The Tesla Model S sedan has been deemed the 2013 Motor Trend Car of the Year. Many people may be wondering why an electric car would get such a prestigious recommendation — after all, they are slow and have short driving range, right? Fortunately, that isn’t the case.
Tesla Model S
Electric propulsion technology can be slow and have short range, as can any gasoline-powered car that has a small gas tank, poor design, and small propulsion system.
Or, it can utilize larger batteries and a more powerful but more expensive propulsion system to achieve 300-mile range (depending on configuration) and a zero to sixty mph acceleration time of 4.4 seconds… like the Tesla Model S.
Apart from the capability of electric cars to compare in performance respects with gasoline-powered cars, they can also offer a unique combination of qualities that ICE (internal combustion engine) cars cannot, such as efficiency, exceptional torque, no engine noise or vibration (and the resulting comfort from that), and no emissions (plus long range and high speed).
Normally, ICE-powered cars are either fast or efficient, or you have to choose between luxury and efficiency, but you can’t get all three from them. Electric cars can achieve efficiency better than that of a small Prius, and acceleration better than that of the vast majority of cars — look at the Tesla Roadster.
According to Motor Trend editor Angus MacKenzie, the Model S is “…like a sports car, eager and agile and instantly responsive. But it’s also as smoothly effortless as a Rolls-Royce, can carry almost as much stuff as a Chevy Equinox, and is more efficient than a Toyota Prius. Oh, and it’ll sashay up to the valet at a luxury hotel like a supermodel working a Paris catwalk.”
Source: Gas 2.0
Photo Credit: Gas 2.0
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