Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Wall Street loves Tesla's Elon Musk, values the brand higher than Fiat]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/14/tesla-stock-value-extremely-high-elon-musk/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/14/tesla-stock-value-extremely-high-elon-musk/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/14/tesla-stock-value-extremely-high-elon-musk/#commentsFiled under: ,

Tesla side marker

Tesla's value on the stock market far exceeds the number of vehicles it contributes to the automotive market. According to a report from Automotive News, Tesla is currently valued at $8.8 billion. Almost unbelievably, though we've never claimed to have a firm grasp on the inner workings of the stock market, that's a full billion dollars more valuable than Fiat and three times more valuable than PSA Peugeot Citroën, says the report.

How unfathomable is that statistic? Consider the fact that Tesla, a ten-year-old company, just managed to turn its very first profit last quarter and has produced fewer than 10,000 vehicles in its lifetime. How does that compare to an automotive giant like Fiat? Well... it doesn't - The brand sold 44,772 Fiat 500s in the United States alone in 2012, and it owns or controls the Chrysler portfolio of brands along with Ferrari and Maserati... not to mention the hundreds of thousands of cars Fiat Group sells yearly in the rest of the world.

Granted, the number of vehicles sold by a brand is just a small portion of its value, but you may still wonder, Why is such a seemingly small player in the global automotive marketplace such a big deal on Wall Street? According to AN, it has a lot to do with its controversial and headline-grabbing CEO, Elon Musk, and the way he disseminates company information to his investors. How so? We suggest you take a good look at the article here for the whole story.

Wall Street loves Tesla's Elon Musk, values the brand higher than Fiat originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 May 2013 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elon muskstock marketteslatesla stocktslaTue, 14 May 2013 10:15:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20567088/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/14/tesla-stock-value-extremely-high-elon-musk/20567088/article-detail.xml 20567088 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/tesla-side-marker_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/tesla-side-marker.jpg <![CDATA[Elon Musk offering more of his own money to help widen LA's 405 freeway]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/25/teslas-musk-offers-money-to-widen-las-405-freeway/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/25/teslas-musk-offers-money-to-widen-las-405-freeway/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/25/teslas-musk-offers-money-to-widen-las-405-freeway/#commentsFiled under: , ,



While Henrik Fisker was in Washington, D.C. being grilled by Congress over government loans received by his former company, Fisker Automotive, Tesla co-founder Elon Musk was offering to give the California government money to help widen the 405 freeway.

With delays and cost overruns plaguing the expansion of one of the busiest stretches of road in the US, Musk has already kicked in $50,000 to move the project along and is apparently willing to spend even more to get the job done.

According to the LA Times, the widening of the 405 is already at least a year behind schedule and about $100 million over budget, and Musk was quoted as saying that he'd be willing to contribute more to hire new workers to help end the "horrendous" traffic. The estimated completion date is now set for fall of 2014, which likely doesn't factor in any more problems that, according to the article, have included structural failure to miles of sound walls and legal battles over some ramp placements.

Elon Musk offering more of his own money to help widen LA's 405 freeway originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>405 freewayelon muskla trafficlos angelesThu, 25 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20549217/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/04/25/teslas-musk-offers-money-to-widen-las-405-freeway/20549217/article-detail.xml 20549217 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/la-405-freeway-construction_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/la-405-freeway-construction.jpg <![CDATA[Musk says <i>New York Times</i> debacle may have cost Tesla $100 million]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/26/musk-says-new-york-times-debacle-may-have-cost-tesla-100/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/26/musk-says-new-york-times-debacle-may-have-cost-tesla-100/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/26/musk-says-new-york-times-debacle-may-have-cost-tesla-100/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Tesla CEO Elon Musk being interviewed by Bloomberg TV - screencap

Despite the old chestnut that there's no such thing as bad publicity, there's always a cost incurred - sometimes it's hidden, and sometimes it's front and center. Enigmatic Tesla CEO Elon Musk seems to think his company's now-infamous Model S range dustup with The New York Times is falling squarely into the latter category. According to Musk, fallout from the back-and-forth battle over the newspaper's cold-weather road trip story may have decimated Tesla's stock value by as much as $100 million. Musk believes the report resulted in a lot of cancelled orders, probably costing Tesla "a few hundred" Model S purchases.

According to the report, Tesla's shares have tumbled some 12 percent (going from $39.24 to $34.38) since the report was published. Bloomberg further notes that the company's market capitalization has skidded by around $553 million over that same period. With the company's stock-market value pegged at $3.91 billion, $100m represents a not insignificant chunk of money to Tesla.

So how does Musk feel about embattled Times writer John Broder, whose controversial report he previously called "fake"? During the interview with Bloomberg TV, which you can watch below, Musk opines, "I don't think it should be the end of his career - I don't even think necessarily he should be fired - but I do think he fudged an article." No word has surfaced about any actions taken against Broder after the Times' public editor admitted he did "not especially" exercise "good judgement" in the course of his reporting.

There's a lot of interesting ground covered in the Musk interview, including a discussion on the impact of early adopters on Model S sales, as well as how demand might be affected if the federal $7,500 tax credit were to end, so check it out by scrolling below.

