Tesla Model S

Tesla Model S

Tesla Model S sedan
Manufacturer	Tesla Motors
Also called	WhiteStar
Production	Expected 2012
Class	Full-sized 4-door liftback
Transmission	Single-speed transaxle gearbox
Wheelbase	116.5 in (2,959 mm)
Length	196 in (4,978 mm)
Curb weight	3,825 lb (1,735 kg)
Designer	Franz von Holzhausen

The Tesla Model S is a full-sized battery electric sedan in development by Tesla Motors. It is an electric car that was codenamed WhiteStar during research and preliminary development. It was announced in a press release on June 30, 2008.^[1] The prototype vehicle was displayed at a press conference on March 26, 2009.^[2]

Production for the retail market is expected to begin in mid 2012, with a base price of US$57,400.^[3] The base model will have a range of 160 miles (260 km) when fully charged, and a 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) acceleration of 5.6 seconds. The premium Signature Series will have a larger battery pack available with ranges of 230 and 300 miles (370 and 480 km).^[3][4] The first 1,000 cars to be produced will be of the premium Signature version.^[3] Charging times vary depending on the battery pack's state-of-charge, its overall capacity, the available voltage, and the available circuit breaker amp rating (current). A complete charge may take three or more hours^[4] using standard US 110 VAC household circuits or a 45-minute QuickCharge to 80%, equivalent to adding 170 miles (270 km)-of-range for each hour charging, will be possible when connected to a DC fast-charger. In addition, a battery swap will be possible in less than two minutes.^[5]

Overview

The Model S is being designed as a high performance electric sedan that competes with cars such as the BMW 5-series. This model follows Tesla Motors' business plan to expand down-market from the high performance Tesla Roadster sports car, which has a base price of US$109,000 or €99,000.

Initial design was created by Henrik Fisker, and later re-styled by Franz von Holzhausen who previously worked for Mazda North American Operations.^[6][7][8]

The chassis, body, motor and energy storage system are unique to Tesla Motors.^[9]

The Model S was featured on Late Show with David Letterman in April 2009. Because the car uses no gasoline whatsoever and does not produce any tailpipe emissions, it was allowed on the Late Show set and was the first fully functioning car on the stage.^[10]

History

Construction of an assembly factory in Albuquerque, New Mexico (a central location for shipping)^[11] was supposed to begin in April 2007, but was cancelled. A factory to be built in San Jose, California was also announced.^[12][13][14]

On February 1, 2008 it was reported that Tesla Motors was planning to offer a range-extended version of its Model S. This version would have included a gasoline engine to extend the driving range of the vehicle,^[15] but it was removed in later revisions. Speaking at the GoingGreen conference on September 18, 2008, Musk officially said that Tesla was only pursuing all-electric cars and not hybrids.^[16]

On February 12, 2009 Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors, officially stated in the Tesla Motors Blog that the prototype car will be revealed March 26, 2009 at SpaceX in Hawthorne, California.^[17]

On May 20, 2010 Tesla Motors announced it would form a partnership with Toyota to produce the new lower-priced Model S at the former NUMMI assembly plant in Fremont, California,^[18] now known as the Tesla Factory.

Price

Pricing has been announced at US$57,400 for the base-level model with a 160 mi (260 km) range, US$67,400 for an intermediate model with a 230 mi (370 km) range, and US$77,400 for a high-end “Signature Series” model with a 300 mi (480 km) range.^[19] For qualified consumers there is a US$7,500 federal tax credit in the United States and there are other applicable local incentives available in several states.^[20]

The company also announced plans to rent or lease high capacity battery packs which offer a 300 mi (480 km) range. Profits from the Model S are expected to fund development of a more affordable third vehicle codenamed "BlueStar".

Sales

Tesla Model S prototype at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show

In the first week, Tesla Motors reported 520 reservations for the Model S. The very first Model S has been reserved for Tesla investor Steve Jurvetson.^[21] As of May 17, 2009, there were over 1000 reservations according to the Tesla Motors web site.^[22] An email sent in mid April to newsletter subscribers stated that pre-orders were up to 2,200. With a minimum deposit of US$5,000 required for each reservation, this totals at least US$11 million in commitment from buyers. Some of these orders are for the Signature Series Model S. These reservations require a US$40,000 deposit and previous Tesla Roadster owners were offered an opportunity to reserve these even before the March 26, 2009 reveal. It is unclear exactly what features will be offered on the limited edition Signature Series (2000 units maximum, split evenly between US & European buyers).

