Tesla Roadster News
-
Here's a frightening scene from the streets of Denmark submitted to Autopia by reader, Lars H. A Tesla Roadster was involved in a three-way crash with a Volkswagen Touareg and a Toyota Prius earlier this week. Apparently the Roadster was stopped behind the Touareg when the Prius rear-ended the Roadster, pushing it under the SUV. According to an email sent to Autopia by Tesla spokeswoman, Rachel Konrad, the owner of the Roadster was not driving or in the car at the time of the crash. The driver escaped with only minor bruises and as one commenter noted, the Roadster's passenger compartment...
-
Tesla Roadster Leadtimes Shrinking?
From the source linked below, the following is an excerpt from a recently published newsletter from Tesla Motors: "If you custom-order your car online, in showrooms or by phone today, you could have your car in time for Christmas." The source then speculates that Tesla Motors sales must be down...
Jason Hendler -
Want $42K Off A New Tesla Roadster? Call Your Colorado Cousin
[REVISED UPDATE, October 23: For awhile, it seemed too good to be true. The full text of Colorado House bill 09-1331, "An Act Concerning Incentives For Efficient Motor Vehicles," turns out to include a cap of $6,000 on the tax credit available for any low-emission car. The all-important phrase...
John Voelcker -
eWolf Unveils It's New EV Supercar Prototype
The e2 Seems To Be Aimed Squarely At Tesla
Jon Vandervelde -
Tesla Taxi? Hybrid Cab Owner Customizes Electric Roadster
Anyone in the world who's ever seen a movie set in New York City can recognize a New York taxi. It's yellow with black graphics. So would you mistake this 2009 Tesla Roadster Sport for a taxi and hail it on the streets of Monaco? Probably not, but it's a tribute to the hacks of New York just the...
John Voelcker -
Panasonic Linking PC Batteries Together To Power Cars
If Panasonic gets its way, your average laptop battery could be the electric vehicle power source of the future. The Japanese consumer electronics company announced Thursday that it has developed a method of binding standard lithium-ion batteries together (Tesla Motors style), for use in...
Robert Scardino -
The revolving door of Tesla Motors leadership keeps turning. Today, executive vice president of vehicle engineering and manufacturing, Mike Donoughe, is calling it quits, just over a year after he started the job. Formerly employed by Chrysler, Donoughe was charged with overseeing engineering while Tesla was ramping up production of their Roadster and developing an improved powertrain. Donoughe will now serve as a senior partner at St. Clair Consortium, a Detroit, Michigan based consulting firm, where he will advise companies on developing lean processes. As the co-founder of the...
-
Tesla Planning Sub-$30,000 Vehicle For 2016
Tesla Motors wants you to know that they won't be a niche automaker for long. CEO, Elon Musk has repeatedly affirmed that he expects his electric vehicle company to compete in the mainstream market with the big boys. With a lineup consisting of two-seat sports cars costing more than $100,000, and...
Robert Scardino -
Car and Driver Reports Dodge Circuit EV is Likely to Reach Production
Reviewers have praised the 2011 concept Dodge Circuit EV. Many have driven the prototype model and Chrysler previously announced that the vehicle would be produced, then speculation came suggesting the program was canceled especially in light of the economic issues. However, there is now new...
Eric Loveday -
Renew America Roadtrip Heads Out For Cross Country Trip In EV
Back in 1998, a little known group called Renew America Roadtrip headed out on an adventure that was unheard of at the time. They drove cross country in a fully electric EV1. Their goal then was to prove that an EV could capably motor across our nation using the existing infrastructure. Well...
Eric Loveday -
Dutch Website ZERAuto Announces EV Poll Winner DuraCar Quicc Diva, Runners Up Include Volt and Tesla Roadster
A Dutch website that is dedicated to hybrid and electric vehicles has been conducting an online poll asking visitors to rank their top choices in the EV and hybrid categories. The list of entrants include among other the Tesla Roadster, the Chevy Volt, the Pininfarina Blue Car, and the Think...
Eric Loveday -
Finance Your Tesla Roadster With Bank of America
Tesla Motors announced today that they're partnering with Bank of America to offer financing on their Roadster. This begs the following question: If you need to finance the Roadster, should you be buying one? Tesla has always been very protective of their customers' identities, but we know at least...
