The Tesla Model S sedan. Image: Tesla Motors
If you prefer your electric cars with a bit more luxury and style than the Nissan Leaf, there’s good news on the horizon: Tesla has announced pricing on its upcoming Model S sedan, and it looks like the car will span quite a price range. On the low side, the Model S with a 40 kilowatt hour battery pack (good for a projected 160 mile range) will start at $57,400, presumably without options. If you qualify for the $7,500 electric car tax incentive, you can (theoretically) get the car for $49,900, even if that’s not what you’ll pay the dealer.
Opt for the 60 kWh battery pack, good for up to 230 miles, and the base price increases to $67,400, while choosing the 85 kWh pack (good for up to 300 miles) will set the base price at $77,400. The 85 kWh battery will come standard in Tesla’s Model S Performance variants, which also get a higher-performance voltage inverter and carbon-fiber exterior trim. At a base price of $87,400, the Performance model isn’t for the light of wallet.
If money is no object, Tesla will also offer a Signature model (starting from $95,400) and a Signature Performance model (starting at $105,400), which will be built in limited quantities of just 1,000 units. Tesla clearly knows who its customers are, so as Left lane News points out, the Signature models will be the first to hit the market.
Tesla has some innovative plans to minimize the inconvenience of charging, including a twin charger system and a QuickCharge feature that will top off the battery pack (to 80 percent of capacity, presumably) in just 45 minutes. If you can’t wait that long, the Model S is designed with swappable battery packs that can be changed out in just five minutes.
You may be able to reserve a Model S today, but you won’t be taking delivery for a while. The projected on-sale date is mid-2012, but we wouldn’t be surprised if that slipped to later in the year.
Model S Alpha Hits the Road from Tesla Motors on Vimeo.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
