Autoblog

REPORT: Tesla gets $82.5 million investment; delivers 700th Roadster

Sebastian Blanco — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:59:00 EST

Filed under: Earnings/Financials, Tesla, Electric

Go to Frankfurt, get $82.5 million. That's sort of what happened to Tesla Motors, which is at the big Frankfurt Motor Show this week and received an "opportunistic" equity investment in that amount from a group led by Fjord Capital Partners. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that his company was "not looking for money," but did not turn down the offer.

FCM's slogan is "clean energy investments for a low carbon world," and Bloomberg reports that Tesla may use the FCM money to expand its retail stores around the world. Earlier this year, Daimler invested in the electric car start-up, as well.

Also in Frankfurt, Tesla delivered the 700th Roadster to 24-year-old German law student Lennart Hennig. The young man didn't just opt for the standard Roadster, either. Henning is now the proud owner of an electric blue Roadster Sport.

[Source: Bloomberg]

REPORT: Tesla gets $82.5 million investment; delivers 700th Roadster originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Eberhard suddenly drops lawsuit against Tesla

Domenick Yoney — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:40:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Earnings/Financials, Tesla

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.

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Toyota's Bill Reinert lets loose on ethanol, li-ion batteries, plug-in vehicles

Sebastian Blanco — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 17:35:00 EST

Filed under: Electric

Toyota's Bill Reinert should be better known. With so many quotable statements coming from GM's Bob Lutz and Tesla Motors' Elon Musk, perhaps Reinert, Toyota Motor Sales' national manager for the advanced technology group, is just overshadowed in the OMG series. But, during a recent conference sponsored by Fortune in Orange County, Reinert made a play to get his dramatic words out there. How dramatic? Follow the jump to read on and see exactly what he said to Automobile Magazine.

Continue reading Toyota's Bill Reinert lets loose on ethanol, li-ion batteries, plug-in vehicles

Toyota's Bill Reinert lets loose on ethanol, li-ion batteries, plug-in vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 18 Jul 2009 17:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Elon Musk: "Golden handcuffs" require I stay through Model S launch

Sebastian Blanco — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:28:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Hybrid, Sedan, Performance, Government/Legal, Green

For a guy who allegedly wants a lot of the credit for creating Tesla Motors, Elon Musk certainly doesn't seem to like the job of being its CEO. As part of Daimler's investment deal with Tesla, Musk needed to commit to staying on as Tesla's CEO at least until the Model S launches in 2011. Musk told Reuters:

I didn't really have a choice. This was a requirement of Daimler that I remain CEO of Tesla through the Model S launch and then continue to be part of Tesla in a chairman role beyond that. It's flattering, but at the same time it's golden handcuffs.

Well, that sure makes it sound like fun, doesn't it? It's clear that Musk has always been interested in projects other than Tesla (e.g.: electric planes and SpaceX), but does he have to make running one of the hippest electric car companies around sound like a drag?

Another nugget from the article: One of the reasons the price on the Roadster was raised was to help qualify Tesla Motors for the DOE loan it later received. Musk said, "We did the minimum we needed to do to make the business work."

Gallery: Tesla Model S

[Source: Reuters]

Elon Musk: "Golden handcuffs" require I stay through Model S launch originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Green

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.

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

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:58:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Performance, Government/Legal, Green, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

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.

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BREAKING: Martin Eberhard sues Elon Musk and Tesla for libel, slander and breach of contract

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal

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.

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Daimler buys 10% stake in Tesla, will supply parts and engineering

Sam Abuelsamid — Tue, 19 May 2009 09:27:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Green, Daimler, Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz/Tesla press conference - Click above for ABG's liveblog coverage

During a press conference held at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart this morning, Dr. Thomas Weber, the head of research and development for Mercedes-Benz, announced that Daimler is buying a 10% stake in Tesla Motors. Tesla CEO Elon Musk was also on hand for the announcement. The companies did not specify the amount paid by Daimler, other than it was in the double digit millions. Daimler will be providing Tesla with engineering support and possibly parts that may go into the Model S. Tesla, meanwhile, will continue providing battery packs for the second-generation Smart ED starting later this year. Tesla will also focus on battery pack integration and battery management systems for Daimler going forward.

The deal will also give Tesla access to the automotive lithium ion cells being produced by Daimler's investment in Li-Tec, a joint venture between Evonik and Daimler. Weber announced that Daimler would commence series production of electric Smarts in 2012, with volume projections in the five digits.

Daimler's Prof. Herbert Kohler (who is in charge of e-drive systems at the German automaker) will take up a board seat at Tesla and oversee development at the California company. We live blogged the conference at AutoblogGreen this morning and the official press release is after the jump.

