Tesla Opens Electric Sports Car Dealership
By US News and World Report
May 5, 2008
The Tesla Roadster "officially moves from the drawing boards to the market this week when Tesla's first store opens," according to the AP. The Tesla is an all-electric sports car that has raves from the few in the automotive press who've been allowed to drive one. "The car goes from 0 to 60 mph in just under four seconds and tops out at 125 mph. It goes 225 miles on one charge and can be fully recharged in 3.5 hours, which Tesla officials say should allow most people to drive it to work and back and recharge it at night like a cell phone." The Roadster can now be yours for about $124,000 -- which the AP calls "still cheap compared with a high-end Ferrari." You will have to wait a while for delivery, however. Sales Manager Doreen Allen says the first year's worth of production Teslas has sold out, and "delivery is running about 15 months" now.
You'll also be lined up behind some famous names. The San Jose Mercury-News reports that early buyers "include Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-Calif.), actors George Clooney and Kelsey Grammer and musicians Will.i.am and Flea." Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page helped bankroll the company.
What do you get for your six-figure sum? According to Autoblog, the car is "the gorgeous girlfriend that loves football, tunes a hotrod in her spare time, and doesn't believe in celebrating anniversaries and birthdays. The Roadster is a beautiful car, it runs on exhaust-free plug power, and it's already primed for more power." A European importer is now claiming that the second-generation of Tesla will be rated "at or over 300 hp, with a 13,000 rpm redline and a single speed transmission."
According to several media outlets, Tesla has plans to open dealerships in Chicago and New York later this year. Motor Trend adds, "Salespeople will be genuine consultants who will teach you about the ins and outs of electric-car ownership." Don't plan to visit unless you're ready to part with the $30,000 deposit, however. You won't be allowed to test drive the car until you've ordered it. "Otherwise, there'd be a line down the street," a Tesla spokesperson told MT.
Tesla has a jump on the competition with its showroom, but a series of eco-sports cars are planned for the next few years.
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