its all electric Roadster vehicle is about to benefit from upgrades in the new Roadster 3.0 package that combines improvements in battery packs, aerodynamics, and rolling resistance expected to give about 40-50 percent range improvements of over 400 miles (644 kilometers) per charge.
The new upgrades, according to Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA), will be demonstrated in a live test drive between San Francisco and Los Angeles, California in the early weeks of next year. The more than 400 miles range per charge promised by the electric car maker in the new Roadster 3.0 is an improvement of about two-thirds from the 245 miles range per charge of the current Roadster.
The enhanced range capacity that comes with the Roadster 3.0 package is an application of what Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) has learned from making its Models S vehicle, according to the press release. After launching the current Roadster back in 2008 and realizing a sales of about 2,500 units, the company stopped production in 2012 to gear its efforts towards the popular Model S sedan. Once the company is done with the safety validation of the new battery packs, it will accept appointments for current Roadster upgrades, which it expects to start by spring.
The improvements takes advantage of advances in cell technology. Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) notes that while lithium ion is a state of the art battery technology and the first in cars back in 2008, identification of new cell provides 31 percent more energy compared to the original Roadster cell. This translates to a 70 kw/h of power from the same size of package as against the original 53 kw/h.
A retrofit aero kit is also included in the upgrades, bringing the original Roadster drag coefficient (Cd) from 0.36 t0 0.31, or a boost by a margin of 15 percent. The Roadster 3.0 will also make use of new tires that have a rolling resistance coefficient (Crr) of 8.9 kg/ton, or 20 percent less rolling resistance over the previous set used in the original Roadster, which has a Crr of 11.0 kg/ton. Rolling resistance is also expected to be reduced further by enhancements in wheel bearings and residual brake drag.
This article has been written by Nonito Guntan.
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