Velocity: Tesla's Green Adrenaline

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World's fastest electric coupe.

By Ted Johnson
Photos courtesy of Tesla Motors

THERE ARE SEVERAL “best things” about the new Tesla Motors two-door coupe, expected to hit the road in 2008, not the least of which is the European styling along the lines of the Lotus Elise. It looks like something an Italian baron would drive on weekends to the ski chalet, its hood curved and scooped, hinting at a muscled-up power plant needing extra aspiration.

And, oh, it’s 100 percent electric. But we’ll get back to that.

Closer examination reveals a sculpted carbon fiber body for aerodynamic efficiency and strength without the heaviness of steel. At 2,500 pounds, the Tesla offers a “road experience” that has your butt barely 12 inches above the asphalt. In it, you will take with a yawn the tightest turns the Gold Country’s two-lane roads have to offer. The Tesla also is capable of blowing a turbo Porsche off the line, hitting 60 mph in four seconds. No more worries about getting up to speed on Highway 50’s shortest on-ramps.

That F-14 Takeoff

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