Tesla’s next-gen Roadster could be missed in the blink of an eye, with a claimed 0-60 mph time of 1.9 seconds for the base model. Add SpaceX cold-gas thrusters, which will be hidden behind the car’s license plate, and it could drop Roadster’s 0-60 mph time to a unheard of 1.1 seconds.
Using some of Isaac Newton’s basic physics principles, YouTube channel Engineering Explained shows us how the Roadster could become one of the quickest cars in the world. Host Jason Fenske uses the information that CEO Elon Musk has released about Tesla’s next-gen Roadster to determined the vehicle will weigh roughly 4,400 lbs (2000 kg), which backs into acceleration g-forces of approximately 1.44 G’s.
With the addition of the cold-gas thrusters found in the optional SpaceX Package, Fenske’s calculations come close to Musk’s predictions, putting the Roadster at 2.5 G’s of force from a standstill. Applying the law of physics where velocity is equivalent to acceleration multiplied by time, Tesla’s next-gen Roadster, with optional thrusters, potentially has a unthinkable 0-60 mph acceleration time of 1.1 seconds.
Should Tesla engineer the Roadster to achieve this acceleration, the vehicle will become the quickest accelerating production car in the world outperforming the Aspark Owl; a Japanese all-electric supercar with claims of 0-60 mph times of 1.7 seconds. Currently, the cars with the quickest 0-60 mph time are the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon and the Ultima Evolution Coupé, which both hit the 0-60 mph acceleration in 2.3 seconds according to Autocar.
A 1.1-second acceleration rate of 0-60 mph is unfathomable, however, Tesla is known to break barriers. It is no secret that Musk wants to hold the title of the fastest car in the world. Musk made this clear in a statement saying “We’re going to do things with the new Roadster that are kind of unfair to other cars. (It’s) crushingly good relative to the next best gasoline sports car.” With the advantages that electric vehicles offer with instant torque and Tesla’s creativity as far as vehicle performance, the Roadsters potential is becoming increasingly more exciting.