First Impression: Tesla Roadster

Electric Cars are nothing new.  They have been around since the early 1900s.  Early gas-powered cars had a mechanical crank to start the engine.  Many drivers broke their wrists when trying to start their engines.  Electric cars did not need a hand crank to start.  For this reason, electric cars were popular among women.  Many men saw electric cars as chick cars and ignored them.  When the gas engine gained an electric starter, electric cars lost.   Now with high gas prices and people becoming more aware of the environment, automotive companies have started developing electric cars.

In 2008, Tesla Motors came out with the Tesla Roadster.  It is an electric car based on the Lotus Elise.  I first saw this car at Cars in Coffee in Houston in December of 2010.  It looks exactly like the car it is based on.  There were Lotus Elises there and   When it drove past me, it made no sounds.  Since an electric car has no exhaust of combustion, it makes no sounds when moving.  I saw it again at the January edition of Cars and Coffee.  I met the guy who owned this car and he enjoyed driving it.  I think the Tesla Roadster is a great start for the electric car renaissance.  

The Tesla Roadster is powered by 6,831 lithium ion batteries and a three-phase, four-pole electric motor that generates 248 hp and 200 lb-ft of torque.  Because it is an electric car, it reaches its maximum torque instantly. Tesla went with a one speed transmission.  A two speed transmission was tested for the car, but it constantly broke.  It goes from 0 to 60 mph is 3.9, which is quicker than the Elise it is based on.  It is electronically limited to 125 mph.  Under normal driving conditions, it can go over 240 miles on one charge.  Using a 240V outlet, the batteries recharge in 3.5 hours.  The cost for a Tesla Roadster starts at $109,000.

Top Gear and Motorweek reviewed the car and both reviews can be seen on Youtube.  Jay Leno featured a Tesla Roadster on his website, www.jaylenosgarage.com.  It was also featured in "Big Ideas for a Small Planet" as an alternative to gas powered vehicle.

Final thoughts:  It is a great electric car.  It gets better mileage on one charge than some carts get on one tank of gas.  It is quick of the line and can go faster than a Toyota Prius, Honda Insight, and a Chevrolet Volt.  With the added weight from the battery, it lost the handling that the Lotus Elise is known for.  But the electric car still has room to improve and will only get better as battery technology improves.  But with a selling price over $100,000, you must have a place to plug the car in or you are wasting your money.

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Photo taken from a camera phone

First Impression: Nissan Leaf

With gas prices rising and people becoming more environmentally conscious, some companies are looking into using alternative sources to power their cars. One alternative to gasoline is the electric car. Tesla came out with the Tesla Roadster, an electric sports car based on the Lotus Elise that can go from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds. Nissan is going electric with the Leaf, marketing it as a zero emission car. IF the electricity charging the batteries of the Leaf come from coal, then the Leaf is not zero emission. The Leaf has gotten awards, including the 2011 World Car of the Year. I could name several other cars that deserve to be World Car of the Year, i.e. Bugatti Veyron, McLaren MP4-12C, and Aston-Martin DBS, but this is about the Nissan Leaf and what I think about the car.

I first saw the Leaf at the 2011 Houston Auto Show and I have seen only a couple Leafs on the Houston roads. This is one ugly car. I just looks weird. If this is the face of electric cars, electric cars are going to have a negative image. Prius is the face of hybrids and car people see all hybrids as dull, slow, and lame. Electric cars also include the Tesla Roadster, which has better styling than the Leaf. The Leaf should not be the face of  because it is just big and ugly. It is a five-door hatchback that is not hot.

The Leaf is powered by a 80 kW, or 110 hp, synchronous motor, paired with a single speed transmission, that is powered by a 24 kW-h lithium ion battery pack. The Leaf also gets 210 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 9.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 93 mph. It takes about 8 hours to fully charge the battery from a 220/240-volt 30-amp power supply. The range for the Leaf is between 45 and 105 miles. Prices for the Leaf start at $35,200 before the tax saving of $7,500 or $369/month for a 36 month lease. The Leaf is slow, lame, underpowered, and expensive for what it is. The Tesla Roadster may cost over $130,000, but it is faster, quicker, and has a range of about 244 miles. 

