Tesla S: Putting Some Zap Into The Electric Sedan
Zap! Tesla Motors introduces a new sedan, the Tesla S, a 7 passenger vehicle will a whole lot of range. Zero to sixty in just 5.5. seconds too!
Despite struggling to launch its first model last year,
the Tesla Roadster, California based Tesla Motors is working diligently to bring a second electric car online, this time a sedan – the Tesla S. Unlike the Roadster, the Tesla S promises to be much more affordable, priced along the lines of a Jaguar XF, the car whose design most closely resembles that of the new Tesla model.
Priced from $49,900 after a $7500 federal tax credit has been figured in, the Tesla S is a sharp looking sedan that can hold as many as seven passengers thanks to a small, rear facing seat for two child passengers. The new model, which can already be ordered well advance of late 2011 production, can go from zero to sixty miles per hour in just 5.5 seconds. Moreover, the sedan will have an extended range of 300 miles which will go a long way in addressing a problem inherent with electric-only technology: taking a long road trip.
Carrying an onboard charger, the Tesla S can be recharged from any 120V, 240V or 480V outlet, with the latter taking only 45 minutes. What's more, the floor-mounted battery pack is designed to be changed out in less time than it takes to fill a gas tank, allowing for the possibility of battery-pack swap stations.
“Model S doesn’t compromise on performance, efficiency or utility -- it’s truly the only car you need,” said Tesla CEO, Chairman and Product Architect Elon Musk. “Tesla is relentlessly driving down the cost of electric vehicle technology, and this is just the first of many mainstream cars we’re developing.”
Tesla Motors is making a big deal about the Model S although only 300 copies of the Tesla Roadster have been sold thus far, with more than 1000 people on the wait list.
“Model S costs half as much as a Roadster, and it’s a better value than much cheaper cars,” Musk said. “The ownership cost of Model S, if you were to lease and then account for the much lower cost of electricity vs. gasoline at a likely future cost of $4 per gallon, is similar to a gasoline car with a sticker price of about $35,000. I’m positive this car will be the preferred choice of savvy consumers.”
Tesla is expecting to receive from the federal government $350 million in loans to build the Tesla S at a new factory planned for California.
