The co-founder and chief executive of Tesla, Elon Musk, said some interesting things in a story appearing this week in The Wall Street Journal (Tesla Takes Luxurious Route to the Electric Car).
He is betting “the best way to make electric cars a mainstream product is to follow the path taken by cellphones, video recorders and computers: Start by selling expensive gear to enthusiasts, and get them to finance the breakthroughs that make the technology affordable for the masses.”
Expensive it is. The Tesla Model S sedan ranges from a $49,900 base model (after a $7,500 federal tax credit), to a $97,900 “Signature Performance” model.
There are a lot of enthusiasts lining up for it too. The article references Tesla’s annual report — stating as of the end of 2011, there was more than $90 million in deposits for Model S sedans, and $1.8 million in deposits for Roadsters.
Production of the Model s is sold out through March 2013.
###
Speak Your Mind