Anyone lacking the money to own a real Tesla Model S could buy one for just US$500 – providing they are willing to give up any feeling in their legs.
Toy company Radio Flyer teamed up with Tesla Motors to create a miniature version for eco-minded kids, which is powered by a ‘Flight Speed’ lithium-ion battery and an electric motor.
Range is unspecified and probably short of the real car’s 300-odd miles, but we know it has a top speed of 6mph or 3mph if the parents want to keep little Johnny from speeding off into the distance. A full recharge takes up to three hours.
Much of what you get on the Model S made it over to the toy, including the charging port location and front trunk (frunk), which is the perfect place to store other bits and bobs. Even the deep blue metallic, multi-coat red or midnight silver metallic paintjobs are authentic.
It’s possible to make your toy Model S even better by using Radio Flyer’s website that mimics the actual Tesla one (start them young, hey?). For instance, you can opt for a ‘premium battery’ that improves range playtime by 50 per cent per charge.
Silver turbine wheels, meanwhile, are US$15 (black is free) and a spare battery costs an extra US$100 and US$150 for the standard and premium versions, respectively. There’s even an indoor car cover to keep the dust off, for US$50.
Then there’s the ability to add a custom licence plate or a parking sign, with the buyer able to choose up to eight characters for the former and 10 for the latter.
The standard Tesla Model S toy starts from US$499, but you can easily end up spending upwards of US$800 with those aforementioned extras. One for the ‘favourite’, then.
Still, it’s cheaper than the real thing by at least a factor of eighty times. And much cheaper than one of those Pocket Classics.
We have approached Tesla asking if it will be available in the UK. In the meantime, read our review of the Model S adults can actually fit in.
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