Continue reading Musk says New York Times debacle may have cost Tesla $100 million

Musk says New York Times debacle may have cost Tesla $100 million originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Feb 2013 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 tesla model sbloomberg tvelon muskevmodel snew york timesteslatesla new york timestesla rangethe new york timesvideoTue, 26 Feb 2013 13:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20478762/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/02/26/musk-says-new-york-times-debacle-may-have-cost-tesla-100/20478762/article-detail.xml 20478762 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-bloomberg-tv_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-bloomberg-tv.jpg <![CDATA[Tesla takes <i>New York Times</i> to task for damning Model S review]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/14/tesla-takes-new-york-times-to-task-for-damning-model-s-re/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/14/tesla-takes-new-york-times-to-task-for-damning-model-s-re/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/14/tesla-takes-new-york-times-to-task-for-damning-model-s-re/#commentsFiled under: , ,



The social media tête-à-tête between The New York Times and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, stemming from a defamatory review by John Broder of the Model S and Tesla's new "Supercharger" network on the East Coast, is heating up in a major way. Just yesterday we summarized the Twitter spat, and now Musk has expanded upon the data recorded during Broder's test drive - adding major credence to the criticism of the NYT writer.

The smoking gun in this case is the information that was captured by the data recorder in Broder's loaned Model S. The data recording function is one that is only activated for consumers when permission has been expressly granted, says Musk, but is always turned on in the case of media vehicles. Thusly equipped, Broder's vehicle was keeping track of speed, charging data, map data and more, presumably without the writer's foreknowledge.

The evidence recorded by the in-car systems happens to contravene Broder's most damning claims of the Tesla, says Musk in his article titled A Most Peculiar Test Drive. First, and perhaps most shockingly, the Model S "State of Charge" log shows that Broder's test car "never ran out of energy at any time." Broder's reporting indicated that the car ran completely out of juice at one point and had to be evacuated on a flatbed truck. The data log also points out that the trip was made at speeds ranging from 65 to 81 miles per hour, where the writer claimed to have set the cruise control at 54 mph, with periods of driving as slowly as 45 mph.

Musk's piece also indicates that Broder - who was ostensibly driving to test the charging network - didn't tell the truth about how long he charged his Model S. At one stop he specifically writes that he charged the car for 58 minutes on his second stop, where the log indicates that he was on the Supercharger for just 47 minutes. Tesla claims that the writer charged his car to 90 percent of capacity on his first stop, 72 percent on his second and just 28 percent on his third - all despite his concerns over just barely having enough energy to complete the respective legs of his trip.

Taken at face value, Tesla's data seems compelling to say the least. With that said, we're no more in a position to attest to the veracity of the logged data than we are the claims of Mr. Broder. At the very least it will be fascinating to see what the NYT does to respond, if anything at all, to this rather serious, high-profile assault on its credibility.

For its part, Tesla is taking Elon's article as the final word on the matter. A company spokesperson released this statement, just this morning: "Please note, no one from Tesla - including Elon - will be providing additional comment on this topic moving forward as we feel the blog speaks for itself. At this time, this post is the company's final statement on the issue." We've collected all of Tesla's charts and graphs from Broder's trip in our attached gallery, so you can have a closer look for yourselves, too.

Tesla takes New York Times to task for damning Model S review originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Feb 2013 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 tesla model selon muskjohn brodermodel snew york timesteslaThu, 14 Feb 2013 09:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20461908/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/02/14/tesla-takes-new-york-times-to-task-for-damning-model-s-re/20461908/article-detail.xml 20461908 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/tesla-model-s-supercharger_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/tesla-model-s-supercharger.jpg <![CDATA[Why Tesla will need more loans to make it through 2013]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/28/why-tesla-will-need-more-loans-to-make-it-through-2013/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/28/why-tesla-will-need-more-loans-to-make-it-through-2013/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/28/why-tesla-will-need-more-loans-to-make-it-through-2013/#commentsFiled under: ,



It's fun to bet against Elon Musk and Tesla - that's the best reason we can find for so many people doing it even though the man, his company and his cars are still here and still very popular. The latest name inscribed in the column labeled "Skeptical of Tesla" is John Shinal at Market Watch who, in year-end commentary on Tesla's financials, says that the "carmaker's financials are reminiscent of a dot-com's." He does not mean that in the good way.

To be fair, Shinal isn't exactly betting against Tesla, he's saying that if you check the bottom lines, the only thing keeping Tesla alive is the hundreds of millions in Federal Department of Energy loans it has received. Based on its filings, he says the company has less than six months of cash on hand, hasn't produced as many cars as it promised and had to lower its revenue forecast for 2012, has had a "year of net losses and negative operating cash flow," and was underwater by at least $37 million at the end of the third quarter.

But Shinal's not done there, summarizing Tesla as an operation with "a poor habit of failing to deliver to customers the cars it has promised them, while simultaneously raising the prices of those yet-undelivered cars," and "a lousy level of customer service." He says there are more damning things to be found in Tesla's SEC registration settlement from September, but we'll have to wait for his next column to find out what those are. The takeaway, in Shinal's opinion, is that even though Tesla will keep getting money from the government, that investors have no business dealing in Tesla stock.

