Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[REPORT: Eberhard suddenly drops lawsuit against Tesla]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/20/report-eberhard-suddenly-drops-lawsuit-against-tesla/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/20/report-eberhard-suddenly-drops-lawsuit-against-tesla/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/20/report-eberhard-suddenly-drops-lawsuit-against-tesla/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



The civil lawsuit filed by Tesla co-founder Martin Eberhard against Tesla Motors and its CEO Elon Musk has been suddenly dropped. It was just a few short weeks ago that Eberhard won something of a victory in an opening skirmish of what had threatened to be a long campaign when a judge slapped down Tesla's anti-SLAPP motion.

While it's probable that a settlement framework of some sort was agreed upon, no details of any such arrangement between the two parties have been released. Eberhard's council, Yosef Peretz, has only been willing to say that more information may be disclosed sometime toward the end of September. Tesla Motors declined to give AutoblogGreen any comment on the lawsuit at this time.

The suspension of hostilities comes at a good time for Tesla, having recently been given a large ATVMP loan that should help them get their promising Model S in production and become an automaker in earnest. For his part, Martin is also keeping busy and has just started sales of his own Tesla Roadster-specific mobile charger, the Roadster Foundry Mobile Connector. Let's just hope these two stay busy and keep bringing the world green transportation innovation.


Gallery: Tesla Model S


[Source: Silicone Valley / San Jose Business Journal via Tesla Motors Club]

REPORT: Eberhard suddenly drops lawsuit against Tesla originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingEberhard lawsuitEberhardLawsuitElon MuskElonMuskMartin EberhardMartinEberhardTesla lawsuitTesla MotorsTeslaLawsuitTeslaMotorsThu, 20 Aug 2009 17:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Ex-Tesla communications director Vespremi puts the automaker in historical context]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/29/ex-tesla-communications-director-chimes-in-on-the-automakers/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/29/ex-tesla-communications-director-chimes-in-on-the-automakers/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/29/ex-tesla-communications-director-chimes-in-on-the-automakers/#commentsFiled under:



While things have been quiet on the Tesla legal front in the battle for recognition between Martin Eberhard and Elon Musk, some of the bystanders in the saga are continuing to come forward with their takes of the story. Earlier this week, we heard from Tesla's former senior vice president of marketing, Darryl Siry, in a piece that ran on Wired. Now, former communications director David Vespremi is responding with a counterpoint to Siry's article.

The heart of the legal argument revolves around who did what in the very earliest days of Tesla's existence in 2003-2004 and then what happened in 2006-2007 as Tesla approached Job 1 for the Roadster. The two men have their own versions of those events and how that relates to what has been said by and about Musk over the past 18 months.

Keep in mind that neither Vespremi or Siry were there in the earliest days of Tesla. Instead, Siry's piece looks at the Roadster's evolution from the AC Propulsion tZero. Vespremi's response goes way beyond that and places Tesla in some historical context in the progression from the EVs of a century ago as they "cross the chasm" to mainstream acceptability. You can find Vespremi's entire response (it's a worthwhile read) after the jump.


Gallery: 2009 Tesla Roadster v1.5


[Source: David Vespremi]

Continue reading Ex-Tesla communications director Vespremi puts the automaker in historical context

Ex-Tesla communications director Vespremi puts the automaker in historical context originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>darryl sirydarryl-siryDarrylSirydavid vespremiDavidVespremielon muskelon-muskElonMuskmartin eberhardmartin eberhard firedmartin eberhard teslaMartinEberhardMartinEberhardFiredMartinEberhardTeslatesla motorstesla roadsterTeslaMotorsTeslaRoadsterMon, 29 Jun 2009 08:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Elon fires back at Eberhard in Tesla lawsuit's latest twist]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/22/elon-fires-back-at-eberhard-in-tesla-lawsuits-latest-twist/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/22/elon-fires-back-at-eberhard-in-tesla-lawsuits-latest-twist/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/22/elon-fires-back-at-eberhard-in-tesla-lawsuits-latest-twist/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Shortly after Tesla Motors co-founder Martin Eberhard filed a lawsuit against Tesla Motors and its Chairman, Product Architect and CEO Elon Musk, the Silicon Valley automaker had this to say:
This lawsuit is a fictionalized, inaccurate account of Tesla's early years -- it's twisted and wrong, and we welcome the opportunity to set the record straight. Incidentally, Tesla will also be filing counterclaims and in the process present an accurate account of the company's history.
The first bit of record-resetting has shown up on the official Tesla blog. Not surprisingly, Elon Musk has lots to say in regards to the early years of the Roadster's development, and he seeks to offer his side of the story, along with a number of emails to back up his claims.

