Electric cars were once a proven method of transportation and Nikola Tesla created his Tesla electric car as an alternative. In the early day of the automobile electric propulsion was considered safer, cleaner and more efficient than gasoline or steam power. Many things have changed over the past nine decades. Automobiles are now, for the most part, powered by some derivative of refined petroleum. Electric cars are making a comeback however, modern technology has created battery packs that can power cars and provide a means of transportation for short distances that does not require any fossil fuel to be added to the vehicle. In reviewing the history of electric cars, it is important to discuss the contribution made by Nikola Tesla.
Tesla Electric Car
Tesla was a proponent of cosmic electricity. Although he was the first to campaign for alternating current, now known as a.c., Tesla had some vague ideas and theories that were never quite translated into real working and functioning machines. One of these may have been the Tesla electric car. Tesla was a proponent of making electricity through local generation techniques that involved magnets and coils. He also believed that electricity could be transmitted through the atmosphere and received in distant places with antennas and receiving dishes. His electric car was this sort of invention. Although no one really knows if the Tesla electric car was real or fictional, the theory was that the gasoline engine could be replaced with an electric motor and the power for the electric motor would be received by the car from the airwaves and a receiving antenna. There is no actual proof that this electric automobile ever existed. Although the tale is that it actually ran at high speeds, reaching 90 miles an hour over an extended period of time.
Nikola Tesla, the father of a.c. current, had many theories regarding the generation and transmission of electrical current. His theories continue to be discussed today. Proponents of the Tesla generators claim amazing results from small generating stations that can be constructed using wire and magnets. These generators do exist in many forms, but the generated power is minimal. The Tesla electric car of Nikola Tesla, be it myth or fact, never made it to production. In the Twenty first century however the name of Tesla has been resurrected and truly electric cars are being manufactured in the United States by Tesla Motors.
The modern Tesla electric car that made its debut several years ago uses a variant of an original Nikola Tesla electric motor that was first produced in 1882. The modern day Tesla automobile is a collaboration of many engineers and developers who formed a company in 2003 and purchased the rights to use AC Propulsions electrical components that were developed from Nikola’s original designs. Powered by battery packs of lithium ion these cars have been on the market for several years now. In order to achieve a driving range that was acceptable to commuters Tesla Motors reached an agreement with Lotus Cars of the United Kingdom for chassis and body components. These components are the same ones used by Lotus for its Elise models. This light weight chassis and cabin features minimalistic design features and lightweight construction. Small and lightweight were factors that made this the perfect car for Tesla. The electric motor powers the car to a speed of 60 MPH in less than four seconds. The estimated driving range of the Tesla Electric car roadster is over 200 miles. The zero emissions vehicle is the first, and only, electric sports car marketed in large production numbers worldwide. That is if roughly 2000 cars can be considered a large number. Production of the Tesla Roadster has ceased as the supply of Lotus Elise bodies and chassis has ended. There are plans for a Tesla electric car that is more mainstream. The debut of the Tesla Model S is planned for 2012. This sleek design sports sedan will be offered by the California based manufacturer with power coming from the same electric motor design.
Electric cars may have come full circle since Nikola theoretically designed his first Tesla electric car in the 1930s. The new Tesla Motors carries on the tradition of electrical propulsion, but there are no antennas and cosmic power sources involved any longer. The Tesla electric car of the twenty first century is cosmic in design, but that is the design of the body not the propulsion system.
The sleek modernistic sedan design incorporates four doors and a semi kamback rear end for an aero dynamic profile. The body style diverges from the minimalistic roadster style that has been the hallmark of Tesla motors until now. The Model S incorporates all the creature comforts someone would expect in an automobile designed and built in 2012. Air conditioning, cruise control, Global Positioning System tracking, leather seating, power steering and power brakes are all standard on this 2012 luxo-sedan. A panoramic glass roof with photo cells is available as an option as are different interiors and wheels. Power is provided by an electric motor that powers the rear wheels. Traction control is said to be available and may be a standard feature, something that has not been determined yet. The instantly available torque of an electric motor will power this sleek sedan rapidly, the lithium ion power pack of batteries is said to be good for up to 300 miles from a single charge. Alternative power supplies, which reduce weight, will provide less range and require more frequent recharging. The Model S Signature line of cars will be available only to 1000 customers and comes standard with the 300 mile extended range power supply.
Tesla Electric Car – The Conclusion
Nikola Tesla may have created an electric car in the 1930s. Nikola Tesla may have been able to transmit power over long distances using no power lines. Nikola Tesla was in fact a great inventor and the father of modern electricity. His name and inventiveness lives on in the Tesla electric car that is being developed today.
