Testing the Tesla Roadster

Soon we're cruising through downtown Palo Alto, hoping to score some attention from the throngs of Stanford students walking past fancy eateries and Facebook's headquarters. We creep past intersections for the next half-mile in such a whisper that no one on the sidewalk notices. "Awesome Tesla, dude!" we finally hear a group of teenage boys say. Now that's more like it.

In contrast from its hard-edged nature, the Roadster is smooth at city speeds once you figure out how to stop with the gas -- regenerative braking kicks in as you ease off the accelerator. It's pleasant after some twitchy practice. What isn't so nice is the Tesla's fairly wide turning radius, which makes U-turns trickier than expected in a short-wheelbase car.

After roughly 100 miles, there's still plenty of charge left. My friend takes the helm on the drive back from Santa Cruz, and after executing the perfect apex, the Roadster rewards us by abruptly slowing for the next 10 miles. We've almost drained the battery, and are now forced to deal with 50% less power -- and the thrust of an average family sedan -- no matter how far the accelerator is pressed. To save its overeager customers from stranding themselves, Tesla doesn't disclose the last 10% of battery life while in performance mode. We've driven 125 miles in four hours, with 19 miles of battery life remaining on the computer (and roughly 14 more hidden miles).

A subsequent 130-mile round-trip to Berkeley -- mostly on interstates, with range mode selected -- left us with 38 miles remaining. The pricier Roadster Sport, which debuted this month, doesn't deliver better mileage, Tesla says. But the extra $19,500 on the sticker price shaves two-tenths off the zero-to-60 time (the motor delivers 40 more horsepower) and comes with an adjustable suspension and stickier tires.

That performance-obsessed mentality is what makes Tesla so special. Toyota is prepping a plug-in Prius, other electric car companies are busy retrofitting Chinese and Malaysian sedans, and GM's Chevrolet Volt hybrid is nearing completion. Those cars will be proof that the automobile can survive the complex tangle of government mandates and declining oil reserves. But an electric car that steals your sleep, compelling you every sunrise to rip out its plug and run away for no reason, is proof that automotive passion is still strong.

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