# Tesla S



## gerd1022 (Jun 9, 2008)

http://www.teslamotors.com/models/index.php

Anyone seen this yet??

the claims are absurd... 300 mile range, that means about 90 kwh of batteries at 300 wh/mile (big heavy car), even at 100% efficient charging, that would pull 140 amps out of 480V wall power if you wanted to fully charge in 45 minutes... 

gimme a break(er)...


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## Wirecutter (Jul 26, 2007)

I showed this to a wiseass coworker who's a bit into EVs also.



> Just because you don't have a 67kW outlet at your house doesn't mean the *car* can't draw the juice.


 So all you have to do is wire a couple of houses in series and you should just about be able to completely charge the Tesla S in 45 minutes. Just make sure the houses aren't powered from the same "pole pig" transformer from the electric utility. (you'd get a dead short)

-Mark


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## JRP3 (Mar 7, 2008)

To be fair I don't think they said anything about a quick charge at your home, and the 300 mile range may be at a reduced speed, so it could average less than 300wh/mi, which means the battery pack wouldn't need to be as large.


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## gerd1022 (Jun 9, 2008)

you're right but still misleading to the average consumer looking at the website.


"The standard battery will be made up of 5,500 lithium-ion cells, each a little larger than a standard AA battery, all linked together and fused and cooled for heat protection and to isolate any cells that might act up. 



The 220-mile pack will have 8,000 cells (the Tesla Roadster pack has 6,800) and the 300-mile pack will also have 8,000 but they will be of an advanced lithium chemistry that enables them to store and release more energy than the smaller packs."


from: http://blogs.edmunds.com/greencarad...-a-great-concept-but-now-the-wait-begins.html

the roadster battery is 53 kWh, @375V. it seems that the 220-mile pack is the same chem at the roadster meaning about 62kWh, so that means about 281Wh/mile... i was pretty close in my guess.

Your right though, driven conservatively, you could most likely do better. At least the range specification seems reasonable then...


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## Wirecutter (Jul 26, 2007)

Actually, this is all typical Tesla hype. I watched the progress of the Tesla Roadster for 3 years before they ever shipped a car to an actual customer. (As opposed to a major investor or the company CEO) IMHO, Tesla has a well established history of over-promising and under-delivering. Don't misunderstand me - if Tesla actually delivers what they claim - well that's really something. There are plenty of hundred-thousand-dollar cars, and I see them all the time on the road. But aside from videos and auto shows, how many here have actually *seen* a Tesla on the road?

Fast charging and long range are tough problems to crack. Charging an electric vehicle is in some ways analogous to an ICE vehicle having to wait for the fuel to be refined before putting it in the tank. I don't think it's likely that EVs are going to be able to "refuel" as fast as ICE vehicles until EV refueling involves pack-swapping. You already see this in the hobby RC world. You don't have an RC car and just one battery pack - you have at least one spare.

There's been talk of a distant future where a whole "pack-swapping" infrastructure (i.e. the EV "gas station") exists, but that's a ways off just yet. I hope I live long enough to see it...

-M


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## JRP3 (Mar 7, 2008)

Let's see, Tesla has built a ground breaking EV the like of which has never been seen. It's brought more positive publicity to EV's as viable transportation than any other vehicle. At this time they've delivered about 200 or so cars to the public and their entire production run is already sold out. Were there problems along the way, sure, and will there be more, most likely, but the bottom line is they are doing what they set out to do.
Battery swapping and even fast charging become less and less necessary as pack range increases, especially since the logistics of both, especially swapping, are unreasonable. A 300 mile pack is already possible with today's technology, in a few years 400 miles should be possible for a reasonable cost, so who really needs to drive more than that in one day without stopping? That tiny number of people can keep driving ICE's, or PHEV's.


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## San_Carlos_Jeff (Nov 7, 2008)

Wirecutter said:


> But aside from videos and auto shows, how many here have actually *seen* a Tesla on the road?


I drive by Tesla's headquarters every evening on the way home from work so over the last year plus have seen a number of test vehicles (big wire harnesses coming from the back of the car into the cockpit) and cars on what look like test drives for customers. So far I've seen about five out driving in the wild. They may be behind on their shipments, but slowly they're getting out there.


