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Jan312012

Driven to Dream: Tesla Motors, the Resurgence of the Electric Car

Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 4:00AM |

Beth Gonzalez |

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Just imagine a car that inspires perfection of engineering, design, comfort, performance, and handling. Now imagine you are driving down the road in this vehicle with your family. It is smooth and silent. The vehicle has no transmission, engine and no tailpipe emissions. Can you picture it? You are imagining the electric car of our generation, the Tesla Model S.

When I saw the Model S for the first time it shattered any preconceptions I had about an electric car.Interior of Model S When I thought about an electric car, I thought of a small, dinky, and ugly car that could get me from my house to the grocery store and back. But now all of that has changed. As I sat in the Model S I was impressed with the clean, sleek and spacious design. What I really liked about the interior is the large touch screen located in the middle of counsel. I found it very humorous to see Elon Musk listed as one of the contacts on the screen. Counsel Touch Screen Model S

The craftsmanship and tailoring that went into the interior design is manifested in every detail. You sense the passion and thought. This machine was something more than I could imagine. It makes me wonder why it took so long for the industry to produce a car so stylish and electric. I felt very lucky to be one of few to sit in the Model S.

Elon Musk’s fascination and love for electric cars was put into action when he co-founded Tesla. His passion has flowed into every aspect of the business; overseeing the company's product strategy, design, engineering and manufacturing of more and more in hopes to one day provide affordable electric vehicles for mainstream consumers. The Model S sedan is one step closer in achieving this dream, beginning with this luxury sedan will lead the way for an affordable electric car for the masses.

History of the Electric Car

The story of the electric car began with the birth of automobiles. In 1897, electric vehicles found their firstEdison and an electric car, 1913 commercial application as a fleet of electrical New York City taxis, built by the Electric Carriage and Wagon Company of Philadelphia. At the turn of the century, 40 percent of American automobiles were powered by steam, 38 percent by electricity, and 22 percent by gasoline. In early 20th century, the advancements of the internal combustion engine, mass production of cheaper gasoline, and Henry Ford’s assembly line, the electric car rapidly faded away. The electric car did not emerge again until the late 20^th century with General Motors EV1. However this time, it was the automobile industry themselves that stifled the electric car.

Revenge of the Electric Car

Tesla Motors is challenging the status quo of the automobile industry. They are questioning tradition and have asked the question why cars burn gasoline? They are breaking free from the oil industry and at the same time reducing half the CO2 emissions. Moving fast and constantly innovating has allowed them to offer the most efficient path to a sustainable energy future. Tesla’s goal is to accelerate the world’s transition to electric vehicles with a full range of increasingly affordable electric cars. Their first step towards this goal is the Model S. Revenge of the Electric car.

Tesla Motor’s Model S

Forget everything you think you know about the automobile. The Tesla electric drivetrain offers a radically different experience. The Tesla motor has only one moving piece: the rotor. As a result, Model S acceleration is instantaneous, traveling 60 miles per hour, without hesitation and without a drop of gasoline.

The high performance structure of the battery is genius in its own right. The battery itself is designed for safety. In the event of a crash, the battery structure protects cells from impact and automatically disconnects the power supply as well as provides overall strength of the passenger cabin.

Toyota, Panasonic and Daimler have all invested in Tesla for a front row seat and to collaborate on this experiment. Tesla is producing the powertrian for Daimler and the next-generation RAV4 EV comprised of a Li-ion battery pack, an AC induction motor, a single-speed gearbox, and a drive inverter.

Model S Key Features:

Two trunks
Plugs into any standard outlet
0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds
Range, 300 miles, with a 85 kWh battery
Seating for 5 adults + 2 child seats
Regenerate charge when decelerating or driving downhill
4 door hatchback with a 60/40 split-fold rear seat and enough claimed total cargo volume to tote a surfboard, a 50-inch flat-panel TV and a mountain bike all at once!

The introduction of the Model S is not a typical announcement of new model for most existing/ established car company, but a startup platform for a new US car company in Silicon Valley with innovative technology, design and manufacturing. Like the Model S, Tesla Motors is challenging the way the industry does business.

To learn more about the Model S, you can visit a Tesla store in your area and if you are in SoCal visit Tesla showroom in Fashion Island and speak with the very knowledgeable product specialists Gregory Robertson and Kyrstin Munson.

Don’t be afraid to pull the trigger and see your dream come true. That is exactly what Elon Musk did with his dream of “powering the grid”, filling highways and roads with electric cars. Determined to reshape the automotive industry and the way we look at cars.

What is your dream car? Express it!