Early in his piece, Shinal says Tesla's financials are worse than those of Zynga and Groupon, two hot dot-coms that have fallen on their faces since their IPOs. Shinal knows far more about finances than we do, but we wonder if it makes the most sense to compare a brand new car company developing brand new technologies - with the colossal amounts of up-front cash each one of those things requires, and a company with Tesla's record so far - to a social media game developer and an online coupon distributor. Head over to Market Watch to read the full piece.

Why Tesla will need more loans to make it through 2013 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Dec 2012 08:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elon muskfinancialsjohn shinalmarket watchstock marketstocksteslatesla stockFri, 28 Dec 2012 08:44:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20409931/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/12/28/why-tesla-will-need-more-loans-to-make-it-through-2013/20409931/article-detail.xml 20409931 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/12/teslamoneycommentary_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/12/teslamoneycommentary.jpg <![CDATA[Musk reports positive cash flow for Tesla last week]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/05/musk-reports-positive-cash-flow-for-tesla-last-week/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/05/musk-reports-positive-cash-flow-for-tesla-last-week/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/05/musk-reports-positive-cash-flow-for-tesla-last-week/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Tesla Model S

According to Bloomberg, Tesla actually earned money last week. CEO Elon Musk sent out a message on Twitter saying his company was "narrowly cash positive." That's big news for a company that hasn't turned a quarterly profit as of yet. Tesla is currently in the middle of stepping up production for its Model S sedan, and has announced the vehicle's MSRP will jump by $2,500, presumably to help fund that expansion.

So far, Tesla says it has built will build around 20,000 Model S units at its California production facility next year, though analysts say the ability to repeatedly generate a positive cash flow would go a long way toward the company's evolution into a "sustainable operating entry." So far, the Model S has garnered substantive praise, earning the Motor Trend Car of the Year Award among others. Tesla shares are up 19 percent this year over the same time period in 2011.

Musk reports positive cash flow for Tesla last week originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Dec 2012 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 tesla model selon muskmodel steslatesla cash positivetesla earningsWed, 05 Dec 2012 15:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20394750/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/12/05/musk-reports-positive-cash-flow-for-tesla-last-week/20394750/article-detail.xml 20394750 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/12/tesla-model-s-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/12/tesla-model-s-628.jpg <![CDATA[Tesla: Earnings still down, but rate of Model S production way up]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/06/tesla-earnings-still-down-but-rate-of-model-s-production-way-u/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/06/tesla-earnings-still-down-but-rate-of-model-s-production-way-u/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/06/tesla-earnings-still-down-but-rate-of-model-s-production-way-u/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Tesla Model S - black - rear three-quarter view at sunset

According to its Third Quarter 2012 Shareholder Letter, Tesla "is now at over 200 cars per week or 10,000 cars per year, which is at the critical threshold needed for Tesla to generate positive operating cash flow."

That's an important milestone to be sure, but the news is actually even better; Tesla expects to ramp Model S production up to 400 cars per week (20,000 units/year) by December of 2012, and says it will deliver 2,500 to 3,000 units in the fourth quarter of 2012. That's lower than the previous target of 5,000 in 2012, but it's more an issue of delayed achievement rather than missing the mark altogether.

All of that production bodes well for the future, but as of today, the automaker has yet to earn real money. Revenue for the third quarter of 2012 was $50 million, equating to a net loss of about $110 million after expenses were tallied. The stock market likes the numbers, with TSLA shares rising 8.9 percent on Monday after the report was released.

With production up to 400 cars per week, we're pretty sure company CEO Elon Musk isn't able to personally inspect each Model S as he was when Tesla was producing fewer than 80 cars per week. In any case, accolades have been rolling in for the Model S, with two recent scores including being named Automobile Car of the Year and one of the 25 Best Inventions of the year by Time Magazine.

Check out Tesla's complete Q3 earnings report here.

Tesla: Earnings still down, but rate of Model S production way up originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Nov 2012 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 tesla model selon muskmodel steslatesla earningstesla financialstesla profitTue, 06 Nov 2012 11:33:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20370918/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/11/06/tesla-earnings-still-down-but-rate-of-model-s-production-way-u/20370918/article-detail.xml 20370918 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/tesla-model-s-rear_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/tesla-model-s-rear.jpg <![CDATA[Dealers claim factory-owned Tesla stores are illegal]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/09/dealers-claim-factory-owned-tesla-stores-are-illegal/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/09/dealers-claim-factory-owned-tesla-stores-are-illegal/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/09/dealers-claim-factory-owned-tesla-stores-are-illegal/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



Unlike typical dealers, Tesla has a network of "stores" and "retail stores." While reservations can be made for a new Model S or Roadster at the retail store, Tesla says other versions of the store merely direct potential customers to make their reservation online. Most of these boutique-style stores are in shopping malls, and Tesla asserts that they are not sales facilities. It's an assertion with which traditional auto dealers are taking issue.

Dealers associations and networks across the country are doubling down their efforts to make Tesla's OEM showroom network illegal. Tesla has opened 17 stores in 10 states, as well as the District of Columbia.

