Tesla lifts the skirt on the Model S, full exposure coming March 26

A couple months back, we got a glimpse of the rear bumper of Tesla's Model S via a BusinessWeek article on the company. Early this morning, we finally got an official shot from the company that provides some real clues. Given the past history between Tesla and Fisker Automotive, the obvious comparison is with the Karma. One difference that's immediately obvious is the length of the nose. Since Tesla opted to go with batteries only for energy storage, designer Franz von Holzhausen didn't have to accommodate a range extender under the hood. The whole car appears to be at least a foot shorter than the Karma.

At this point, Tesla plans to offer the Model S with several battery options; the base setup will provide a 160 mile nominal range. Like the Roadster, the motor in the Model S drives the rear wheels. We'll be seeing the rest of the car on March 26, by which time Tesla hopes to have a final decision on its DOE loan application so that they can make other announcements about production.

[Source: Tesla]