Tesla vs camels: Showdown in the desert

The tight grip that camels have traditionally held on oil-free driving in the sandy lands of the United Arab Emirates may be loosening. Although those iconic ships-of-the-desert have long held sway for those who did not want to be beholden to oil companies, vehicles from Tesla Motors may soon begin impinging on their turf. Not only is Tesla in talks to supply sedans to act as beasts of burden, carrying visitors and their baggage about, but they may also be getting a toe-hold in another historic camel arena, racing.

Tesla is in talks with separate ventures in Abu Dhabi and Qatar who would both like to set up electric car championships. Could that happen? Tesla's Simon Rochefort said, "The two investor groups are very serious about this, and these projects have a real chance of coming through." The other major deal involves a company who wants a couple dozen Roadsters to offer as rental vehicles for a renewable enery-powered resort located on an island they are currently building. That's in addition to the Roadsters they'd like to pair up with properties they will have available for sale. To top it all off, the un-named company also wants 100 future sedans to operate as Tesla taxis. But how well can this new camel competitor handle the sandy environment? This video may offer a clue.

[Source: The National via Tesla Motors Club]

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