Dealership associations contend Tesla's notion that sales are not made at these stores, stating that the showroom experience is still part of the sales process. To that end, dealer groups across the country have embarked in legal battles with the electric carmaker. The Illinois Secretary of State has informed Tesla that it is illegal to list CEO Elon Musk as the owner of its Chicago store. The Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association is looking into legal options against Telsa's Westchester store, as well as two others in New York. In Massachusetts, the opening of a store in the suburban Natick Mall is having its legality challenged by the dealer association in that state. California has laws in place that allow for a manufacturer to run its own dealership, as long as it is not within 10 miles of an existing dealer. That practice caught the ire of Chrysler dealers when the American automaker opened its own multi-brand showroom near downtown Los Angeles.

Tesla says the way that its stores are run are unique to each location. According to George Blankenship, Tesla's VP of sales, "If we can't be a dealer in a mall, we won't do reservations on-site. We tell people where to go on our website to make a reservation." Blankenship is the former Apple retail guru and the mind behind the Apple Stores - an experience Tesla hopes to recreate in its own sales network. In the eyes of many dealers, that is a threat to their own dealership model. As Tesla seeks to open more stores in more states, this is unlikely to be the end of the pushback against the electric automaker.

Dealers claim factory-owned Tesla stores are illegal originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elon muskgeorge blankenshipmodel steslatesla dealerstesla model stesla roadstertesla showroomtesla storesTue, 09 Oct 2012 13:33:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20344106/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/10/09/dealers-claim-factory-owned-tesla-stores-are-illegal/20344106/article-detail.xml 20344106 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/tesla-dealer_thumbnail.jpeg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/tesla-dealer.jpeg <![CDATA[Tesla curbs forecast due to Model S issues, losses total $864.9M]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/25/tesla-curbs-forecast-due-to-model-s-issues-losses-total-864-9m/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/25/tesla-curbs-forecast-due-to-model-s-issues-losses-total-864-9m/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/25/tesla-curbs-forecast-due-to-model-s-issues-losses-total-864-9m/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

2013 Tesla Model S - black - front three-quarter view

It ain't easy creating a brand-new automaker from scratch. The fact that Elon Musk and Tesla have actually been able to bring not one, but two cars to market is in itself quite impressive. That said, the road has not been without its bumps, and Tesla is feeling some of the setbacks that come with being a fledgling automaker.

To that end, Tesla has revealed that it expects $400 million to $440 million in full-year revenue, or roughly $160 million less than its prior 2012 revenue forecasts. In a Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Monday, the electric carmaker said "We have methodically increased our Model S production at a slower rate than we had earlier anticipated," leading to the company figuring they'll fall short of the $560 million to $600 million they originally forecasted. Tesla also revealed a net cumulative loss of $864.9 million through June 30 of this year - Tesla has yet to break even as an automaking entity, but it remains something of a startup, so the fact that it has lost money to this point shouldn't be a major surprise - building cars is expensive, and learning how to do so is even more expensive. Following the disclosure, Tesla shares fell about 8.5 percent this morning in trading.

Tesla cites delays in suppliers for its Model S production shortcomings. The California automaker says it is working with suppliers to speed up deliveries and internally, it is adding shifts and automation to its manufacturing processes. With little more than half of the 5,000-vehicle target expected to be built by year's end, Tesla says it is four to five weeks behind its delivery goals.

Meanwhile, reservations are on the rise. 11,500 Model S units were spoken for at the end of June, and that number has risen to 13,000 as of September 23 (not counting vehicles already delivered). While reservations increased, so did cancelations.

The first several thousand reserved customers were asked to configure their vehicles for delivery, lest they lose their places in line.

Tesla curbs forecast due to Model S issues, losses total $864.9M originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Sep 2012 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 tesla model selectric carelon muskmodel splug-insecsec filingsecurities and exchange commissionsedanteslaTue, 25 Sep 2012 19:15:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20332984/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/09/25/tesla-curbs-forecast-due-to-model-s-issues-losses-total-864-9m/20332984/article-detail.xml 20332984 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/2012-tesla-model-s-fd_thumbnail.jpeg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/2012-tesla-model-s-fd.jpeg <![CDATA[Musk: Tesla Model S production up to 'around 80 cars' per week *UPDATE]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/19/musk-tesla-model-s-production-up-to-around-80-cars-per-week/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/19/musk-tesla-model-s-production-up-to-around-80-cars-per-week/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/19/musk-tesla-model-s-production-up-to-around-80-cars-per-week/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently spoke to Fox Business about the state of Model S production, and to hear the CEO tell it, things are going very well. Assembly line production has been climbing every week; the interview was conducted on September 13, and Musk said when asked how many cars they'd build, "I think it's probably going to be around 80 cars this week." If they hit that number it would represent double the production of the week before.

Tesla's Model S production goal this year is 5,000 units, and the outside estimate is that 400* have been built so far. To make the target in the roughly 14 weeks left in the year, Tesla would need to - as of this week - quadruple last week's production to a little more than 320 units. That's a steep climb, but the numbers so far point to it being still being possible. Musk said that orders continue to come in and the company is working through its backlog, and he expects an annual profit to come in 2013. You'll find both parts of the interview in the videos below.

*UPDATE: Tesla spokeswoman Christina Ra pointed out that the last publicly confirmed number is just 100 Model S units, and that Tesla will "likely make another announcement on that front soon." She added, "400 is really inaccurate."