[Source: Daimler]

Continue reading Daimler buys 10% stake in Tesla, will supply parts and engineering

Daimler buys 10% stake in Tesla, will supply parts and engineering originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 May 2009 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Letterman meet Musk, Musk meet Letterman. Got it? Good. Let's all hate on Chevrolet's Volt

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:08:00 EST

Click on the image above to watch the video

Elon Musk brought out the Tesla Model S for its big New York debut last night, and Late Night talk show host David Letterman got a real "charge" out of it. Musk appeared on the Late Show and it was kind of strange to watch. Letterman had some kind of throat ailment that left his voice sounding remarkably like Bob Lutz. In spite of that, Dave's trademark style left him showing little sympathy for any automakers when discussing why after more than 100 years no one has really developed the electric car.

Dave didn't spare any kind words for efforts to develop hydrogen fuel cell technology, but he really ripped into General Motors and its baby, the Chevrolet Volt. Apparently the idea of being able to go a mere 40 miles on a charge is not appealing to him, and to his discredit, he didn't bother to mention the range extender. For his part, Musk does nothing to correct this oversight.

Check out the video after the jump for as long as it stays live on YouTube.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: Letterman meet Musk, Musk meet Letterman. Got it? Good. Let's all hate on Chevrolet's Volt

VIDEO: Letterman meet Musk, Musk meet Letterman. Got it? Good. Let's all hate on Chevrolet's Volt originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Can the Tesla Model S be profitable at $57,400? Not according to these calculations...

Sebastian Blanco — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:57:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Green, Plants/Manufacturing

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

Tesla Motors' charismatic frontman, Elon Musk, will be showing up on the Late Show with David Letterman tonight to dazzle America's TV audience with his gorgeous all-electric sedan. Tesla says that when the Model S goes on sale at an undefined point in the future, the cost for the base model will be just under $50,000 - $49,900 to be exact - after a $7,500 government tax break. Business Insider has a word for that: Horsefeathers.

BI teamed up with Mark Boyadjis, an auto analyst at iSuppli, and they did some math based on actual numbers used in the auto industry and a lot of educated guesses. The result? They didn't exactly find a lot of room for profit if the car sells for $57,400. Their math is based on at least one error - they say the replacement battery for the Roadster is $36,000, but that's a carry-over mistake from Edmunds - it's actually $30,000. Still, that's the equivalent to the base price of an entire "near luxury" sedan - one that conventional automakers have trouble making margins on. That big, sexy touchscreen? Estimated to cost $4,000. Add everything from chassis and body panel costs to in distribution, marketing, further engineering, and lest we forget - building a factory, and Musk's price target starts to look more and more implausible.

BI has a good point here - Tesla needs to be careful with their pricing predictions. The ambitious startup made big financial mistakes when pricing the original Roadster - which didn't make everyone happy - and there's not a lot of room left to goof up a second time.

Gallery: Tesla Model S

[Source: Business Insider]

Can the Tesla Model S be profitable at $57,400? Not according to these calculations... originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Tesla CEO 99 percent sure of DOE loan, calls NYT writer "a huge douchebag"

Domenick Yoney — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:59:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Etc., Government/Legal, Earnings/Financials

Since it was announced that the highly quotable Bob Lutz would be departing from his General Motors management spotlight, automotive bloggers and reporters everywhere have been mourning the loss of an executive with such an exquisite way with words. Now it appears that the pining may have been premature, thanks to the emergence of another top management type with the brass, it seems, to freely speak his mind in public.

In a new interview with Yahoo! Tech Ticker's Sarah Lacy, Tesla CEO Elon Musk was asked what he thought of an earlier New York Times piece that voiced opposition to a government loan for the electric car maker. With a huge smile indicating his delight in the opportunity to speak about the issue, Musk announced that "Randy Stross is a huge douchebag". After a brief pause he added, "...and an idiot." Take that, Mr. Fancy Pants reporter guy!

In the course of the interview, Musk goes on to explain exactly how he felt the writer in question cherry-picked from the facts to make a case for Department of Energy loan denial, going on to vigorously defend the Tesla business model. In the conversation that followed the opening barrage, it was very interesting to note the certitude expressed by Elon that Tesla Motors would receive the low interest loan requested from the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) program. Noting that his company is a "perfect fit" for ATVM funds, he states, "The odds of us getting that money ($350 million) are 99 percent..." alluding to assurances given in private meetings, Musk suggested the funds are coming and coming soon. Hit the jump for the entertaining and informative video.

Gallery: Tesla Model S

[Source: Tech Ticker via Tesla Motors Club]

Continue reading VIDEO: Tesla CEO 99 percent sure of DOE loan, calls NYT writer "a huge douchebag"

VIDEO: Tesla CEO 99 percent sure of DOE loan, calls NYT writer "a huge douchebag" originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tesla CEO vows to personally refund deposits if there's an "Armageddon scenario"

Sebastian Blanco — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Green, Earnings/Financials, Celebrities

Here's Tesla's Elon Musk, speaking in March (and just published in Car and Driver):

Even in the worst case of an Armageddon scenario, I'll personally refund people [their money] if need be.

