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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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Tesla Roadster on sale in Canada as of... today, deliveries start in Q4 '09

Sebastian Blanco — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrid, Green

Click above for more images of the Tesla Roadster testing in the snow

Canada has not always been the friendliest territory for electric cars, but that's changing. After the Tesla empire officially expanded to Chicago yesterday, the company has announced it will join the northern rush and is now ready to take orders in Canada. Canadian buyers will have to wait until the fourth quarter of 2009 to actually get their cars, but they should feel free to sign up for the $109,000 electric car whenever they feel like it. Oh, and that's the U.S. price; the cost for Canadians will be set later this year) The first deliveries will be made out of upcoming Tesla "regional centers" in Seattle and New York, but Canada-based stores are in the works.

In the announcement of the Canadian sales, Tesla highlights one big difference between American and Canadian Roadsters: the electricity used to power the vehicles is much more likely to be clean up north:

Canada and Norway are the only two countries worldwide where the majority of electricity comes from renewable resources, including run-of-river small hydro, wind, biomass, geothermal and solar energy. An EV recharged from the current Canadian grid, on average, would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 85 percent compared to an equivalent gasoline-powered vehicle. In hydro-dominant British Columbia, Quebec and Manitoba, the reduction would be an impressive 98 percent.

Click here for some fun video of the Tesla Roadster undergoing ice testing, and see more images of Roadsters in the snow here.

Gallery: First Drive: Tesla Roadster

[Source: Tesla]

Continue reading Tesla Roadster on sale in Canada as of... today, deliveries start in Q4 '09

Tesla Roadster on sale in Canada as of... today, deliveries start in Q4 '09 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Tesla Model S teaser surfaces, our friend Jason orders two!

Sam Abuelsamid — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Hybrid, Green

Click above to view enhanced version of Tesla Model S teaser

Over at Jason Calacanis' blog, a new teaser shot of the Tesla Model S has surfaced that shows a bit more detail of the car's greenhouse profile. According to Jason, the photo was emailed to buyers of the Signature 100 cars, of which he is one. We got our first glimpse of the new car last week but this one shows more. Most of the car appears to be hidden in this image but there are details if you know how to look. A visit to the curves adjustment in Photoshop reveals the same fender trim seen on the earlier shot as well as the wheels. In the adjusted version, the door handles and side glass profile are also visible, as is the glass roof. We don't know at this point if the glass roof will be part of the production model, although it could be problematic for an EV. The extra thermal load would have the air conditioning working harder and thus cut into the range. You can check out the enhanced photo after the jump.

Tesla has opened the reservation list for the Signature Series and Jason is so happy with his Roadster that he has decided to order two Model S Signature Series sedans. Right now, only early adopters of the Roadster can get on the list for a $40,000 refundable deposit. Following the March 26 reveal, anyone will be able to order one for a $10,000 deposit, and if you already own a Roadster, you'll get $10,000 off the price of a Model S. Don't forget the enhanced version of the Model S teaser after the jump. Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

[Source: Calacanis.com]

Continue reading New Tesla Model S teaser surfaces, our friend Jason orders two!

New Tesla Model S teaser surfaces, our friend Jason orders two! originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 Feb 2009 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tesla teases freshly delayed Model S sedan

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:40:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Geneva Motor Show, Green

The image has been removed at the photographer's request, to view it visit BusinessWeek.

BusinessWeek has a story about last week's trials and tribulations at Tesla Motors, which wraps up most of what we already know, along with some new details. The investment bankers called up Tesla chairman Elon Musk to let him know that the company's IPO plans weren't going to fly in the current financial markets. Musk and the management team reacted quickly by slashing 25% of the company's workforce, shutting down the Rochester Hills, MI engineering office and pretty much halting all non-revenue producing work. That meant the much anticipated Model S sedan was put on the back burner until more cash was flowing into the coffers. Now, the four-door electric sport sedan won't be going into production until at least 2011.

Tesla SVP Darryl Siry tipped us off that the story was being published tonight and more importantly, to the presence of the photo you see above. That's recently hired Tesla design boss Franz von Holzhausen revealing a wee bit of the tail of the Model S. Siry tells us that we probably won't be seeing the whole car until the Geneva Motor Show next March. In the meantime, this is probably just the first of a series of teasers that will appear to keep the publicity pot boiling.

[Source: BusinessWeek via AutoblogGreen]

Tesla teases freshly delayed Model S sedan originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tesla not planning SUV based on Model S platform

Sam Abuelsamid — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Green

Two big British car magazines are reporting on some of Tesla's future product plans today following the latest promotional tour by SVP Marketing Darryl Siry. There isn't a whole lot new in the articles that hasn't already been reported here and on AutoblogGreen over the past year, but there were a couple of interesting items and errors. First of all AutoCar is reporting that Tesla is planning to use the platform of the Model S sedan (formerly known as WhiteStar) for future vehicles, which makes perfect sense. Unfortunately, they are also reporting that Tesla is planning an electric SUV off that platform, so we contacted Siry to check on this. Siry told ABG that there are in fact no plans to build an SUV. An SUV body style was just used as an example to demonstrate the flexibility of the platform.