What does Musk say? Well, his initial response is a long, informative and interesting read. Here are some choice lines:
  • The facts are that when I requested through AC Propulsion to meet Eberhard, he had no technology of his own, he did not have a prototype car and he owned no intellectual property relating to electric cars.
  • At the time [early 2004], "Tesla Motors, Inc." consisted of Eberhard, Tarpenning and Wright, plus an unfunded business plan and they were looking for an initial round of funding to create a more advanced prototype than the AC Propulsion Tzero. While there was a basic corporation in place, Tesla hadn't even registered or obtained the trademark to its name and had no formal offices or assets.

Make the jump for more.

Gallery: Martin Eberhard's Founders Series Tesla Roadster


[Source: Elon Musk / Tesla Motors]

Continue reading Elon fires back at Eberhard in Tesla lawsuit's latest twist

Elon fires back at Eberhard in Tesla lawsuit's latest twist originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autobloggreenelon muskElonMuskmartin eberhardMartinEberhardteslatesla founderstesla lawsuittesla motorstesla roadsterTeslaFoundersTeslaLawsuitTeslaMotorsTeslaRoadsterMon, 22 Jun 2009 18:58:00 EST<![CDATA[BREAKING: Martin Eberhard sues Elon Musk and Tesla for libel, slander and breach of contract]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/11/breaking-martin-eberhard-sues-elon-musk-and-tesla-for-libel-sl/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/11/breaking-martin-eberhard-sues-elon-musk-and-tesla-for-libel-sl/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/11/breaking-martin-eberhard-sues-elon-musk-and-tesla-for-libel-sl/#commentsFiled under:



The only thing surprising about Martin Eberhard's latest move is that it took so long to happen. Eberhard was co-founder of Tesla Motors along with Mark Tarpenning, and he was ousted from the company in November 2007 by then-chairman Elon Musk. Musk has never been one to hide his feelings about other people (or much of anything) - and comments he has made about Eberhard and his role in the company have clearly not gone over well.

To nobody's surprise, Eberhard has filed a lawsuit in California Superior Court in San Mateo against Musk and Tesla Motors. In the suit, Eberhard accuses Musk of slander and libel, along with breaching the contracts that he and the company had with Eberhard. At 146 pages, we haven't yet had time to digest the entire complaint (though we do find it interesting that our coverage is mentioned in the lawsuit), but we have a sneaking suspicion this one is going to get ugly. You can read the filing in PDF form by clicking here.

ABG reached out to Tesla for comment, and spokeswoman Rachel Konrad provided the following statement:
"This lawsuit is a fictionalized, inaccurate account of Tesla's early years -- it's twisted and wrong, and we welcome the opportunity to set the record straight. Incidentally, Tesla will also be filing counterclaims and in the process present an accurate account of the company's history."
More as it happens...

[Source: San Mateo California Superior Court]

BREAKING: Martin Eberhard sues Elon Musk and Tesla for libel, slander and breach of contract originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingbreaking newsbreakingnewsdefamationdefamationlawsuitelon muskelon-muskElonMusklawsuitmartin eberhardmartin eberhard firedMartinEberhardMartinEberhardFiredteslatesla motorsTeslaMotorsThu, 11 Jun 2009 09:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Ex-Tesla CEO irked over which Roadster he's getting]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/12/ex-tesla-ceo-irked-over-which-roadster-hes-getting/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/12/ex-tesla-ceo-irked-over-which-roadster-hes-getting/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/12/ex-tesla-ceo-irked-over-which-roadster-hes-getting/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Martin Eberhard first conceived of what ultimately became Tesla Motors and the Tesla Roadster when he couldn't get AC Propulsion to build him a TZero. Since he wanted a battery-powered sports car, Eberhard set out to bring together a team that would build his dream car. Of course, it was always his intention to buy the first car for himself, but creating a car company from scratch is not a low budget proposition. Hence Eberhard had to bring in some investors to fund the program. PayPal founder Elon Musk came in big with a pile of cash in return for which he requested the first car. After some haggling, Eberhard agreed to take Roadster number 2 and things moved along.

