The supercar produces approximately 758 lb-ft of torque and around 1,000 horsepower.
Tesla stunned the automotive world when it unveiled its new Roadster supercar a few weeks back. It is a massive 7,376 pound-feet (11,000 Newton-meters) in torque and can sprint to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 1.9 seconds. The supercar can also reach speeds of 250 mph (402 kmh). Allegedly. Engineering Explained has a new video that reveals how these numbers could be exaggerated.
Jason Fenske from Engineering Explained claims that Tesla Roadster’s torque figures do not meet standard vehicle performance measurements. According to his calculations, the supercar can only produce 758 lbft (1.027 Nm), and almost 1,000 hp (745kW). It is still impressive, even by supercar standards, but far less than the 7,376 lbft (10,000 Nm), the company claimed at launch.
The Tesla website lists 10,000 Nm as “wheel torque”, which is the key difference. Fenske claims that this number is correct, but it’s significantly lower than the industry standard for engine torque. Fenske’s calculations led to the lower figure.
Fenske also looks at the Dodge Demon. It produces 840 hp (626 kW), and 770 lbft (1.043 Nm). According to Dodge. Fenske calculated engine torque by final drive and gear ratio to arrive at 14,000 Nm (10.325 lbft) in the first gear, which is more than Tesla’s 10,000 Nm claims.
This eight-minute video breaks down the Tesla Roadster’s torque figure and provides a detailed explanation of how the company arrived at that conclusion. It is well worth a look. You can see it above.