The Roadster is an all-electric car developed by Silicon Valley-based Tesla Motors. It was launched as a prototype in July of 2006, and, in March of 2008, Tesla announced it would produce the car.

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The two-seater has a top speed of 125 mph, along with 0-60 mph acceleration under 4 seconds. It shares a chassis with the Lotus Elise, but the similarities stop there. It has a carbon fiber body, and shares only seven percent of its components with the Elise.

The Tesla Roadster can be ordered with a $3,000 high-speed charger, which enables a 3.5-hour charge time via 220V/70A service in a residential setting. The standard charger takes around 8 hours for a complete fill. A mobile "trickle" charger kit is also available, for connecting to a basic 110V outlet.

The base price of $108,000 is a little off-putting but, given enough miles at an equivalent 135 mpg and an estimated cost of less than $0.02 per mile, should turn out to be a lot more affordable. What's more, there's a hefty tax credit of $7500 available to purchasers.

Powered by 6831 lithium-ion cells, the car's battery pack weighs roughly 900 lbs. Of course, this hefty sum is offset partly by the lack of a gearbox or a heavy gasoline motor. The Roadster makes an equivalent 248 horsepower, with a redline of 14,000 rpm. A full charge can take as little as 45 minutes, but only with a commercial-grade electrical connection. Tesla says the pack will retain 80 percent capacity after 100,000 miles.

Standard fare on the Roadster includes heated sport seats with inflatable lumbar support, a three-spoke steering wheel, a Homelink remote, and a Blaupunkt MP3-capable CD player with an auxiliary jack. Things consumers now take for granted, such as power windows and locks, cruise control, air conditioning and a (retractable) cup holder are also included.

That's not to say there are no options, as Tesla is happy to offer a premium leather interior in a choice of colors, premium microfiber seats, a carbon fiber hardtop with headliner as well as a choice of metallic and premium exterior paints. Even Tesla Motors floor mats can be specified. Inside, more comfort and convenience options include a Bluetooth interface system for cell phones, a touch-screen navigation system with voice guidance, as well as a seven-speaker premium sound system. 'Propeller' style aluminum wheels are a $3,000 option.