In mid-December, 2010, Tesla announced that the reservation count had passed 3000.^[23] Bill Richardson, governor of New Mexico, had instructed the General Services Division and other government agencies to consider updating its fleet of cars with 100 Model S cars.^[24] Tesla Motors, however, has since elected not to build a plant in New Mexico.^[25]

Specifications

Performance

Acceleration of the 3,825 pounds (1,735 kg) vehicle is anticipated to be 0–60 mph (97 km/h) in 5.6 seconds aided by a drag coefficient of 0.27.^[26]

Elon Musk announced on October 1, 2011 that there will also be a sport version of the Model S on its release. The claimed 0-60 mph (97 km/h) speed would be 4.4 seconds.^{[citation needed]}

Battery Packs

The base model will have a range of 160 miles (260 km) when fully charged using a 42 kW·h battery pack (24 kW·h/100 mi, 108 mpg_ge). Larger, longer range battery pack options will be available as well; the options announced include a range of 230 miles (370 km) from a 65 kW·h pack (26 kW·h/100 mi, 100 mpg_ge) and a range of 300 miles (480 km) from an 85 kW·h pack (26 kW·h/100 mi, 100 mpg_ge).^[27] The base battery pack will contain 5,000 lithium-ion cells, reported to be sourced from Panasonic, while the larger battery packs will both contain 8,000 cells and weigh approximately 1,200 pounds (540 kg). The largest pack will use the same number of cells, but each cell will have a 30% higher specific energy to enable the pack to store the additional energy.^[28] A 45-minute QuickCharge of the 42 kW·h pack will be possible when a 3-phase 480 volt, 100 amp circuit is available (80 amp continuous draw from a 100 amp breaker).

The Tesla Model S is expected to have a swappable battery,^[29] and will feature a 17 in (43 cm) touchscreen computer with in-car 3G connectivity, enabling access to online services, or to check the battery's state of charge remotely.^[30]

See also

• Fisker Karma
• Government incentives for plug-in electric vehicles
• List of modern production plug-in electric vehicles
• List of production battery electric vehicles
• Tesla Bluestar
• Tesla Factory
• Tesla Model X
• Tesla Roadster

