Tesla Motors has announced that their much awaited Tesla Model S electric sedan will start at $49,900 after the tax credit for the base model which will have a driving range of 160 miles.
The Tesla Model S prices are based on the battery pack size, the number of options, and there is a Performance version of the Model S with higher speed and a commensurately higher price.
A base version of a 2012 Tesla Model S with a 40-kilowatt-hour battery pack, able to travel as far as 160 miles per charge, will cost $57,400 or $49,900 after federal tax credits. The 230-mile version is priced at $67,400 and the 300-mile Model S will cost $77,400 after federal tax credits.
A top-of-the-line version of the Model S, which has the same 85-kWh battery as the 300-mile version, will cost as much as $92,400 ($87,400 after federal tax credits) when it goes on sale in 2012.
Top speeds range from 110 mph to 130 mph, and the 0-60 mph times range from a respectable 6.5 seconds to a very fast 4.4 seconds in the performance model.
All models include a 17 inch touch screen infotainment display on the dash and 19-inch wheels, while 19-inch aerodynamic wheels that boost range by another 20 miles are optional and come in at $1,500. All vehicle, media, communication, and cabin controls are displayed on this screen.
The Tesla Model S comes with a single 10 kilowatt charger that delivers up to 31 miles per hour of charging. For an additional $1500 your Model S can have two chargers, for a total of 20 kilowatts of charging speed, or up to 62 miles per hour of charging, but of course this would require a 240 volt 85 amp circuit. Tesla has also developed the Supercharger for the 85 and 60 kilowatt models, which will be available in a network of Supercharger stations operated by Tesla, and will provide up to 160 miles per 30 minutes of charging, which means fully replenishing the 85 kilowatt-hour battery pack in about an hour.
All Tesla Model S models have an 8 year warranty on the battery pack.
The Tesla Model S electric sedan will be made at a factory in Fremont, California.
Deliveries are expected to begin in the summer of 2012 for the two 85 kilowatt-hour models, in the fall of 2012 for the 60 kilowatt-hour model, and in the winter of 2012 for the 40 kilowatt-hour model.