Helping to achieve that flexibility is a reconfigured battery pack that lays under the floor rather than upright behind the seats as in the Roadster. This will allow for a modular configuration so that that the Model S can be offered with different range options. The base model is expected to get a 160-mile range for it's $60,000 base price, while 220- or 300-mile options will cost extra. The magazines did get a chance to see design sketches of the Model S, but Siry wouldn't release them. For now he will only show them in the same room, but we do know the Model S will reportedly have a coupe-like profile on its four-door hatch body style. If Tesla can avoid the launch problems it had with the Roadster, the Model S will be on the road in 2010.

[Sources: AutoCar, CAR, Tesla Motors, AutoblogGreen]

Tesla not planning SUV based on Model S platform originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ex-Chrysler VP moves west to head Tesla engineering

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:27:00 EST

Filed under: Green, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

If Tesla has learned anything from the development of the Roadster over the past five years, it's that building a production car that meets present day regulations is a lot harder than anyone in Silicon Valley guessed. The process is filled with all kinds of potholes and having some people on the team with experience navigating those craters can be a big help. During AutoblogGreen's recent conversation with Tesla Chairman Elon Musk, he revealed that the company would have several experienced auto industry people coming aboard soon. The first of those new recruits has now been revealed as Mike Donoughe, Tesla's new Executive Vice President for vehicle development and manufacturing. Donoughe is a 24-year veteran of Chrysler who resigned from his VP post there three months ago, and was instrumental in the effort to redesign Chrysler's mid-sized cars. At Tesla he will be responsible for vehicle engineering for the Roadster and Model S except for the drivetrain. Initially, Donoughe will focus on getting the Model S' engineering and manufacturing sorted out. The Tesla press release is after the jump.

[Source: Tesla Motors, via AutoblogGreen]

Continue reading Ex-Chrysler VP moves west to head Tesla engineering

Ex-Chrysler VP moves west to head Tesla engineering originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ex-Tesla CEO irked over which Roadster he's getting

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 12 May 2008 12:29:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Etc., Green, Plants/Manufacturing

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.

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Rumormill: Fisker designed Tesla's upcoming Whitestar sedan

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:28:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Green, Rumormill

Click above for high-res live gallery of the Fisker Karma

A site of which this blogger previously wasn't aware is reporting that the body of the soon-to-be-revealed Tesla WhiteStar sedan was originally penned by one Henrik Fisker. According to Street Import Online, a mole deep within San Carlos has spilled the beans that the designer who recently unveiled his own plug-in hybrid super sedan, the Fisker Karma (above), had previously been contracted by Tesla Motors for its second product. According to Street Import Online, Tesla had backed out of a deal to have Fisker create the body for the WhiteStar electric sedan but kept the design.

We contacted Tesla's Marketing VP Darryl Siry to verify the accuracy of this story, and Siry declined to either confirm or deny the report, which you can interpret however you choose. If the story is true, it may well have prompted Fisker to pursue building a similar vehicle under his own name, which led to the Karma. The WhiteStar sedan is planned as a battery electric sedan, although Tesla has acknowledged that is also developing a range-extended electric hybrid version. Regardless of who actually drew the WhiteStar, Tesla has said it plans to reveal the sedan's design later this Spring after it begins delivering a steady stream of EV Roadsters. Thanks for the tip, Jose!

Update: Our own sources indicate that Tesla is not using the Fisker design for the final car. Other than having four doors and a similar number of wheels, the Whitestar is completely different from the Fisker proposal.

[Source: Street Import Online]

Rumormill: Fisker designed Tesla's upcoming Whitestar sedan originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tesla Whitestar electric sedan to debut this year

Noah Joseph — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 14:33:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Green

Click to view more images of the Tesla Roadster

With its long-awaited Roadster now heading into production, Tesla is lifting its gaze to the horizon, which may not be all that distant. In a recent interview with CNET, Tesla co-founder Elon Musk revealed that the company will have the design for the anticipated Whitestar electric sedan finalized within this year's second quarter, and have a functional prototype ready before the end of the year.

Musk also confirmed that the electric sedan, whose name could very well change (probably to something that sounds less like a Ford minivan) before it hits the market, will be priced in the $50-60k range, and be produced - likely in Albuquerque, New Mexico - in annual runs of 10,000-20,000 units.

Gallery: First Drive: Tesla Roadster

[Source: CNET via AutoblogGreen]

Tesla Whitestar electric sedan to debut this year originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 17 Feb 2008 14:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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