Ferrari-fighting Tesla Model R reportedly in the works for 2017

Electric vehicle automaker Tesla Motors is reportedly working on a successor to its discontinued Roadster, dubbed the Model R, which is expected to take the fight to Ferrari.

A rumor coming out of jolly old England’s Auto Express suggests electric car manufacturer Tesla is looking to bring a new model to the market in 2017.

The new car would replace Tesla’s first car, the Roadster, and be built from the ground up as pure all-electric vehicle (EV). Whereas the current Roadster is underpinned by Lotus’ Elise platform, Auto Express claims the successor to the Roadster, thought to be named the Model R, will utilize the same platform currently underpinning the Model S and the upcoming Model X crossover.

In addition to adhering to the company’s current naming convention, the Model R will reportedly expand on the Roadsters lightning-quick acceleration, which is capable of rocketing from 0-60 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds and traveling 254-miles on a single charge of its 53 kWh lithium-ion battery.

If true, the Model R would undoubtedly benefit from a platform switch. The Lotus Elise weights about 1800 pounds, while the Roadster weighs in at 2,723 pounds. A new platform built from the ground up to accommodate an EV powertrain has the potential to reduce the weight of the car, while at the same time improving range and acceleration.

Tesla sold the Roadster between 2008 and 2011, with about 2,500 rolling off the line. Base price for the zippy EV started around $109,000. While no longer selling the Roadster, the California-based automaker started a buyback program last month that allows Roadster owners the option to trade theirs in for credit towards a Model S.

According to Auto Express, Tesla has its sights set on Ferrari with the Model R, but we remain skeptical. Still, if the Model R can indeed go toe-to-toe with the iconic Italian automaker we’ll be very impressed. Of course that leaves us with another question: How much will it cost?

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk: “Model S variants to arrive next year”

With the Tesla Model S barely out the factory door and keys only in the hands of a few hundred customers, company CEO Elon Musk is already preparing the automotive world for new variations sometime next year.

There’s no denying Tesla Motor’s Model S is red hot at the moment. It’s the automotive equivalent to Justin Bieber (he is still cool, right?), at least for EV fans and automotive journalists that is. When the Model S isn’t busy collecting awards, the sleek electric sports sedan is busy turning heads at one of Tesla’s many Apple-like shops across the country. Needless to say, there is a remarkable amount of hype surrounding the California start-up and one of the major sources of that hype is the company’s enigmatic CEO Elon Musk.

As reported by AutoblogGreen, during a recent third quarter financial results call, Musk hinted at the future production of Model S variants due sometime next year, stating: “There are a few other variants of the Model S that we’ll come out next year that I think are going to be pretty exciting.”

In addition to this teasing, yet vague proclamation, Musk reportedly discussed Tesla’s ongoing efforts with the company’s next vehicle, the all-electric crossover known as the Model X, as well as the fact that work has begun on the company’s third-generation and yet–to-be-named vehicle it hopes to launch before the end of the decade.

Of course all of this is simply talk, and we have no way of knowing what is actually in the works for the California-based automaker, but it does give us ample opportunity to speculate and dissect what this all means.

For starters, it’s more than likely Mr. Musk is simply referring to a better handling and performance package, which was mentioned a few months back. Another possibility could be the introduction of an all-wheel-drive system in addition to the current rear-wheel-drive layout found in the Model S. Finally, there is talk of adding an open-air model as well as one with battery packs larger than the current 85 kWh variety found in the Performance Model S.

Aside from speculation, Musk revealed that in response to customer demand, Tesla will make other options available to customers upon ordering their vehicles, in addition to others that could be retroactively fitted.

Whatever the case may be, one thing is clear: We’ll be seeing much more from the Model S in the near future.

What types of additions would you like to see, if any, in the Model S? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Tesla Model S named Automobile Magazine’s 2013 Car of the Year

In what will undoubtedly please EV enthusiasts, Automobile Magazine has named the Tesla Model S its 2013 Car of the Year.

