Ever since the unveiling of the high performance, all-electric Tesla Roadster in July, car enthusiasts have been eager to see if the vehicle lives up to the hype. Ben Stewart of Popular Mechanics was the first lucky journalist to take the Roadster for a test drive.

Stewart drove a hand-built $350,000 Development Prototype Tesla Roadster. The Roadster's quiet motor left a distinct impression on him, setting it apart from conventional vehicles: When you step on the accelerator, the Roadster "scoots away nearly silently in a rush of instant torque," said Stewart. The downside of the hushed electric power train is that the creaks and groans of the chassis are quite audible.

Though the prototype was purposely locked into second gear for this test drive, Stewart confirms the publicity about the Roadster's performance: "Even without the lower first gear, the Tesla really hauls. Tesla's claim of running 0-to-60 in around 4 seconds sounds plausible. You squirt through traffic holes without the hesitation—it's absolutely always in meat of the powerband."

According to Stewart, the Roadster handles much like the Lotus Elise, on which its design was based. Tesla's second round of cars, the Evaluation Prototypes, should be nearly squeak- and creak-free. Hopefully, Technoride's own Bill Howard will get his chance behind the wheel soon, too.

Via AutoBlog Green and Popular Mechanics.

To read more about the Tesla Roadster, click here.