Will the Tesla electric car ever be mass marketed seems to be a central question regarding the cutting edge EV. The Tesla Roadster is undeniably cool. It is also undeniably expensive at $110,000 US plus. Any discussion of this car by wage earners will return to price sooner or later.
In term of range, the Roadster is unsurpassed for a production EV. Several records have been set: one at 311 miles in level Australia, and another at 357 miles on a single charge in the flats of Central Valley, CA. Speeds were 25 mph or so.
The Tesla Roadster used to cost about as much as the base model Tango electric car. The monthly payments for most people would probably be about the same as the Tango electric car at around $2,000 a month. Since the first production run has ended, the cost will like go up.
The Tesla Roadster can run with the Porsche types on the road, or smoke tires off the line in the quarter mile. Then it can return around 200 or better miles on a charge. It is an extremely well engineered and built car. Tesla Company claims are verified by Road and Track. Specifications are here.
For the record, Dragtimes.com gives 12.7 sec at 105.3 mph in the standing quarter for the Tesla. So, there is no doubt of the quality of the Roadster.
People who own Roadsters certainly love the cars and organize Roadster Rally events and such. However, the question still seems to be how many of these high end cars will daily drivers be able to afford, particularly somewhere in a recession? Enter the S, (some of) The Peoples Tesla.
Tesla S
The 2012 Tesla Model S is about half the price of the Roadster. The S offers three different battery packs, plus battery switching technology with the packs for greater convenience. Specifications for the S battery configurations are here.
The Model S is a luxury sedan and is not budget priced either. The price varies with battery pack size and range. The options are: 160 miles, 230 miles, and 300 miles. The 160 miler starts at $57,400 US; the 230-mile pack at $67,000; topping out at $77,000 for the 300 mile pack. The first production run is 5,000 in 2012 with a second run of 20,000 cars in 2013, according to Tesla representatives.
The S will hopefully be popular enough to bump up sales for the Tesla Motor Company. The S has top reviews so far. A few others have managed to cop a quick drive in the S and liked it so far. Let’s hope the positive trend continues.
Tesla S and Model X Sales
Tesla has gotten 500 reservations for its Model X SUV. The Model S is on track and the company expects to sell 5,000 units in 2012.
