Tesla Electric Car S Model Coming In March, 2009
Tesla made headline news when the company first introduced their roadster model which was battery powered and ran off electricity. Now the company is planning on introducing a 4 door sedan which they call the S model in March of this year. The company is also hoping to get funding from the stimulus package so that they can open a production facility in California.
According to a Silicon Valley article from the SJ Mercury news it also states that:
Tesla Motors said its long-awaited $450 million loan from the federal government could come as soon as this summer, a crucial factor in its plans to build an electric-car factory in California.
“I am excited to report that the Department of Energy informed Tesla last week that they expect to disburse funds … within four or five months,” Elon Musk, Tesla’s chief executive and chairman, wrote in a newsletter distributed to customers Wednesday.
Tesla, based in San Carlos, stopped short of saying its loan application had been approved. Indeed, an Energy Department spokeswoman said Wednesday that her agency “has made no final decisions for specific applications for the auto-loan program.”
Still, Tesla is optimistic the department will approve its request for money from the $25 billion loan program to retool U.S. factories to make more fuel-efficient cars and trucks, said Diarmuid O’Connell, the company’s director of corporate development. Tesla has asked for $350 million to retrofit a factory to assemble its Model S electric sedan and $100 million for its battery-supply business.
Sneak peek!
In view of the economic down turn that has hit GM hard, one would think that Detroit would want to open their doors to this private venture. These people appear to know what they are doing.
Comments welcome.
10 Comments
Capt. John Swallow
February 13th, 2009
at 4:36am
This could be good news…and better news if, in fact, the auto manufacturers are committed to building more energy efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles – though the general populace will need to get over their love of obnoxiously huge, gas sucking, Suck Up your money Vehicles
http://www.zenncars.com/
Already on the market and taking a huge leap forward with the new EEStor “battery”, the ZENN Car (Zero Emission No Noise) is currently available at over 40 locations across the US and in Quebec (Canada) where it is manufactured. In an odd twist of stupidity, it is not technically “legal” to drive in most of Canada as the Government can’t decide what to classify it as (or more likely, how to tax it).
The cityZENN is planned to be a fully certified, highway capable vehicle with a top speed of 125 KPH/ 80 MPH and a range of 400 kilometres/250 miles. Powered by EEStor, the cityZENN will be rechargeable in less than 5 minutes, feature operating costs 1/10th of a typical internal combustion engine vehicle and be 100% emission-free! The Zero-Emission, No-Noise cityZENN will be designed to meet the transportation requirements of a large percentage of drivers worldwide.
Target Launch of the cityZENN, powered by EEStor: Fall 2009
http://www.youtube.com/zenntv
Alex
February 13th, 2009
at 8:32am
Great idea but the price is totally out of reach for the people who need it most — the average American. I recall reading a year or so ago that they expected the price to be around $30,000. Guess that goal couldn’t be made.
obiero.isaac
February 13th, 2009
at 11:59pm
I think there is more to be invented should the seniors in the field involve witty juniors all over the world.
Den
February 14th, 2009
at 5:35am
AMERICANS Don’t . want . or . BUY . electric . CARS
Ron Schenone
February 14th, 2009
at 9:37am
You mean there are no Prius cars in Jamestown?
John
February 14th, 2009
at 3:10pm
I honestly can’t see buying an Electric for $60K,
when I can and buy a $22K bio diesel VW Jetta getting 755miles per tank.15gallon tank.
Dodge RAM pickup TDI $38K biodiesel getting 755 miles per tank for 35 gallon tank.
Ron Schenone
February 15th, 2009
at 6:29am
Hi John,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Den
February 15th, 2009
at 9:17am
There’s . 1 . Ron
John
February 27th, 2009
at 2:09pm
If we Americans has to pay the full price for gasoline including defense costs, economic costs, subsidies, environmental costs and dependency costs, we would all have an electric car in the garage already.
Since peak oil in 1970, we have been under-paying at the pump at the expense of mortgaging our future and ever-increasing taxes.
Imagine how quickly the electric car would be rolled out if gas were $12 a gallon at the pump.
History will hold a special place for Tesla Motors.
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April 10th, 2009
at 10:00pm
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