MotorCrave.com » Tesla

New Tesla S Alpha Video Released

Chris Weiss — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 23:31:28 +0000

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.

The Model S will offer a range of up to 300 miles while delivering performance of 5.6 seconds to 60 mph. It’s scheduled to debut next year at a price of $57,000–before tax breaks. After the Alpha, Tesla will test out a Beta version before building the final production model.

Check out the Alpha below. [via WCF]

Tesla Vs. Top Gear: What You Need To Know

danseitz — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 17:00:29 +0000

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?

At heart is Top Gear’s less-than-favorable review of the Tesla Roadster. Nobody’s pretending Tesla didn’t take a beating; the show’s infamously caustic critic fried the Tesla for having a crappy range and for the brakes failing, although he did have nice things to say about the performance and handling.

Tesla was…less than happy, and hasn’t just been waging a legal battle with Top Gear: they’re going on a full PR push, complete with a rather bitchy page on their website calling Top Gear’s reviews “lies and misinformation”.

Top Gear shot back with a blog post tackling Tesla point-by-point, and concluding that there’s just a little bit of sour grapes.

Where do we fall? Well, if you actually watch the video, you learn that Tesla’s exaggerating its case quite a bit. Equally tellingly, Tesla doesn’t want money: it wants the episode completely off the air. No Netflix streaming, no reruns, no nothing.

In other words, we think Tesla doesn’t feel it’s been done wrong: Tesla’s feeling the heat from competitors as more luxury EVs hit the market, with better technology and, most importantly, lower price points. Rather than innovate, Tesla is trying to pretend that any valid criticisms of it are lies and slander.

We’ll see what the courts say, but honestly, we think Tesla is trying to avoid a fair discussion. Drive Tesla…but also some of its competitors, and then see what you think.

Brabus Green Package Ups The Tesla Roadster

Chris Weiss — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 00:59:17 +0000

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.

Of course, Brabus also tackles the car itself with a carbon front lip, LED daytime running lights, side space lights, and new rear spoiler and diffuser. Brabus adds a new sound program that includes V8 and race car sounds and a leather and Alcantara interior. [via AutoBlog]

Picture of the Day: Tesla Roadster Spits in the Face of Big Oil

Chris Weiss — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:22:40 +0000

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.

Toyota/Tesla Make Electric RAV4 Official

Chris Weiss — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 21:45:17 +0000

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]

Teslota Building Electric RAV 4 and Lexus RX Models

Chris Weiss — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 15:00:44 +0000

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]

Tesla Goes Public, Raises $226 Million

Chris Weiss — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 20:20:13 +0000

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]

Tesla Plans Minivan, Crossover and Other Models in the Future

Chris Weiss — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 18:42:34 +0000

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.

Tesla is currently on a road show trying to drum up excitement with investors in anticipation of its IPO next week.

Previous reports indicated that Tesla will introduce its crossover in 2013, following the 2012 release of the Model S. The other models will presumably follow. [via InsideLine]

Toyota and Tesla Announce Partnership

Chris Weiss — Fri, 21 May 2010 16:00:34 +0000

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.

That’s about it for details, most every other piece I’ve read was just quotes from every business and government leader that had the least bit to gain from the deal. So here’s some of that:

“I sensed the great potential of Tesla’s technology and was impressed by its dedication to monozukuri (Toyota’s approach to manufacturing),” said TMC President Akio Toyoda.

Meanwhile, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said: “Toyota is a company founded on innovation, quality, and commitment to sustainable mobility. It is an honor and a powerful endorsement of our technology that Toyota would choose to invest in and partner with Tesla. We look forward to learning and benefiting from Toyota’s legendary engineering, manufacturing, and production expertise.”

Yep, a lot of ass-kissery, but a potentially exciting deal nonetheless. [via SF Gate and egmCarTech]

Tesla and Toyota Teaming Up

Chris Weiss — Thu, 20 May 2010 21:02:44 +0000

Well here’s a partnership we could have seen coming. Tesla and Toyota have been respective leaders in electric cars and hybrids, and Tesla has mentioned its intention of working with other automakers in addition to building its own vehicles. Plus, they’re both T’s and who doesn’t love a good pair of T’s?

It’s hard to take anything the Governator says too seriously, but he’s the source of the San Francisco Gate’s article citing the new partnership, which will result in California-built electric cars. It’s supposed to be announced later this afternoon, so we’ll surely have more details then. Until then, you’ll have to daydream about what the T-T partnership will offer. [via SF Gate]

Tesla CUV Coming in 2013

Chris Weiss — Mon, 03 May 2010 14:00:20 +0000

IED/Tesla EYE Concept

The world has largely liked what it’s seen from Tesla. So far, that’s been the all-electric Roadster and Model S sedan. Tesla will slowly broaden its offerings with new models introduced between 2013 and 2014. Autoweek reports that an electric crossover will be among the first of those new models in 2013.

Little is yet known about the crossover, but the report says that future Teslas will include four-wheel drive and will be more affordable, with focus moving away from the performance market that the Roadster occupies toward the mass market. The Model S, which is coming in 2012, is expected to cost $50,000, less than half of what the Roadster starts at. [Autoweek via WCF]

TAG Heuer Tesla To Travel Around the World

Chris Weiss — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 16:28:14 +0000

After making a trip across Switzerland from Geneva to Basel, the TAG Heuer Tesla Roadster is officially on a voyage around the world. The car set out last Thursday on a 12,000-mile around the world, which includes three stops in the U.S. The trip is being hailed as the first trip around the world for a zero-emissions car. Actor Leonardo DiCaprio announced the trip at Baselworld last week, where the TAG Heuer concept watch that fits into the center console was revealed for the first time.

Americans can catch the car in LA on July 29-30, Miami on August 19 and in New York on September 2-5. The voyage can also be followed on Twitter. [via Inside Line]

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