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## AndyH (Jun 15, 2008)

*250 Deliveries as of March 18th Re: Tesla S*

Company Email Newsletter - 18 Mar 09

*250th Delivery

*Tesla Motors delivered its 250th car last Saturday. Lucky No. 250 was Dr. Rob Wilder, an academic and entrepreneur who created the first Index on Wall Street for energy efficiency and zero-carbon solutions. Rob lives in Encinitas, Calif., where he charges his Roadster from his home's array of solar panels. He picked "very orange" as the exterior color to symbolize the car's connection with the sun.

"We're not beholden to Middle East oil – and by the way my car is probably faster than your car!" joked Rob, CEO of WilderShares LLC and manager of WilderHill Clean Energy Index, the first Index on Wall Street for energy efficiency and zero-carbon solutions. "This car is an elegant solution to some of the world's most difficult problems. And buying it is helping push along EV adoption generally because Tesla is investing the money in lower-priced cars down the line."

Rob's new car marks a symbolic milestone for Tesla and a personal first for Rob, who previously tended to purchase used cars for no more than $13,000 each. In fact, the Roadster is more expensive than all of his previous cars put together.

"I took a big, big gulp and sent in my check – and although this car may not seem like a bargain, I can now say it's a great value. This is exactly the type of car I'd design for myself."

Tesla is now producing approximately 20 cars per week, which will increase to 30 per week this summer. About 1,000 people are waiting to take ownership of their Roadster, which means Tesla is sold out through October of this year. The Roadster remains the only highway-capable production electric vehicle of any kind (not just in the sports car category) for sale in the US or Europe. It does 0-60 in 3.9 seconds yet is twice as energy efficient as a Toyota Prius.

*Model S Update*

Tesla will unveil its Model S prototype sedan March 26 at the Tesla design studio inside the SpaceX rocket factory, in Hawthorne, Calif. This is going to be a historic event for car enthusiasts; the Model S will likely be the world's first mass-produced, highway-capable EV when it rolls off the assembly line in late 2011.

The Model S will have an anticipated base price of $57,400. After a federal tax credit of $7,500, the effective price will be $49,900. Because of tax incentives and relatively inexpensive maintenance and refueling, the lifetime ownership cost will be closer to cars with far lower sticker prices. Tesla executives will provide a lot more product details at the launch party in Southern California, home to Tesla's design studio and the world's largest new-car market. The Model S will become the car of choice for environmentally conscious and discriminating drivers throughout North America and Europe. Tesla expects to roughly split initial sales between the two continents, later expanding to Asia.

*New Digs in Chicago*

Tesla announced earlier this month it plans to open a Midwest regional sales and service center in Chicago, the first of seven retail facilities the electric vehicle manufacturer plans to launch this year.

The Chicago store -- which will open this spring -- is at 1053 W. Grand Ave. in the River West neighborhood. The location gives prospective customers the opportunity to experience Tesla's best-in-class performance under a range of driving conditions, including highways and urban streets.

After Chicago, Tesla plans to open a store in London's Knightsbridge neighborhood. We are also finalizing site selection in Manhattan, Miami and Seattle and scouting sites in Washington, D.C. and Munich, Germany. These stores will expose more people to the Roadster – and most importantly they will serve as a lean and efficient retail footprint as we get more mainstream customers for the Model S.

One reason Tesla service centers will be smaller than gasoline car service centers is that the Roadster has far fewer moving (and breakable) parts than an internal combustion engine vehicle. It doesn't require nearly as much service and maintenance as gas guzzlers, so Tesla doesn't need cavernous service and repair bays and large spaces to store spare parts. Tesla requests that owners bring in the car – which never needs oil changes or exhaust system tune-ups, among other costly repairs -- every 12,000 miles or once a year for a diagnostic check and software upgrade.