Continue reading Musk: Tesla Model S production up to 'around 80 cars' per week *UPDATE

Musk: Tesla Model S production up to 'around 80 cars' per week *UPDATE originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elon muskfox businessmodel smodel s productionteslavideovideosWed, 19 Sep 2012 08:45:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20325953/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/09/19/musk-tesla-model-s-production-up-to-around-80-cars-per-week/20325953/article-detail.xml 20325953 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/muskmodel-sbuild_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/muskmodel-sbuild.jpg <![CDATA[Autoblog Podcast #299]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/11/autoblog-podcast-299/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/11/autoblog-podcast-299/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/11/autoblog-podcast-299/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

2013 Honda Accord, Volkswagen CUV, GM and Opel, Autoblog talks to Elon Musk

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Episode #299 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Zach Bowman and Jeff Ross talk about the 2013 Honda Accord, the suggestion by Morgan Stanley for GM to unload Opel, Autoblog Green's chat with Elon Musk, and the possibility of Volkswagen reviving the Microbus with a compact CUV. Your questions and comments power the end of the 'cast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Keep reading for our Q&A module for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!

Autoblog Podcast #299:



Topics:

In the Autoblog Garage:
2013 Porsche Boxster S
2013 Lexus GS 350
2012 Chevrolet Sonic

Hosts: Dan Roth, Jeff Ross, Zach Bowman

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Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #299

Autoblog Podcast #299 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Sep 2012 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accordautoblog greenautoblog podcastautobog podcast 299boxsterbullichevroletelon muskgsgs 350hondalexusmicrobuspodcast 299porschesonicvolkswagenTue, 11 Sep 2012 17:59:00 ESTAutoblog Podcast #299Autoblog01:24:33 http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20321210/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/09/11/autoblog-podcast-299/20321210/article-detail.xml 20321210 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/06/podcastlivev2stamp_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/06/podcastlivev2stamp.jpg <![CDATA[2012 Tesla Model S [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/11/2012-tesla-model-s-first-drive-review-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/11/2012-tesla-model-s-first-drive-review-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/11/2012-tesla-model-s-first-drive-review-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Proof That An Impressive Sport Sedan Doesn't Need To Burn Dead Dino Juice

2012 Tesla Model S

One-hundred years from now, the Smithsonian museum at our nation's capital will host a display of history's most revolutionary automobiles. The collection will include the 1866 Dudgeon steam wagon (one of the earliest self-propelled vehicles), the 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen (recognized as the first combustion-powered automobile) and the 1908 Ford Model T (the first automobile mass produced on an assembly line).

Most certainly included, among the dozen or so other pioneering automobiles, will be a 2012 Tesla Model S.

Slightly more than a few years after the first prototype debuted in March of 2009, Autoblog was able to spend an evening with an early production model of the innovative all-electric sedan touted as "the next step to accelerate the world's transition to electric mobility." Much has been said and written about Tesla's enormous undertaking, but we brushed off the hype, ignored the rumors and cut through the layers of misinformation. It was time to drive.

After several inquisitive hours behind the wheel, we were smitten - the Tesla Model S really is the world's first practical, no-compromise, non-combustion automobile.

Continue reading 2012 Tesla Model S [w/video]

2012 Tesla Model S [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Sep 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 tesla model sautoblog+tesla+model+sautoblogteslamodelselon muskfeaturedfirst driveFirstDrivejason calacanismodel ssignature performanceteslatesla+model+stesla+model+s+reviewtesla+motorstesla+steslamodelsteslamodelsreviewteslamotorsteslasTue, 11 Sep 2012 11:57:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20320201/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/09/11/2012-tesla-model-s-first-drive-review-video/20320201/article-detail.xml 20320201 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/2012-tesla-model-s-fd_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/2012-tesla-model-s-fd.jpg <![CDATA[Tesla Is Shooting For The Stars]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/10/tesla-is-shooting-for-the-stars/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/10/tesla-is-shooting-for-the-stars/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/10/tesla-is-shooting-for-the-stars/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Launching A Space Ship Is A Snap Compared To A Car

Elon Musk Tesla Model S

Is it easier to put a man in space or an electric vehicle in every garage? Ask Elon Musk, the iconoclastic entrepreneur who heads up both Tesla Motors and SpaceX, the first private space venture to launch a vehicle and successfully dock it with the International Space Station.

The passing of Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, comes to mind when thinking about Musk's dual quest to remake the auto industry with electric vehicles and to privatize space travel. Back when Armstrong took that first small step, it was thought that if we could put a man on the moon, it was proof there was nothing mankind couldn't accomplish, including stamping out poverty and curing cancer.

If history is a guide, it turns out it's easier to do the moon shot than tackle a myriad of pressing social issues.

That is precisely what Musk may eventually discover - namely that it is far easier to build spaceships than it is to build an electrically powered family car that will appeal to the masses.

Matt DeLorenzo is the former editor-in-chief of Road & Track and has covered the auto industry for 35 years, including stints at Automotive News and AutoWeek. He has authored books including VW's New Beetle, Chrysler's Modern Concept Cars, and Corvette Dynasty.