The electric car has received a positive image boost, and perhaps more mainstream validation, as Automobile Magazine has named the Tesla Model S its “2013 Car of the Year.”

For those unfamiliar with Tesla Motors ambitious EV, the Model S is an all-electric luxury sport sedan and the California start-up’s second battery-powered vehicle after the well-received Tesla Roadster.

Okay, so it’s powered by electrons. But what makes the Model S worthy of such an accolade? “It’s the performance that won us over,” Automobile Editor-in-Chief Jean Jennings said in the magazine’s January 2013 issue. “The crazy speed builds silently and then pulls back the edges of your face. It had all of us endangering our licenses.”

Indeed, Tesla’s green speed-machine is capable of rocketing from zero to 60 miles per hour in a mere 4.2 seconds when outfitted with an 85 kilowatt-hour battery – this, despite weighing more than 4500 pounds. “It’s alarming to jam the accelerator of such a big car and have it surge forward so quickly and so quietly,” said copy editor Rusty Blackwell.

Of course, a lot of cars are fast, very fast, and while it’s no doubt impressive that the Model S can scamper down a straight line with ease, it’s not the only reason the folks at Automobile were smitten with it, citing the vehicle’s excellent handling dynamics, ability to soak up road noise, and nuanced steering. “All that speed, along with powerful braking, superflat handling, and sharp steering, gives you the sense that you’re invincible,” reads Jennings’s evaluation of the vehicle on a test track.

And then there’s the inside. The Model S might be packing a lot of impressive tech, battery and all, but it’s the car’s command center cabin that proved equally drool-worthy. Having already sat inside the Model S ourselves over the course of the year, we are more than aware of the tech-laden wonderland that is the Model S’ cockpit. Instead of dials, buttons, and knobs, virtually everything inside the Model S is operated via its gigantic, 17-inch iPad-like center touchscreen. Want to open the panoramic sunroof? Swipe the screen. Climate controls? Same deal. Drivers can even surf the Web and access their email while on the go.

Interestingly, Tesla’s status as a start-up was taken into consideration before the final decision was made, according to Automobile’s senior editor Joe Lorio. “What if we give the car this honor, and a year from now the company disappears in a ball of flakiness?” he said “Are we going to feel foolish?”

Ultimately, though, the Model S was given the award based on its merits as a standalone vehicle and not the politics or position it may or may not see itself in down the road. “The car is here now, and we think it’s a significant milestone,” Lorio explained.

The Model S is available in three different battery sizes: 40 kWh, 60 kWh, and 85 kWh. Pricing for the 40kWh Model S starts at $57,000, $67,00 for one outfitted with a 60 kWh battery, and $77,000 for an 85 kWh model like the one tested by Automobile. (All prices exclude a $7,500 federal tax credit). Estimated range for the base Model S sits at 160 miles on a single charge, 230 miles for the 60 kWH, and 300 miles for the 85kWh.

The Tesla Model S went into production this summer, with 250 deliveries having taken place as of October. According to Tesla, roughly 13,000 people have placed $5,000 deposits towards a Model S. The company expects to sell about 3,200 units by the end of 2012.

We have reached out to Tesla for comment on its latest award, and will update this space with the company’s response.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Tesla wants Model S owners to go the distance, opens Supercharger stations in California

Tesla's new Supercharger stations will provide fast charging for Tesla owners. The opening of six of these stations in California is a big step toward making the EV practical for longer trips.

Range is something of an issue for EV owners, even those who bought their electric cars from Tesla. The EV start-up, which offers the highest-capacity battery packs in the business, is looking to offer a way to make longer road trips plausible without having to install internal combustion range extenders to its cars. Enter the Tesla Supercharger station, of which Tesla has now opened six in California. These are public charging stations for Tesla owners which will not only deliver a partial charge extremely quickly, but are also free to use.

