

Tesla's Model S is no joke


Source: Automobile Magazine

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By Mint on 10/11/2012 7:28:09 AM , Rating: 2
the enemy of vehicle performance is weight

That's not necessarily true. For traction, unless you have stiction from hot tires, their friction is proportional to the weight holding them to the road.

Weight is usually felt more in the handling/responsiveness, because a heavier gas car usually adds weight to the periphery, increasing it's moment of inertia faster than weight/friction. An EV, on the other hand, can keep its weight low and - most critically - closer to the center of mass. Compared to a gas car, it can be heavier with a lower moment of inertia. That's why many reviewers said that the Fisker Karma is the best handling big car on the market (it is big despite the styling giving it a small cabin).

The future is really bright for performance PHEVs. Going from a 200kW motor to a 500kW motor adds a fraction of the weight/cost of going from a 270hp gas engine to a 670hp engine.

