Tesla Roadster One-Make Race Series In The Works?

We've yet to see a Tesla Roadster being wheeled by someone other than a celebrity or a journalist, but it appears that plans are afoot for a one-make race series for the Lotus-based electric supercar.

Two Middle-Eastern groups - one in Dubai and the other from Qatar - are reportedly in talks with Tesla Motors to discuss setting up what would become the world's first all-electric circuit racing championship. However, given the limited supply of Tesla Roadsters and the fact that there is currently no Middle Eastern distributor for the cars, it could be a while before we see such a series get off the ground.

There are also further issues to sort out before the Tesla can hit the track. Considering the hours-long recharge time for the Roadster's on-board batteries, pitstops could be an - ahem - lengthy affair. Not only that, but Tesla Motors' precarious financial position may also throw any plans for a spec-racer Roadster in jeopardy. The US-based company is currently struggling to keep its head above water, let alone meet demand for its single product.

Other Middle Eastern plans for Tesla involve a Dubai developer giving away Roadsters to buyers of energy-efficient homes, while another group is investigating setting up a rental fleet of Roadsters and a taxi fleet of Tesla's upcoming Model S sedan. An official Tesla distributor for the region is apparently still over a year away.

Does anyone else see the irony in all this electric-car mania emanating from the epicentre of global oil production?