Question: I'm interested in the new Tesla electric sports car. Have you tested one, and when might it be available?
-- Charles
Answer: I haven't tested one, but it isn't because I haven't asked. It's just that they are in such short supply, there are no press vehicles available.
Those who have driven the Tesla Roadster are, for the most part, impressed. It's a two-seat sports car that relies entirely on electrical power delivered by more than 6,500 tiny lithium-ion batteries. The handful of 2008 models released started at $98,000, and Tesla is now taking $5,000 deposits for 2009 models at a base price of $109,000.
The Tesla -- named not for the rock band, but for Nikola Tesla, who invented a lot of things electrical more than 100 years ago -- is based in part on the excellent Lotus Elise, a gas-powered sports car. It's made, like the Tesla, in England, although the Tesla's electrical powertrain is added in California. Unlike the Lotus, the Tesla is a bit heavy for a small sports car, thanks to about 700 pounds of batteries. The electric motor, though, weighs just 115 pounds.
Because the electric motor doesn't have to build up to maximum power like a regular internal combustion engine, the Tesla's near-instantaneous acceleration is remarkable -- the company says it will go from 0 to 60 mph in a Ferrari-like 3.9 seconds. The Tesla's batteries recharge using household current, and the company says the car will go 220 miles on a full charge. From a depleted battery to full power, the charging cycle supposedly takes less than four hours.
There have been, however, multiple teething problems in the Tesla's development. Several weeks ago, a columnist for Automotive News attended a press drive of the Tesla in Germany. The good news: "The car offered the heart-pounding ride of a street racer," he wrote.
The bad news: "Of the three test cars offered at the Tesla presentation, one did not start. Another began emitting smoke from the lithium-ion battery compartment in the rear."
So it may be awhile before I get that Tesla test drive.
Q: Is there anywhere in Orlando where I can buy E85 ethanol? We have acquired a "flex-fuel" truck that runs on gasoline or E85.
-- Marie
A: The Turkey Lake service plaza on Florida's Turnpike, located just north of Interstate 4, sells E85. The price often goes up and down several times a week, but at last glance, it was $3.24 a gallon.
Q: Please settle an argument. Will a car with a manual transmission always get better mileage than a car with an automatic transmission?
-- Grant
A: Usually, but not always. Go to Fueleconomy.gov, and look up the vehicle you are considering: It will give you the EPA-rated mileage with a manual and automatic transmission. About 80 percent of the time, on vehicles that offer both manual and automatic transmissions, you'll get at least a small mileage increase with the manual.
Steven Cole Smith can be reached at scsmith@orlandosentinel.com, or through his blog at OrlandoSentinel.com/gasgauge.
