The first thing you notice when driving the 2009 Tesla Roadster is not what it has, but rather what it lacks: a gear shifter. Any sports car worth the name on the market generally has a manual transmission option, and switching through gears as you accelerate is half the fun. The Tesla Roadster doesn't have a transmission because it has an electric motor connected to a one-speed transmission. The gas pedal (technically, it's a foot-controlled potentiometer) is all you need, and the reaction to putting your foot down is strong and fast.
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