A look at the Tesla Roadster left in crate for 13 years
- These Tesla Roadsters were shipped off to China in 2010
- However, they spent over a decade inside shipping crates
- Now, they’re being opened up for the first time
Published on Oct 16, 2024 at 7:00 PM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Oct 17, 2024 at 7:34 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
This Tesla Roadster spent 13 years inside a shipping container – but has now been taken out.
YouTubers Gruber Motor Company were the ones who got to do the honors.
This was the third of three Roadsters that were found in shipping containers in China.
Having spent a long haul inside a crate, there was no telling how it would look once it was unboxed.
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Where did this mysterious Tesla Roadster come from?
Before we take a look at the third Roadster, let’s have a quick overview of the backstory.
The story goes that these three cars were purchased in 2010 by a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer.
The company was hoping they could take them apart and see how they worked to help develop their own EV program.
But after the Roadsters were shipped to China, the company went bust, and the cars were left forgotten in containers for over a decade.
Admittedly, it’s not quite as long as some cars have to wait, like this Lincoln which spent over 30 years in a Philadelphia yard.
After 13 long years of being left on that Chinese dock, the cars are now getting their big reveal.
The host said: “What we know so far is there’s no battery pack, no power electronics module, no chassis.
“We’ve got fenders, body parts and interior parts, so it’ll be interesting to see.”
What did they find inside the crate?
Considering the circumstances under which it had been left, the car is a pretty sight to behold.
However, it’s not without issues, namely a yellowing of the orange coloring.
It’s fared the worst out of the three.
“It was thought that yellowing was caused by ultra violet radiation interacting with a inferior resin,” the host explained.
“It turns out that’s not the case here, given it’s been in complete darkness for 13 years.
“So there’s some aging issues.”
Bids were coming in hot for the three Teslas, with the highest being $500,000, according to Teslarati.
It’s no wonder that the Roadster has sparked such interest, seeing as how it was Tesla’s first vechicle.
It nearly bankrupted them but it still has a treasured spot in their history.
With the second generation Roadster set to go into production next year, it’s part in the story is not done yet.
To see the one that spent 13 years in a crate, head over to Gruber Motor Company’s YouTube channel.
