TESLA sports car in action 2010

TESLA sports car in action 2010

It's not often you get told to put your foot down on a test drive but that's what happened last week when I test drove a Tesla electric sports car.

Electric cars seemed like an engineer's pipe dream only a few years ago, now they're becoming a reality.

Only yesterday Nissan announced its Leaf hatchback which could be built at the Sunderland plant and is expected to go on sale in 2011.

The 120 mph Tesla is already on the roads and selling well for a £94,000 sports car.

It has been deliberatley designed to be eco cool and "could only have come out of Silkicon Valley" Not surprisingly, the first owners are London eco pioneers.

The newly opened London showroom is selling four a month.

But back to the test drive. Like all electric cars it's very simple to drive. Accelerator, break and just neutral forward and back.

It's when you put your foot down you get the full thrill of the instant acceleration. All torque and lots of action, as you might say.

It's got a range of 200 miles, re-charge centres are springing up and if you do get stuck there's a rescue service.

My only regret was the 30 mph and 40 mph speed signs within range of Canary Wharf which stopped me putting my foot on the floor.

TESLA sports car in action 2010

It's not often you get told to put your foot down on a test drive but that's what happened last week when I test drove a Tesla electric sports car.

Electric cars seemed like an engineer's pipe dream only a few years ago, now they're becoming a reality.

Only yesterday Nissan announced its Leaf hatchback which could be built at the Sunderland plant and is expected to go on sale in 2011.

The 120 mph Tesla is already on the roads and selling well for a £94,000 sports car.

It has been deliberatley designed to be eco cool and "could only have come out of Silkicon Valley" Not surprisingly, the first owners are London eco pioneers.

The newly opened London showroom is selling four a month.

But back to the test drive. Like all electric cars it's very simple to drive. Accelerator, break and just neutral forward and back.

It's when you put your foot down you get the full thrill of the instant acceleration. All torque and lots of action, as you might say.

It's got a range of 200 miles, re-charge centres are springing up and if you do get stuck there's a rescue service.

My only regret was the 30 mph and 40 mph speed signs within range of Canary Wharf which stopped me putting my foot on the floor.