Tesla electric car
Encyclopedia
The Tesla electric car anecdote refers to a supposed Tesla
invention described by a Peter Savo (who claimed to be a nephew of Tesla), to one Derek Ahers on September 16, 1967. Savo said that Tesla took him to Buffalo, New York
in 1931 and showed him a modified Pierce-Arrow
automobile.
Tesla, according to the story, had the stock gasoline engine removed and replaced with a brushless AC electric motor
. The motor was said to have been run by a 'cosmic energy power receiver' consisting of a box measuring about 25 inches long by 10 inches wide by 6 inches high, containing 12 radio vacuum tubes
and connected to a 6 feet (1.8 m) antenna
. The car was said to have been driven for about 50 miles at speeds of up to 90 mph during an 8-day period.
This story has received some debate for the fact that the cars propulsion system is said to have been invented by Tesla. No physical evidence has ever been produced confirming that the car actually existed. In light of the fact that Tesla did not have a nephew by the name of Peter Savo, the Tesla electric car story is considered to be a fabrication.
A number of web pages exist that serve to perpetuate the tale. Every account of this purported demonstration automobile is based upon the 1967 story plus literary embellishment.
Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, mechanical engineer, and electrical engineer...
invention described by a Peter Savo (who claimed to be a nephew of Tesla), to one Derek Ahers on September 16, 1967. Savo said that Tesla took him to Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
in 1931 and showed him a modified Pierce-Arrow
Pierce-Arrow
Pierce-Arrow was an American automobile manufacturer based in Buffalo, New York, which was active from 1901-1938. Although best known for its expensive luxury cars, Pierce-Arrow also manufactured commercial trucks, fire trucks, camp trailers, motorcycles, and bicycles.-Early history:The forerunner...
automobile.
Tesla, according to the story, had the stock gasoline engine removed and replaced with a brushless AC electric motor
Brushless AC electric motor
A Brushless AC electric motor, also known as a permanent magnet synchronous motor , is similar to a brushless DC electric motor in that the magnetic field of the rotor is supplied by the permanent magnets rather than by electromagnets. However, the stator windings of a brushless AC motor are ,...
. The motor was said to have been run by a 'cosmic energy power receiver' consisting of a box measuring about 25 inches long by 10 inches wide by 6 inches high, containing 12 radio vacuum tubes
Vacuum tube
In electronics, a vacuum tube, electron tube , or thermionic valve , reduced to simply "tube" or "valve" in everyday parlance, is a device that relies on the flow of electric current through a vacuum...
and connected to a 6 feet (1.8 m) antenna
Antenna (radio)
An antenna is an electrical device which converts electric currents into radio waves, and vice versa. It is usually used with a radio transmitter or radio receiver...
. The car was said to have been driven for about 50 miles at speeds of up to 90 mph during an 8-day period.
This story has received some debate for the fact that the cars propulsion system is said to have been invented by Tesla. No physical evidence has ever been produced confirming that the car actually existed. In light of the fact that Tesla did not have a nephew by the name of Peter Savo, the Tesla electric car story is considered to be a fabrication.
A number of web pages exist that serve to perpetuate the tale. Every account of this purported demonstration automobile is based upon the 1967 story plus literary embellishment.
Further reading
- More Insight into the Tesla Car
- Essentia Volume 2 Winter 1981: Exemplar - Nikola Tesla
- Nikola Tesla's amazing "black box"
- Cold Electricity or Cosmic Rays of Tesla's 1931 Pierce Arrow Top Secret Project
- ExtraOrdinary Technology: Volume 1 Number 2