California-based electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla is building a $250 million plant in Silicon Valley south of San Francisco. The plant, which is set to open in time to have full production vehicles on public roads by late 2010, will build Tesla’s upcoming electric sedans (tentatively named “Model S”).
Tesla, which recently started production of a high-performance electric roadster, is hedging its bets on the Model S sedan. The automaker says it hopes to build 15,000 Model S sedans annually by the last quarter of 2011. The Model S will retail for around $60,000, according to Tesla CEO Ze’ev Drori in a recent interview on National Public Radio.
Tesla has received numerous tax breaks from the state of California and the United States Department of Energy has approved $150 million worth of loan guarantees, says Automotive News.
09/17, 10:41 AM
posted by:
nickkop
long live tesla!
when is a lower-end sports sedan, coupe, or roadster coming ?!?
09/17, 11:45 AM
posted by:
Lariat Luxury Locomotive Liner No.3
I hope some monumental CF like GM does not try to buyout Tesla, and that Tesla resists if they try.
09/17, 1:21 PM
posted by:
crackerhemi
I am so glad they didnt decide to build this car in some hick place like michigan or texas. It deserves to be built in an educated area that has citizens who completed college.
09/17, 2:37 PM
posted by:
DialM4Speed
Electric car + Unkown company = Who the **** cares!!!!!
09/17, 3:00 PM
posted by:
yarddog82abn
Designed in California Soon built in California, unlike Mac’s, I’m in Cali, and if it was not for Liberal politics the Governater will have never help out Tesla, I hope they do Good, I know that every yuppy out here is getting one, Frisker started out here in Californication to you know, now if we can only get Nascar to use E85, for get unleaded were making them go GREEN….
09/18, 1:48 PM
posted by:
F3INT))AP3X
That would be nice except E85 was found to be no less harmful if not more harmful to the environment than regular gasoline.