The Nissan leaf has been featured on Fifth Gear and the Car Show. Top Gear featured the Leaf during Series 17, Episode 6. Motorweek has reviewed the car. 

Final Thoughts: This is a lame car. The Leaf is big, ugly, expensive, and slow. Electric cars get instantaneous torque and should have quick acceleration. The Leaf has worst acceleration than the Toyota Prius and the Chevrolet Volt. The Tango and Telsa Roadster are both electric cars and are very quick of the line. So why is the Leaf so slow of the line? Also the Leaf has poor range. Under perfect driving conditions, you would be lucky to get 100 miles on one charge. It takes a long time to fully charge the Leaf from a 240-volt 30-amp power source. I say pass on the Leaf and wait for the Tesla Model S to come out in 2012. If you are going to get a Leaf, make sure you have a place to charge the car. It does not deserve to be called "World Car of the Year" or and best of awards. It is not a green car because the production cost negates any benefits. Also most of the electricity comes from coal, so this is not a zero emission car. If the Leaf is charged by electricity from wind, solar, or any other alternative power source, then it can be called a zero emission car. The Nissan Leaf  just plain sucks!

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Photo taken from Nissan Leaf's Wikipedia page.
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2011 Car Awards: Best Electric Vehicle

When gas prices started to rapidly increase, companies were looking for alternative power sources. One alternative power source is electricity. Electric cars have been around since 1899 and were competing with gas-powered cars. When gas-powered cars developed electrical starters, the electric car phased out. Now electric cars are back. The issue with electric car is the range the car would get on one charge. My pick for best electric car gets over 150 miles on one charge and is quicker and faster than the Nissan Leaf. My pick for 2011 Electric Car of the Year is:

Tesla Model S

Tesla has been pushing the limits of what an electric car can do. The Tesla Roadster got over 200 miles on one charge while going from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds. Now Tesla has started production on the Model S. This electric car is a beautiful four-door sportback. The car can come with either a 40 kwh, 60 kwh, and 85 kwh. The 80 kWh version of the Model S has good performance. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in  5.6 seconds and reaches a top speed of 125 mph. It also can also get 300 miles on one charge. The 85 kWh Performance version is even faster. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds and reaches a top speed of 130 mph. The 40 kWh version goes from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 110 mph. It starts at $49,900. The top of the line 85 kWh Signature Performance starts at $97,900. With the different options, good performance, luxurious interior, and beautiful styling, I have no problem naming the Tesla Model S as my choice for Best Electric Car of 2011. 

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Electric Delorean DMC-12 Specs

It has been announced that Delorean will be releasing an electric version of the cult classic DMC-12. For those who know nothing about popular culture or movies from the 1980's, the Delorean DMC-12 was the car used for the time machine in Back to the Future. Delorean DMC-12 is known for its stainless steel body, gullwing doors, and a rear-mid engine. The car is very stylish and I have seen a few on the roads of Houston. The Delorean had one flaw, the engine. The Delorean featured a 2.4L V6 that produces 130 hp. The Delorean goes from 0 to 60 mph in 8.8 seconds, according to the factory specs. Road and Track tested the Delorean and went from 0 to 60 mph in 10.5 seconds. The original Delorean was slow.

For 2013, the revised Delorean Motor Company, now based in Humble, Texas, just north of Houston, will be producing a Delorean powered by electricity. The 400 VAC electric motor will produce 260 hp and 360 lb-ft of torque. The motor will rev to 14,000 rpm. The transmission consists of a single gear plus reverse. The electric Delorean is expected to go from 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds and reach a top speed 125 mph. That is a 5 mph drop in top speed but a vast improvement in acceleration.

Delorean states that the electric DMC-12 will have an electric battery range of over 100 mph, but I will believe it when I see it. The battery comes with a 7 year/100,000 mile warranty. Using a 240 V, 70 A charging station, it will take 3.5 hours to charge an empty battery. The Electric Delorean will outperform the standard Delorean DMC-12. Prices for the Electric Delorean is estimated to be between $90,000 and $100,000. The Electric Delorean will not be available until 2013. 

