Tesla Motors will be showcasing a major milestone in their production history at the North American International Auto Show. Tesla Roadster VIN 1,000 will be making it's debut at Cobo Hall, signifying Tesla Motors' impressive feat of producing / selling 1,000 highway capable electric vehicles worldwide. Tesla Motors' tumultuous efforts were some of the most publicized corporate affairs in recent memory, but those memories are now history, as Tesla Motors achieved profitability and expanded their sales / service locations around the world.
Tesla Motors now looks towards the future, also presenting the Tesla Model S sedan (shown) at the autoshow. Even against the bleak backdrop of a Detroit, Michigan winter, it is a stunning jewel to behold. The Model S is tentatively planned for domestic production at a brownfield toxic waste site in Downey, California. I say tentatively, because Tesla Motors had previously selected sites in New Mexico, San Jose and now Downey, so plans could (and perhaps should) still change, as protests against exposing workers to unsafe environments and advocates for the shuttered NUMMI plant apply pressure.
Last, but certainly not least, is Tesla Roadster VIN 750, which made a 3,600+ mile trip from Los Angeles to Cobo Hall from Dec. 17 to Jan. 8, which was documented on the Tesla Roadster Roadtrip site. While some degradation in range was experienced, it's reliability and durability on the long trip and harsh winter conditions is still impressive.
[Source: Tesla Motors]
