Two and Half Weeks to Travel 2700 Miles
“We’re driving Roadster #750 from Los Angeles to Detroit for this year’s North American International Auto Show to prove that the Roadster is tough, durable and range anxiety is for the weak.” – A direct quote from their website.
Due to set off next Thursday, travelling east bound along I-10 to San Antonio, Texas before heading north towards Detroit, the EV sports car will make a number of stops along the way, but unlike regular travelers, the pit-stops won’t be the normal 10 or 15 minutes it takes to refuel, grab an energy drink – or seven, take care of business while trying not to catch the funk in a restroom where the urinal hasn’t seen a cleaning product since 1986, and oh yeah, one of those rubber hotdogs that has been rolling on that heater since the second Thursday of last week. No, instead the Tesla roadster will require hours to recharge – 8 hours with standard charger or 3.5 with high-speed charger. Hence the journey taking 19 days, instead the 3 or 4 days anyone else could do it in.
I Think I Can, I Think I Can, I Think I Can……
Sixteen of the fun-loving earthy employees will set off on December 17th, first stop will be after 140 miles in Palm Springs, not too challenging on the batteries. Day two – 250 miles to Phoenix, and day seven – 313miles from Ft. Stockton TX to San Antonio TX, will challenge the 244 mile range of the roadster, and clearly, what should be a 5 hour trip on day seven will not be completed without stopping somewhere along the way to recharge for a few of hours.
Tesla Need Customers
Tesla plan to utilize these recharging stops to promote the electric roadster and drum up some business. Tesla has been quiet regarding sales figures over the last year, straight up declining to comment when asked. For us, this along with the fact they were offering a discount promotion last month with a guarantee of delivery by Christmas confirms sales aren’t what they expected and that while this technology is neat and fun, there’s not really the demand out there for a $98,000 lithium-ion battery powered EV.
After nineteen days of driving they will arrive in Detroit on January 8th. We feel they may prove the range anxiety is warranted, more than it is for the weak, and while I love a good road trip as much as the next guy I don’t like the fact you can’t even drive for 5 hours at highway speeds before a recharge is needed. For me, this can only verify the uselessness of the Tesla as anything other than a gadget or toy for the wealthy. That said – we wish them luck.
Source: Tesla
