Tesla gets 500+ Model S bookings in first week
Apr 3, 2009 Auto Tech, Green Technologies, Social Initiatives, Startups
A week after unveiling the all electric Model S sedan, Tesla says that 520 customers have shelled out $5,000 each for reserving the car which is scheduled to be on roads in 2011.
The base price for the Model S, which will be available starting in 2010, is $57400, before a federal tax credit of $7,500 in US, a bargain compared to the Roadster’s $105000 price tag. A limited edition of the Model S is also available for a $40,000 reservation fee.
The base Model S will do 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds (compared to the Roadster’s 3.9 seconds) and has an electronically limited top speed of 130 mph. The car will be available with a variety of battery options with upto 300 miles per charge.
Tesla Model S is here
Mar 27, 2009 Auto Tech, Green Technologies
Tesla Model S
After teasing us for months, Tesla took the wraps off its Model S, its all electric family sedan. It is currently accepting bookings. So, if you are interested, you could head over to their website and place your order now, though production will start from 2011!
The standard Model S does 0-60 mph (0-100 kmph) in under 6 seconds and will be electronically limited to 130 mph. Sports versions will have under 5 second 0-60 mph time! Just like the Tesla Roadster, the Model S will have a single speed gearbox.
The Model S will offer various battery configurations with a range of upto 300 miles (480kms). It will carry its charger onboard and can be recharged from any 120V, 240V or 480V outlet, with the latter taking only 45 minutes.
Model S and Roadster
So one could go out for a drive in the morning and let it charge at a public charging outlets being set up by Better Place or Coulomb Technologies, while you enjoy your lunch and then drive off into the horizon! When these start offering battery swap stations, you could also swap your discharged floor mounted battery in less than the time it takes to fill up at a gas station and make a scorching getaway.
The interiors are no less alluring, with a 17-inch touchscreen with in-car 3G connectivity allows passengers to listen to internet Pandora Radio or consult Google Maps, or check their state of charge remotely from their iPhone or laptop!
All this comes with prices starting at $57400 and thats before a government tax credit of $7500 further sweetens the deal in US.
Tesla Model S prices revealed
Mar 24, 2009 Auto Tech, Green Technologies
Model S
Tesla has just announced some details about the pricing of its upcoming Model S sedan. The base version will reportedly cost $57400 when it goes into production sometime probably in 2011. In US, buyers will get a $7500 government tax credit, so the effective price will be less than $50000. Compare this with the almost $90000 price tag of the Fisker Karma and the reportedly $40000 price of the Chevrolet Volt, both of which are range extended electric vehicles (i.e. a petrol motor acting as a generator along with the electric motor powering the wheels), compared to the all electric Model S.
Tesla plans to show the Model S to the public for the first time in California on March 26, 2009. Thats just a couple of days from now!
Tesla also said that it has delivered its 250th Roadster.
Tags: Fisker, General Motors, Tesla
Rinspeed iChange coming to blow you away
Feb 24, 2009 Auto Tech
Rinspeed iChange
What if your car had a cockpit style opening instead of doors? What if you could dock your IPhone to the car dashboard and use it to start the car and operate the headlight and turn signals? And what if the car had an electric motor that helped it accelerate to 100 kmph from standstill in under 4 seconds? Surely you would not complain about not being able to steer the car by shaking the Iphone and using its inbuilt accelerometer?
Thought so! Move over Tesla and Fisker! Hail the Rinspeed iChange! (Video at the end of the story.) Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: electric vehicle, Fisker, IChange, Rinspeed, Tesla
Tesla teases with another Model S shot
Feb 23, 2009 Auto Tech, Green Technologies
Model S
Tesla has just released another teaser shot of its Model S sedan, that will be unveiled to the public on March 26. The Model S will be first available to the early adopters of the Tesla Roadster.
Tesla must be happy with the passing of the recent economic stimulus bill in US, as it is awaiting government funds for its future plans. It must also be feeling encouraged by the setting up of more public electric vehicle charging points, which will encourage the adoption of electric vehicles.
