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BREAKING: Tesla shows future products in IPO road show, liquid-cooled motor and electronics

Autoblog Staff — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:40:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Minivan/Van, Sedan, Performance, Crossover, Hatchback, Earnings/Financials, Tesla, Electric, Luxury

Tesla future models - Click above for more slides from the road show

The long-delayed initial public offering for Tesla Motors is expected to happen as early as next week. Naturally, then, company CEO Elon Musk now has to go out and sell it. One of the last steps before the stock's on-sale date is the Road Show, where executives go before the mavens of Wall Street to convince them of the value of the company.

Slide #19 of Musk's Powerpoint gives us the first glimpse of what might come after the Model S, which includes a cabriolet, van and crossover. All will be built on a common platform with the Model S and will mount the battery pack under the floor in a similar manner to the Nissan Leaf. The cabriolet, in particular, is quite the stunner and should provide a real competitor to the Fisker Karma Sunset.

Among the other changes that Musk revealed are liquid-cooled power electronics and motor starting with the Model S. While this will add to the cost and complexity of the powertrain, it should help improve the overall efficiency and overcome some of the limiting factors that were found late in the development of the Roadster. The full Tesla prospectus is available here and you can watch the Road Show here.

Gallery: Tesla future models

[Source: Retail Road Show]

BREAKING: Tesla shows future products in IPO road show, liquid-cooled motor and electronics originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BREAKING: Toyota and Tesla to partner on EV production in California

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 20 May 2010 20:27:00 EST

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

Tesla Model S - Click above for high-res image

California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda held a joint press in Palo Alto, California to announce that the two companies would be collaborating on electric vehicle development and production, with Tesla will taking over the recently closed NUMMI factory in Fremont, CA to produce the Model S sedan.

Toyota will invest $50 million for a private placement of Tesla common stock and the state of California will provide a sales tax abatement to Tesla for capital equipment expenditures to tool up the plant. Musk estimated that the abatement will amount to about $20 million over the next several years.

According to Musk, production of the Model S will bring about 1,000 employees back to the NUMMI plant to produce about 20,000 cars a year at first, and as the facility expands - possibly to include the production of more models - it could employ up to 10,000 workers. Musk revealed that some employees have already been rehired, but was non-committal on the subject of union representation. NUMMI was the only Toyota plant in North America that was unionized.

An additional benefit to Tesla from this deal is that it will be able to take advantage of the Toyota production system and possibly some of Toyota's suppliers. That's sure to help Tesla avoid many of the logistical problems that hampered early Roadster production and costs.

Production of the Model S is still planned to start in 2012 and Musk said more advanced prototypes would be revealed later this year. No decisions have been made yet about additional vehicles to be produced at the plant which previously had a capacity of more than 300,000 vehicles a year.

The deal for the NUMMI plant leaves Downey, CA jilted at the altar with the city's mayor "feeling stabbed in the back by Tesla." The Toyota deal apparently came together very quickly and Musk acknowledged that he would still like to work with Downey, perhaps for a future Space-X facility. Hit the jump for all the details.

Gallery: Tesla Model S in motion

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading BREAKING: Toyota and Tesla to partner on EV production in California

BREAKING: Toyota and Tesla to partner on EV production in California originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 May 2010 20:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wife of Tesla CEO demands 10-percent of his company stock and a Roadster in divorce

Eric Loveday — Mon, 17 May 2010 15:32:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Tesla

It's not all that often that a messy divorce pops up with a billionaire on one side and somebody who wants part of the money on the other, right? Actually, this occurs far too often and a divorce involving wealthy individuals can be downright messy and ultimately destructive to those involved. It appears as though the divorce between Tesla's chief executive officer Elon Musk and soon-to-be ex-wife Justine Musk is playing out as one of those mega-litigious affairs, and the impact may be extend well beyond just the two involved.

