1,000 bookings for Tesla Model S sedan!

Tesla Model S

Tesla Motors has revealed that it has garnered a total of 1,000 bookings for its second model, the Tesla Model S. Tesla calls it a 4-door electric sedan with 5+2 seating – that’s something new! 3 rows in a sedan, with the +2 referring to child seats hidden somewhere way at the rear somehow I guess.

To make a booking you have to place a US$5,000 booking fee that is refundable but that means US$5 million in Tesla’s hands right now. The base model will cost US$49,900 after a tax credit because of the car’s zero emissions. The tax credit is quite substantial at US$7,500.

Tesla claims a 300 mile (480km) range (160 miles for the baseline model and another 230 mile model) and a recharge time of 45 minutes from a special external 480V QuickCharger line, or several hours (overnight) with a regular electrical outlet between 120V to 240V.

Tesla Model S

The company also claims the car’s floor-installed battery packs can be swapped out in less than the time it takes to fill a full tank of petrol, so in the future you could actually go to “battery stations” and swap out your batteries for a freshly fully charged new set instead of stopping and waiting for a full charge.

0 to 100km/h takes only 5.6 seconds which is pretty rapid for a sedan, and power goes to the rear wheels via a single speed transmission, but there are plans for the future for all-wheel drive models. For the US market the cars will naturally be left hand drive but right hand drive models will also be available later.

Look after the jump for a video and photo gallery!

[zenphotopress number=99 album=201]

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • i wonder this car will be available in malaysia? ahhaa.. probably no electrical point to charge it though? need to bring the power extension around..

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  • greencar on May 14, 2009 at 11:07 pm

    i would buy one if the price is reasonable to save the planet…hopefully the maintenance cost is also reasonable…

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  • akupung on May 14, 2009 at 11:08 pm

    why it looks like aston martin..

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  • This is the future of cars.

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  • Dracryst on May 14, 2009 at 11:36 pm

    It looks more like a mashed up between Gran Turismo and the XF…

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  • Miss Janet on May 14, 2009 at 11:50 pm

    Sure won't get electric-shock from this car in ANY possible condition? I am sure we all experienced a minor Static Shock from our car's door when wearing static-friendly fiber clothing such as nylon etc,… well, of course the car is tested substantially for electric shock or proven it's electric shockproof…but as we all know human make errors and car assembly are done by or controlled by human…how about think of the cases batteries in cellphones and dell notebook exploded…

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  • farghmee on May 14, 2009 at 11:56 pm

    wow, clean & tidy!

    curvy-licious ;)

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  • _Zephyre_ on May 14, 2009 at 11:59 pm

    That's pretty. Reminds me of an Aston Martin.

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  • Zaff1984 on May 15, 2009 at 12:28 am

    [quote comment="238381"]Sure won't get electric-shock from this car in ANY possible condition? I am sure we all experienced a minor Static Shock from our car's door when wearing static-friendly fiber clothing such as nylon etc,… well, of course the car is tested substantially for electric shock or proven it's electric shockproof…but as we all know human make errors and car assembly are done by or controlled by human…how about think of the cases batteries in cellphones and dell notebook exploded…[/quote]

    u make me scared even i can't afford telsa…. they should figure out how to safe the passengers when battery exploded. im i being paranoid?

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  • Zaff1984 on May 15, 2009 at 12:30 am

    not every original design… but who cares the car looking good… like the tail light and sexy curves…

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  • ellism on May 15, 2009 at 12:36 am

    paul:its not telsa la..its tesla…ehehe

    looks like tesla steal aston martin styling cues..

    from the front to the rear end of this monster..

    does it comes in black colour ?

    dis is the future sports car..

    performance machine+hybrid machine=intelligent

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  • bobdbilder on May 15, 2009 at 12:55 am

    [quote comment="238393"][quote comment="238381"]Sure won't get electric-shock from this car in ANY possible condition? I am sure we all experienced a minor Static Shock from our car's door when wearing static-friendly fiber clothing such as nylon etc,… well, of course the car is tested substantially for electric shock or proven it's electric shockproof…but as we all know human make errors and car assembly are done by or controlled by human…how about think of the cases batteries in cellphones and dell notebook exploded…[/quote]

    u make me scared even i can't afford telsa…. they should figure out how to safe the passengers when battery exploded. im i being paranoid?[/quote]

    Yes you are. Take a bus. A torquey car is not for the faint-hearted. The possibility of a fire is possible if you connected the wrong terminals of the batteries. But don't worry, the manual will tell you this… :-)

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  • Thomas on May 15, 2009 at 1:29 am

    It looks so concept! I don't think this is the one. I think they will sell another type because this one looks like a prototype! ~BEEPS~

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  • bmpower on May 15, 2009 at 1:38 am

    I prefer lotus elise detroit electric EV over this one.

    Tesla just overated.

