Volt from the blue as electric Roadster arrives

WATCH out for this eye-catching sportscar. The first of its kind on these shores, it goes from 0-95km/h in a mere four seconds – yet it is 100% electric.

The first of these Tesla Roadsters arrived in Ireland last weekend to a west Cork-based couple who have described it as “so much fun”.

Peter Harte ordered the two-seater three years ago when it was little beyond prototype stage. It’s clearly been worth the wait, as he’s smitten. “It is absolutely fabulous. It’s small and light and very low to the ground, which takes getting used to, but it handles very well. The speed pick-up is great. It’s great, great fun to drive,” he says.

Last week, the Department of Energy announced that it is aiming to have 2,000 electric cars on Irish roads by the end of next year and 1,500 public charge points – including one every 60km on the country’s motorways.

Peter plans to use the car for commuting. He has a 7km trip from Innishannon to Bandon, where he is technical director at SWS Energy, one of Ireland’s largest wind developers.

“We have two responsible cars – a Volvo and a Subaru. We wanted one that was fun,” said his partner, Celine McInerney, a finance lecturer at University College Cork.

The car can travel at speeds of up to 190km/h and has an astonishing range of 400km before it needs to be recharged. The couple charge it by night – when electricity is cheaper – on a regular 220 volt socket.

“It costs just €3-€4 to fill the tank. It’s very frugal,” said Peter.

“I’m also looking forward to the time when using a smart meter, electric vehicles will automatically match their charging to windy periods, so we can lessen pressure on the national grid,” he added.

The Roadster has zero tailpipe emissions but obviously fossil fuels make up the bulk of the energy sources used to generate electricity.

“Today’s electricity mix has 10% green electricity, but by 2020, wind power will make up nearly 40% of Ireland’s and thus overall EV CO2 emissions will be a small fraction of petrol or diesel cars,” Peter said

Drivers of 100% electric cars can look forward to zero vehicle registration tax.

They also get free metered parking, free road tax and free use of the high-occupancy vehicle and bus lanes in some places. However, the Roadster is currently retailing at €100,000 – so it’s not for everybody’s pocket.

Tesla plan a week of roadster test drives in June in Dublin. Prospective customers may book slots in advance by emailing the regional sales representative.