As we now know, Tesla encountered some speed bumps along the way and production got delayed by many months. The first production model was completed in December 2007, and delivered to Musk in February. Series production officially kicked off on March 17 of this year with the car with serial number 2 starting down the line. That car destined for Eberhard has yet to leave the Lotus factory in England. Meanwhile two other cars have been completed and one has been delivered to a customer in the U.S. while the other has been touring Europe for the last couple of weeks. Needless to say, Martin Eberhard is not pleased about other people getting their Roadsters before him. The problem is that automotive build sequences are a very complicated matter, which are only made worse when you blend big egos into the mix. The matter comes down to the difference between what the VIN numbers say and which cars we're actually built when. AutoblogGreen has a detailed report on what was "promised" to Eberhard, and what is being delivered, including documents provided by Eberhard.

[Source: AutoblogGreen]

Ex-Tesla CEO irked over which Roadster he's getting originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 May 2008 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>darryl sirydarryl-siryDarrylSirymartin eberhardmartin-eberhardMartinEberhardproductionproduction delayproduction sequenceProductionDelayProductionSequencetesla evtesla motorstesla roadsterTeslaEvTeslaMotorsTeslaRoadsterMon, 12 May 2008 12:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Tesla reorganized, fired founder Eberhard upset]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/13/tesla-reorganized-fired-founder-eberhard-upset/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/13/tesla-reorganized-fired-founder-eberhard-upset/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/13/tesla-reorganized-fired-founder-eberhard-upset/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Michael Corleone said it best, "It's not personal, it's business." There's been a lot of turmoil in the Silicon Valley hills lately as the Tesla Motors saga continues. Departed founder Martin Eberhard reports on his blog at TeslaFounders.com that the reorganization has been a "bloodbath" and questions the wisdom of the corporate machinations. Tesla's Daryl Siry contends that the company needed to tighten up its organization and refocus on the goal of actually delivering cars versus burning investment dollars. It's a lot like what went on in the nascent personal computer industry 30 years ago: a passionate team of visionaries assembles around a common ideal, and eventually it becomes a business, at which point pain ensues prior to success, or failure occurs. Tesla intends to remain independent, and now wants to move forward with solving delivery holdups.

[Source: AutoblogGreen]

Tesla reorganized, fired founder Eberhard upset originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 13 Jan 2008 12:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blogeberhardmartin eberhardMartinEberhardreorganizationteslaSun, 13 Jan 2008 12:13:00 EST<![CDATA[Tesla names Ze'ev Drori new CEO]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/29/tesla-names-zeev-drori-new-ceo/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/29/tesla-names-zeev-drori-new-ceo/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/29/tesla-names-zeev-drori-new-ceo/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Tesla Motors has been operating with an interim CEO since last August when its founder, Martin Eberhard, stepped down as head of the company. Today the start up that promises to herald in a new era of EV motoring (if it can stay on schedule) announced the appointment of a permanent replacement. Ze'ev Drori will now be at the helm of Tesla Motors as it tries to guide the Tesla Roadster through the production process. Drori has a history of turning around small companies, having founded a computer chip company called Monolithic Memories and later running Clifford Electronics, an automobile security system company, until it was bought by Allstate Insurance in 1999.

We've always wondered whether that's been the plan for Tesla Motors all along: get the all-electric Tesla Roadster to market, build the brand and sell the technology to the major automaker with the highest bid. Bringing on a guy like Drori lends some credibility to that hypothesis, though it's just as likely Tesla plans to remain independent as it builds an entire lineup of all-electric vehicles in the coming years.

