Wired says Tesla Model S better to drive then a Bimmer

Wired got a chance to drive the much anticipated Tesla Model S all electric vehicle. The test drive was limited to 7 to 9 minutes of driving so we will have to wait for a complete review but the initial results seem promising. Wired went as far as to say the Tesla "feels better than the best small Bimmer".

We can tell you that it accelerates, stops and turns. It’s got more than enough shove to power you up an on-ramp, an interior that’s capable of carrying you and a few companions for an EPA-estimated 265 miles on a six-hour charge, and an infotainment screen that takes up more dashboard real-estate than a three-story row home.

What we can’t tell you is what the Model S is like to commute in or what it’s like to cane through the twisting roads of Mount Hamilton. And more importantly, we’re unable to put Tesla’s range claims to the test.

But if our brief seat time is any indication, Tesla hasn’t just delivered a functional, all-electric sedan – it’s made a luxury EV that can outpace and outclass the stalwarts of the premium sports sedan segment, while changing the perceptions of electric mobility.

It’s also a complete hoot to drive.

So far, it feels better than the best small Bimmer. And as it should. This is clean sheet car creation, combining the sport of a sports sedan with the electro-powered shove of its Roadster fore bearer. But unlike the Roadster, the Model S is brimming with grunt all the way through the rev range.

Read Wired.com's complete write up of the first Tesla Model S Drive

The Tesla Model S is in the same size and price range as a 5 series. If it has the performance and handling to match a BMW 5 series would you consider it as your next car?

Originally Posted by tim330i

The Tesla Model S is in the same size and price range as a 5 series. If it has the performance and handling to match a BMW 5 series would you consider it as your next car?

In an instant. Told my wife the other day that my next BMW lease could be my last normal engine car as the Model S seems too flipping awesome.

Not surprising. Tesla seems to have a home run with this car. I really want to test drive one

I think it looks gorgeous, and I love the fact that it's an EV. IMO, this is the way of the future. If I had the money to be an early adopter, I'd have either a Fisker Karma or a Tesla Model S in my garage. (Or both! )

In fact, come 1-2 years from now when I'm ready for my next car, I think the Model S might seriously make it on the Short List along with the F31 and a couple others.

Tesla Motors(TSLA) on June 22, rolled out the first Model S luxury sedans for customers, a milestone that many hope could rev up the entire electric car industry and help return high-end manufacturing jobs to California.

Hundreds of Tesla employees, dignitaries and media jammed a small corner of the cavernous factory to wait for a Silicon Valley first: electric cars rolling off a Fremont assembly line.

Tesla co-founder and CEO Elon Musk told the crowd that the company aimed at nothing less than showing "that an electric car can in fact be the best car in the world."

Turning to the assembled employees in red T-shirts, he added: "Thanks to the fantastic team here at Tesla. You rock!"

Jeff Skoll, eBay's(EBAY) first president, was the first customer to drive off in a gleaming red Model S. He has invested millions in the company and praised Tesla for delivering the cars ahead of schedule, even though many experts said it couldn't be done.

"We were talking about which is harder to build, a rocket or a car," said Skoll, referring to the fact that Musk is also CEO of the rocket company SpaceX. "We decided it was a car. There isn't a lot of competition in space."

Gov. Jerry Brown, who was greeted with wild cheers, called the rollout "another example of California on the move -- cutting-edge technology picking up where others left off. It takes courage, a lot of risk-taking, a lot of money."

Swinging back at those who say California, mired in debt, has lost its footing, Brown said, "All of you are part of the state that is leading the country, if not the world. This car is another example of (that) boldness."

The stakes are high for the success of the Model S, and not just for Tesla. Its efforts represent a chance for California to add more high-end manufacturing jobs amid a continuing sluggish economy and a 10.8 percent unemployment rate. And the electric car industry, which has suffered from setbacks and sluggish sales over the past year, needs a boost.

"It marks, hopefully, the transformation of Tesla from a wannabe to a mainstream automaker," said John O'Dell, a senior editor at auto information site Edmunds.com.

Tesla's pricey sedans, which sell for between $57,400 and $77,400 before government rebates, are aimed at those with relatively deep pockets. But Musk said plans already are under way for Tesla to build a car that will cost less than $30,000 to make electric cars "affordable to the mass market."

Tesla said it will make 5,000 cars this year, and 20,000 next year. The first 1,200 to be delivered are the deluxe Signature Series Model S, which sell for as much as $105,400 before rebates. Tesla plans to offer the Model X sport-utility vehicle in early 2014.

All of Tesla's vehicles are designed with the tech-savvy in mind: The Model S's, which have a range of 160 to 300 miles, depending on the battery size, have a "smart" key in the shape of the car and a dashboard resembling a giant touch-screen iPad.

The Model S represents a make-or-break move for the Palo Alto-based company as it tries to move beyond the high-end Tesla Roadster, which had a price starting at $109,000 and are now out of production. Musk said Friday he is determined to keep the company independent.

"A lot of people have been very, very skeptical" about Tesla's potential for commercial success, O'Dell said. "When you want to be an automaker, you are competing with multibillion-dollar conglomerates."

Friday's event underscored the soaring ambition of Musk, the PayPal co-founder who in addition to bankrolling the birth of an automaker in Silicon Valley backed the private SpaceX rocket company. Its Dragon spacecraft made history last month, becoming the first commercial vehicle to launch and dock with the International Space Station.

