MELBOURNE, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tesla Motors kicks off its Oz Goes Electric Tour to bring the Tesla Roadster – the world’s only electric sports car – to fans along Australia’s eastern coast. The Roadster will journey an unprecedented 3,000 kilometers, proving that drivers don’t have to compromise on style, performance or range to go electric.
The tour will launch today, 16 March at 10 a.m. at the Sofitel Hotel in Melbourne with officials from the Victorian government and Department of Transportation. The tour, covering Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, will feature test drive events and public displays of the Tesla Roadster. In Victoria, the tour is part of the local government’s Electric Vehicle Trial.
“The Victorian government’s Electric Vehicle Trial aims to improve awareness, understanding and acceptance of electric vehicles,” said Kristian Handberg, project manager for the Department of Transportation. “The trial is bringing vehicles, drivers, charging points, energy suppliers and other market participants together to build the foundations of Victoria's electric vehicle market and make Victoria an EV-friendly place.”
The handmade, carbon fiber Roadster is the only car that delivers supercar performance with zero tailpipe emissions. Powered by the most energy-dense battery in the industry, the Roadster accelerates from 0 to 100 kph in less than 4 seconds and consumes no petroleum. The Roadster travels 360 km on a single charge and plugs into nearly any electrical outlet. The Tesla Roadster holds the record for distance driven on a single charge in a production electric vehicle, which was broken driving 501 kilometers in Australia.
“This road trip is a milestone. It’s the first time an electric vehicle has traveled a significant distance in Australia, charging along the way,” said Jay McCormack, Australian National Sales Manager for Tesla. “Many Australians will be seeing an EV for the first time, and we want them to see with their own eyes that electric cars can perform just as well as conventional cars without the emissions.”
The Roadster is the only sports car in the world that can be fully charged with renewable sources of energy. Throughout the Oz Goes Electric Tour, the Roadster will charge using solar, wind, hydro and biomass energy provided by major utility AGL Resources.
Requiring less routine maintenance than conventional cars, the Roadster requires no oil changes or smog checks, and has no spark plugs or pistons to replace.
The Tesla Roadster is available for purchase in Australia today. Tesla’s mobile service technicians travel to customers’ homes and offices to perform annual inspections, firmware upgrades and other services, offering unparalleled convenience whether they live in Sydney or Perth.
A full listing of events and photos from Tesla’s Australian adventure can be found at http://www.teslamotors.com/australia.
About Tesla Motors
Tesla's goal is to produce a full range of electric cars, from premium sports cars to mass-market vehicles – relentlessly driving down the cost of electric vehicles. It is currently the only automaker in the United States that builds and sells highway-capable EVs in serial production. Palo Alto, California-based Tesla designs and manufactures EVs and EV powertrain components. Tesla has delivered more than 1,500 Roadsters to customers in North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific Region. The Tesla Roadster accelerates faster than most sports cars yet produces no emissions.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6648113&lang=en