Tesla Model S factory plan timeline unrealistic?

Zach Bowman — Wed, 05 May 2010 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Tesla, Electric

Tesla Model S - Click above for high-res image gallery

Autopia has brought a healthy dose of skepticism to the claims that Tesla will be delivering the Model S sedan to customers by 2012. Wired's automotive wing unearthed a report by the Downey Patriot that says that if the electric car manufacturer wants to use the property it has been eying in Downey, California, it will need to get on the ball in a hurry.

The report claims that in order for Tesla to renovate the structures located on the 51-acre tract of land to suit its needs, the company will need to have construction crews work 20-hours a day, five-days a week. Even at that pace, it will take close to 18 months to get everything ready in time.

That's just a year and a half to work out kinks like prepping buildings, installing tooling and firing up an assembly line. A spokesperson from Tesla says the 20-hour a day work schedule is a worst-case scenario, and that the company believes its goals are more than obtainable.

Right now, however, the company has yet to make a formal decision on where exactly it will build its manufacturing facility, and time is ticking. And even after that, Tesla still needs to prove it can sell its all-electric sedan at a profit.

Gallery: Tesla Model S in motion

[Source: Wired's Autopia]

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