Tesla reveals Roadster 2.0, with incredible acceleration claim

TESLA has dropped a bombshell at the end of its battery-powered prime mover reveal, rolling out an unexpected model, the Roadster 2.0.

It’s the first sports car from the all-electric manufacture since the California electric car maker’s first vehicle, 2008’s original Roadster.

Elon Musk claims the two-door targa-topped 2+2 coupe will be the quickest production car ever, claiming the Roadster 2.0 will be able to sprint to 60mph (98km/h) in 1.9sec, before pushing past 100mph (160km/h) in 4.2sec. The quarter mile can disappear in 8.9 seconds – dedicated drag car territory.

“This is the base model,” Musk said, without revealing the electric drivetrain’s performance figures, although its three electric motors can reportedly produce around 10,000Nm.

Top speed is claimed to be more than 250mph (402km/h), meaning Tesla has leapfrogged straight into supercar territory, and aimed directly at roof-down hypercars such as the Koenigsegg Agera as competition.

Those incredible performance figures come via a 200kWh battery pack – double the energy of what is currently available in the flagship Model S P100D sedan – capable of a claimed 1000 kilometres-plus of highway driving range.

The two-door prototype sports a sleek, low-slung styling, with visual cues similar to other Tesla models.

The new Roadster is expected be available in 2020 for a price that is yet to be set. However, knowing Tesla’s track record with new product release dates, the timing of its arrival could vary widely.

More to come

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