Which Tesla car was based on the Lotus Elise chassis?

The Tesla Roadster was the Tesla car based on the Lotus Elise chassis.

The first-generation Roadster was a two-seat electric sports car produced by Tesla from 2008 to 2012. Tesla and Lotus entered an agreement in 2005, and Lotus supplied engineering support and partly assembled vehicle “gliders” built around the Roadster’s chassis. Tesla then installed its own electric powertrain, battery pack, power electronics and gearbox.

The connection does not mean the Roadster was simply an Elise with an electric motor. Tesla redesigned the car extensively, including its electric drivetrain and carbon-fiber body panels. It shared some components and structural ideas with the Elise, but the finished vehicle was engineered for battery-electric propulsion.

The Roadster was historically important because it helped demonstrate that a production electric car could be a fast, desirable sports car. Its lithium-ion battery pack and EPA-rated range of about 244 miles were notable for the late 2000s. It was also Tesla’s first production vehicle, preceding the Model S, Model X and Model 3.