An Afternoon in Silicon Valley

When you hear "Tesla," Silicon Valley comes to mind. The cutting-edge technology and venture capital origins of this car align with the image of the major brands scattered throughout the area. Apple, Yahoo, Intel... Last month, during a visit, I also happened upon Google's headquarters. It's conveniently located for a quick drive to San Francisco via Route 101. Power lunches are also possible in the downtown area. Surely, board members are teeing off at the links around Half Moon Bay on weekdays...




Tesla, founded in 2003, is a young company. Product development began the following year. The prototype of the "Roadster" was unveiled in 2006, production started in 2008, and 17 directly managed stores have been opened, including in Los Angeles.



Sales in Japan began in 2010. In May of that year, sales first commenced online, followed by the opening of the Aoyama showroom in October. While the visit of founder Elon Musk that day was newsworthy, the presence of Akio Toyoda was also striking. The two already had a deep relationship through the sale and purchase of factories in America, but appealing to the Japanese market through the media was a different matter. In that sense, it was a good opportunity for Tesla to enhance its credibility and for Toyota to showcase its innovation.

The Latest and Final Tesla Roadster: The 2012 Model

So, I drove the Tesla Roadster. It's a zero-emission electric supercar developed with a chassis based on the familiar Lotus "Elise," equipped with a battery pack and motor. Furthermore, this is the latest 2012 model. Originally, the production of the Roadster itself was limited to 2,500 units from the announcement, but sales in North America ended last year. I hear that only a few remain in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, including Japan. It will end once the inventory is depleted.



Features include three body colors, an improved air conditioning system, xenon headlights, and two types of mobile connectors (charging cables), among other updates. The press car's body color is Magma Orange. Its supercar-like appearance is sure to stir the hearts of car enthusiasts.



The reason for the limited edition model is that the Roadster itself is being discontinued. As has already been announced, the four-door, five-seaterModel Sis set to be released.



It is inevitable that this four-door sedan, retaining its sporty image, will become another major topic of discussion. Pre-orders since the end of last year have already exceeded 6,500 units. Production will be scaled to match, with an annual output of 20,000 units. Furthermore, there are hints of an SUV project on the horizon.Model Xwhich is said to feature a dual motor for AWD, is also something to look forward to.

75km South: Experiencing the Roadster

Regardless, the Roadster, which I drove after a long time, ran around with a pleasant energy. The course took us from the city to the Kanagawa area via the highway. We headed from the Yokohama-Yokosuka Road towards Sajima, south of Hayama. This is because there is a rental villa called "Nowhere but Sajima" where a charging system for Tesla is installed.




Of course, for a Tesla with a range of nearly 400 km, the round trip to Sajima is a piece of cake, but it goes without saying that admiring the beautiful rental villa is also a major motivation for driving this car. A supercar costing over 10 million yen perfectly complements a modern villa.



Now, for the impression of actually driving the Roadster: from the start, the electric power, as expected, kicks in and propels the car forward. The throttle response is naturally good, but the smooth, linear operation is truly impressive. It's remarkable how it doesn't feel unnatural to us who are accustomed to internal combustion engines. Another noteworthy point is the high reliability of the brakes. They possess sufficient stopping power to counteract the 400 Nm of torque. Moreover, the braking feel is remarkably natural, which is excellent.



The handling also possesses a lightness that doesn't betray the Lotus image. Tesla's experimental staff must have put a lot of effort into this aspect. The front-end lightness is well balanced with a good sense of road contact. It's truly exhilarating. However, this exquisite handling only emerges at a certain speed. In parking lots, for instance, you struggle with the heavy steering, which is rare nowadays. This was a minor concern, especially since we were moving the car frequently for the photoshoot.



Also, while the handling is good at higher speeds, when repeatedly changing lanes, the body starts to feel a bit heavy. My honest impression was that it didn't move as nimbly and lightly as I had expected, unlike the agile footwork I envisioned.

The Only EV of Its Kind

The digital meter, indicating a cruising range of approximately 350 km, had decreased by just over 100 km by the time we arrived at Sajima after driving around. This doesn't necessarily reflect typical daily usage, as it included time for photoshoots, but with over 200 km remaining, there was absolutely no stress. This is where it differs from domestic EVs. Of course, the significant price difference and the different development objectives make a direct comparison meaningless.




Still, the Tesla Roadster is a unique car. It was a bold decision to craft a cutting-edge EV with such freedom. It will surely be praised for years to come. Furthermore, its driving performance holds significant value, unless there's a major breakthrough in battery technology. I was convinced that a sporty EV capable of long drives without stress remains one of a kind.




TESLA Roadster Sport 2.5 | Tesla Roadster Sport 2.5


Body Dimensions | Length 3,941 x Width 1,851 x Height 1,126.5 mm

Wheelbase | 2,351 mm

Vehicle Weight | 1,253 kg

Motor | 3-phase, 4-pole AC induction motor

Battery Capacity | 56 kWh (Lithium-ion battery)

Maximum Output | 215 kW (288 hp)

Maximum Torque | 400 Nm

Drivetrain | MR

Suspension | Double wishbone

Brakes | Disc brakes

Top Speed | 201 km/h

0-100 km/h Acceleration | 3.7 seconds

Range | 394 km

CO2 Emissions | 0 g/km

Price | 14,815,500 yen



Tesla Japan

Tel. 03-6890-7700

http://www.teslamotors.com/jp/