Going Electric

First off, let me say that I like gasoline. I'm addicted, like everyone else; but I genuinely like it. Even if the best of all I hope for comes to bear and the world begins to shelve the combustion engine, I'll be that dude in 50 years paying ten dollars a gallon for it, for my "classic" 1990's tuned Honda that I'll tinker with and jet around through my retirement. I see these old-timers in Model A Ford customized roadsters and I know that is one of my possible futures: a relic of an unsustainable past - a crazy old-timer. Gasoline as a hobby, a weekend sport.

But before we bankrupt ourselves, financially and perhaps morally, on a gas addiction, I hope the commuters and families and daily drivers will go electric sooner rather than later.

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To that end, congratulations to Elon Musk and the team at Tesla Motors, who yesterday started line production of the Tesla Electric Roadster. See more here.

A quick overview:
Tesla Roadster
$100,000
0-60mph in 3.9 seconds - and no torque curve: acceleration remains constant.
4+ hours to fully charge
200+ miles per charge
$.02 - $.05 per mile (depending on how much you pay for electricity)
Motor and batteries are designed to go to 100,000 miles.
TARGA (removable) top, looks like a Lotus because Lotus engineers helped design it.

The company has already stated that this high end sports car is an entry into the market: profit from selling these will fund R&D for a $50K sport sedan model, and then a $30K commuter.

Also, the batteries are non-toxic and can be safely thrown away - or recycled for cash to help offset the price of new batteries.

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This car will not save the world. Electric cars will not save the world. But its the damn fastest and damn sexiest methadone for oil addiction that I've seen. Send in the electrics!