Tesla - A True Lotus?

[leedsj]

Seeing the Tesla on the Lotus factory tour the other day made me think a couple of things. Yes, firstly I'd like one! Secondly, that seeings as it comes off the same production line as the Elise, is engineered and set-up at Hethel could it not be called a true Lotus? It's certainly no less of a Lotus than the VX220 for example.

I presume that Lotus have signed some kind of agreement with Tesla that they won't make electric Lotus branded cars for a certain period... any insiders know how long this is for? Could always replace the lettering on the back with L O T U S

any opinions?

james

[mopho]

I've been in the car here in the States, and worked on a magazine story about it. http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot ... _road_test

I wouldn't call it a Lotus any more than I would call the Vauxhall or a Caterham a Lotus. And I don't think they want the car to be called a Lotus either, as a matter of fact, the Tesla folks are quick to point out how much of it is bespoke to the car (quite a bit was changed actually)

[1964 S1]

my two cent's worth

As much as I'd like to say it is, a Tesla is not a Lotus, and I love Tesla.
.... the Elise was designed and built long before the Californians had the idea of electrifying 'em. (Elise's are twelve or thirteen years old?)

I drove a converted electric VW Rabbit for years, it weighed 600 pounds more than a stock Rabbit. It was a heavy Rabbit.

What's a Tesla weigh compared to an Elise? My neck is sticking out here.
The Tesla is an electric Elise, but it is not an electric Lotus.

My wife and I have a Prius, it is a hybrid, designed to be a hybrid.

The Tesla boys took the most logical best handling lightest sports car in the world available and converted it. Lotus did all the work in creating the car.

This is a Miata "conversionsation" ....

twenty years into the future!

Caterhams Forever, Eric

[mopho]

Actually, the Tesla is not really a converted or electrified Elise, there was a lot of reengineering involved to make it happen, and according to Tesla, only 7% of the parts are shared

Read this http://www.teslamotors.com/blog3/?p=74

The Tesla weighs approx 700lbs more than an Elise

[robcall]

Oh-Oh-maybe an Elan conversion is in order
http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default ... ryId=18345

[leedsj]

mopho - you're referencing Tesla's own press release! Nothing biased there then... only 7% parts may not be IDENTICAL, but i'll wager 75% of the remaining parts are 95% the same as their siblings - the things move down the same line, with the same guys bolting bits from the same parts bins into the same holes. It may not say Lotus but when the 2044 edition of C&SC comes out, it'll be on the same family tree as the Elise and VX220.

(Purists look away now) interestingly enough, as well as my Elan +2 I also own a Prius and would be very tempted by a Spider style electric conversion.

[mopho]

Sorry, but seeing the car go down the production line for a few minutes does not make you enough of an expert to suggest that Tesla's explanation is somehow biased or wrong. Additionally, it is not like the Lotus production line is so automated that they can't easily adapt to having the odd car come down the line (of which only 4 a week are being made at the moment)

Like I said, I worked on a magazine article about the car, I got the full tour of the US R&D bldg with the engineers and was told (and saw) in person about how much they had to change. Posting up the press release was a lot easier than trying to regurgitate (or remember) everything I learned.

Anyhow, my whole point was that it is not just an Elise with an electric motor in it.

I do agree that that the car is on the Lotus family tree, but so are a lot of cars, doesn't make them a Lotus

Personally, while I would welcome a practical electric city runabout vehicle, I would not want an electric sports car such as this, the noise of a combustion engine rowing through the gears is half the fun.

I do think the car is quite clever and perhaps great PR for electric vehicles and new technologies in the future


The Local Tesla store representative brought one out to our weekly Lotus meet and drive. We tried to convince him to go out canyon carving, but I think he got scared off when he saw my Caterham and the Ariel Atom, had he trying to keep he would have quickly run out of juice and been stranded

[mopho]

Here is the Esprius

[leedsj]

The Local Tesla store representative brought one out to our weekly Lotus meet and drive. We tried to convince him to go out canyon carving, but I think he got scared off when he saw my Caterham and the Ariel Atom, had he trying to keep he would have quickly run out of juice and been stranded

Canyon Carving - wow - you don't get to do that in Norfolk, UK!
the Esprius is perfect, though... Now, if I could just find that welder, I'll have my Elanus (!) ready before lunch...

[Jens]

Elanus sounds a bit crappy to me.

//J

[jimbo]

Elanus sounds a bit crappy to me.
//J

It would certainly be bottom of my list of names...

[JJDraper]

If it is the noise of the car that really floats your boat, I think you could fit a powerful amplifier and set it to whatever engine configuration you like! I seem to remember some manufacturer in the 70s and 80s experimenting with anti-noise and speakers to do just this.. The sound was only experienced in the cab and could be shifted from a 4 to 6 to V8 at the touch of a button! As the set up modified the existing exhaust note, it was linked to your actual engine speed and reviewers described it as remarkably realistic. A 1000watt amplifier can produce a hell of a lot of noise, and probably wouldn't make much of an impact on the power demand of a Tesla....

I have no idea what the comparative noise of an amplifier/speakers vs car exhaust would be, but the chavs who drive up and down our street with their boom boxes at max seem to drown out their exhaust noises!

Jeremy

[leedsj]

I'm up for the Electric Elan, but I'm NOT up for simulated noise. I like to hear what's REALLY going on.. even in a dishonestly engined Elan I want to hear the honest noise. I'd not trust a simulation - if something's not firing right, or whatever. Also, how would you sonically deal with the lack of gear shifts? Make it 'drop' at a certain speed? That's surely not going to feel right???

In any case, I've grown to like the tube-train style whoosh my Prius makes when you floor it at the lights

[JJDraper]

The anti-phase modulation of the sound is not a separate sound like a soundtrack but a modification of what is actually happening, so when you blip the throttle you hear a the appropriate engine note, including gear shifts, hence the sense of reality testers reported. But I agree with you! What would I do without wondering what that ticking noise is...

As regards electric cars, I used a fully electric Peugot for a few weeks some years ago. Interesting and suited to an urban situation (Milton Keynes) where flooring the switch (!) at junctions and roundabouts was a hoot. Limited top speed of 60mph was a bit of a downer, but I never ran out of juice.. I also tested the first Prius into the country for a short drive and spent more time watching the Japanese graphics of where the power was going and coming from - do they still do that? More recently trying an electric Smart showed that things have moved on a bit - faster to 30, and limited to 70.

Silent running electric cars do catch pedestrians out, but above 30, tyre noise is often more than engine noise in a modern.

Jeremy

[Jens]

I have promised myself that I will NEVER - I repeat, NEVER - drive anything that doesn't smell and make noice. Untill now I have succeeded in my intentions!

//J