In case you haven't followed the Musk soap opera, here's what's going on. The divorce saga has been going on seemingly forever, as these things take lots of time. Justine Musk recently began blogging about the whole fiasco a couple of weeks ago on her Livejournal site. Justine is fighting the court battle to secure a few things that she feels entitled to. What does Justine want? Not much, just the house, alimony and child support, $6 million in cash, 10 percent of Elon's stock in Tesla, 5 percent of his stock in SpaceX, and throw in a Tesla Roadster as well.

Naturally, Elon is none too thrilled about the demands and has decided to fight this one in court. As the battle ensues, Elon stands a chance of losing much more than just the things listed above. If the divorce goes awry, Tesla could lose the $465 million in government funding that could delay its initial public offering. How does the divorce play into government funding? A stipulation in the paperwork states that government funds will be withdrawn if Musk doesn't hold enough stock in the company.

So is Justine being fair? Are her demands legit? As she said on her blog:

Is that what I deserve? I don't know. Who exactly deserves that kind of wealth? But based on our life and history together, is that reasonable? I think so.

One more thing to think about: by not agreeing to a settlement, Elon Musk risks losing even more as the post-marital agreement could be ruled illegal or fraudulent, and California law would then grant 50 percent of all communal property to Justine.

[Source: Livejournal, Reuters, Inside Line]

Wife of Tesla CEO demands 10-percent of his company stock and a Roadster in divorce originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 May 2010 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tesla employees going on 2,700 mile road trip from LA to Detroit

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:32:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Electric

Tesla Roadster #750 - click above for high res image gallery

After delivering some 900 Tesla Roadsters, over a dozen employees are taking one on a road trip. Tesla will be back at the Detroit Auto Show next month and this time they're driving there. On Thursday, December 17, 16 Tesla employees will depart from Los Angeles and head across the Southeast toward Texas and then north east to Chicago and Detroit.

While the the 2,700 mile trip could be completed in a few days in conventional car, it will take two and a half weeks for the Roadster. According to Tesla's announcement, " We are out to prove the Roadster is tough and durable, and that range anxiety is for the weak." While the Roadster may be durable, part of the reason the trip is taking so long is the need to stop and spend several hours recharging every couple of hundred miles. Of course Telsa staff will be using those charging opportunities to show off the car and drum up a few sales.

Speaking of sales, an anonymous source claiming to have knowledge of the situation tells us that Tesla is currently selling about 20-30 Roadsters a month. New Tesla spokeperson Khobi Brooklyn says the company is currently building about 25 cars a week, but declines to comment on the sales figures.

Gallery: Tesla Roadster Road Trip

[Source: Tesla]

Tesla employees going on 2,700 mile road trip from LA to Detroit originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tesla Roadster sets world EV record of 313 miles on single charge

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:03:00 EST

Filed under: Tesla, Electric

Simon Hackett and co-driver Emilis Prelgauskas with the record setting Roadster - click above for high-res image gallery

It's no secret that how you drive influences a vehicle's efficiency. Case in point: This week's Global Green Challenge in Australia where Simon Hackett shipped his 2008 Tesla Roadster down under and proceeded to set a new world record for a production battery-powered vehicle. Hackett and co-driver Emilis Prelgauskas managed to squeeze 313 miles out of the lithium ion battery pack of the Roadster.

As the drivers crossed the finish line, approximately three miles was left on the charge at the end of the run south from Alice Springs. That easily topped the 241-mile run by another Roadster earlier this year in the Rallye Monte Carlo d'Energies Alternatives and the 244 miles the car achieves on the EPA test cycle.

Of course, achieving those kinds of range numbers means completely forgoing the performance capabilities of the Roadster, just as it would in any other sports car. The 0-60 in 3.9 seconds and 244 mile range is an either/or choice, you sadly can't have both. Tesla's press release is after the jump.

Gallery: Global Green Challenge Tesla Roadster goes 313 miles

[Source: Tesla]

Continue reading Tesla Roadster sets world EV record of 313 miles on single charge

Tesla Roadster sets world EV record of 313 miles on single charge originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:03:00 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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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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