Tesla Motors has released some more photos of its upcoming Model S all-electric sedan. The set of pics published here show the car doing a few laps around a track with Tesla's chief designer, Franz Von Holzhausen, behind the wheel.
The Silicon Valley start-up claims that more than 1,000 orders have come in for the new sedan. Tesla Motors also manufactures the Tesla Roadster which is already on the market.
The Model S is a 3,825 lbs (1735 kg) sedan that seats 5 (with an additional 2 rear-facing seats under the hatch suitable for children) and is 196-inches long (4.98m). Tesla claims that the Model S will have a range of up to 300 miles (483 km) and do the 0 to 60 mph (100 km/h) sprint in 5.6 seconds. Top speed will be limited to 130 mph (210 km/h). Recharging can be done from 120v, 208v or 240v outlets, which takes a very vague "hours".
The car will debut sometime in 2011 and will sell for $49,900 (35,000 euros) when government rebates are added.
The question is what kind of range will the Tesla S achieve in real-world driving. The electric vehicle technology of today suffers from this yet unsolvable and fundamental shortcoming: the very thing that makes the motor car unique as a mode of transportation - it's ability to go anywhere at anytime - is not something that an electric vehicle can deliver today, tethered as it is to the need of a power outlet and the time it takes to recharge the batteries.
We shall wait and see.
nederina
August 21, 2009 5:50 PM
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