Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. News

Lose your lunch watching Tesla’s new Roadster launch in ‘Maximum Plaid’ mode

Add as a preferred source on Google

Tesla’s surprise reveal of a brand-new Roadster certainly threw us for a loop, but what really caught us off guard were the car’s performance capabilities.

Revealed as a treat following the Tesla Semi event, the stunning new EV sports car will have supercar performance that’ll shame any gas-powered challengers, according to CEO Elon Musk.

Recommended Videos

One of the biggest jaw-dropping claims is a mind-bending 0-to-60 launch time of just 1.9 seconds. You’ll believe it when you see it, right? Well, we may have a taste of just how fast we’re talking about thanks to a YouTube video of someone given a ride-along.

From the passenger side of the Roadster that was on hand to give demonstrations at Thursday night’s reveal event, we see the car take off from “maximum plaid” mode. These Tesla guys sure love their Spaceballs.

EVs are known to be quick off the line, and Tesla’s current lineup of Models S and X have certainly proven that they are more than capable of holding their own against existing sports cars. But what the Roadster might be capable of would be putting it well ahead of the pack.

Apart from its insane launch claims, the Roadster will house a s 200kWh batter pack and will be capable of traveling 620 miles on a full charge. Those inclined to continue past 60 mph will be hitting 100 mph in 4.2 seconds, slaying a quarter-mile in 8.9 seconds, and can continue to a top speed of 250 mph, according to the company.

It’s not going to be cheap, though. Those interested will need to drop a $50,000 deposit for the Roadster, which starts at $200,000 dollars. Judging from how Tesla prices things out in the Model 3, it’s safe to assume that the base model Roadster probably won’t do all of the cool stuff it’s said to do unless further upgrades are added.

With a new semi truck in the works and now a new sports car announced to dazzle enthusiasts, we’re keen to see how the maligned Model 3 output is affected. In any case, we need only wait a mere three years for the new Roadster to strut its stuff.

Alexander Kalogianni
Former Automotive Editor
Alex K is an automotive writer based in New York. When not at his keyboard or behind the wheel of a car, Alex spends a lot of…
Ford finally pulls off the sub-$30K electric truck it promised years ago
Ford officially names its affordable electric pickup the Fathom, pricing it at $29,945 with a 300-mile range.
Ford Fathom screenshot from YouTube.

Ford's been teasing a genuinely affordable electric truck for what feels like forever, and after the initial few months, I stopped waiting for it, much less the less-than-$30,000 anticipated price. Turns out Ford didn't just hit that target; it beat it. 

What's even more interesting is that the truck finally has an official name to go with the price.

Read more
EVgo is bringing Tesla V4 Superchargers to its US charging network
EVgo and Tesla team up to bring 500kW charging to US cities.
evgo-tesla-partnership-v4-supercharger

Finding a fast charger for your electric vehicle could soon get a little easier. EVgo announced it will start installing hundreds of Tesla V4 Superchargers across major US cities, built under a license through Tesla's Supercharger for Business program.

This makes EVgo one of the first US networks to build Tesla's own charger design onto its stations, following a broader expansion that began with a $1.25 billion federal loan to add 7,500 new charging stalls nationwide.

Read more
Europe is reaping the benefits of an open market with a terrific $22K EV, while the US market stays boring 
The new Geely E2 undercuts many rivals while highlighting China's affordable EV momentum.
Transportation, Vehicle, Car

This is not the first time I’ve watched European or Chinese car shoppers, for that matter, get a chance to buy genuinely affordable EVs. Meanwhile, American buyers keep hearing and talking about higher starting prices and fewer features on the entry-level trim. 

Geely’s new compact electric hatchback costs 19,490 EUR in Belgium, or roughly $22,490, and is yet another example of the same. While the entry price is only available for a limited time, I'm talking about the overall package the automaker is offering. 

Read more