I (!@#$%^&*()(*&^%$#@) touched a Tesla Roadster yesterday.

I (!@#$%^&()(&^%$#@) touched a Tesla Roadster yesterday.

By Waylon Lewis on Aug 2, 2008 inin blog, conscious consumerism, sustainability |

I ran into the tall lean Kimbal Musk, yesterday, while I was biking about with my lil’hound, Redford. He said, hey, I just moved into the neighborhood. I said, yah, I heard—he’d bought a castle-like new house that abuts Open Space and has the coolest old-brick secondary building you’ve ever seen.

As I’m writing this a dude just biked by with a B.O.B. I want to review one for the magazine. Actually, I just want one so I can put Redford on it when he’s tired of running about.

Where was I. So, Kimbal says, but that’s not all. Come check out my…Tesla Roadster. He’s got the first in Colorado—word on the street is there’s only 100 in circulation at all right now. So we stroll to his castle, he opens up the garage…and I have a Back to the Future moment. But this is no DeLorean…this is better. You know Green is mainstream when mainstream folks can love something without caring about its eco aspects. This car is hot. It’s built on a Lotus chassis, I believe (I’m no car guy, I’m a bike guy). It’s low to the ground, it’s shaped like a sexy bullet—and the top pops off. Heaven. Only then do you notice that it’s…plugged in, making it the cleanest car this side of sustainability.

Shots courtesy my bro, or should I say my daddio—Mr. Al Baldocchi.

For a blog from one of Tesla’s founders, Martin Eberhard…click your heels here.

Technorati Tags: Boulder, eco, electric car, green, Kimbal Musk, Martin Eberhard, Matt Damon, Musk, Tesla Motors, Tesla Roadster, The Kitchen

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6 Comment(s)

Hard to tell a chassis from sight, but the mid-engine body style definitely evokes the Lotus Elise/Exige/Evora(sp?) … all of which you should profile for being some of the best mpg friendly sports cars ever made.

Also, don’t forget that Kimbal’s on the Tesla board, which makes him significantly cooler than the typical guy with a castle and a car.

@Jeff - The bailout definitely sucks, but has nothing to do with Tesla. They’re a privately funded start-up.

Kev_H | Dec 20, 2008 | Reply
Lets not kid ourselves.

It is still a car and therefore it takes a heck of a lot of resources, including energy, to generate (manufacture) one of these.

Does it take MORE resources to build all of those batteries than it does a traditional car?

I’ve read that 10% of the energy that a car will ever use is consumed in its manufacture…

Also, is the Tesla factory powered by coal, or wind or what?

Where did the money come from that the people who came up with the $100,000 used to buy their 100 cars? What’s that, $10,000,000.

As a statment, as a model, as an idea, it’s great.

Does that mean i want $400 million of my money going to subsidize more rich people? Hell no.

Why sell cars at all if they can just get a bailout.? It’ll save them the effort of building 40,000 cars. That is better for the environment then isn’t it.

Should the government be paying a company $400,000,000 because they build cars?

THAT’S REDICULOUS.

Jeff Roth | Dec 20, 2008 | Reply
Someday, they’ll make one you can sleep in: http://flickr.com/photos/mikelevin/3043103003/

Michael Levin | Dec 19, 2008 | Reply
{{swoons}} I love Love LOVE this car!!!

Kelly Cookson | Dec 19, 2008 | Reply
Oh yeah, Alllex. Tesla–the electric superhero of eco sports cars—has hit the road, Jack. There’s a 100 in circulation, more to come. Now all we gotta do is get rich so I can get me one.

admin | Aug 4, 2008 | Reply
Yummy!

Damn, I can’t wait to see this one driving around town… And I bet there’s at least one more person in Boulder who’s got one coming.

Alex | Aug 3, 2008 | Reply