Tesla had released another shot of the Model S last week. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: EV, Model S, Tesla, Tesla Roadster
VW-Toshiba to collaborate on EV tech
Feb 14, 2009 Auto Tech
Volkswagen UP!
VW and Toshiba have just teamed up to develop electric drive systems and power electronics together. So, sometime in future, near or distant, you may find these electric drive systems being used in battery-powered versions of the New Small Family (NSF) cars, the production variant of the Up! series of concepts first seen in 2007.
Volkswagen has been planning to use the Up! derivatives for global small car platform under its different brands (and in different countries, including India) and an electric motor may be one of the powerplant options. It remains to be seen if Volkswagen, which gave the world the Beetle, the original “People’s Car” can rework its magic in the electric vehicle market by coming up with an affordable yet practical EV.
Startups like Better Place and Coulomb Tech are already putting in place public electric vehicle charging stations in anticipation of EV and plug-in hybrids’ rollout. And Tesla and Fisker are challenging the conventional carmaking giants with their own products, the Roadster, Model S and the Karma.
Tesla Model S teaser shots released
Feb 13, 2009 Auto Tech
Tesla Model S
Tesla has just released this teaser shot of the upcoming Model S sedan, that will break cover on March 26. From what little can be gleamed, there are hints of the BMWesque flame surfacing on sides and eagle eye like headlights. won’t you say? The compactness of the electric motor will mean that it can boast of larger passenger compartment in a shorter overall length.
Tesla plans to start selling the Model S from 2011, but a lot depends on it securing a $350 million dollar loan from the US government.
Tags: Fisker, Tesla, Tesla Model S, Tesla Roadster
Tesla Motors’ latest plans
Feb 12, 2009 Auto Tech
Tesla Roadster
In a recent newletter, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors has revealed plans for opening new Tesla stores in Chicago and London as well as in Manhattan, Miami, Seattle and Munich. He also confirmed plans for unveiling a roadgoing prototype of its Model S sedan on March 26.
While the latest newsletter has words on the recent $40 million financing, the expected $350million US govt. loans and the battery deal with Daimler, more interesting is the company’s decision to allow customers to pay $12,000, €10,000 or £9,000 up front and in return receive a replacement battery pack (which apparently costs 3 times that) after seven years, which is claimed as the battery life with normal use. Tesla is also offering an extended warranty: an additional 3 years and 36,000 miles or 60,000 kilometers, for $5,000, €4,000 or £3,800. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Elon Musk, Tesla, Tesla Motors
Tesla buyers face new uncertainities
Jan 21, 2009 Auto Tech
Tesla Roadster
Tesla has stirred up a hornet’s nest of controversies by telling a number of people who had already placed hefty deposits (as much as $50,000 dollars) for its Roadster and picked their options that their spot in the line was in jeopardy if they didn’t re-option their rides.
The problem is that the buyers who had placed deposits were told that they would need to pay more for the vehicles that they had already ordered and optioned to their liking. The price of a Roadster with the standard feature set has been increased by $6,700.
The cost of the High Performance Charger that allows owners to recharge the batteries in the Roadster in as little as 3.5-hours was increased in price to $3,000 according to Autoblog. The previously stock set of alloy wheels is now a $2,300 upgrade. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: electric cars, EV, Tesla, Tesla Roadster
US Dept. of Energy flooded with loan requests from carmakers
Jan 15, 2009 Auto Tech, Information of the Day
US DOE
More than 70 applications are on the table for consideration by the Department of Energy, for loans under its Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program (ATVM), which aims to help companies build the next-generation of cleaner vehicles.
Few of the applicants are:
Tesla Motors, which has asked for $400 million and last year put off raising a $100 million round because of the unfavorable terms and economic climate.
Ener1, which makes lithium-ion batteries for vehicles through its EnerDel unit, applied for $480 million in loans. Ener1 also loaned money to prevent Norwegian car maker Think from going under. Read the rest of this entry »