Robert Scardino -
Tesla Motors freshly infused with nearly a half billion in loan guarantees from Uncle Sam will now be expand its dealership base from the Golden State to the Big Apple. On July 14 the electric car maker will open its first dealership for a media preview in New York City. The store will be in the Chelsea Art District on 511 W 25th Street. This store is the next to open after the one in London in a series of seven stores Tesla will be opening this summer. Other locatiosn will include Seattle, Chicago, Miami, Munich and Monaco. Tesla is also scouting locations in Washington DC and Toronto...
-
California HOV-Lane Stickers For Hybrids: Worth $1,200 To $1,500
Imagine a special sticker that let you use those high-occupancy vehicle lanes, zipping past stop-and-go rush hour traffic, blissfully alone in your car. If you live in California and were one of 85,000 lucky hybrid owners, you know exactly what I'm talking about. In 2005, California decided to open...
John Voelcker -
Koenigsegg To Produce Quant Solar-Electric Supercar
What do you get when a niche Swedish supercar company, Koenigsegg, buys the common man's Swedish car company, Saab? Apparently you get the capacity to produce electric supercars in volume. Realtid.se has reported that Koenigsegg's recent purchase of Saab was intended to give the supercar company...
Robert Scardino -
Tesla Battle Gets Uglier: Founder Eberhard Sues CEO Elon Musk
The 2009 Tesla Roadster is an absolute blast to drive. It will make an electric-car fan out of every single person who drives one, or even rides shotgun. The company that makes the car, however, is not such a blast. In its short 7-year life, Tesla has had many missteps, multiple CEOs, layoffs...
John Voelcker -
VIDEO: Attack Of The Tesla Roadsters! Owners Celebrate 500th Delivery
Over two dozen Tesla Roadster owners hit the streets of L.A. on Saturday to recognize the San Carlos, California, based electric car company's 500th delivery. Sixty miles of driving and one Malibu barbecue later, some impressive videos of the event appeared on YouTube. This was no ordinary car...
Robert Scardino -
$45K Coda Electric Sedan Will Beat Volt, Tesla, Etc, To Market
The Chinese-built Coda sedan will arrive in autumn 2010--ahead of the Chevrolet Volt
John Voelcker -
Tesla Motors is collaborating with Daimler AG on two affordable EVs planned for production within the next few years. In an interview with Green Car Advisor Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, confirmed that in addition to the previously publicized Smart EV, the two companies have been working on another zero-emissions vehicle for 'everyman.' While details on this second vehicle won't be released until later in the year, Musk says the Smart EV will be on the road by the end of 2009 and he expects Daimler to price it well below $30,000. Daimler has been testing the Smart EV in London for a year and a half...
-
AWD and Back Seats for Next Tesla Sportscar
By all accounts, the Tesla Roadster is a stupendous drive. It's fast, it grips the road and it doesn't use a drop of gas. For all of this, the driver is treated to one retractable cup holder and one passenger. Got luggage? Forgedaboutit. This green machine is intended for two things - looking...
Robert Scardino -
Tesla Recalls 345 Roadsters
It's official. Tesla is a legitimate automaker. The electric car company is recalling 345 Roadsters because of an under-torqued rear hub flange bolt, which could become loose, resulting in poor handling and a rubbing noise from the back of the vehicle. The other possible consequence of this loose...
Robert Scardino -
Tesla's New BFF (And Savior?) Is Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler AG announced today it would buy 10 percent of Silicon Valley electric-car startup Tesla. What does it all mean?
John Voelcker -
Tesla CEO To Refund Buyers if Company Goes Under
Car buyers today fear the worst. What would happen if you purchased a new vehicle from General Motors only to learn tomorrow that they declared bankruptcy and will not honor warranty claims and will not be able to provide parts to fix your vehicle? The federal government vows that they will...
Eric Loveday -
EV Innovations Bringing Electric Sports Cars to New York Auto Show
Last November we reported that Sam's Club sold a non-existent sports car called the Liv Inizio by Hybrid Technologies. As it turns out, the start-up EV company (now calling itself EV Innovations) is planning to attend the New York Auto Show with two electric sports cars in tow. The first debut...
Robert Scardino