Tesla Model S Gets Lots of Orders

The Tesla Motor Company seems to have hit the jackpot with its new Model S, following the success it had with the Roadster model in the past. According to the firm, more than 520 preorders have already been received for the all-electric automobile, even though the first ones are not scheduled to leave the assembly lines before 2011. The car was first unveiled in California last week, but the orders have already exceeded expectations, and, by the looks of things, this vehicle will be part of the first affordable family of electric cars in the world.

“Frankly, the number of cars reserved in the first week has exceeded our optimistic internal projections. Enthusiasm surrounding the Model S is proof that there's pent-up demand for more affordable, fuel-efficient vehicles – including those made in America,” Elon Musk, the chief executive at Tesla, said. The edge that the car has over all of its competitors – which, by the way, are not many – comes from the fact that it has five seats and that the company advertises it as the first highway-capable vehicle in its class. Naturally, these claims remain to be proven with the mass-produced model, but experts anticipate that the Model S will perform according to specifications.

The vehicle, which sports a fairly modern design, will be entirely powered by lithium-ion battery packs. Tesla argues that each charge will be able to carry the automobile for anywhere between 160 to 300 miles (257 to 482 kilometers). It's estimated that the factory cost for a Model S will be at around $57,000, but people could benefit from a $7,500 federal tax cut. This piece of legislation is meant to increase the number of cleaner cars on American streets, and could lower the price tag below the 50,000-dollar mark.

“What we really wanted to show the car industry is that it is possible to create a compelling electric car at a compelling price. We hope the industry will follow our lead,” Musk said last week. Indeed, there aren't too many feasible, full-electric car models out there today, and a change of scenery would be more than welcome. If the environment is to stand a fighting chance in the coming decades, than grass-root movements should complement those taken at a national level, in the fight against pollution, fossil fuels and greenhouse gases.