<VV> Itty-Bitty Corvair, Tesla data

[Sethracer at aol.com]

In a message dated 10/6/2006 2:41:44 PM Pacific Standard Time,  
lclarkpdx at gmail.com writes:

So Eric,  did your brother Martin have to recall any Sony laptop batteries in
the  Tesla?

On 10/6/06, Eric S. Eberhard <flash at vicsmba.com>  wrote:
>
>



I inspected the Tesla car at the Electric Vehicle Rally/Open house last  
Saturday at Palo Alto High School in Palo Alto, CA. (My high-school alma mater,  
class of 65- Go Vikings!). It was the black prototype. It was a very nicely 
done  machine - rear "engined' (Corvair Content) The construction is a lot like  
the Lotus Elise, but larger in most dimensions, and much better Proportioned, 
in  my opinion. The Li-On battery cells are grouped and loaded in packs. You 
do  not replace single cells. The battery packs can still propel the car even  
with "X" percentage non-functioning. You just get less miles on a full  
charge. Acccording to Lisa - One of their engineers, and a very serious,  technical 
person, they have not sourced Sony as a battery supplier. Of  course, they 
haven't delivered any production cars either, as yet. Sometime in  late 2007, is 
their official estimate. This is a product to watch closely, if  only because 
it represents a totally new concept in electric vehicles.  Performance - not 
Green-Earth touchy-Feely - Save the Earth stuff. My  observation at the 
Electric Car Rally was that almost everybody else at the  place looked at electric 
vehicles from the fringe of society - in one way or  another. Many home 
conversions - cars I would not sit in, muxch less drive at  ANY speed. There were a 
few manufacturers there, converted Toyota Prius (full  electric, plug-in 
conversions.) and several different production electric  scooters. Fot a real 
Motorcycle bomb, check out the "electricross" motorcycle.  web site 
_www.electricross.com_ (http://www.electricross.com)  - 19+  horsepower and full torque at Zero 
RPM - on yeah -and absolutely quiet! A  140 lb motocross bike! This are in 
regular production!  - Amazing vehicle -  Any more questions, feel free to ask! 
- Seth Emerson