Artega SE Takes Aim at Tesla Roadster

Being rivals ever since the invention of the automobile, the Americans and Germans are getting ready to expand the competition between them into the electric vehicle sector. And since Germans are not used to take the hits laying down, a competitor for the single electric sportscar currently on the market had to appear sometime. And it did, at this year’s Geneva Auto Show.

Called Artega SE, the Tesla Roadster contender is the electric version of the mid-engined Artega GT, which debuted at the same event two years ago. Powered by two electric motors mounted on the rear axle, the car is capable of developing 380 pure electric horsepower.

Power for the vehicle comes from a 37 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery which can be recharged from a fast charging station in some 90 minutes. According to the figures provided by the manufacturer, the battery is capable of sustaining electric motoring for a distance of 300 km (186 miles) in ideal conditions and 200 km (124 miles) in normal driving conditions.

The performances of the car put it right up super car alley and turn it into a true rival for the Tesla. The Artega SE is capable of hitting 100 km/h from a standstill in 4.3 seconds (.5 seconds faster than the Volkswagen-powered GT version) and keeps on accelerating until the needle is stuck at 250 km/h (155 mph).

Luckily for Tesla, there's no telling whether the Artega SE will actually go into production. Artega the company has the capacity to build 500 such vehicles a year, with one unit to be sold, if the demand exists, for EUR140,000($195,000), a much higher price than the one asked for a Tesla Roadster.