Sport model vs non-sport performance?

[daniel]

I test drove a sport model 2.5 Roadster. Pretty darn impressive! I never had it in performance mode. I drove it in normal mode and in range mode, and even in range mode the acceleration blew me away.

I placed my order for a non-sport model 2.5, which is supposed to arrive in a week or two. I know the specs of 3.9 seconds zero to sixty for mine, vs 3.6 (?) for the sport. Since I will seldom if ever drive more than 100 miles in a day in it, I could leave it in performance mode all the time if I wanted to.

Is it right to guess that my non-sport in performance mode will accelerate harder, quicker, than the sport model does in normal mode? In terms of driving experience (as opposed to clock times) how would you compare the sport and non-sport models?

For context, I own a Prius, but my daily driver is a Zap Xebra that goes zero to 35 mph (its top speed on level ground) in about 31 seconds.

[S-2000 Roadster]

Summarizing what I've read elsewhere here on this forum: The non-Sport in Performance mode should be basically identical to the Sport in Standard mode. That's speaking from the 0-to-60 times, so I don't know if there are other metrics that might differ. I'm sure those reports could be less than perfectly accurate, but I seriously doubt that the non-Sport in Performance mode will accelerate harder and quicker than the Sport in Standard mode as you're hoping.

Speaking from my personal experience with a non-Sport over three weeks: You'll be very happy with your non-Sport in Standard mode. For all practical purposes during city or even freeway driving, you'll pretty much only ever be accelerating from a rolling start, and the Tesla Roadster delivers instant torque without the hassle of expert downshifting needed in an ICE vehicle.

I've been told that running in Performance mode all of the time will shorten the lifetime of your battery because it is allowed to run hotter. If you bought the $15k(?) battery insurance package, then perhaps you don't care. I drive mine in Standard mode all of the time, and have only spent a few seconds in Performance mode (sometimes allowing time for the battery to warm up). Even Range mode (charging or driving) will shorten the life of your battery, although charging in Range mode periodically is supposedly a good idea. Seattle to Ellensburg is a good choice for Range mode, but I haven't used it otherwise.

Bottom line: When you receive your Tesla Roadster, start with Standard mode for charging and driving. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised and quite satisfied.

[benji4]

For both the sport and the non-sport (both of which I've had quite a bit of experience with), you really need to be in sport mode in order to get shocking acceleration off the line. In performance mode, assuming you charged in performance mode as well + a number of other considerations, the sport will get you from 0-60 in 3.7 seconds, and he base model gets you there in 3.9. The sport feels quicker right of the line also, but just by a hair. In standard mode for both cars, you'll be at least a second slower to 60 -- perhaps in the 5 second range which is still quick mind you, but it won't knock your socks off.

Note also that running the car in performance mode all the time is not particulary friendly to the battery pack. That said, it's so much fun you'll probably not be able to help yourself from flipping the key into sport mode when you find yourself alone at a stoplight. If somebody is next to you at a stoplight, you'll never be able to help yourself. That said, if longevity of your battery pack is number one and you'll be driving most of the time in standard mode, probably better to just get the non-sport perhaps as neither car is going to blow you away when you are not in performance mode.

[scott451]

You might want to take a look at this thread:
Roadster Sport RED vs WHITE Performance modes

[daniel]

Okay, so let me see if I've got this right:

Charging in performance mode puts the batteries at a higher temperature, so they can deliver more current, but the higher temp shortens their life.
Charging in range mode fills the batteries full, which also shortens their life.
Charging in normal mode fills the batteries to only 80% (which will be plenty for me 99.9% of the time) and keeps them at a lower temp, both of which are good for battery life.

Driving in performance mode keeps the batteries at a higher temperature, allowing more current, but also shortening their life.
Driving in range mode or standard mode keeps the batteries cooler, but what's the difference between these two? Maybe range mode also limits acceleration?

Battery degradation will be gradual. If I charge in standard mode but drive in performance mode for the first month, it probably won't shorten my battery life an awful lot, and after that I'll probably stick to standard or range for driving except when giving people rides.

BTW the battery replacement agreement is $12,000. Tesla is assuming that the cost of a new pack in 7 years will be less than that, so they'll make money on the agreement. (Hey, they're a GREAT company, but they still want to try to make money.) I think a better bet is to hang onto my $12,000 and buy a new pack myself when performance or range become unacceptable. I don't know what battery degradation will do to performance, but I doubt that range will drop below my needs within 10 years, and maybe much more. Batteries are a consumption item, like brakes. You can drive gently and make them last longer, or you can have FUN and pay for replacement. The salesman told me he only advocates the battery replacement agreement for people who are really worried about the battery. He suggested I not get it. Now, THERE'S a switch: A car salesman who tells you not to buy the extra stuff!

I never drove the sport demo in performance mode, and I don't think I ever put the pedal to the floor. I know I'm going to be more than satisfied with the performance of mine. On the freeway at 60 mph I punched it to pass a car and I was going 70 in an eyeblink. And I don't think I pushed the pedal all the way.

[Doug_G]

Strangely Benji's experience with Standard versus Performance mode is very different from mine. There's no way the difference is anywhere near 1 second. I have an Infiniti G37xS, which is in the 5 second range, and my Base Roadster blows it away in Standard mode. The difference between Standard and Performance is more like 0.2 seconds, similar to the difference between Base and Sport.

The soft AD07 tires on the Base Roadster wear out pretty quickly, especially the rears. The super-sticky AD08 tires on the Sport Roadster, which are necessary to make use of the extra torque, wear even faster.

[benji4]

Sorry, I was definately wrong about that -- the difference between standard mode and performance mode for 0-60 is definately not close to a second but probably under 0.5 seconds... still, the times when I floored the Roadster Sport while in standard mode really felt disappointing, I don't think it would scare anybody. If you get a chance to do another test drive it's definately worth trying some 0-60's out in both modes.

[tennis_trs]

Strangely Benji's experience with Standard versus Performance mode is very different from mine. There's no way the difference is anywhere near 1 second. I have an Infiniti G37xS, which is in the 5 second range, and my Base Roadster blows it away in Standard mode. The difference between Standard and Performance is more like 0.2 seconds, similar to the difference between Base and Sport.

The soft AD07 tires on the Base Roadster wear out pretty quickly, especially the rears. The super-sticky AD08 tires on the Sport Roadster, which are necessary to make use of the extra torque, wear even faster.

I agree that performance mode feels like much, much less than a 1 second difference 0-60 in my Sport model. My Roadster Sport has much, much better acceleration, in standard mode, than my 2008 Porsche Boxster S had (in the 4.6-4.9s range, from magazine test results). I wonder if anyone who has taken a Roadster to a drag strip has compared performance and standard mode on consecutive runs.

The standard Sport tires are still the A048, not the AD08, right?

[Doug_G]

I've only driven a Sport once (my test drive) so I'm no expert on it. It's possible that Base and Sport accelerate the same in Standard mode.

But if that's the case, you have a really high bar for "won't scare anyone". I did a demo spin on Friday, and as soon as I floored it my passenger started stomping on an imaginary brake pedal. It was in Standard mode.

[Doug_G]

The standard Sport tires are still the A048, not the AD08, right?

Yes, you're right. I'm not sure if my brain or my fingers failed there.