Back in early April, we wrote about Elon Musk’s statement that Tesla would manufacture an affordable electric car about half the price of the Tesla Model S by 2017. At the time, questions that popped up were: Which Model S (i.e. how much, exactly)? What kind of range would it get? Is it really going to happen — should we actually trust Elon this time? And, of course, will you please, please just give me one?
The Tesla CEO has revealed more details about the 2017 affordable EV: “In an interview with the Detroit News, Musk said that while having paid off the government green loan was like taking a weight off of his chest, the company could not rest on its laurels. It’s next vehicle, the Model X SUV, has been pushed back a year, and while Tesla sales are strong, there is still a whole lotta debt to deal with. After the Model X though, Tesla wants to launch a 200-mile EV with a starting price of about $40,000, about the same price as the Chevy Volt, though the main competition will be the BMW 3-series. Also, it may cure blindness and walk on water.”
Back in April, Nathan wrote: “As of now, a new Model S ranges between $70,000 and $100,000 before tax credits and rebates (such as the $7,500 federal tax credit and the $2,500 California rebate).” So, the $40,000 number definitely seems reasonable, especially if it’s offering a range of 200 miles!
Tesla has been on a roll with its recent announcements (resulting in quite a nice stock price spike). Last night, it held yet another press conference about a major one related to its Supercharger network. CleanTechnica senior reporter Tina Casey asked Elon about the design of this upcoming, “affordable” model. I was surprised at how much Elon said in response (though, he clearly noted that they were at the early design stage), but I’ll leave reporting on those statements to Tina since she asked the questions. Stay tuned!
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