While the U.S. federal government needs to step in and guarantee the warranties for General Motors and Chrysler vehicles should those companies enter bankruptcy, the loaded Musk (C&D calls him an "Internet zillionaire") is apparently unofficially willing to give people interested in his company's electric cars one more reason to buy. No details are available yet about what, exactly, Musk means by all of this (a Tesla spokesperson we reached declined to clarify), but this is slightly interesting, no?

Another detail from C&D's interview interview worth noting is that Musk believes that part of the money issues that became public earlier this year were caused by misrepresentations from a management team that has since left the company. The board thought the Roadster (which was selling for just over $90,000) cost $65,000 to make instead of the $140,000 it was estimated it was really costing the company to make the car a few years ago. Part of the solution was to reduce costs and to refine the car in order to offer the new Roadster Sport version at a higher price point.

[Source: Car and Driver via All Cars Electric]

Tesla CEO vows to personally refund deposits if there's an "Armageddon scenario" originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Apr 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Elon Musk reportedly sets trap for loose lipped Tesla employees

Sebastian Blanco — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 13:29:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Etc., Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

The breathless style of writing at which Valleywag has made a name for itself isn't the sort of thing we often link to, but we'll make an exception today. According to the Gawker team, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is not making any friends in his own company; in fact, Valleywag claims that Musk recently tried to pinpoint people on his team who may be leaking confidential information to the media. The tactic - sending each employee a slightly altered version of an email about stopping the leaks and then checking to see which version made it to the media. It reportedly backfired in a pretty big way. Valleywag reports that Musk did not let his own executives know of this plan to smoke out the leaker. One of them unknowingly forwarded his version of the email within the company, which made it clear to the rest of Tesla's workforce that they were being set up.

We contacted Tesla about this story, but got a simple "No Comment." That's fine for us, but it might be a long, long month before the Model S unveiling on the 26th. Follow the source link to read a version of the email, presumably one of many, that Musk sent to his employees. Thanks to Yanquetino for the tip!

[Source: Valleywag]

Elon Musk reportedly sets trap for loose lipped Tesla employees originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Mar 2009 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tesla to unveil Model S on March 26, hopes for DOE money by summer

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:27:00 EST

Filed under: Green

In a newsletter distributed today by Tesla Motors, CEO Elon Musk provides an update on the business including an announcement that a driveable prototype of the Model S would be unveiled on March 26. The Model S reveal will take place at the Southern California headquarters of Musk's other company, Space-X, which is where Tesla's design studio is located. According to ex-Tesla SVP Darryl Siry who refused to show us images of the car no matter how much we begged before his departure, "the Model S a very beautiful car." As long as it doesn't have a hump back like the new Porsche Panamera we're looking forward to seeing it.

However, before it becomes anything more than a prototype, Tesla will need a lot more cash to pay for engineering and a factory to build it. As Musk told us when we talked to him in Detroit last month, he fully expects the company to be profitable by mid-year thanks to price increases and cost reductions for building the Roadster. Even if that proves to be true, which will be difficult when considering the current economy, it's unlikely to be anywhere near the required cash flow to cover the cost of the Model S. Learn more about how Tesla hopes to fund the Model S after the jump where you can also see the full text of the newsletter.

[Source: Tesla Motors]

Continue reading Tesla to unveil Model S on March 26, hopes for DOE money by summer

Tesla to unveil Model S on March 26, hopes for DOE money by summer originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tesla needs government loans to produce Model S on time

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:31:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Green, Earnings/Financials

Detroit isn't the only place in the U.S. where struggling automakers are looking for government handouts. Tesla Motors, Silicon Valley's one and only auto manufacturer, is looking for an initial injection from the government of $350 million, which is slated to fund the development and necessary manufacturing facilities for its upcoming Model S sedan with another $200 million to produce lithium-ion batteries plus $100 million to expand its growing drivetrain business. It's still early, but we're pretty sure that equals a cool $650 mil.

Like the $15 billion that the Detroit 3 are still hoping to get within the next few days, Tesla's $650 million would come from the $25 billion investment in green technology that Congress has already approved for American automakers. Without this infusion of capital, Tesla Motors' CEO Elon Musk claims that its battery-powered sedan, which is expected to bow sometime next year on conceptual form, will be delayed by a few years until the economy recovers and more capital investment can be raised on its own.