*Tesla Heads North*

Earlier this month, Tesla began selling cars in Canada. We will begin delivering cars in the fourth quarter, and we believe Canada will become a premier showcase for the Roadster. In Canada, the majority of electricity comes from renewable resources, including run-of-river small hydro, wind, biomass, geothermal and solar energy. An EV recharged from the current Canadian grid, on average, would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 85 percent compared to an equivalent gasoline-powered vehicle. In hydro-dominant British Columbia, Quebec and Manitoba, the reduction would be an impressive 98 percent.

Canadian Roadsters will comply with all national and provincial safety regulations for mass-produced, highway-capable vehicles – and they'll perform in the snow, just as they already do in Northern Europe. The base price for Roadsters in Canada will be set closer to the start of deliveries, and pricing will reflect exchange rates at that time. In the United States, the base price is $109,000.

Thanks, and please be on the lookout next week for official Model S photos and video -- and more exciting news from Tesla in the weeks and months to come!

Elon Musk



Tesla Motors
1050 Bing Street
San Carlos, CA 94070
United States


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## AndyH (Jun 15, 2008)

*Tesla April Newsletter - 700 'S' Reservations in Two Weeks*

*Sent:* Saturday, April 11, 2009 3:32 PM
*To:* 
*Subject:* Tesla Motors April Newsletter

*Model S: More than 700 reservations in two weeks*

In the two weeks following the launch, we received 711 reservations for the Model S, the all-electric family sedan that carries up to seven people and travels up to 300 miles per charge.

Tesla unveiled the car March 26, and reservations immediately began streaming in online and at showrooms in California. This historic vehicle is likely to be the world's first mass-produced, highway-capable electric vehicle when production begins in late 2011. The surge of reservations already proves that there's pent-up demand for a car that doesn't compromise on performance, utility or efficiency. 

The Model S does 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds and will have an electronically limited top speed of 130 mph. A 17-inch touchscreen with in-car 3G connectivity means you can listen to Pandora Radio or consult Google Maps, or check the car's state of charge remotely on your iPhone. The Model S can be recharged from any 120V, 208V or 240V outlet or quick-charged from an external direct current supply in only 45 minutes.

The anticipated base price of the Model S is $49,900 after a US federal tax credit of $7,500. The reservation fee of $5,000 is refundable. Three battery pack choices will offer a range of 160, 230 or 300 miles per charge. The company has not released for pricing for options and higher mileage battery packs. 

If you account for the cost advantage over the life of the car vs. an equivalent internal combustion engine car at a cost of $4.25 per gallon (a likely future cost in the United States, and a bargain right now in many parts of Europe), the Model S is equivalent to a gas guzzler with a sticker price of about $35,000. Importantly, those savings are realized immediately if you lease a Model S, so there is no need to wait years to earn back the price difference.

Tesla also is taking reservations for the Model S Signature Edition with a $40,000 reservation fee, which is also refundable. Tesla will produce only 2,000 Signature Edition cars, which will be the first built and have unique interior and exterior features. Signature Edition cars will be evenly split between US and European customers.
*See the Model S this weekend in Silicon Valley*

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area or are visiting for the holiday weekend, you're in luck: The Model S will be in Tesla's showroom in Menlo Park, Calif., on Saturday and Sunday – the first opportunity for the general public to see this car in person. Additional sales representatives will be at the store throughout the holiday weekend (Saturday 10am-6pm; Sunday noon-5pm) to answer questions and take reservations. 

Eventually we will have a Model S in all of our showrooms and at major auto shows. We'll send updates in this newsletter on when and where else you can see the car in person. Customers and their invited guests will soon get more information about the late April viewing in New York City.
*Proven technology, record Roadsters *

The acclaimed Model S comes from the only production automaker selling highway-capable EVs in North America or Europe today. With 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds, the Tesla Roadster outperforms almost all sports cars in its class, yet is more than twice as energy efficient as a Toyota Prius and delivers 244 miles per charge. 

Tesla delivered over 100 Roadsters to customers in March, marking the first triple-digit delivery month in the company's history. Tesla delivered over 170 cars in the first quarter – more than the total delivered in 2008. 

