An Australian entrepreneur has set what is believed to be a world record for distance travelled between battery recharges for an electric vehicle. On day four of the 2009 Global Green Challenge economy run between Darwin and Adelaide yesterday (Tuesday 27 October), internet whiz Simon Hackett travelled 501km in his Tesla electric sports car while heading south on the Stewart Highway from Alice Springs. His car ran out of battery power 50km south of the town of Marla, near a marker on the side of the road.
The previous record of 430km between recharges for a Tesla, to date the world’s only mass production electric sports car, was set in the US where the car is made. The manufacturer claims it has a maximum driving range of 385km.
“I’m absolutely ecstatic, this is better than we ever imagined,” he said. “I always knew we’d do well today because the terrain has a slight descent and conditions have been much cooler, which has helped tremendously.”
However, there is one catch. In order for the Tesla to travel 3,000km “without using a drop of fuel”, it is being followed by an eight-tonne truck carrying a heavy duty diesel-powered generator that can recharge the car in three-and-a-half hours. The truck will use about 700 litres of diesel as it follows the Tesla, but it also used 700 litres of diesel to follow it from Adelaide to Darwin before the race.
In another unfortunate twist, the car towing the Tesla from Adelaide to Darwin in preparation for the economy run, a diesel-powered Volvo XC90, used about 12 litres of fuel per 100km. But with an empty trailer, the Volvo XC90 tow car is consuming about 18 litres per 100km on the return journey because the trailer is less efficient through the air when unladen.
“It may as well be a parachute,” says Hackett. However, the internet entrepreneur strongly defends his electric car and the fact that a truck with a generator was required to follow it.
“Well, all the diesel and the petrol that these other cars are using was brought out here to the desert in trucks,” he said. “This is simply showing what’s possible if there were electric vehicle recharge points.” Adding to Hackett’s frustration is that he is not allowed to drive his left-hand-drive vehicle in Australia; he received special permission from the Northern Territory government for this event. “It turns into a pumpkin after this event is over,” he said.
The Tesla, which shares much of its underpinnings with a Lotus sports car, has Porsche-like performance and can accelerate to 100km/h in 3.9 seconds, according to the manufacturer. Mr Hackett imported his Tesla from the US privately in March 2009 and, until this week, drove it only on race tracks. The company is building the vehicle in right-hand-drive from next year and Mr Hackett is among the first in line.
It will cost in excess of $130,000 once luxury car tax and registration fees are taken into account. “I can’t wait to get one and drive it every day,” he said. “I didn’t go through all this for nothing.”
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