CAR GARAGE | 2012 Tesla Model S | The Model S is a four-door sedan That the California electric car maker Tesla plans to build beginning in 2011, presumably as a 2012 model, and says That it will be the first mass-produced electric vehicle. The Car Connection.com editors have seen the Tesla Model S prototype firsthand and have distilled available information into this Bottom Line review; The Car Connection.com will give you the latest info about the 2012 production version of the Model S as it Becomes available.
The interior looks to be an elegant, airy affair with high-quality leather and soft-touch surfaces, again matching the best luxury competition. A comprehensive voice recognition system will hopefully allay these concerns. Tesla Model S the bills as a seven-passenger vehicle. The rear-mounted power train is eerily silent, and should add to the vehicle's stealth and luxury. A one-speed drive train seems a odd, but adds lightness, reduces complexity and still manages a 130-mph top speed.
The sedan boasts a 45/55-percent front / rear weight distribution and tips the scales at just over 4.000 pounds, Respectable given its size, technology, and performance. A drive train and battery pack mounted low in the vehicle yields a low center of gravity for Tenacious handling. With the top-option battery pack, Tesla Motors promises a 300-mile range. The standard battery pack Gives miles of driving just 160, the second-tier pack 230 miles. The company plans to rent the 300-mile pack to Those who Their only occasionally use vehicles for longer Journeys; alternately, owners can purchase upgraded battery packs later if Their driving needs change.
To fast-charge a Tesla Model S, buyers can purchase extra equipment from the dealer and enjoy just 45 minutes from empty to fully charged. The company claims That the cost and environmental impact of charging is hugely below That of one tank of gasoline. Promised is a three-or four-year total-vehicle warranty, bumper-to-bumper. Estimated price: $ 49.900 $ 7.500 after a Federal tax credit. But CEO Elon Musk That stresses operating costs-especially for Those who lease a Model S-make the actual cost of this vehicle no more than $ 35,000 That of a 2010 Ford Taurus.
