Tesla Model S, is Tesla Motors’ new, soon to be released family sports sedan. It has received a lot of attention, due to its design, its passenger capacity, cargo space, and ground-breaking innovations. It will go into production in Mid-2012 and is currently in Beta stage. The few iterations of the car that exist in Beta are being taken to Tesla dealership/boutiques and shows on tour. It is high demand and Tesla Motors has pre-sold its entire 2012 inventory and has already began pre-selling 2013 inventory.
In a not new, but rather, an idea bought back from the past, it offers seating four 7 via 2 fold and hide seats similar to the rear-facing seats found in the station wagon vehicles of the 60’s and 70’s. If you’re feeling lonely, you’ll be pleased to know that the car also comes equipped with Google Voice to enable you to speak commands from the touch of your steering wheel.
Among its unique features is a touchscreen dashboard interface which consists of a 17” touch panel screen, akin to the Apple iPad. Some journalists are calling it the “dashboard of the future.” This “infotainment” panel will allow you to check the cars diagnostics, that is how it is charging or using its power. You can be connected with your phone and have your contacts uploaded to the dash along with pertinent information such as address, contact photo, etc. It offers navigations with a map that will optionally fill the screen in its entirety thus offering what we believe to be the largest GPS screen ever put into a vehicle. This interface will be equipped with 3g or 4g access to provide internet connectivity while on the road. Not that you can necessarily browse the web while driving. We anticipate that that ability will be disabled while the car is in motion. However, this connectivity will allow you to also access audio streams from the internet such as Pandora or Internet radio. Along with this connectivity, you are able to check on your cars status to see how many miles of fuel you have remaining and ultimately you will be able to manage climate control while you are away from the vehicle. The features of the dashboard can grow during the life of the car, especially since it will allow for third-party apps. The car too sports some other think-out-of-the-box features like enabling automatic climate control or remote climate control from an iPhone.
A Sales Manager, Adam Sussler at the Los Angeles Tesla Motors showroom/dealership suggested that ultimately the car may have the ability to learn your climate habits such that when the car learns that you turn on the heater because you want a certain temperature in the morning before you leave, and that you leave every morning Monday through Friday at 7:25am, that it will begin adjusting your climate control for you, in anticipation of your typical habits before you even get in your car.
The Telsa Model S is available with 3 types of battery packs that allow you to have a range of either 160, 230, or 300. Stepping up to 230 costs an additional $10,000, while stepping up to the 300 mile range, costs an additional $20,000. Tesla Motors is committing to manufacturing 5000 cars in 2012, while 20,000 cars will be produced a year thereafter, in 2013. Tesla Motors is excepting delivery to begin in July 2012. As of October 28th, the car is sold out for 2012. The first 1000 cars in the US will be given to US adopters who wish to buy the “Signature” version of the car. This is the only way to get one in 2012 since there are still spots available for these. This Signature series is “well-equipped” per Tesla Motors, but how well equipped has not been disclosed as of yet. All that is known for certain is that it will come with the 300 mile battery pack, which means, that at a minimum, it will cost around $77,400. However, in a recent interview with Elon Musk, the CEO of Telsa Motors, he disclosed that it could get close to $100,000, although they are trying to keep that version below 6 digits. If you want to get that version, then you have to order it either at a Tesla Motors shop, or online at http://www.teslamotors.com/models/design, but it comes at a price. You’ll have to be willing to deposit $40,000 via bank wire. If you wish to order a regular model you’ll have to deposit $5,000. However, if for whatever reason, you change your mind, your deposit is fully refundable as long as you ask for it before you commit to your contract. As a reservation holder, you would be contacted approximately 3 months before the production of your vehicle. At that time, you may defer the date on which you vehicle enters production to a later date. How much later, has not been disclosed.