3 ms·

I don't see in what area it should have an advantage over a car with a gas engine.

• xutopia 8y ago
  This car that just beat the record is a hybrid and it was capable of improving accelerations out of curves due to direct torque. I'm doubtful a roadster could do anywhere close to this car's speed around the track but I'm convinced an all electric car could break this record. We might even see it happen with a self-driving electric car in the next few years.
  • maxxxxx 8y ago
    VW just beat the Pikes Peak record with an all electric car but that was mainly because gas engines lose power at altitude. Personally I think for the time being gas engines will still be superior because they weigh less compared to batteries. I think there is a good chance that an electric car will beat the record but that will be more for PR reasons than technical merit.
• grecy 8y ago
  I would think an 8.9 sec 1/4 mile is everything you need to know, especially when Elon has said that's the base model and there will be "performance upgrades" that make it faster. If you're not familiar, just google the 1/4 mile time of any fast car you can think of, and then look into how hard it is to go from say 10.5 to 10.0, then 9.9 Obviously I know a lap time needs a lot more than straight line acceleration, but if the 1/4 mile time is anything to go by, this car is going to be the kind of fast we have never seen before. Anyway, time will tell and it's fun to think about.
  • maxxxxx 8y ago
    Straight line acceleration is pretty useless on a real track if you don't have the handling in corners. I assume the roadster will be pretty heavy. The Model S is also a beast going straight but cornering is much less fun with it because it's so heavy.
    • grecy 8y ago
      At 10.86 1/4 mile, the P100D is a snail compared to the Roadster 2 at 8.9. We're talking about the difference between a Cesna and a fighter plane, and then some.