The principal behind these stations is fairly simple. Batteries can be charged very quickly when they are nearly depleted, and this is what the Supercharger station does. Tesla owners can replenish their batteries to point where they have 150 out of the 265 miles of range which the Model S is capable of in just 30 minutes with a Supercharger. Topping it off the rest of the way requires standard charging, but 150 miles is quite a lot for just 30 minutes of charging, and Tesla has placed the stations in high traffic areas between large cities in California with the intent of getting owners of their EVs that extra bit of distance needed to get to their destination.

The Supercharger charging equipment connects directly to the car’s battery, bypassing the onboard charging system. It charges at 90 kW, and is 4.7 times faster than the already-quick home charging stations which Tesla will install for you when you buy a Model S. The stations are located not just along routes where they are deemed most useful, but also near restaurants, shops and other such locations which will help you to kill 30 minutes while you wait for your EV to charge.

The chain of stations makes it possible to travel by EV from Los Angeles all the way to San Francisco with just a couple of relatively quick charging stops. Tesla says that their plan is to extend the model across the whole country, making charging pipelines from coast to coast and across Canada as well. As an added eco bonus, the tops of the stations are covered in solar panels, thus sidestepping the problem of dirty electricity generation. Nationwide implementation will be a much more difficult undertaking, but assuming that everything goes according to plan with these first stations, it’s not an insurmountable goal.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Move over iPhone 5, reservation holder places Tesla Model S on eBay hoping for a huge profit

A Tesla Model S recently showed up on eBay with a seller looking to turn a quick buck on the electrifying luxury sedan.

The iPhone 5 isn’t the only new high-tech toy to pop up on eBay for exorbitant prices, as one industrious individual has taken to the online auction site in order to sell their soon-to-be-delivered all-electric luxury sedan.

The seller, a reservation holder based in Portland, Maine, placed his Tesla Model S Signature Series on eBay for a staggering $145,000 with an entry bid requirement of $138,500. The vehicle is scheduled to arrive on October 14.

So did anyone actually place a bid? Nope. And we can’t say we’re all that surprised. While a few enterprising folks are likely to sell the iPhone 5 for some ridiculous, inflated price, this seller’s Tesla didn’t fare so well, garnering zero bids.

As a quick recap, the near top-of-the-line Model S  ordered directly from Tesla starts at about $95,400 (excluding a $7,500 federal tax credit). In addition to being your neighborhood’s electric car cock of the walk, that $100,000 will nab you a Model S Signature Series with an 85 kWh battery, zero to 60 mpg in 5.6 seconds, and an estimated range of 300 miles. You’ll also get the second most powerful version (the Model S Signature Performance takes that crown with 362 horsepower, 32 pound feet of torque, and a top speed of 125 mph).

“This may be the only chance in the next few years to acquire one of these amazing, limited edition, game changing vehicles,” the seller wrote on his auction post. But rather than turn to eBay, simply placing a $5,000 deposit will reserve you a spot in line for a Model S. Of course that will require a degree of patience as there is currently a 6-12 month waiting list.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

The Oatmeal raises $1 million, surpasses goal to build a Nikola Tesla museum

The Oatmeal has raised over $1 million on IndieGoGo in an effort to secure Wardenclyffe, the site of Tesla's final laboratory, to build a museum dedicated to Tesla.

Matthew Inman, the lone man behind the comics of The Oatmeal, is at it again on the crowdfunding platform IndieGoGo. This time Inman is asking for contributions that will go into securing the site of Nikola Tesla’s final laboratory in Shoreham, New York, for the future development of a Tesla museum. As of today, Inman has more surpassed his $850,000 goal and cracked the $1 million mark.

Nikola Tesla was many things. He was an inventor, an engineer, physicist, and most notably a futurist, who paved the way for modern technologies that we take for granted, including wireless communication and radio, and alternating current systems. We also Tesla to thank for other nifty inventions like the Tesla coil, which sends visible high-voltage sparks shooting into the air. Today he’s a cultural icon.

