Tesla Motors has released a rather dramatically styled four-door sedan, that is all-electric Model S luxury electric sedan. The Tesla Model S is available in two different trim lines: base and Performance. Model S is the second vehicle from the Silicon Valley-based maker of high-end electric cars, the first being the 2-door Roadster sports car. Model S is sporting look, Large 19 or 21-inch wheels sit at all four corners. A sloping roofline gives it the appearance of a four-door coupe and the front end styling of the Model S will be the future face of the electric automaker designed by Franz von Holzhausen.
Inside, the Model S’ interior is highlighted by a huge 17-inch infotainment / navigation screen. Tesla is calling it the largest touchscreen display ever used in an automobile. Nvidia, the chipmaker working with Tesla on the touchscreens, promises high-detail graphics for the laptop-sized 17-inch monitor and ultra-high-resolution 3-D graphics for the netbook-sized 12.3-inch LCD screen.
The Tesla Model S uses electric motors hooked to the rear wheels through a single-speed transmission. As mentioned above, three different battery packs are available and offer different amounts of driving range: the 40 kWh pack delivers about 160 miles, the 60 kWh yields about 230 miles, and the 85 kWh pack provides about 300 miles. Performance figures are as follows: 0-60 in 6.5 seconds, 5.9 seconds, or 5.6 seconds, and a top speed of 110 mph, 120 mph, and 125 mph, respectively. The Performance model uses the 85 kWh battery pack but will, instead, go 0-60 in 4.4 seconds and achieve 130 mph.
Tesla Model S, which carries its charger onboard, can be recharged from any 120V, 240V or 480V outlet, with the latter taking only 45 minutes. The floor-mounted battery pack is designed to be changed out in less time than it takes to fill a gas tank, allowing for the possibility of battery-pack swap stations.
The Model S will come with three battery options that place the car at greatly different price levels. The base battery has a range of 160 miles ( $57,400) , the mid-level offering will be able to cruise 230 miles ( $67,400 ), and finally the premium model has a range 300-mile ( $77,400 ). Pricing does not reflect a $7,500 federal tax credit currently offered by the U.S. government.