The Electric Delorean will be better than the Nissan Leaf, but it will be no Tesla Roadster. I cannot resist comparing the Electric Delorean to the Tesla Roadster. The Tesla Roadster goes from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and can go over 200 miles on one charge. The Roadster starts at $109,000, but it will be discontinued in early 2012. The Tesla is a better car, but it won't be around when the Electric Delorean hits the roads. But compared to other electric vehicles, the Electric Delorean is great. It is just no Telsa Roadster.

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Photo taken from a digital camera. Photos are of standard Deloreans, not the Electric Delorean.

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First Drive: Nissan Leaf

In 2010, Nissan started production on an electric car, called the Nissan Leaf. In 2010, the Leaf went on sale. The Leaf is a front-engine, front-wheel drive, five-door hatchback that is powered by electricity. The Leaf is powered by a 80 kW synchronous motor that produces 107 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque. The Leaf has a single speed transmission. The Leaf also has a 24 kWh lithium ion battery.It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 10 seconds and reaches a top speed of 92 mph. I test drove the Leaf SL, which includes a rear view camera that is not available for the Leaf SV. The Leaf SL also has a quick charge port that is not present in the Leaf SV. The price for the Leaf I drove is $37,250, but you also get a $7,500 instant tax credit when you buy or lease the Leaf.

The Leaf has a great interior, but it has a bad exterior. The Leaf looks weird. The headlights are not flushed with the front bumper and the hood. The Leaf looks like an egg on wheels. The interior is another story. I love how informative the navigation system is. I also like how the on board computer tells you the actual range you have and where you can go to charge up the Leaf. The emergency break is integrated flawlessly within the center console. The Leaf has a cool design when it comes to changing gears. There is a button that puts the car in park when pushed. To get the car in reverse, pull the transmission knob towards you and push up. To get the car in drive, pull the transmission knob towards you, then pull down on the knob. It works perfectly. Since the car is electric and hardly makes a sound, there is a beeping noise to alert that the car is in reverse. There is plenty head and leg room in the rear. The seats are very comfortable. I had no issues with the push start feature. The touch screen was easy to use.

While the car was comfortable to drive, it lacks in performance. Right away, if you have the air conditioner or heater on, you lose 22 miles in range. When I turned on the car, the range was 98 miles. When the air conditioner was turned on, the range dropped to 76 miles. The Leaf got up to 45 mph with little effort, but it took a lot more just to get the Leaf from 45 mph to 60 mph. That is not good. For driving in cities with crazy drivers, you need a car that can get from 0 to 60 mph in 8 seconds or less. One thing about electric cars, you get instantaneous torque. Still, it did not feel that quick accelerating to highway speeds.

To sum up the Leaf, great interior with bad exterior and bad performance. The Leaf has a great interior. Instruments, the emergency brake, and the gear change are integrated very well. I have never been in a car with an interior like the Leaf. Good job Nissan on the interior With that said, the car weighs 3,354 pounds and the motor produces only 107 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque. That gives the Leaf a horrendous power-to-weight ratio of 63.9 hp/ton. To put that into perspective, the Ford Focus has a power-to-weight ratio of 114.3 hp/ton. The rival Chevrolet Volt has a power-to-weight ratio of 78.8 hp/ton. The Leaf needs more power and torque. 107 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque is not enough to get the Leaf up to speed. Also, the range on one charge drops by 22 miles when the air conditioner or heater is on. The Leaf is not a car to use for road trips. At best, the Leaf will do 98 miles on one charge. Also, the Leaf has an ugly exterior. Why would anyone want to design a hatchback that has the bottom extend far out. That is a very unnecessary design. Also, the headlights are not flush with the hood and front bumper. The headlights stick out like a sore thumb. Since this is a pure electric car, you need to make sure you are able to charge the car. The Leaf is not a buy since there are still flaws with electric car and the electric car is still evolving. If you want a Leaf, lease the car. The Leaf is for those who want an electric car with plenty of room, comfortable quite ride, have a place to charge the car, and wants a car with a great interior despite poor performance and exterior design. If you are not capable of charging the car either at work, shopping, or at home, pass on all plug-in cars. For those who was decent exterior styling and moderate performance, look elsewhere for a car. Still, I would take the Leaf over the Chevrolet Volt because the interior and the ride quality of the Volt does not match up to the interior and ride quality of the Leaf.

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