German Car Zone

i really like this view
its a beautiful american car - there have been hardly any US cars which you could describe that way in the recent years (excluding sport cars)

Don't forget that it's a concept, and with the current instabilities in the economy I don't think it will reach the stage of production in the next 12-18 months.

Actually it's much better looking than the XF

I definitely agree with th e folks who say it looks like the XF...I'll go as far as to say that the rear lights look very similar to the current IS.

Tesla Model S: $50,000 EV Sedan Seats Seven, 300-mile range, 0-60 in 5.5s
by Jonathon Ramsey on Mar 26th 2009 at 5:15PM




It's been a long and difficult road, but Tesla Motors has made it to unveiling No. 2. After a lot of hype and delivery of 250 Tesla Roadsters, the company's Model S was unveiled today in Hawthorne, California. Tesla was incredibly careful about not leaking a lot of information before today – designing the Model S at a high-security rocket facility helped with that, but we still got a peek a few hours ago – and now that it's here, we love what we see. As for new information on the Tesla For The Rest Of Us (sort of), follow the jump for all the details and check out the gallery of high res photos below.

UPDATE: We have just listened to the panjandrum Elon Musk and the car's designer speak about the new Tesla S sedan, and these are the things to know about the first mass-produced highway-capable electric car: production will ramp up to 20,000 units annually by the end of the first year of production; after the $7,500 tax break, the Model S will start at just under $50,000 – $49,900 to be exact; and 440-volt charging will be available. That base price is for the 160-mile range pack; a 230-mile range pack and a 300-mile range pack will also be available.

UPDATE: We've added official pictures from Tesla, including this one of the Roadster and the Model S next to each other, to the second gallery below.


Gallery: Tesla Model S: LIVE REVEAL



Gallery: Tesla Model S





PRESS RELEASE

At a Glance: Production Model S

With a 300-mile range and 45-minute QuickCharge, the $49,900 Model S can carry five adults and two children in quiet comfort – and you can charge it from any outlet, without ever stopping for gas. World's first mass-produced electric vehicle offers performance, efficiency and unrivaled utility with twice the energy-efficiency of hybrids, making Model S the only car you'll ever need.


Convenience and utility bullet points:

• Up to 300-mile range
• 45-minute QuickCharge
• 5-minute battery swap
• Charges from 110V, 220V or 440V
• Seating for 5 adults + 2 child seats
• Unique hatch for oversized items
• 60/40 flat-folding rear seat
• 2nd trunk under hood
• EPA Roominess Index 121.6
• More room than station wagons
• 17-inch infotainment touchscreen
• 3G wireless connectivity

Model S powertrain includes a liquid-cooled 9-inch motor, floor-mounted battery pack and a single-speed gearbox, delivering effortless acceleration, responsive handling and quiet simplicity -- no fancy clutchwork or gear-shifting required. Model S costs as little as $4 to fully charge – a bargain even if gasoline dropped to $1 per gallon. You can have affordable fun while being socially responsible.


Technical specs:

• 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds
• ¼ mile in 14 seconds
• 120 mph top speed
• Braking 60-0 mph 135 feet
• 42 kWh battery storage system standard
• 70 kWh and greater battery storage systems optional
• 9- inch liquid cooled electric motor
• Single-speed transaxle gearbox
• Curb Weight 3825 lbs
• Overall Length 196"
• Wheelbase 116.5"
• All-wheel-drive available (option available in future production models)
• Right hand drive available

Source: Tesla Model S: $50,000 EV sedan seats seven, 300-mile range, 0-60 in 5.5s

A giant leap forward for the automotive industry.

This is a no compromise green car -
Has the looks, performance, enough room, decent range and usability.
If it handled well, was well built and luxurious enough, it would steal buyers from BMW Mercedes and Audi's showrooms.

I'm very, very impressed.

I hope this pans out to what we want / expect it to be!

GCFers... is this the end of the world as we know it? At long last?

Mix of jag and fisker.. with lorinser/SLR rimms..

said that it still looks good

Our dependency on oil will definitely come to an end in 2 decades or so and first blood goes to Tesla. But the party doesn't start until the fat lady arrives and therefore this technology will not take off until one of the big players like VAG, MB or Toyota join in. Hybrid is at the moment the main focus for the big manufacturers who have just started to implement the technology into their cars. What Tesla are offering is very early adopters technology which is incredibly risky to take by a player like Mercedes that cannot afford someone of negative press that we've read on the Tesla. If you guys thought the development testing for the Panamera was long then you'd be surprised how long the development would be for a car of this kind if developed by VAG or MB. At least 4-6 years of road testing would be necessary to ensure that the technology is reliable and dependable throughout a car's economic life time.

Looks fantastic. It doesn't occur regularly, but I'm a bit concerned that I'd never be able to drive further than the stated range: say, I would never be able to drive from Melbourne to Sydney, or Sydney to Brisbane in it. (Would this necessitate always owning two cars?)

Very promising though.