Could the electrically powered Tesla Roadster ever become the family car?

Nikola Tesla, born in Croatia in 1856, became a renowned physicist in America after relocating to the United States. He was the inventor of the electric motor and generator as well as being recognized as the designer of the tesla coil circuit. The tesla coil produces high voltage with high frequency alternating current but low amperes or current. Nikola Tesla used the tesla coil circuit to power his induction electric motor. A fascinating example of the electrical sparks produced by a tesla coil, which resemble lightning bolts, can be seen in a plasma globe.

What has a plasma globe got to do with the family car? In the search to design an electric car that Americans would buy, many downfalls have been discovered. The maximum speed of many electric car designs are less than 45 miles per hour and have a very limited travel range before they need to be charged for several hours. Electricity produced by the sun also has limitations, such as the need for a massive bank of batteries to store energy and they aren't really feasible for traveling at night. So what is the solution to the problems associated with a viable electric car design? The tesla power plant, an electric induction motor eliminates many of the problems other electrically powered car designs face.

In 2008 the Tesla Roadster, produced by Tesla Motors, debuted in California. Powered by a 3 phase, 248 horsepower electric motor, housed in a sleek and sexy made over Lotus Elise body, this powerful little two seat speed demon will make car fanatics drool. But with a price tag of over $100,000.00 for a basic model, and with a cost of a replacement battery pack at $20,000.00, you won't be seeing many of them on the road and they are totally out of the question for the biggest majority of American families.

So that brings up the question of whether or not the Tesla Roadster could ever become the family car. Most families will need a vehicle that will seat at least four people with extra room for all the baggage and toys that go along with four people and/or children. Around 1960 a vehicle fitting this description was called a station wagon or a van and later these vehicles evolved into mini-vans and SUVs. Whatever they are called, they are the most practical form of transportation for an entire American family. The family car also needs to have a reasonable price tag, somewhere around $20,000.00 to be affordable to the average American family.

Is it possible for the Tesla Roadster to adapt to the needs of America's families? In theory it is. The Tesla motor produces 248 horsepower and is very capable of powering a family style vehicle. In comparison, the 6 cylinder Chrysler minivan is rated at 251 horsepower, just three more than the Tesla Roadster, and Chevy's Silverado pickup truck, with a 6 cylinder gasoline motor, is rated at only 195 horsepower, well below the Tesla Roadster's electric power plant. Also the Chrysler minivan and Chevy pickup vehicles do not have the outlandish price tag that the Tesla Roadster has.

Does Tesla Motors have any plans to make an affordable family car in the future? In January of 2008 they claimed to be doing just that. The newest Tesla Motors car is a sedan, which was unveiled in March of 2009 with a price tag of $50,000.00. Although slashing the price in half makes the Tesla Model S more affordable to upper middle class America, what about the average family?

Americans, as a whole, are trying to reduce their dependence on fossil fuel, but the greed of corporations is making it nearly impossible for the average American family to go green. Maybe the head of Tesla Motors doesn't grasp the simple mathematical concept that if you sell 5 vehicles at $20,000.00 you will make more money than if you sell one at $50,000.00. Because they refuse to see the logic of mass sales at lower prices, it doesn't appear that there will be a Tesla family vehicle in every other driveway in America any time soon.

Learn more about this author, Colleen Mart.
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