| Tesla Roadster Discussion about the Tesla Roadster |
 | | 
03-04-2009, 02:08 PM
|
#11 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Herndon, VA Posts: 920 | I would not think that you would have to move the booster itself. Just lengthen the line going to from the booster to the dash and/or pedal. | 
|  | |
03-04-2009, 02:25 PM
|
#12 | | Head Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Stanford, California Posts: 3,606 | Quote:
Originally Posted by meloccom  In Australia we drive on the left thanks to being an ex-British colony.
So all cars in Australia have the steering on the right and the Motor Authorities will not register a new car with 'left hand drive' like all Tesla's.
Would be an interesting excercise to see how hard it is to convert using Lotus Elise parts. The biggest problem I see is moving the brake booster from left to right as it looks pretty tight in the front compartment there. | Interesting... the UK allows LHD cars. I assumed those Commonwealth countries that are RHD would also have a provision for LHD cars. | |
| | |
03-04-2009, 02:30 PM
|
#13 | | Super Moderator
Join Date: May 2008 Location: Winchester, UK Posts: 2,975 | This one was news to me too.
So if you import an already registered foreign car, will they allow re-registration (with the same owner)? Perhaps the solution is to get Tesla to handle the paperwork - say in the UK - and ship it over with plates on. | |
| | |
03-04-2009, 04:13 PM
|
#14 | | Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Aptos, California Posts: 1,551 | I remember hearing that Tesla's biggest hurdle with doing RHD had something to do with the HVAC system. I guess it is on one particular side, and their supplier does not make a chiral version?
At any rate, with Tesla in Europe now, I would be surprised if we go for another year without a legitimate RHD version being produced. | |
| | |
03-04-2009, 05:53 PM
|
#15 | | Head Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Stanford, California Posts: 3,606 | Quote:
Originally Posted by graham I remember hearing that Tesla's biggest hurdle with doing RHD had something to do with the HVAC system. I guess it is on one particular side, and their supplier does not make a chiral version?
At any rate, with Tesla in Europe now, I would be surprised if we go for another year without a legitimate RHD version being produced. | Right, I had heard that they needed to change HVAC vendors to be able to do RHD. No idea if they've done that yet. But it would have the added benefit of opening up the Japanese market as well. Thing is, I think it's a bit of a low priority at the moment. | |
| | |
03-04-2009, 07:14 PM
|
#16 | | ERIC VFX
Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: CA Posts: 4,655 | A local coworker on a job I did in OZ had an LHD American Muscle 70 Mach1 Mustang. It was a daily(ish) driver.
__________________
.
.
.
.
.
.
The world loves to be deceived.
| |
| | |
03-04-2009, 07:46 PM
|
#17 | | Member
Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 55 | Quote:
Originally Posted by vfx A local coworker on a job I did in OZ had an LHD American Muscle 70 Mach1 Mustang. It was a daily(ish) driver. | Yes there are exemptions to the 'No Left hand drive" rule in Australia but they only apply to cars over 30 years old and visiting tourists. For our Australian Citizen friend with a new Tesla he will have to convert it to get it registered. | |
| | |
03-04-2009, 07:51 PM
|
#18 | | Member
Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 55 | Quote:
Originally Posted by doug Interesting... the UK allows LHD cars. I assumed those Commonwealth countries that are RHD would also have a provision for LHD cars. | Australian authorities have always pushed the hard line on left hand drive cars. Unlike the UK we are not surrounded by countries that drive on the right. New Zealand, Japan and many of the Pacific Island nations are right hand drive so it was easier here to hold fast on the right hand drive only rule. The exemption for old cars over 30 years was only given in the last 5 to ten years as a result of lobbying from the classic\muscle car movement. | |
| | |
03-04-2009, 07:55 PM
|
#19 | | Member
Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 55 | Quote:
Originally Posted by dpeilow This one was news to me too.
So if you import an already registered foreign car, will they allow re-registration (with the same owner)? Perhaps the solution is to get Tesla to handle the paperwork - say in the UK - and ship it over with plates on. | This would only work if your were not an Australian citizen and you can only register the car for a limited period, 6 months I think and have to pay a bond that you only get when you export the car out of Australia again. So this provision is designed for tourists only.
Believe me I've worked all the angles and there is no getting around the law in Oz.  | |
| |  | Sydney Morning Herald Article |  | |
03-21-2009, 01:38 AM
|
#20 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2 | Sydney Morning Herald Article
The Roadster takes the front page of the SMH's Drive section, Saturday 21 March 2009. Shock treatment from Tesla - www.drive.com.au
It's a positive article. The SMH is Sydney's only quality broadsheet. Saturday circulation is about 350,000. | |
| | | Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes |  Linear Mode | 
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
| | | | All times are GMT -7. The time now is 11:39 PM. | | | |
| | | | | Click here to learn about advertising! | |