Musk's mentality, O'Dell said, "is very, very Silicon Valley. It's entrepreneurism on steroids. ... They had a huge learning curve but they powered through it."

By Musk's account, the outcome of that effort, the Model S, "is the best car in every dimension that matters -- its performance or safety or handling, the technology, the interface, the styling, the aesthetic. It's really something that is fundamentally better."

http://www.mercurynews.com/business/...lant-elon-musk

Tesla is in such a better position than Fisker. I hope Tesla does well in the competitive automotive world. Fisker is slowly dying even before they become mainstream. Tesla needs to open a dealer here in the Boston area.

Tesla Model S Owner Video

The more I see and hear, and the more I think about it. The more I want this car.

Hmmm, 2.5 hour drive to the nearest Tesla dealership...

they drove it for 7-9 minutes - that's not a test drive - that's a tease.

Originally Posted by OBS3SSION

The more I see and hear, and the more I think about it. The more I want this car.

Hmmm, 2.5 hour drive to the nearest Tesla dealership...

Model S Test Drive

http://www.teslamotors.com/own/testdrive

http://www.teslamotors.com/buy/stores

http://www.teslamotors.com/events

Inside Tesla - Stamping

Tesla is one of the few companies in the world producing a steel-reinforced aluminum car. Aluminum reduces the overall weight of Model S to help maximize efficiency and range.

Your Model S actually starts as a huge aluminum coil that weighs up to 20,000 pounds. This coil is unfurled and fed into our Blanking Line that cuts the aluminum into large rectangles aptly called "blanks."

Our Press Line stamps the aluminum blanks into 3D parts using huge molds called "dies." The large black and yellow dies weigh up to 40 tons and are design-specific to stamp each aluminum piece of Model S.

The hydraulic Press Line shown here enables Tesla to produce large panels of the car, like doors and hoods, in-house, rather than outsourcing this production. Our Press Line is the largest of its kind in North America and is capable of producing one part every six seconds.

Our state-of-the-art Kuka robots move aluminum blanks into the press, and then, using over one thousand tons of force, the blank is formed, trimmed and pierced. It's very impressive to watch as flat aluminum blanks go in one side and shaped, paint-ready panels come out the other.

http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/inside-tesla-52912

Originally Posted by wyb

they drove it for 7-9 minutes - that's not a test drive - that's a tease.

+1 ! Exactly.

Need to learn to cut through all the "marketing" hype and determine what the actual vehicle really is. I hope it suceeds, however there was another car recently that got a lot of hype (way too much hype) and then came out and seems to be pretty flat overall - the Chevy Volt.

Inside Tesla - Body

After blanks of aluminum have been stamped into 3D parts, they are assembled into what is called a "Body in White" - a term that refers to a vehicle body ready to be painted.

The Tesla Body Center is designed to assemble Model S in the most efficient and precise way. Stations run by Tesla's state-of-the-art robots surround our main Body Framing Line. At each station, robots build a unique sub-assembly and then transfer it to the Body Framing Line where it is joined with other sub-assemblies from parallel stations. The robotic arms of our Body Framing Line bond, rivet and weld sub-assemblies into the iconic form of Model S.

http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/inside-tesla-060512

Inside Tesla - Painting

Our Paint Center uses some of the highest quality processes available to the automotive industry today. The paint finish of Model S will raise the bar in the premium automotive category. First, a Body-in-White is submerged into our pre-treatment bath where the aluminum gets prepared for its first treatment layer.

We then dip Model S into a 75,000 gallon tank of advanced electro-coating solution to enhance the appearance of subsequent paint layers. After this e-coat dip, the car goes through a 350° F oven to ensure a “baked on” protection against corrosion. Highly-skilled craftsmen then apply sealer to ensure it is watertight and quiet.

Next, the car gets its primer coat, followed by a base coat from one of our 10 vibrant color choices. Lastly we apply a clear coat application to make the car shine! These “coats” are all applied by the latest robotic paint applicators that not only spray, but also open the doors, hood and liftgate to cover every surface of the car. The robots move fast, so watch carefully in the video to see all these maneuvers.

http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/inside-tesla-061212

Inside Tesla – Assembly

After a final coat of paint and clear coat, Model S is transported to the assembly center on automated SmartCarts that follow magnetic tape strips on the floor. Along the way, robots use high-definition 3D cameras to accurately position the panoramic roof. The interior seats, center console, and instrument cluster are all installed as SmartCarts continue to move Model S through the assembly line. Then the drivetrain and battery modules are precision-lifted and secured. After the final exterior components, such as tires, wheels and emblems are added, your car is powered up for the first time.

Before leaving the factory, every Model S undergoes stringent quality tests on a uniquely designed final inspection platform with premium quality bamboo flooring and LED lighting. The car is inspected by Tesla associates for perfect body fit and appearance. Your Model S then enters the industry’s first all-glass water test booth, where it is sprayed by water from 360 stationary nozzles to ensure your car has perfect water tightness. Tesla’s water test booth holds 1,500 gallons of water that is purified and re-used for each test to minimize wasted resources.

As a final quality test before Model S is ready to be shipped, every car is tested on Tesla’s indoor confirmation track – North America’s first. Though most confirmation test tracks are outdoors, Tesla’s zero emissions powertrain makes an indoor test track possible.

http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/inside-tesla-061912