Tesla Model S: James Bond meets The Jetsons

Ok, that might be a bit of an overstatement, this car does not fly like those of The Jetsons! But it’s super technological and stylish, something a green James Bond would chose for sure. Trust me, read on.

Tesla redefined the electric car for us. When you’re thinking of becoming a more environment aware person (while still thinking with your wallet looking at rising gas prices), you consider getting an electric car.

However, ego strikes and most models of energy efficient cars are just not that pretty on the eyes. Well, as you find it, Tesla completely changed that; the model S takes its design more from European cars, and less (or not at all!) from American and Japanese style, providing you with a curving roofline and well rounded fenders.

 For the tech lovers

Tesla turned out to be a good listener and responded to the market research for those who love technology.

The model S shows us a minimal design on the inside, putting most of the control buttons in its 17” touch screen, right between the driver and the front passenger. Navigation, temperature, music and a lot more can be controlled through this screen which proved to be very safe and not distracting while driving.

Now, just for the driver’s viewing pleasure, behind the wheel you’ll find n LCD screen with all the information you need (speed, power usage) in the center, and spaces on the sides for you to customize the info (current track, navigation, etc.). No more analog gauges, only top of the line tech gadgets!  

To those seeking performance

Well, performance and electric car would not typically go hand in hand. Tesla changes that, yet again. In record time, (two years from getting the factory line together, to development to design and getting the cars ready) this company provided us with an power efficient alternative to regular cars while not giving up to high design and performance features.

Motor: as opposed to regular engines that run on combustion, this electric motor is almost unnoticeably lies between the two rear wheels which frees up a lot of space both in the front and the back floor areas. No need for a gas tank and a huge motor, allows extra storage space both in the trunk and the hood.

Speed: the lithium battery pack that is placed flat on the car’s chassis can provide over 80 (kilowatt) hours of power that can take you as far as 300 miles at a speed of 55 miles per hour. The model S also has a 40 hour and 60 hour version, with less distance too.

When pushing even a slight bit into the pedal, you will feel great pull. This car will hit 60 miles per hour in 4.4 seconds. This may not be super impressive compared with other cars that can reach higher speeds, but if you think about it, the Tesla Model S does it from zero rpm, which no other car can.

If you leave the accelerator pedal alone, the car won’t move, as if it were on Neutral position like other cars. However, since some users don’t completely like this, there’s the option of allowing the “creep mode”. So, once the car is set on Drive, it will slowly creep forward with no use of the pedals too.

Brakes: just as the car will get you to a speed of 60 miles per hour in less than 5 seconds when you step on the accelerator, lifting your foot from it will get the “regenerative breaking” going. What this means is that you will only need to actually set your foot on the brake at the last minute. Less pressure on the accelerator is taken as wanting to brake and the car will do that for you. This allows a most efficient use of energy.

Some users found this to be heavy if used constantly, so you have the option to turn this feature into Low when the driving conditions require you to (highways for example).

This is a great choice for those of you who are looking to buy a great car but also want to be environmentally responsible.

About the author:

Eugenia Sincovich is an Argentinean writer that can’t seem to stay in one place! She loves everything that reminds her that she’s alive and does her best to convey those feelings into her texts. She currently writes for iNetGiant.

Photo Credits : Tesla Motors

2013-01-15 08:50:20

Source: http://luxvelocity.typepad.com/luxvelocity/2013/01/tesla-model-s-james-bond-meets-the-jetsons.html