As Tesla Motors recently informed buyers who pre-ordered its electric roadster, it's downgraded the car's range from 250 miles to 200 miles. That due to a design change to increase protection around the batteries, which has boosted weight to 2,600 lbs. That's significantly more than the Lotus Elise (1,984 lbs) on which it's based. Nonetheless, roadster prototypes were recently caught during tests near the Arctic circle, whose brutal cold can cause electronic components to behave like a four-year-old on a mega dose of the sillies. Spies say two prototypes were spotted on frozen lakes, icy roads and parking lots overnight. The thinking is, if it can start up after eight hours in sub-zero cold, it should do just fine in a heated and humidity-controlled garage in Marin.
SPY PHOTOS: Tesla Roadster [World Car Fans]
Related:
Electric Sales Potential! Tesla Motors To Open Five Non-Dealerships This Year [internal]