Original Tesla Roadster 2008–2011

Overview

On record

5 warnings, 2 recalls

Also called DarkStar A published reference

The story

Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning founded Tesla Motors in July 2003 to build an electric sports car, after driving AC Propulsion's tzero. Elon Musk invested in 2004, became chairman and oversaw the Roadster's design. A published reference

Lotus agreed in 2005 to help develop the car and to build its chassis, but only about 7 percent of the parts are shared with the Elise. Tesla showed prototypes in July 2006 and delivered the first production car to Musk in February 2008. A published reference

It was the first highway-legal production electric car to use lithium-ion cells, and the first to go more than 200 miles on a charge. Tesla sold about 2,450. Production ended in January 2012, when the Lotus contract for 2,500 chassis ran out. A published reference

Rare and special

• Final Edition
• Two-speed, locked in second gear
• Atomic Red

Colors

• Atomic Red Rareyears not known

Interiors

• ExecutivePremium leather with exposed carbon fiber, 2010–2011

Sources: A published reference

Rare colors and interiors

• Rare

  Atomic Red Color

  Final Edition only A published reference

Specs

Motors

• Induction motor A published reference
• Hand-wound induction motor (2010–2011) A published reference

Batteries

• 53 kWh A published reference

Transmissions

• Two-speed, locked in second gear (2008) A published reference
• Single-speed, 8.27:1 A published reference

Drivetrains

• Rear-wheel drive A published reference

Trims

• Roadster A published reference
• Roadster Sport (2010–2011) A published reference
• Final Edition (years not known) A published reference

Packages

• Adjustable dampers and anti-roll bars (2010–2011) A published reference
• Touchscreen and backup camera (years not known) A published reference

Figures

• EPA range, powertrain 1.5: 244 miles A published reference
• 0 to 60 mph: 3.9 seconds, 3.7 for the Sport A published reference
• Top speed, limited: 125 mph A published reference
• Weight, as Tesla gave it: 2,877 lb A published reference
• Battery pack weight: 992 lb A published reference
• Sold worldwide: About 2,450 A published reference

Rare trims and options

• Rare

  Final Edition Trim

  Fifteen built to close production, five for each sales region A published reference

  15 built A published reference

• Rare

  Two-speed, locked in second gear Transmission

  Fitted only to the first cars, until the single-speed gearbox was ready in September 2008 A published reference

Years and what changed

1. 2008

   Series production begins on March 17, 2008. The first cars have a two-speed gearbox locked in second gear, to be swapped under warranty; the BorgWarner single-speed gearbox and powertrain 1.5, rated at 244 miles, follow from September. A published reference

2. 2009

   No 2009 model year. The 2008 car is built until June 2009, and the 2010 car from July 2009. A published reference

3. 2010

   A push-button gear selector, a center display, an Executive interior of leather and exposed carbon fiber, adjustable dampers and anti-roll bars, stronger heating and air conditioning, a more efficient motor and more sound deadening. The Roadster Sport arrives, quicker to 60 mph. A published reference

4. 2011

   The Roadster 2.5 update of July 2010 brings a new front end with vents, a rear diffuser, forged wheels, more supportive seats and an optional touchscreen with a backup camera. Tesla stops taking US orders in August 2011, and the last US cars are sold in December. A published reference

Watch out

Faults owners and the press report, and how to spot each one.

• Battery capacity and bricking All years

  Check: Charge in standard mode and note the ideal range, ask a Roadster owner or specialist to read the logs from the USB port, and look at the label on the battery for whether it was remanufactured.

  Find My Electric calls the battery the biggest and most notorious problem: an aging pack is sensitive to sitting, and a bricked one may no longer take a charge. Owners on Tesla Motors Club, in three threads, report replaced or remanufactured packs, one after a failed sheet, and a 2008 car that stopped taking a charge in 2024. Find My Electric, owners' reports (unofficial)

• Power electronics module All years

  Check: Watch that the car starts and keeps charging, and look for warning lights or loss of power on a drive.

  Find My Electric lists heat damage, aging parts, warning lights and lost power among the power electronics module's common faults. One owner on Tesla Motors Club names the battery and the PEM as the big-ticket items, and another traces a car that will not keep charging to the PEM. Find My Electric, owners' reports (unofficial)

• Loose rear hub bolts 2008

  Check: Confirm with Tesla or NHTSA that recall 09V178000 was done.

  The rear hub flange bolts may not have been tightened properly and can work loose, which hurts the handling. NHTSA, a published reference

• Chafed 12-volt auxiliary cable 2010

  Check: Confirm that recall 10V458000 was done.

  The 12-volt backup cable can rub against the edge of the carbon fiber armature and short. One car smoked behind the right front headlamp. NHTSA, a published reference

• Age-related wear All years

  One source so far

  Check: Work the convertible top, the door handles and the lights, and look at the suspension bushings and shocks.

  Find My Electric lists the convertible top, door handles, lighting, the display, wiring and suspension wear among aging Roadsters' common faults. Find My Electric

Recalls

Newest first. Ask the seller for proof the work was done, or check the VIN with NHTSA.

• 2010 Recall 10V458000

  The 12-volt auxiliary cable may be routed wrongly and rub against the carbon fiber armature, which could short it and start a fire. The routing is checked and a protective sleeve is fitted. NHTSA

• 2008 Recall 09V178000

  The rear hub flange bolts may be under-tightened and can loosen, hurting the handling. Tesla tightens them. NHTSA

Owning

What owners and buyers say

• Sought after

  A car charged and serviced regularly, with records All years

  Find My Electric says storage history matters almost as much as mileage, and favours a car that was regularly charged, maintained and documented. Owners on Tesla Motors Club tell buyers to check the battery's range on a standard charge and read the car's logs. Find My Electric, owners' reports (unofficial)

• Watch for

  A car that sat uncharged All years

  Walk away One source so far

  Find My Electric warns that a Roadster left uncharged can brick its battery, and that a low-mileage car that sat dead for a long time can be much riskier than a higher-mileage one that was charged and serviced regularly. Find My Electric

Maintenance

• Annual service All years

  Service every 12,000 miles or 1 year A published reference