[Source: AutoblogGreen]

Continue reading Tesla names Ze'ev Drori new CEO

Tesla names Ze'ev Drori new CEO originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Nov 2007 13:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ceoelon muskElonMuskmartin eberhardMartinEberhardteslatesla ceotesla motorsTesla motors ceoTeslaCeoTeslaMotorsTeslaMotorsCeoze'ev droriZe'evDrorizeev droriZeevDroriThu, 29 Nov 2007 13:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Tesla founder and CEO Martin Eberhard steps down, but not out]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/13/tesla-founder-and-ceo-martin-eberhard-steps-down-but-not-out/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/13/tesla-founder-and-ceo-martin-eberhard-steps-down-but-not-out/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/13/tesla-founder-and-ceo-martin-eberhard-steps-down-but-not-out/#commentsFiled under: , ,

News of Tesla's co-founder and CEO Martin Eberhard stepping down has been making the rounds in both automotive and tech circles all morning. The gist is that Eberhard will become Tesla's President of Technology so he can stay hands on with the all-electric Tesla Roadster's development, while a man by the name of Michael Marks, formers CEO of a company called Flextronics and one of Tesla's investors, will become interim CEO while a permanent replacement for Eberhard is found.

From the reports we've been reading, it makes it sound like Tesla's in turmoil over this management shakeup, with some outlets claiming the executive shuffle will cause additional multi-month delays in the first deliveries of the Tesla Roadster to customers. We have no reason to believe that is the case, and thanks to Sam Abuelsamid over at AutoblogGreen who was able to speak with someone at the company, it appears that Eberhard had been planning to step down for some time, as the day-to-day operation of running a big company was keeping him away from the Tesla Roadster's development. Tesla's Vice President of Marking Darryl Siry told ABG the move is much like what happened at Google when founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin brought in Eric Schmidt to run the show so they could focus on other projects. So it appears that despite some reports you may read, Tesla is not in turmoil and Eberhard's relocation within the company is just one more step on the company's roadmap to producing what promises to be a landmark vehicle.

[Source: AutoblogGreen, Tesla]





Tesla founder and CEO Martin Eberhard steps down, but not out originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Aug 2007 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ceoeberhardmartin eberhardMartinEberhardteslatesla motorsTeslaMotorsMon, 13 Aug 2007 12:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Tesla Motors sells out first batch]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/16/tesla-motors-sells-out-first-batch/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/16/tesla-motors-sells-out-first-batch/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/16/tesla-motors-sells-out-first-batch/#commentsFiled under: ,



Reports came out yesterday that Tesla Motors had sold out its first batch of 100 Signature models, which retail at a price of between $80,000 and $120,000. It's not surprising to us that Martin Eberhard, Elon Musk and company succeeded in selling their first 100 cars. Musk, the company's chairman, told AutoblogGreen that after the car's introduction on July 19th, "We have 100 collector's edition cars for sale that require a $100,000 up front deposit for purchase and only a few units are left." So it took them a few weeks to unload the remaining that weren't sold at the unveiling, but as Engadget notes, Tesla Motors just raised $10 million in capital in less than a month. CNET reports that only a few cars have actually been built so far and there's no word from Tesla Motors on when the next wave of orders will be announced.

[Source: CNET via Engadget]

Related:
Tesla Roadster Unveiling in Santa Monica
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Tesla Roadster Unveiling
Exclusive Q & A with Elon Musk on the Tesla Roadster and the future of EVs

Tesla Motors sells out first batch originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Aug 2006 11:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electric vehicleElectricVehicleElon MuskElonMuskEVMartin EberhardMartinEberhardTeslaTesla MotorsTesla RoadsterTeslaMotorsTeslaRoadsterWed, 16 Aug 2006 11:26:00 EST<![CDATA[EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Tesla Roadster Unveiling]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/20/exclusive-video-tesla-roadster-unveiling/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/20/exclusive-video-tesla-roadster-unveiling/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/20/exclusive-video-tesla-roadster-unveiling/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



AutoblogGreen's intrepid editor, Sebastian Blanco, was a busy man last night at the unveiling of the Tesla Roadster in Santa Monica, CA. Check out our exclusive video (iPod format) of the unveiling that features interviews with Tesla Motors CEO Martin Eberhard and the company's chairman Elon Musk, as well as footage of the car in motion from both inside and outside the cockpit.

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Tesla Roadster Unveiling originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Jul 2006 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Elon MuskElonMuskMartin EberhardMartinEberhardTeslaTesla MotorsTesla RoadsterTesla videoTeslaMotorsTeslaRoadsterTeslaVideoThu, 20 Jul 2006 08:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Tesla Roadster unveiling in Santa Monica]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/20/tesla-roadster-unveiling-in-santa-monica/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/20/tesla-roadster-unveiling-in-santa-monica/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/20/tesla-roadster-unveiling-in-santa-monica/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Last night Tesla Motors unveiled their uber-chic Roadster, a powerful electric vehicle that looks, feels and drives like many other high-end sports cars. The main difference is the noise. Powered by a 3-phase, 4-pole AC induction motor, the Roadster can go 130 mph and does 0-60 in about 4 seconds, all completely silent.

