(December 2008) - Tesla Motors Model S electric sedan is an all-new 4-door 5-passenger zero-emissions luxury sedan powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. Unlike the Tesla Roadster, which is built in partnership with Lotus in the UK, and based on a stretched Elise platform, the Model S will ride on a platform developed by Tesla Motors.
Tesla says the Model S will get about 240 miles per charge while still offering "exceptional performance." Numbers being bandied about include 0–60 mph in less than 6 seconds. The Model S will have a base price of about $60,000 (versus the Roadster's $109,000 price tag) when it goes on sale in late 2010. Tesla recently hired Franz von Holzhausen as its chief designer; he was formerly the director of design for Mazda North America. His first project is to put the finishing touches on the Model S.
Tesla has been planning to move from its current headquarters in San Carlos, California to a $250 million facility in San Jose, California. Construction was due to begin in the summer of 2009, however, Tesla's financial future is in question, due largely to the overall market downturn which does not bode well for car manufacturers in general, never mind the electric car industry. Watch this space.
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