Electric Roadster Ready to Roll

The long-awaited, all-electric Tesla Roadster has passed federal safety tests with flying colors and will finally go into production March 17—albeit with temporary transmissions on the first models, reports DailyTech. The interim transmissions mean the $100,000 Roadster will do zero to 60 in 5.7 seconds, instead of the promised 4, until Tesla replaces them.

A Tesla Motors VP called the Roadster’s road test success a “great achievement” and said it demonstrates “that EVs are as real as any other vehicle." In terms of safety, he added, “I’d rather carry a load of relatively inert battery cells than 10 gallons of highly volatile, flammable liquid." The car will have a range of approximately 200 miles. (More electric vehicles stories.)