References

1. ^ Monticello, Mike (2008-10-23). "Tesla Builds a 4-Door - New and Future Cars". Road & Track (Hachette Filipacchi Media, U.S., Inc.). http://www.roadandtrack.com/future-cars/tesla-builds-a-4-door. Retrieved 2011-05-04. 
2. ^ "Tesla debuts electric car for the masses". CBC News. 2009-03-27. http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/03/27/tesla.html. Retrieved March 28, 2009. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} Josie Garthwaite (2011-05-06). "Tesla Prepares for a Gap as Roadster Winds Down". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/08/automobiles/08TESLA.html?_r=1&emc=eta1. Retrieved 2011-05-07. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "Model S FAQ". Teslamotors.com. 2009-05-01. http://www.teslamotors.com/display_data/Model_S_FAQ.html. Retrieved 2010-11-27. 
5. ^ "Tesla model S specifications". Tesla Motors. 2010-06-15. http://www.teslamotors.com/display_data/Spec_ModelS_US.pdf. Retrieved 2011-05-04. 
6. ^ Anthony Crawford (2009-03-27). "SpaceX : Tesla Model S Unveiled". CarAdvice. http://www.caradvice.com.au/26793/tesla-model-s-unveiled/. Retrieved 2010-02-07. "The model S was originally penned by Henrik Fisker of Fisker Khama (another electric car company) fame, but the car was re-styled by Franz Von Holzhausen, who joined Tesla last year after working for Mazda." 
7. ^ "She’s electric". Top Gear Australia. 2009-03-30. http://www.topgear.com/au/car-news/tesla-model-s-2009-03-31. Retrieved 2010-02-07. "Tesla originally commissioned Henrik Fisker (of Aston fame) to design the Model S" 
8. ^ Christopher (2009-08-17). "Tesla Model S Electric Car". Electric-Car-Insider.com. http://www.electric-car-insider.com/tesla-model-s.php. Retrieved 2010-02-07. "..recent styling makeover by former Mazda designer Franz von Holzhausen, who joined Tesla last year. The original design was conceived by Henrik Fisker" 
9. ^ Wert, Ray (2007-02-20). "Darryl Siry responds to rumor on Jalopnik forum". Jalopnik.com. http://jalopnik.com/cars/news/new-mexico-gets-tesla-whitestar-facility--to-produce-an-electric-fusion-237982.php. Retrieved 2010-11-27. 
10. ^ by Martin LaMonica. "When Dave met Elon...and his Tesla Model S | Green Tech - CNET News". News.cnet.com. http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10230817-54.html. Retrieved 2009-08-01. 
11. ^ Severns, Dave. "Tesla Motors blog post regarding Albuquerque decision". Teslamotors.com. http://www.teslamotors.com/blog1/?p=52. Retrieved 2010-11-27. 
12. ^ "Tesla Motors press release - announcement of Albuquerque plant". Teslamotors.com. http://teslamotors.com/media/press_room.php?id=257. Retrieved 2010-11-27. 
13. ^ "The Albuquerque Tribune Editorial: Don't hold your breath on Tesla Motors plant". Abqtrib.com. http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2007/aug/21/editorial-dont-hold-your-breath-tesla-motors-plant/. Retrieved 2010-11-27. 
14. ^ "Tesla to build electric car factory in Bay Area - San Jose Mercury News". Mercurynews.com. http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9745521. Retrieved 2010-11-27. 
15. ^ Kanellos, Michael (2008-02-01). "Tesla to make gas-electric car". News.com. http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9863202-54.html. Retrieved 2010-11-27. 
16. ^ "Tesla Kills Its Gas-Electric Hybrid". Greenlight.greentechmedia.com. 2008-09-18. http://greenlight.greentechmedia.com/2008/09/18/tesla-kills-its-gas-electric-hybrid-586/. Retrieved 2010-11-27. 
17. ^ Elon Musk (2009-02-12). "Tesla Motors Update". Tesla Motors. http://www.teslamotors.com/blog2/?p=70. Retrieved 2009-02-20. 
18. ^ Posted: 3:27 pm PDT May 20, 2010 (2010-05-20). "Tesla Wants NUMMI Operational By 2012 - News Story - KTVU San Francisco". Ktvu.com. http://www.ktvu.com/news/23625639/detail.html. Retrieved 2010-11-27. 
19. ^ Alan Ohnsman (7 March 2010). "Tesla Model S Assembly to Begin With Highest-Priced Version". Bloomberg. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-07/tesla-says-model-s-production-to-begin-with-highest-priced-model.html. Retrieved 3 April 2011. 
20. ^ Michael van der Sande, Tesla Motors Senior Vice President of Global Sales, Marketing and Service (2009-01-14). "Tax incentives: Why the Roadster costs less than its sticker price". Tesla Motors. http://www.teslamotors.com/blog2/?p=69. Retrieved 2009-02-20. 
21. ^ May, Patrick. "Crazy for Teslas". SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS. http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2010/07/29/crazy-for-teslas.html. Retrieved 4 March 2011. 
22. ^ Drori, Ze'ev (April 1, 2009). "520 Model S Reserved in the First Week". Tesla Motors. http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090401006567&newsLang=en. Retrieved 2009-04-02. 
23. ^ Woodyard, Chris (December 16, 2010). "Tesla: 3,000 buyers lined up for electric Model S sedan". USA Today. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2010/12/tesla-3000-buyers-lined-up-for-electric-model-s-sedan/1?csp=34. Retrieved 2011-01-26. 
24. ^ "Tesla Motors to build assembly plant in New Mexico to produce WhiteStar electric sports sedan". Greencarcongress.com. 2007-02-19. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007/02/tesla_motors_to.html#more. Retrieved 2010-11-27. 
25. ^ Drori, Ze'ev (June 30, 2008). "Site Selection". Tesla Motors. http://www.teslamotors.com/blog2/?p=60. Retrieved 2008-07-09. 
26. ^ Ramsey, Jonathon (2009-03-26). "Tesla Model S: $50,000 EV sedan seats seven, 300-mile range, 0-60 in 5.5s". autobloggreen. http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/03/26/tesla-model-s-50-000-ev-sedan-seats-seven-300-mile-range-0-6/. Retrieved 2009-04-12. 
27. ^ Jim Motavalli (2009-04-30). "Tesla Model S Arrives in Manhattan". New York Times. http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/30/tesla-model-s-arrives-in-manhattan/. Retrieved 2009-10-21. 
28. ^ Michael Kanellos and Ucilia Wang (2009-10-05). "Panasonic Set to Make Batteries for Tesla’s Model S". Greentech Media, Inc.. http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/panasonic-set-to-make-batteries-for-teslas-model-s/. Retrieved 2009-10-09. 
29. ^ Thursday, March 26, 2009 (2009-03-26). "teslamotors.com/media/press_room.php?id=1284". Teslamotors.com. http://www.teslamotors.com/media/press_room.php?id=1284. Retrieved 2010-11-27. 
30. ^ "Tesla Model S Revealed". Automoblog.net. http://www.automoblog.net/2009/03/27/tesla-model-s-revealed/. 

External links

• Tesla Model S at Tesla Motors website