Continue reading Tesla Is Shooting For The Stars

Tesla Is Shooting For The Stars originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elon muskinternational space stationmatt delorenzomodel sspacexteslaMon, 10 Sep 2012 16:57:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20314917/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/09/10/tesla-is-shooting-for-the-stars/20314917/article-detail.xml 20314917 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/elon-musk-tesla-model-s_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/elon-musk-tesla-model-s.jpg <![CDATA[In deep with Tesla CEO Elon Musk: Financials, Falcon doors and finding faults in the Model S]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/07/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-q-and-a/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/07/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-q-and-a/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/07/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-q-and-a/#commentsFiled under: ,

tesla ceo elon musk

Tesla Motors Elon Musk spends about half his working life - i.e., almost all of his waking hours - in his office at SpaceX in Los Angeles. The automotive CEO is, after all, also in charge of the rocket company, which means that he's thinking about a lot more than just ramping up production of the Model S. But he is thinking about that a lot, too. More than you might expect.

AutoblogGreen recently got to sit down with Musk at SpaceX for a one-on-one, wide-ranging interview. Musk, comfortable and relaxed in an "Occupy Mars" t-shirt, was forthcoming about most things we asked - but questions about Tesla's upcoming Supercharger network of fast chargers, which can deliver so much more juice per minute than any other plug-in vehicle charger on the market, were deflected, since the company is planning a big announcement at the end of this month or early October - and we got into Tesla's financial situation, why the Model X has those falcon doors and how Daimler saved Tesla. We learned a lot, including that Musk really doesn't like the rear seat access in the Audi Q7. Not one bit.

Read the whole interview below.

Continue reading In deep with Tesla CEO Elon Musk: Financials, Falcon doors and finding faults in the Model S

In deep with Tesla CEO Elon Musk: Financials, Falcon doors and finding faults in the Model S originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elon muskmodel ssuperchargerteslatesla model stesla motorstesla roadstertesla superchargerFri, 07 Sep 2012 12:03:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20318685/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/09/07/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-q-and-a/20318685/article-detail.xml 20318685 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-628.jpg <![CDATA[Elon Musk: 'The credit for saving Tesla should go to Daimler']]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/05/elon-musk-the-credit-for-saving-tesla-should-go-to-daimler/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/05/elon-musk-the-credit-for-saving-tesla-should-go-to-daimler/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/05/elon-musk-the-credit-for-saving-tesla-should-go-to-daimler/#commentsFiled under: , ,

tesla daimler deal

Back in 2009, the plug-in vehicle world was surprised to learn that Daimler had invested $50 million in Tesla Motors. What we didn't know at the time was that the money came deus ex machina style just before the EV startup reaper was about to knock. Turns out, Tesla's financial situation was much worse back then than anyone realized.

AutoblogGreen recently spent an hour interviewing Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and when we asked about the money, Musk said, "The credit for saving Tesla should go to Daimler. It was the Daimler investment that saved Tesla in early 2009. ... 2007 and 2008 were especially bad for us. ... There were a couple of near-death situations."

Those near-death situations include the time Musk needed to funnel a lot of his personal capital into Tesla - "I literally had to borrow money for rent" - in order to get through 2008 and early 2009. Having run through a lot of his own money, he appreciated Daimler was investing in Tesla even though Daimler itself was cash strapped. "When someone is hungry themselves and they give you a bit of food, you've got to be grateful for that."

Musk added that Tesla's financial situation today is "pretty good," and that the company has "a couple hundred million dollars" in reserve. As long as there aren't a "bunch of screw-ups," then the automaker should be in good financial shape, he said.

Stay tuned for more from AutoblogGreen's one-on-one interview, including the full transcript, later this week.

Elon Musk: 'The credit for saving Tesla should go to Daimler' originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>daimlerelon muskexclusivemodel steslatesla daimlerWed, 05 Sep 2012 17:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20316868/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/09/05/elon-musk-the-credit-for-saving-tesla-should-go-to-daimler/20316868/article-detail.xml 20316868 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/daimler-tesla-deal-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/daimler-tesla-deal-628.jpg <![CDATA[<i>Motor Trend</i> tests Tesla Model S, finds 0-60 in 3.9 sec and 100.7 MPGe]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/27/motor-trend-tests-tesla-model-s-finds-0-60-in-3-9-sec-an/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/27/motor-trend-tests-tesla-model-s-finds-0-60-in-3-9-sec-an/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/27/motor-trend-tests-tesla-model-s-finds-0-60-in-3-9-sec-an/#commentsFiled under: , ,

2012 Tesla Model S - front three-quarter dynamic motion shot

Tesla has said the highest-end Model S has a range of 300 miles (at 55 miles per hour), but until recently, it's been tremendously difficult for anyone outside the company to verify this number. When the EPA did its testing thing, it came up with a 265-mile range estimate for the version with the 85-kWh battery pack. Tesla is even offering a prize of some sort to anyone who drives a Model S over 400 miles on one charge.

Now, Motor Trend writers has had the chance to spend some time in Tesla CEO Elon Musk's personal Performance Signature Model S to see just how far the electric car can be driven. The result? Your results may vary.