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  • Michael on May 15, 2009 at 1:52 am

    [quote comment="238379"]It looks more like a mashed up between Gran Turismo and the XF…[/quote]

    Spot on bro

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  • Gajen on May 15, 2009 at 4:04 am

    front from gran turismo…rear and side from xf…rims from slr….

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  • very nice, the future is here!

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  • kei9 (Member) on May 15, 2009 at 4:55 am

    A maser lookalike on electric.

    We should see something more like this in the coming years. :)

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  • mystvearn on May 15, 2009 at 5:17 am

    its a jaguar right? tesla just modified it

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  • Rulered on May 15, 2009 at 6:24 am

    It's like the brand Apple in computers/mobile phone for car industry, this car sets the bench mark quite high in terms of green engine, while the rest would be playing catching up or will be trying to catch up. The silence associated with a roadster is a something to get use to though. Again the design is secondary, it's the technology that's important.

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  • Miss Janet on May 15, 2009 at 8:28 am

    [quote comment="238398"][quote comment="238393"][quote comment="238381"]Sure won't get electric-shock from this car in ANY possible condition? I am sure we all experienced a minor Static Shock from our car's door when wearing static-friendly fiber clothing such as nylon etc,… well, of course the car is tested substantially for electric shock or proven it's electric shockproof…but as we all know human make errors and car assembly are done by or controlled by human…how about think of the cases batteries in cellphones and dell notebook exploded…[/quote]

    u make me scared even i can't afford telsa…. they should figure out how to safe the passengers when battery exploded. im i being paranoid?[/quote]

    Yes you are. Take a bus. A torquey car is not for the faint-hearted. The possibility of a fire is possible if you connected the wrong terminals of the batteries. But don't worry, the manual will tell you this… :-)[/quote]

    News of second Electric Car exploded in 2007, please read to be more informed of the Potential Risk of Electric Car

    http://sf.metblogs.com/2007/01/29/electric-car-ex…

    http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/…

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  • Reasonably Insane on May 15, 2009 at 7:27 pm

    [quote comment="238454"]front from gran turismo…rear and side from xf…rims from slr….[/quote]

    and the tyre from almost every car in the world…. round shape… damn copycat..

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  • Alifzzz on May 15, 2009 at 7:29 pm

    [quote comment="238398"][quote comment="238393"][quote comment="238381"]Sure won't get electric-shock from this car in ANY possible condition? I am sure we all experienced a minor Static Shock from our car's door when wearing static-friendly fiber clothing such as nylon etc,… well, of course the car is tested substantially for electric shock or proven it's electric shockproof…but as we all know human make errors and car assembly are done by or controlled by human…how about think of the cases batteries in cellphones and dell notebook exploded…[/quote]

    u make me scared even i can't afford telsa…. they should figure out how to safe the passengers when battery exploded. im i being paranoid?[/quote]

    Yes you are. Take a bus. A torquey car is not for the faint-hearted. The possibility of a fire is possible if you connected the wrong terminals of the batteries. But don't worry, the manual will tell you this… :-)[/quote]

    The connector could be special designed to avoid wrong terminal connections.

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  • Maibatsu Thunder on May 15, 2009 at 11:00 pm

    Proton should build something like this. Even with conventional power. Looks good.

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  • 1 question: how to open the car's door? looks like there is no door handle popping out of the car's body…hehe..or the handle will pops out when we press the remote button?

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  • BodowBodow on May 17, 2009 at 6:08 am

    Adoi mak punyala cantik … tapi sayang seribu sayang pitih dah tak do

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  • looks like same as Aston Martin DBS..

    interm of power very nice to see expensive to touch..sportrim oldschool…

    design nice but under hood don't show..!!

    Like a JAWS in road.!!

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  • [quote comment="238682"]Proton should build something like this. Even with conventional power. Looks good.[/quote]

    PROTON death if to build this cars..

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  • master of designer on Jun 03, 2009 at 10:09 am

    this is what i called simple but superb… inner headlight and inner back light need to better next time.. example of audi,bmw,rolls royce and many more

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  • if the tesla is built in Malaysia..surely there will be questions like..

    got airbags or not?
    got NCAP crash test yet?
    power windows yek yek or not?
    too plasticky la…and bla bla bla…

    now we know, we are bunch of morons who got too easily impressed by whitemans’ toys

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  • the chassis is currently being assembled by the contract manufacturing division of Lotus Cars in Hethel, England. The Roadster has a chassis with 100 percent unique dimensions, and the car is longer and wider and has lower door sills than the Lotus Elise. The two cars have a parts overlap of less than 6 percent

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  • moriz on May 24, 2010 at 12:30 pm

    there will be new excuses from latecomings to work heheheh like:

    1. sorrila boss…luper nak cas bateri kete
    2. bateri tetiber jer kong
    3. charger tertinggal kat rumah

    the list goes on…
    :D

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