Tonight was the grand unveiling of the Roadster in a decorated airport hangar in Santa Monica, CA. I don't ride in many sports cars, and I certainly have never been in one that zips across an airport's tarmac without so much as a whisper. But tonight I got a quick ride in the Roadster and all I could hear from the passenger's seat (not even Gov. Schwarzenegger, who flew in for a brief look at the car, was allowed to drive it) was wind noise. And myself saying "Wow" under my breath.

Click on any image to enlarge.


Check out the rest of Sebastian's report, a gallery of LIVE and OFFICIAL pics, and Tesla's press release with full specs after the jump.

[Source: Tesla Motors - check out the site now!]

Continue reading Tesla Roadster unveiling in Santa Monica

Tesla Roadster unveiling in Santa Monica originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Jul 2006 03:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Martin EberhardMartinEberhardTeslaTesla EV RoadsterTesla MotorsTesla picsTesla RoadsterTesla shotsTesla unveilingTeslaEvRoadsterTeslaMotorsTeslaPicsTeslaRoadsterTeslaShotsTeslaUnveilingThu, 20 Jul 2006 03:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Tesla Roadster pics are out there]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/19/tesla-roadster-pics-are-out-there/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/19/tesla-roadster-pics-are-out-there/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/19/tesla-roadster-pics-are-out-there/#commentsFiled under: , ,



That didn't take long. Despite the embargo on publishing Tesla material until 12:00 AM EST, the dam has broken and information and images of the Tesla Roadster have flooded the internet tonight. We'll credit Wired for starting the deluge, as this gallery of live images has been online for a while now.

You may notice how much the Tesla Roaster look like a Lotus Elise. If you read Wired's article on the Tesla, you'll learn that a Lotus designer penned the Tesla Roadster's shape and that the English sportscar maker will be the one assembling Martin Eberhard's baby. As a matter of fact, Tesla Motors hired away so many Lotus engineers and executives that it was forced to sign a "no-poaching agreement" if it wanted the British-based automaker to build its cars.

As mentioned earlier, we'll have information, images and video from the Tesla unveiling later tonight.

Click image to enlarge:


[Source: Wired]

Tesla Roadster pics are out there originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Jul 2006 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>martin eberhardMartinEberhardTeslaTesla EV RoadsterTesla MotorsTesla RoadsterTeslaEvRoadsterTeslaMotorsTeslaRoadsterWed, 19 Jul 2006 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tesla CEO spotted in Autoblog comments - great debate ensues]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/18/tesla-ceo-spotted-in-autoblog-comments-great-debate-ensues/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/18/tesla-ceo-spotted-in-autoblog-comments-great-debate-ensues/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/18/tesla-ceo-spotted-in-autoblog-comments-great-debate-ensues/#commentsFiled under: ,



We're always wondered if that guy in the comments who goes by the name of "Willy Ford" is the actual scion of Henry Ford himself and CEO of Ford Motor Company, Bill Ford. Probably not, but some CEOs do actively participate in the Autoblog community, like Martin Eberhard, CEO of Tesla Motors. Eberhard must be a busy guy, as the countdown timer on Tesla Motors' website shows only 1 day, 8 hours, 59 minutes and 2 seconds left before the all-EV Tesla Roadster debuts (at the time of this writing), but he's sacrificed some precious ticks of the clock to participate in an outstanding discussion in the comments of our most recent post on Tesla.

We applaud Mr. Eberhard for stepping out, getting his message to the people and interacting openly with... well... his customers. And the dialogue between Eberhard, "Charles S." and "doable" in the comments is a fantastic debate on the efficacy of electric vehicles.

[Source: Us]

Tesla CEO spotted in Autoblog comments - great debate ensues originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Jul 2006 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>martin eberhardMartinEberhardtesla motorstesla roadsterTeslaMotorsTeslaRoadsterTue, 18 Jul 2006 19:58:00 EST