The Tesla Model S. Credit: Tesla Motors
Tesla Motors introduced the new Model S sedan this week. This new EV (electric vehicle) will most likely be built in Southern California, not San Jose as previously announced.
The good news: It can be charged in 45 minutes, can drive up to 480 km (300 miles) on one charge, will do 0-96 kph (0-60 mph) in under 6 seconds, it seats 7 and will cost under $50,000 in the US after tax credits.
The bad news: That 480 km range won’t be available at introduction, production won’t start until late 2011 and the company needs almost $400 million in federal loans to even get started.
Still, it’s a beautiful and very capable car, if it were in showrooms right now with the above specs it would be downright revolutionary.
The Tesla Model S, front three quarters view. Credit: Tesla Motors
Tesla Motors plan to produce 20,000 cars per year once production starts. The powertrain could still be produced in San Jose, while the rest of the car will most likely be manufactured in some abandoned aircraft hangar in the Los Angeles area.
In order to get those federal loans Tesla will have to move into an existing and empty structure. They claim there are no suitable buildings in the Bay Area but plenty of old and abandoned aerospace facilities in SoCal that fit the bill.
The Tesla Model S, rear three quarters view. Credit: Tesla Motors
The platform is Tesla’s own and the car will be manufactured more or less from the ground up by Tesla in California. It will be very interesting indeed to see if Elon Musk and his merry men and women can pull it off.
Anecdote: I saw a Tesla Roadster outside my favorite Peet’s Coffee in Los Gatos not long ago. As it pulled up and parked just next to where I was sitting, I didn’t hear a thing. I wanted to hear that lack of sound again, so I stuck around until it was time for the driver to leave.
Of course, just as the Tesla started to pull away, the to my plans very inconsiderate driver of the SUV next to it fired up his dino incinerator. Still, seeing that little black “Lotus” pull away from the light a minute later in almost total silence was very cool.
