The enabling technology for the Tesla Roadster is the lithium-ion battery. The RC-modeling community years ago discovered that lithium chemistry batteries created fast, light, quiet, and quickly rechargeable planes, so you can see why the technology first found use in model aircraft. Automotive design has all the challenges of aircraft design, along with the more brutal constraint of lower cost. Tesla (www.teslamotors.com) wisely chose to design a $120,000 sports car rather than a family sedan or economy box. This choice gave it the freedom to use the latest technology to make a viable vehicle.
Click here for the illustration: Figure 1
