What you’re really paying for when you buy an electric car like the Tesla Model S isn’t the savings on fuel, or even the whisper quiet ride. You’re paying for the ability to be smug and self-righteous to drivers in petrol-powered cars, and now even little kids can start making others feel guilty about driving a petrol-guzzler.
Tesla Motors teamed up with Radio Flyer — the company most famous for its red metal wagons — to create a miniature version of the Model S that uses similar battery technology to achieve a top speed of 9km/h. Before you start to consider it as a cheaper alternative to a real Tesla Model S, keep in mind this $US500 ($697) version — shipping some time in May — can only support drivers up to 37kg. And it currently only ships to the US as well.
Almost every last detail of Radio Flyer’s Tesla Model S is borrowed from the full-sized car, including the turbine-inspired hub caps, the working headlights, the colour options, the battery charging port and even the optional $US50 ($70) indoor car cover.
Other options include a more powerful battery offering about 50 per cent more run time, and even a custom vanity licence plate in case you weren’t 100 per cent sure if your kid driving around a tiny replica Tesla Model S wasn’t already obnoxious enough.
[Radio Flyer via Electrek]