First, the good news. Motor Trend ran a battery of tests on the Model S, and its independent measurements discovered the following ways that their independent testing beat the manufacturer's official numbers:
  • 0-60 time: 3.9 seconds (Tesla official number is 4.4 seconds)
  • Quarter mile: 12.5 seconds at 110.9 mph (12.6 seconds)
  • 100.7 MPGe during a 200+ mile drive (EPA says 89 MPGe).
So, then, what's the bad news? At roughly 65 mph with no A/C, MT "only" got 238 miles out of the battery. That's less than advertised, but MT offers an important and reasonable take on this issue:

"But the range that matters is really a psychological/perceptual one, not a specific number. Think about it: We drove from Fontana on the eastern edge of the L.A. basin to San Diego and all the way back to L.A.'s Pacific edge on one charge. Five hours of continuous driving. This is a breakthrough accomplishment that ought to knock down the range anxiety barrier that's substantially limited EV sales."

Word.

Motor Trend tests Tesla Model S, finds 0-60 in 3.9 sec and 100.7 MPGe originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Aug 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 tesla model selectric vehicleelon muskev rangemodel smotor trendrangeteslatesla mpgetesla rangeMon, 27 Aug 2012 15:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20310032/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/08/27/motor-trend-tests-tesla-model-s-finds-0-60-in-3-9-sec-an/20310032/article-detail.xml 20310032 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/tesla-model-s-driving_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/tesla-model-s-driving.jpg <![CDATA[Tesla's Elon Musk calls Fisker Karma 'a mediocre product at a high price']]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/18/teslas-elon-musk-calls-fisker-karma-a-mediocre-product-at-a-hi/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/18/teslas-elon-musk-calls-fisker-karma-a-mediocre-product-at-a-hi/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/18/teslas-elon-musk-calls-fisker-karma-a-mediocre-product-at-a-hi/#commentsTesla Model S

It is official: the gloves are off in the war of words between Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk and Fisker Automotive chief Henrik Fisker.

Most of the verbal barbs came from Musk, who sat down to gossip with Automobile Magazine about archrival Fisker. The bad blood goes back a few years to when Tesla unsuccessfully sued Henrik Fisker for developing the Karma while under contract for the design of the Model S - basically paying someone to design his own car.

Another, more newsworthy zinger was when Musk called out Fisker as a smart designer but one who does not understand the underlying technology problem. Musk said:

The fundamental problem with Henrik Fisker - he is a designer or stylist... he thinks the reason we don't have electric cars is for lack of styling. This is not the reason. It's fundamentally a technology problem. At the same time, you need to make it look good and feel good, because otherwise you're going to have an impaired product. But just making something look like an electric car does not make it an electric car.

Fisker has been scrambling to deal with fires and recalls connected to its A123 Systems partnership. Musk's biggest jab was directed at the flagship Karma: "It's a mediocre product at a high price."

So what did Henrik Fisker have to say? In a written response to Automobile Magazine, Fisker stayed friendly, but did throw down the competitive gauntlet: range anxiety. "Obviously, Tesla and Fisker are appealing to two different customer bases with two totally different technologies. Tesla has pure EV and Fisker has a range-extended offering with no compromise on range," he wrote. Zing!

Fisker thanked Musk for giving a nod to the good-looking Karma, which won Automobile's 2012 Design of the Year. He also made a statement to clear up the legal wrangle: Fisker won in court. A judge threw out the case and awarded costs to Fisker.

Both companies have borrowed existing tech to bring their plug-ins to market. Karma needed Quantum Technologies to provide the plug-in hybrid drivetrain and used a General Motors-sourced 2.0 liter turbo four-cylinder engine. Tesla used the Lotus Elise to develop its first car, the Roadster. That said, the sparring judges would probably send more points to Tesla Motors, which sells its battery system and EV powertrain technology to companies like Toyota.

Tesla's Elon Musk calls Fisker Karma 'a mediocre product at a high price' originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 18 Aug 2012 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electric vehicleselon muskevfiskerfisker karmshenrik fiskermodel splug inteslaSat, 18 Aug 2012 18:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20303527/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/08/18/teslas-elon-musk-calls-fisker-karma-a-mediocre-product-at-a-hi/20303527/article-detail.xml 20303527 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/building-tesla-model-s_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/building-tesla-model-s.jpg <![CDATA[Elon Musk to remain at Tesla for "several more years," personally inspects Model S]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/27/elon-musk-to-remain-at-tesla-for-several-more-years-personall/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/27/elon-musk-to-remain-at-tesla-for-several-more-years-personall/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/27/elon-musk-to-remain-at-tesla-for-several-more-years-personall/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

2013 Tesla Model S - maroon - front three-quarter view

Few automakers' fortunes and CEOs are as intrinsically linked as Tesla Motors and Elon Musk. The boss of the full-electric automaker can influence the stock of his company with something as simple as an outlandish statement - exactly the sort of utterance the mercurial executive is fond of making. In the latest Musk news, it appears he has no plans to change any of that, saying that he will stay with Tesla for "several more years."

Investors want him to remain at the company through - and past - the launch of the Model S. To leave now would potentially derail any momentum that the company can muster from the all-electric sedan.

Perhaps the investors like the idea of having a lighting rod like Musk around for when questions about cutting production - or when the company will make money - are asked.

