| 2010 Tesla Roadster vs 2010 Lotus Elise | January 4, 2010 | AUTORIVALS.NET |
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| Electric cars are finally gaining some traction after it was supposedly killed in the early '90s. Although not exactly what people would call mainstream, the Tesla Roadster is possibly the most exciting production electric car available with a new Roadster Sport for 2010 getting a few more horsepower and torque. The all-electric, zero-emission sports car is based on the Lotus Elise which is also equally exciting but relatively more traditional with a gas engine, but still not traditional at all. Both cars are tiny, compact, quick, and maneuverable but use different powertrains to achieve their high level of excitement. | ||
| 2010 Tesla Roadster | vs | 2010 Lotus Elise |
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| The Tesla Roadster basically starts as a nearly finished Lotus Elise from England but then completed in California with new sheet metal, powertrain, and other variations. The similarities are most obvious in the shapes but not the designs. The Roadster gets a cleaner, more subdued look than the bug-eyed Lotus. The Elise gets more vents in the front and side giving it a more exotic look, one that screams for attention. | ||
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| Both come in two-seat, targa-top configurations with tiny dimensions to reduce weight. With a height of roughly 45 inches, people over six feet tall are going to have a lot of trouble getting in, let alone fitting at all. For those that do fit, it's still a struggle getting in due to the high door sills in place for structural rigidity and safety. But once you do get in, you'll probably never want to get out with each car's go kart maneuverability and sports car speed. | ||
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| The Elise's round tail lights get
traded out for a one-piece, LED assembly in the Roadster. The
Elise has a sportier appearance with a center mounted exhaust
placed underneath of the rear diffuser. Take note that the
Roadster doesn't have an exhaust (it's electric, remember?). |
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| The dashboard design is nearly identical for both models. The Roadster gets an added center console but otherwise remains as miminal as possible like the Elise. Nothing is added that isn't absolutely necessary for the sake of saving weight. These car's obviously take performance over convenience (and practicality for that matter). Interior space is minimal along with a tiny trunk making both the Roadster and Elise primarily track and/or weekend toys. Some bonus features are available in the Roadster though such as heated leather seats, Blaupunkt stereo, and navigation system along with standards like cruise control, power windows and locks, air conditioning, etc. | ||
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PROS +Most exciting (production) electric vehicle available +Faster than the Elise (and a lot of other cars) +You can tell OPEC to suck it CONS -Electric powertrain adds 700 lbs to the Elise chassis -Costs more than double than the Elise -Minimalist interior |
PROS +Exotic looks +2,000 lbs is as light as it gets +Better handling CONS -Slower acceleration than the Roadster -Interior is as minimalist as it gets |
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| Video Source: Car and Driver via YouTube | Video Source: Autocar via YouTube |
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