How the Tesla Electric Car Actually Works

The Tesla Model S has been hailed as both a must-have big boy toy for the well-moneyed as well a harbinger of environmentally friendly transportation tech. So well-regarded are Tesla's electric cars, in fact, that the Model S was voted the Motor Trend Car of 2013.

But how do Tesla's electric cars actually work? That answer requires a bit more explanation. The basics are pretty straightforward, but real intrigue lies in the details of its futuristic car tech.

Electricity charges a battery to give the Model S juice for a certain period of time, not unlike your smartphone or laptop. In fact, each Tesla electric car has much more in common with your MacBook than you might think — the company uses lithium-ion batteries just like the type that powers laptops worldwide.

There's just one difference — Tesla's batteries are a heck of a lot more powerful. The battery in each Tesla car is actually made up of thousands of lithium-ion cells that have a combined weight of about a thousand pounds, according to the company. Each pack is built at Tesla's Bay Area headquarters and comes equipped with a heating system that enables the car to function in cold weather. Read more…