Tesla Model S Concept
Tesla Motors is now taking orders for the Tesla Model S, an all-electric family sedan that offers seven seats and travels up to 300 miles on a single charge. Along with carrying its own on-board charger, the car can be recharged from 120V, 240V, or 480V outlets, with the latter taking as little as 45 minutes. Making the switch to an electric vehicle would mean drivers could make a trip from Los Angeles to New York in roughly the same amount of time as it would take to do so in a gas-powered car. What's more, the floor-mounted battery pack can be replaced in a comparatively shorter time than it takes to refuel a tank of gas, paving the way for potential battery-swap stations.
The floor-mounted powertrain also allows for maximum available cargo room. With a four-bar linkage hatchback, a flat-folding rear seat, and a second trunk space in the front hood, the Tesla Model S can hold even a 50-inch television alongside a mountain bike and a surfboard. Above any other sedan on the market, the Tesla Model S has the most cargo space, even exceeding some SUVs.
"Tesla Model S doesn't compromise on performance, efficiency or utility - it's truly the only car you need," said Tesla CEO, Chairman and Product Architect Elon Musk. "Tesla is relentlessly driving down the cost of electric vehicle technology, and this is just the first of many mainstream cars we're developing."
Tesla aims to begin production on the Model S in late 2011. Additionally, they expect to receive $350 million in federal loans from the Department of Energy's Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program for the construction of the Tesla Model S assembly plant in California.
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