Tesla plans to get its first sedan out next year and it has begun testing the first of two prototypes: the Model S Alpha. The new Model S shows a few slight design variations from the versions that we’ve seen in the past at auto shows, including a new front fascia with air intakes in the bumper.

Tesla released some video of its hot, electric sedan so you can give it the full eye over. Excuse the cliche, but it’s definitely not your daddy’s family sedan.

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You may have heard that Tesla, manufacturer of an electric sports car, and Top Gear, the hilarious British TV show about motoring and Jeremy Clarkson flying into a sputtering rage, are at each other’s throats. But why?

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German tuning house Brabus has introduced a new package for the Tesla Roadster that makes the no-emissions sports car even greener. Unlike most tunes, the most notable part of this package is completely separate from the car: a 240-volt home charging station that promises full juice times of under six hours. The charger is made by German firm RWE, and along with it, buyers will get 18,641 miles worth of “eco-electricty,” harvested from sustainable sources. And since you may need a little extra juice on the road, you’ll also get one year worth of free charging at any of RWE’s public stations.

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I’m not usually a huge fan of vanity plates. And I’m even less a fan of using the completely done-to-death “LOL” anywhere outside of binary-based communications. But when the two otherwise detestable elements team up to hock a big one right over the brow of oil tycoons, I’m all about it. Here we see the rear end of a bright Tesla Roadster using sarcasm to replace the emissions that you would usually see spewing out the backside. Nicely done.

The RAV4 EV is back! And with a few years worth of electric drivetrain evolution, it promises to be better than ever. Toyota and Tesla announced today that the first vehicle the two have partnered on is an electric-powered RAV4 crossover. Tesla has already delivered one prototype to Toyota and is working on a fleet of additional prototypes for evaluation. The new EV is expected to debut in the United States in 2012.

The original RAV4 EV was one of those ahead-of-its-time electrics from back in the 1990s. It was on the market from 1997 to 2003 and sold around 1,500 units. Toyota has admitted that the EV didn’t perform that well in terms of sales, but it did play an important role in the development of future technologies. [via NY Times]

Not long before Toyota and Tesla announced their partnership in May, reports indicated that Tesla was working on a crossover model for a 2013 launch. It’s not that surpising, therefore, that the first joint ventures to come out of the Tesla/Toyota working relationship will be crossover models. Following a statement that it will produce two prototypes for Toyota this year, Tesla will reportedly be equipping the RAV 4 and Lexus RX with full electric powertrains. The prototypes are expected to be delivered to Toyota this summer. [via Carscoop]

The initial public stock offering went swimmingly for Tesla yesterday, bringing in a higher stock price than expected and resulting in $226 million for the California electric car maker. Tesla sold 13.3 million shares at $17 each–higher than the $14 to $16 that Tesla originally expected. After the sales, the company was valued at $1.33 billion.

Now that Tesla has some extra bills in its pocket, it will move to debut its Model S sedan. The IPO money will be put toward acquisitions and factories.

Tesla’s stock begins trading on NASDAQ today under the symbol TSLA. [via WCF]

If you thought the steam behind Tesla was going to thin out after the Roadster and Model S, it appears you’d be wrong. At least at the moment. Elon Musk recently revealed some future plans that include an entire family of vehicles built on the Model S platform. It seems Tesla is intent on slowly diluting its line and making it less and less sexy. The company’s plans call for a minivan and crossover that share the architecture and powertrain of the Model S. Thankfully, there’s also a nice looking convertible, which appears larger than the Roadster but equally attractive.

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As expected, Toyota and Tesla announced a partnership yesterday that will be focused on developing future electric vehicle-building infrastructure and vehicles. Here’s the scant details we were able to glean from the back-patting quote-a-thon that was the story.

Toyota will invest $50 million in Toyota. Tesla has acquired Toyota’s recently closed NUMMI plant in Fremont, CA, and will open up production on its Model S sedan at the plant in 2012. The move could create as many as 1,000 jobs in the San Francisco area.

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