[Sources: Detroit Free Press, Bloomberg, Photo by Vince Bucci/Getty]

Tesla needs government loans to produce Model S on time originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tesla Motors opens first factory store in Los Angeles

John Neff — Fri, 02 May 2008 15:31:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrid, Green

Click above for high-res gallery from Tesla's Flagship Store grand opening

Tesla Motors has found enough time in between suing and getting sued by its suppliers to open its first dealership in Los Angeles, CA today. Located on the corner of Santa Monica and Sepulveda boulevards, the $2 million dealership sprawls 10,000 square feet and features poured concrete floors, an exposed ceiling of ductwork and beams, mirrors and potted plants. This is no Chipotle, however, as the first Tesla dealership will be staffed by salaried Tesla employees, not traditional salespeople who work on commission. Another dealership is in the works near Silicon Valley closer to the company's HQ, but we're not sure when that one will open.

Clearly modeled on the highly successful Apple Store experiment, the Tesla factory store is as much about educating the public and building brand awareness as it is about selling Tesla Roadsters. And that's a good thing, as there are no Tesla Roadsters to sell right now. The fledgling automaker has already sold 600 cars and has a waiting list 400 strong, but to date only four have been built. The first car went to Tesla Motors chairman and chief financier Elon Musk, while car #2 is earmarked for forced-out co-founder Martin Eberhard who has delayed delivery of his Tesla Roadster until its custom pain job is ready. Car #4 has been spotted at the Top Marques Monaco show with U2 frontman Bono behind the wheel, while car #3 should be on its way to an actual customer's garage.

Gallery: Tesla Motors Flagship Store - L.A.

[Source: AutoblogGreen, Photos by Vince Bucci/Getty]

Tesla Motors opens first factory store in Los Angeles originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 May 2008 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tesla may begin delivering Roadsters with temporary transmissions

John Neff — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:27:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Hybrid, Green

If you plunked down six figures and expected to be motoring around in your emissions-free Tesla Roadster by now, chances are there might be a few ants in your pants. The all-EV Tesla Roadster has hit a few speed bumps on its road to production, and in order to address these concerns, the fledgling automaker held a town hall meeting in San Carlos yesterday that was available to anyone who made a deposit for a car via conference call.

The skinny is that Tesla is having a difficult time developing a transmission strong enough to "survive the process of shifting gears while the motor remains at full torque", according to our own Sam Abuelsamid who has been following the Roadster's development from Day 1 and has actually rode shotgun in it. Two suppliers are currently working simultaneously to find a solution. Meanwhile, the company has gone ahead and built the first production model at the Lotus factory in Hethel, England. The first car belongs to Elon Musk, Chairman of the company and one of its initial investors. His car is fitted, however, with a transmission that he knows will fail in a few thousand miles.

Tesla also revealed that it is considering shipping some preordered Roadsters to customers early with similar transmissions that will be temporary and later replaced with the stronger transmission once it's developed. For those really eager to own a Tesla Roadster, this might be an option, but would you want to drive around a car with a gearbox that was guaranteed to fail after a few thousand miles?

Also of note is that the Tesla Roadster's range estimate has fallen a bit again from a previously reported range of 245 miles to something in the 220- to 230-mile range. Still impressive, but let's hope it doesn't fall any further.

Click here to read more about the town hall meeting over at AutoblogGreen.

[Source: AutoblogGreen]

Gallery: Riding in the Tesla Roadster

Tesla may begin delivering Roadsters with temporary transmissions originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tesla names Ze'ev Drori new CEO

John Neff — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 13:26:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Green, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

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.

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Tesla Stores to combine "an Apple store, a Starbucks, and a good restaurant"

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 02 May 2007 15:56:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Motorsports, Performance, Green

Brother blog AutoblogGreen just relayed a tidbit about Tesla Motors new dealership strategy that's set to be the most significant change in the way we buy cars since Saturn arrived on the scene. Tesla Chairman Elon Musk posted a new entry on the company blog explaining the new Tesla Stores in detail. He describes them as a place that "combines the feel of an Apple store, a Starbucks, and a good restaurant." He goes on to say that he envisions Tesla ownership as a type of club membership that offers access to VIP lounges around the world, just like airline frequent flier programs. Sounds good to us, but where are the cars? Taking the restaurant analogy a step further, he wants technicians to be accessible, just like chefs at finer dining establishments with nothing to hide, welcoming the attention and the chance to share the process with their clients.

The theory grew out of frustrations with existing dealership practices. As previously reported, Tesla Stores will be company-owned, unlike typical franchise dealerships. They're also planning on bringing the service area right up front. Another dealer oddity is the fact that employees will also be shareholders. It's an interesting plan that typically gives workers more incentive to perform. You can read the rest of Elon's blog post by clicking here.

[Source: Tesla Motors via AutoblogGreen]

Tesla Stores to combine "an Apple store, a Starbucks, and a good restaurant" originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 May 2007 15:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tesla Motors sells out first batch

John Neff — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 11:26:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Green

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.

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