In the early 1900s, that Tesla attempted to construct a tower adjoining his laboratory, which would in theory generate electricity and wirelessly transmit it to the world. The tower ultimately failed despite its construction due to two factors. First, Tesla’s initial attempts at transmitting electricity failed due to insufficient experimentation. Second, the Panic of 1910 froze investment in his projects from J. Pierpont Morgan (founder of investment bank, J.P. Morgan). Tesla’s project was indefinitely halted and the site was sold off to George Boldt, proprietor of the Waldof-Astoria, for $20,000 ($400,000 in today’s value) to pay off his overdue rent. The site’s new owners destroyed the tower in 1917 for scrap.

The Long Island science organization has long sought to transform the property into a Tesla museum, while other interested buyers plan to raze the structures and redevelop it. Its current owner, Agfa Corporation, wants $1.6 million for the property. At the site, only the laboratory remains.

Inman’s original goal of $850,000 would buy just half of the cost of the property, but the state of New York has agreed to match contributions, bringing total funds up to $1.7 million. Raising the capital to build a museum from the property will be another cost, but from the looks of it, with 36 days left and having already surpassed the $1 million mark, there should be funds to spare.

You can check out a video of the inside of Wardenclyffe below. Note that the footage taken was the result of individual trespassing and breaking into the laboratory, but it will give you good idea of what the building looks like.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Tesla CEO calls Fisker Karma “mediocre”

Tesla CEO Elon Musk criticized rival Fisker Automotive's Karma sedan, saying the company had farmed out the most important development work.

Tesla Motors and Fisker Automotive are both building green luxury cars, but each has gone their own way. The Tesla Model S is fully electric, while the Fisker Karma has a gasoline engine-generator to charge its batteries. That seems like the makings of a rivalry, something Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed in a recent interview with Automobile Magazine.

“I don’t think very highly of Henrik Fisker,” Musk said of Fisker’s eponymous founder. He called Fisker’s $105,000 Karma a “mediocre product at a high price,” saying that the sedan lacked interior and trunk space yet was physically larger than his company’s Model S.

Musk also criticized Fisker for “outsourcing” what he considers the most important parts of car design: engineering and manufacturing. He said Fisker only cares about the way a car looks, but nothing more substantive.

The Karma is built by Valmet Automotive in Finland, the same company that assembles the Porsche Boxster and Cayman. The company talked about opening its own plant to produce a new car, the Atlantic, but those plans are now in limbo.

The Karma’s powertrain was developed by Quantum Technologies, and it uses a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine from General Motors. The Atlantic will use a gasoline engine from BMW.

Tesla did outsource a significant amount of the engineering work on its first car, the Roadster, which essentially an electric Lotus Elise. However, almost every part of the Model S was developed in-house.

Musk does think his competitor designed a nice car. “It looks good. Particularly from the side it looks good. I don’t love the front. It looks too much like a caricature of a Mexican Bandito—the grille,” he said.

Design is where the rivalry began. Back when Fisker was re-skinning BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes, Musk hired him to style the Model S. At some point, Fisker had the idea for the Karma, and Musk sued him for working on his car while he was under contract to Tesla. Fisker won the suit.

Fisker’s response to Musk’s attack was casual. He noted that he had won the suit, thanked Musk for complementing the Karma’s styling, and wished him well.

Despite differences in size and technology, Tesla and Fisker produce the only truly green luxury vehicles on the market, so comparisons are inevitable.

The EPA rates the Karma at 54 MPGe, while the Model S with the biggest battery pack is rated at 89 MPGe.

The Karma will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds, and hit a top speed of 125 mph. Tesla claims a 0 to 60 time of 5.6 seconds, 4.4 seconds with the Signature Performance Package.

A loaded Model S Signature Performance with the largest battery pack costs $105,400, before a $7,500 Federal tax credit. The Karma starts at $105,000, although most models will roll out of showrooms with $115,000 stickers. Tesla does offer a base Model S with a $57,400 sticker, but the Fisker Atlantic, which will be closer to the Model S in size, is expected to cost roughly the same.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com