2011 Tesla Model S

This is really really BIG NEWS! Tesla Motors announced the Model S will be available for sale in 2011, they have started taking orders. Most people that read my blog are familiar with the Tesla Roadster. Tesla is a U.S. company that is at the forefront of automotive technology. During the current economic difficulties they have a backlog of orders for their high technology vehicles. Actually, they are producing the cars of the future now! Click here to go to the Tesla Model S website!

The Model S is a four door sedan but it can carry seven people and travels 300 miles per charge. Also, Tesla indicates that the Model S can carry more cargo than many SUVs. Apparently, the powertrain is in the floor, which gives the Model S a substantial amount of cargo room, the space under the hood is used as a second trunk.

Actually, it might be the worlds first mass produced highway capable electric vehicle! That is as long as it beats General Motors Chevy Volt or the Toyota Prius plug in to the market first. The Model S is strictly battery powered, it does not have an engine. Production will be at a new plant in Hawthorne, California, which is close to the LA International Airport.

Here comes the best part! The Model S carries a charger on board, and the vehicle can be charged from any 120V, 240V or 480V outlet. Using the 480V outlet charges the batteries in forty five minutes. Tesla indicates that the vehicle can be driven across country similar to a regular gasoline car.

The 0-60 time is under six seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 130 mph. Pricing for the Model S starts at $57,400, a $7,500 federal tax credit helps to reduce the cost. Three different battery options will offer a range of 160, 230 or 300 miles.

Tesla is planning to come out with a model that costs $30,000. "Model S doesn’t compromise on performance, efficiency or utility -- it’s truly the only car you need,” said Tesla CEO, Chairman and Product Architect Elon Musk. “Tesla is relentlessly driving down the cost of electric vehicle technology, and this is just the first of many mainstream cars we’re developing.” Tesla is planning to open showrooms in London, New York, Miami, Seattle, Washington D.C. and Munich sometime this year.

My take on the Model S is this a game changer! It shows that a small company can produce a state of the art product with limited financing in an extremely difficult economic climate. This company will become a household name within the next couple of years. I will take mine in black!

New American Car Company - Tesla Motors

Most people are unfamiliar with Tesla Motors, they are an American auto manufacturer. They produce an electric car the Tesla Roadster which is one of my favorites. Actually, while most of the auto industry is in the dole drums due to the bad economy. This company has 1000 back orders on their production thru November and will be sold out thru 2009 shortly.

The Tesla Roadster is an exotic car and sells for $109,000. The Roadster is assembled in England by Lotus Motor. European deliveries of the Roadster and Roadster Sport will start in late June, and we will announce the location of our first European showroom (in London, UK) in the next few weeks

The company is also developing a four door sedan called the Model S. The department of Energy informed Tesla that they will disburse $350 million for their Model S within the next few months. The Obama administration has made it a high priority to move quickly on the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan program.

Elon Mush, Chairman of the Board, Product Architect and CEO wrote this in his blog "I expect sales demand to strengthen further as this awareness grows. After all, what’s the point of driving another exotic sports car when it is slower than a Tesla and damages the environment? Already, the Tesla Roadster is the car of choice among the technology, business and Hollywood A lists – this year’s Academy Awards will be a lineup of Teslas – and we have never had to give a discount to anyone". See the Tesla Blog for more information!

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A hydraulic-diesel hybrid?????

Most people are familiar with a gasoline-electric hybrids. Examples are the Toyota Prius, Ford Mariner Hybrid, Toyota Camry Hybrid etc. OK, there is a new hybrid on the block! Yes, the UPS truck you will see driving down the road in the near future!

Here is a prime example of how our government should work! The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)Advanced Technology Division, in coordination with Eaton, Navistar and the United Parcel Service (UPS) are developing a new technology to power UPS trucks. The technology utilizes high pressure hydraulic fluid. A 170-hp diesel engine is connected to a hydraulic pump instead of a transmission. The engine is not used to propel the truck but instead pressurizes the hydraulic fluid. The fluid is stored in an pressurized storage tanks located under the vehicle. The pressurized hydraulic fluid powers two hydraulic motors drive the rear wheels of the vehicle. Under braking the motors slow the truck and recapture energy in the process.

This technology gives the UPS truck a 45-50% gain in fuel economy. The fuel savings will pay for the additional costs of the technology within three years. Many hybrids take much longer to pay for the additional cost of the vehicle. So, this development is key for the mass production of the technology and the application to passenger cars.

The EPA has built a Ford Expedition with this technology. Fuel economy increased substantially by 85 percent mainly due to swapping the Expedition’s 5.4-liter V-8 for a 1.9-liter Volkswagen diesel. Who says that Americans cannot have their SUVS?