Tesla to build luxury US$60,000 four seater luxury EV

The Tesla Brand of luxury electric vehicles is certainly capturing a lot of the limelight as the era of the EV dawns. The company has announced a state-of-the-art US$250 million assembly facility in the heart of Silicon Valley. The facility will build a new US$60,000 five-passenger luxury sedan with exceptional performance and a lithium-ion battery pack capable of delivering 240 miles per charge. The first sedans are likely to roll off the assembly line in late 2010.

The new plant will be able to produce at least 15,000 sedans – up to 30,000 with the addition of a second shift. About half of the production vehicles will be slated for sale in Europe. Tesla has not yet started taking deposits on the Model S, but executives anticipate extremely strong demand in the EU and USA.

In mid-September Tesla ramped up production of the Roadster, which is produced in collaboration with Lotus Group at Tesla UK in Hethel. About 10 Roadsters start down the assembly line each week, and that number will increase to about 40 per week in early 2009. About 1,200 customers have put down deposits on the Roadster, and Tesla will begin shipping to customers in Europe starting in May.

About Tesla Motors

Incorporated in 2003 in California’s Silicon Valley, Tesla Motors Inc. develops and manufactures electric vehicles with exceptional design, performance and efficiency, while conforming to all US and EU safety, environmental and durability standards. The Roadster is a zero-emission, all-electric two-seater for sale now in the United States and Europe. With a 0-to-60 mph acceleration of 3.9 seconds, a 14,000 rpm redline, and the fastest top-gear acceleration of any production car tested by Car & Driver magazine last year, the Roadster is unique in providing super car performance, zero emissions and extraordinary efficiency.