Tesla has delivered about 330 Roadsters so far. The base price of the Roadster is $101,500 after a $7,500 federal tax credit.
*Le Rallye Monte Carlo *

Late last month, the Roadster set another impressive record – a feat that's attracting a lot of buzz in the blogosphere: A Tesla Roadster went the entire 241 miles on a single charge of the Le Rallye Monte Carlo d'Energies Alternatives. And the Roadster still had an estimated 38 miles left on the charge! This appears to be an absolute record for a production EV.

The challenging course, sponsored by l'Automobile Club de Monaco, went from Valence, France, to the Principality of Monaco. Terrain was mixed and included high-speed driving on highways, urban streets and up and single-carriageway roads that wind through the Alps.

The Roadster was the only car to finish the rally after a modified Porsche 911 dropped out. After the Roadster crossed the finish line, former F1 driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen took it for a spin around one of the Monte Carlo Rally's special stages. 
*Tesla's coming to London*

We're opening a regional sales and service center in London's popular Knightsbridge district. This will be the first of three European stores that we hope to launch this year and an important base in Europe's largest city.

The London facility will open this spring at 49-51 Cheval Place, formerly the Segrave Supercar Club. We'll be walking distance from Harrods department store and convenient to Heathrow Airport. 

We signed the London lease at a historic and exciting time for clean-tech companies in the U.K. London Mayor Boris Johnson, a sportscar buff and fan of the Tesla Roadster, announced  this week a plan to introduce 100,000 EVs and to build 25,000 charging stations in the capital. Prime Minister Gordon Brown – also familiar with Tesla – said EVs would be one cornerstone of his economic recovery plan.

We'll soon be sending an invitation to customers and guests with details about our launch party later this spring. We look forward to meeting Tesla's many European fans at this event. 

Cheers!

Elon Musk


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## Alchemist (Apr 16, 2009)

Andy,

IMO, the Tesla's accomplishment is exciting news for the EV fans! Thanks for sharing this info.


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## AndyH (Jun 15, 2008)

*Tesla Newsletter 27 Apr 09 Part 1*

*Come see the Model S in New York City* 

If you live in greater New York or plan to visit soon, you're in luck: The Model S will be on display Thursday, April 30 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and Friday, May 1 (noon to 9 p.m.) at The Plaza Hotel, 5th Avenue at Central Park South, New York, NY 10019. This is a rare opportunity for the general public to get up close and personal with the Model S, the all-electric family sedan that carries up to seven people and travels up to 300 miles per charge. 
Tesla sales representatives will be at The Plaza Hotel to answer questions and take reservations. Eventually we will have a Model S in all of our showrooms and at major auto shows. In the upcoming months, we'll bring the Model S to Chicago, Seattle, Miami and Washington as we prepare to open regional sales and service centers in those locations. Keep reading these newsletters for details.

*Model S to appear on Late Show with David Letterman *

The Model S has gotten incredible buzz since its launch on March 26, when it was featured on blogs, in newspapers and on TV newscasts worldwide. On April 29, the Model S will make another historic debut: It's expected to be the first fully drivable car to appear on Late Show with David Letterman. 
Conventional cars and hybrids, which produce CO2 emissions, are not allowed in drivable form on the Late Show set due to strict emission regulations. The prohibition of internal combustion engine cars is an ironic twist, seeing as Dave is a passionate car enthusiast who loves to wax about his favorite vehicles – but hey, it's a great opportunity for the Model S. I'll be on the show along with the car, and I am looking forward to a lively conversation with Dave, a fellow sports car aficionado and Tesla fan. Please tune in on your local affiliate station to see this historic event.

