Tesla Upgrades Roadster With New Batteries, Aerodynamics and Tires

Elon Musk has always done things a little bit differently with Tesla. Bound and determined to drag the rest of the automotive industry into the world of electric cars with him, he just announced a bunch of upgrades for the original Roadster that will be available in 2015. A new cell with 31% more energy than the original will be used in a new battery pack that will upgrade the range to almost 400 miles. Aerodynamics are improved by 15% with a retrofit aero kit. New tires improve rolling resistance, and improvements in wheel bearings and residual brake drag reduce overall rolling resistance. Tesla will start taking appointments for these upgrades in the spring once the battery pack finishes safety validation. No word yet on the cost for the upgrades, but you definitely don’t have to buy a whole new car just to be able to travel non-stop from San Francisco to LA.