Electric Tesla Roadster Wastes Tonnes of Energy When Parked

Martin Eberhard, former CEO and co-founder of Tesla Motors, was surprisingly frank in a recent blog post about a major shortcoming with his new Tesla Roadster. Soon after receiving his vehicle, Eberhard noticed that the ESS pump runs coolant through the battery all the time—even when turned off (so long as it is half charged).

After using a meter to track power usage, Eberhard calculated that 22% of his car’s juice was being wasted while parked. He also notes that this constant activity causes significant wear and tear on the pump—most likely diminishing its useful life by about 2 years or 30,000 km. Eberhard is no longer with Tesla Motors, but when he speaks, his former colleagues should listen up and get the problem fixed. [Teslafounders]