*EPA finding could lead to more EV incentives *

On April 17, the Environmental Protection Agency declared that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions were "dangerous pollutants" producing toxic effects on human health. The landmark finding is likely to put even more pressure on Congress to pass legislation limiting greenhouse gas emissions. This is a huge victory for scientists and environmentalists seeking to slow the pace of global warming. It's expected to trigger more state and federal regulations on gas guzzlers and pave the way for additional incentives on pure electric vehicles, which produce zero tailpipe emissions. 
Earlier this decade, the Bush administration opposed putting mandatory limits on many greenhouse gases. Back then, some politicians engaged in the specious argument that tough environmental regulations would hurt businesses. But it's becoming increasingly clear that the most successful 21st century companies – from photovoltaic panel manufacturers to electric vehicle makers -- will improve the environment *and* the economy.
In fact, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said that greenhouse gases posed "a serious problem now and for future generations." Despite that ominous warning, she had an upbeat call to action: "This pollution problem has a solution -- one that will create millions of green jobs and end our country's dependence on foreign oil," she said. 
We couldn't agree more. Many Tesla customers are died-in-the-wool sports car enthusiasts, attracted to the Roadster's eye-catching design and scorching acceleration. But equal numbers of early adopters buy the Roadster because they see it as their social responsibility. They are proud to support a company whose goal is to develop more and more affordable cars – a model automaker that's democratizing EVs. This is a stark contrast to car companies whose revenue goes toward cranking out yet more gas guzzlers. 
In the past year, the auto industry has come to a clear consensus: The future is electric. Every mainstream automaker is working on hybrid or electric concept cars, prototypes or limited-production fleets. But Tesla remains the only production automaker selling a highway-capable EV in North America and Europe. We are relentlessly driving down the cost of EVs so that more and more consumers can experience these incredible vehicles.

(End of Part One)


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## AndyH (Jun 15, 2008)

*Tesla Newsletter 27 Apr 09 Part 2*

*California regulation reduces carbon in fuel*

Less than a week after the EPA's seminal finding, California approved the world's first regulation to minimize the amount of carbon in fuel. The rule puts the Golden State on the cutting edge of promoting alternative fuels and alternative-fuel vehicles -- and it came at the same time that the world's "most complete" EV charging station opened at a mall in suburban Sacramento. 
The regulation, which will be phased in starting Jan. 1, seeks to slash 16 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year and return California emissions to 1990 levels. The standard is expected to serve as a template for a national policy advocated by President Barack Obama and Democrats in Congress.
According to the rule, the California Air Resources Board will use fuel consumption in 2010 as a baseline for 2020. To meet the reduced targets, petroleum producers must use alternative fuels -- including electricity and biofuels -- for personal transportation. The ruling could widen the cost advantage that electricity already commands over gasoline, giving consumers even more of a financial incentive to buy an EV.
The price advantage of electricity over petroleum is already considerable. Gasoline would have to be less than $1 per gallon for the pure electric Roadster to as cheap to refuel as a comparable gasoline-consuming sports car. But consider a likely future scenario with the Model S, which has an anticipated base price of $49,900 after a US federal tax credit. If you assume that gasoline costs $4.25 per gallon – the same as it was last summer, and a screaming bargain right now in Europe -- the Model S is equivalent to a gas guzzler with a sticker price of about $35,000. Importantly, those savings are realized immediately if you lease a Model S, so there is no need to wait years to earn back the price difference.

*Model S: More than 900 reservations so far*

Given the cost advantages, it might not come as a surprise that we've received about 900 reservations for the Model S. The surge of reservations online and at showrooms in California proves without a doubt that there's pent-up demand for a car that doesn't compromise on performance, utility or efficiency. 
The Model S does 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds and will have an electronically limited top speed of 130 mph. A 17-inch touchscreen with in-car 3G connectivity means you can listen to Pandora Radio or consult Google Maps, or check the car's state of charge remotely on your iPhone. The Model S can be recharged from any 120V, 208V or 240V outlet or quick-charged from an external direct current supply in only 45 minutes. 
Tesla also is taking reservations for the Model S Signature Edition with a $40,000 reservation fee, which is refundable. Tesla will produce only 2,000 Signature Edition cars, which will be the first built and have unique interior and exterior features. Signature Edition cars will be evenly split between US and European customers.
Thanks for reading, and I hope to see some of you in New York later this week.
Elon Musk


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## AndyH (Jun 15, 2008)

Alchemist said:


> Andy,
> 
> IMO, the Tesla's accomplishment is exciting news for the EV fans! Thanks for sharing this info.


My pleasure! I'm glad Tesla, Aptera, and the others are pressing forward even as the 'used-to-be-big-3' are being forced kicking and screaming into a new automotive age.


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