Part of his duties through the rest of his tenure at Tesla will also reportedly include personally inspecting production examples of the Model S. To find out exactly what that entails, we reached out to the automaker for comment. According to Tesla spokesperson Christina Ra, Musk checks "Everything from functionality, to fit and finish. Anything from door handles to carpet to molding, to driving... The things we are potentially having to work on are not big things - 98-percent of the car is ready to go."

Ra would not comment on exactly how many cars he checks at the Fremont, California facility, but tells us, "At a high level, he's looking at everything."

We're still not exactly sure what that means, but its always refreshing to see a CEO down in the trenches - even if it might just be a publicity stunt.

Elon Musk to remain at Tesla for "several more years," personally inspects Model S originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jul 2012 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 tesla model selon muskmodel steslaFri, 27 Jul 2012 18:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20284796/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/07/27/elon-musk-to-remain-at-tesla-for-several-more-years-personall/20284796/article-detail.xml 20284796 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/07/01-tesla-model-s-beta-fd-628-1343141014_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/07/01-tesla-model-s-beta-fd-628-1343141014.jpg <![CDATA[Dan Neil eats crow, donates $1,000 to charity on behalf of Tesla CEO Elon Musk]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/29/dan-neil-eats-crow-donates-1-000-to-charity-on-behalf-of-tesla/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/29/dan-neil-eats-crow-donates-1-000-to-charity-on-behalf-of-tesla/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/29/dan-neil-eats-crow-donates-1-000-to-charity-on-behalf-of-tesla/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

2012 Tesla Model S

Dan Neil, he of the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism fame, has made a decent living peddling his automotive snark, and for good reason, as Neil is unquestionably one of the best and funniest at what we do. Tesla CEO Elon Musk - also an outspoken salesman of some merit - differs from Neil in one primary respect, which is that Musk is worth some $2 billion and thus doesn't have to drive someone else's cars around.

When these two agreed to resolve their disagreement over Tesla's seemingly pie-in-the-sky production plans by means of a wager, those of us familiar with both affable egos were deeply amused. Neil most certainly did not expect to lose his end of the bet: That Tesla would fail in its promise to deliver its second model on time. What with the prevailing view at the time being that Tesla's game plan was merely to get bought out by some larger entity and that the Model S was just vaporware, a means to that end, we probably would have gone with Neil had someone forced us to take sides. Of course, we can all learn a lesson here, which is that you don't bet against the guy who owns the casino.

Musk and Tesla clearly kept up their end of the bargain, so Neil's public mea culpa ran in Friday's Wall Street Journal. He states that he's made his $1,000 contribution to Doctors Without Borders, the penalty for the loss being far less than Musk's promised $1 million debit. Neil's pride is likely hurting more from the comeuppance than the cash outlay dented his savings account, but as he writes, "I lost, and happily so. As a proponent of electric mobility, I have said many times that I wanted to lose the bet... As a critic, I'll reserve judgment on the Model S until I get a chance to drive it."

Dan Neil eats crow, donates $1,000 to charity on behalf of Tesla CEO Elon Musk originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 16:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 tesla model sdan neildoctors without borderselon muskmodel steslaFri, 29 Jun 2012 16:46:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20269397/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/06/29/dan-neil-eats-crow-donates-1-000-to-charity-on-behalf-of-tesla/20269397/article-detail.xml 20269397 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/06/60-telsa-model-s-drive-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/06/60-telsa-model-s-drive-opt.jpg <![CDATA[Tesla libel suit against <i>Top Gear</i> fails again]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/24/tesla-libel-suit-against-top-gear-fails-again/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/24/tesla-libel-suit-against-top-gear-fails-again/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/24/tesla-libel-suit-against-top-gear-fails-again/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Tesla vs Top Gear graphic

Tesla and the company's lawyers are nothing if not determined. After a judge smacked down the electric vehicle manufacturer's libel suit against the BBC and Top Gear for comments made about the range of the Tesla Roadster, the automaker rallied with a second, amended lawsuit. It didn't take long for the the same judge to nix the new case, too, saying the amendment was "not capable of being defamatory at all, or, if it is, it is not capable of being a sufficiently serious defamatory meaning to constitute a real and substantial tort."

That sound? It's the smack of the judicial backhand.

The judge went on to say drivers know a manufacturer's claim about range is dependent on driving conditions and habits.

The dustup, as you may recall, began when Top Gear put the Tesla Roadster through its paces on the show's test track. While Jeremy Clarkson lauded the car's acceleration, the segment claimed the vehicle ran out of juice after just 55 miles of abuse. That figure is far south of the 200 mile range Tesla claims for the vehicle. CEO Elon Musk called the show "completely phony" not long after the segment aired and brought out the legal guns. The rest, as they say, is history.

Tesla libel suit against Top Gear fails again originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbcelon muskjeremy clarksonlawsuitroadsterteslatesla lawsuittesla roadstertesla top gear lawsuittesla vs top geartop geartop gear lawsuitFri, 24 Feb 2012 14:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20178900/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/02/24/tesla-libel-suit-against-top-gear-fails-again/20178900/article-detail.xml 20178900 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/02/tesla-vs-top-gear-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/02/tesla-vs-top-gear-628.jpg -1 2