Tesla CEO Elon Musk has revealed his intentions to launch the Model S ahead of its initial schedule. The new full electric model will be delivered to its first customers in June, one month ahead of schedule.
Tesla received up to 10,000 Model S reservations. At least 5,000 Model S’ will be delivered to their new owner by the end of the year. Musk addressed his statement in a letter to all Tesla shareholders, which you can read below.
Just a reminder, the Model S will have three battery offerings designed to have a range of 160 miles / 257km, 230 miles / 370km or 300 miles / 483km on a full charge. The base 160-mile range Tesla Model S will start at $ 57,000, but thanks to a $ 7,500 tax credit the total price will be lowered to just $ 49,500. The 230-mile range Model S will add $ 10,000 to the base price while the range-topping 300-mile Model S adds $ 20,000.
Dear Fellow Shareholders,
We are pleased to report that we have nearly completed all regulatory approvals and certifications required to begin delivery of Model S to our customers in the United States. Thus, we anticipate that initial deliveries will begin in June, ahead of our announced schedule of July.
All aspects of the Model S program remain on track to commence deliveries in June. The Tesla Factory is producing vehicles at a steadily increasing rate, and so far this year we have built about 50 Beta and about 30 Release Candidate prototypes. All these vehicles are dedicated to a comprehensive testing program, including crash and safety testing, systems integration, reliability testing, and quality audits.
Model S has now been fully certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the State of California. We have also successfully completed almost all of the crash testing required under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act using our Release Candidate prototypes. Once we complete and document the tests, we will be able to sell our vehicles in the United States. This leaves us confident we can begin Model S customer deliveries in June, ahead of our announced schedule of July.
We expect the safety rating of Model S will be independently determined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and other groups. Under NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program Robotic Installation of Panoramic Roof(NCAP), selected cars are independently purchased and crash tested. NHTSA then assigns “star ratings” to tested cars using the NCAP standards. Based on our internal crash tests and consistent with these published standards, we believe Model S will achieve NHTSA’s top, 5-star, rating. Compliance testing for global markets continues and will be announced as achieved.
Delivering the first few customer cars in June highlights the fact that Model S will be fully compliant and available for purchase in the U.S. These cars will carry customer, rather than manufacturer, license plates, signifying that they are fully homologated and completely street legal. We plan to continue making customer deliveries on a slow, methodical ramp, and remain confident in our target of 5,000 vehicle deliveries by year end.
Ahead of Schedule
Yeah right . Lets get the facts straight here . Elon Musk promised this car to be delivered over two years ago according to the terms of the Government subsidies he was given .
Second is this was SUPPOSED to be a ” Reasonably Priced ‘ E/V … again according to the terms of the agreement ( anybody that thinks $57K is reasonably is in fact deluded )
Simply put Elon Musk and TESLA do not know the meaning of living up to contracted terms , deadlines , price points etc . Nor do they have a clue how to make a car WORK ( there is nary a TESLA roadster on the road that hasn’t required Extensive repairs in less than 5000 miles of use )
So … let the countdown begin for the first Model S ( hmmn wonder what that might stand for : hint hint ) to become the newest member of the Car-BQ club
And could all you pundits finally get a clue that Elon Musk is in fact an Automotive and Aerospace Grifter and quit giving the little slime any press ?
Heck he’s only ripped off the American Tax Payer for some $2.5 billion so far
Has anybody noticed how drastically the interior has changed since the first concepts? I just saw it on the tesla site…I’m not sure I like it
@GuitarSlinger LOL haha bullshit of the Year 2012. This car a milestone in automotive history and it’s revolutionary in every aspect (engine, gearbox, performance, handling, design, maintenance costs, running costs, emissions…) btw this car is an equivalent of 5 series, A6 etc. so it’s reasonably priced. Check out the performance version 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds, vmax 130 mph and 265 miles range(EPA verified), price $84,900 (before federal tax credit) and 0 co2 emission. Then find a petrol car that matches Model S.
xDamiano – Ahhhhh another of the TESLA deluded bunch . Please … don’t tell me you actually believe that pile of manure you just posted . You really think for a minute seeing as how NO TESLA roadsters ever done so , to DATE , that the POS S will even make it around a Test Track to try and compare it to ( Oh I cannot believe you’re deluded enough to suggest this ) a BMW 5 Series
In and as far at being so technologically ‘ Advanced ‘ Have a look see at the SAE papers on the TESLA. Other than the computers and slightly improved batteries its the same bloody technology of the early 1900’s .
And ahhhh BTW there genius boy , but $84K in the US will get you into an M5 or an RS6 …… and no matter how you slice it that price is not REASONABLE
BTW again wingnut . Reasonable = more like $20- 35K US . If you were in touch with reality you’d know that . Ahhhh but whats the use ? Go back to your little vaporware virtual dreams & delusions . I’ll not interrupt you with anymore REALITY as I’m assuming you can’t handle it . Your iPads in the corner . Go play like a nice little fella
BWTM
One more little TESLA tid bit /side note ( for all you TESLA Delusional Syndrome sufferers )
Not ONE single TESLA has EVER lived up to its claimed range . In fact there has yet to be one that can come within 50% of its ‘ claimed ‘ range without re-charging
Because of course its such a technologically ‘ advanced ‘ ( cough hack hack sputter ) car . More like technologically Pretentious and blatant Hype from Stem to Stern . TESLA . Owned by the second biggest Automotive Can Artist in the US since Delorean ( #1 is Fisker ) – Built by Virtual Vaporware deluded Wonks with nary a clue as to what reality even means … never mind what it is .
And THEY DO NOT WORK
@GuitarSlinger Please, don’t suicide when you see this: https://gtspirit.com/2012/04/26/ferrari-ceo-confirms-hybrid-enzo-successor-debuts-in-2013/ and this https://gtspirit.com/2012/05/11/spyshots-porsche-testing-its-918-spyder/ you got a cloudy future, when electrics come…
@ urdrago – You think thats bad news , wait till the ‘ Official ‘ notice for the up coming Ferrari SUV hits the press . Oh its coming . I’ve seen the previews . The Press was not invited . They think we were previewed the FF …. but we weren’t
BTW if you hadn’t noticed I’m out of the Ferrari game , had my fill and could not care less what Stronzetto Marchionne and Co . do or do not build . They can make push carts with Prancing Horsies on them if they want . Pagani is the NEW Ferrari .
FYI Its not E/V’s specifically that gets up my nose ( though everyone including the engineers at M-B BMW Audi etc all know E/V’s have zero future )
Its Elon Musk(rat ) TESLA and Fisker ( as well as the Chevy VOLT which is a Hybrid not an E/V ) that gets me riled . Because ……. not only are their products pretentious POS , total shams that don’t work worth a damn ………. they’re making them on MY TAX DIME ( all Federally subsidized ; thank you very much ObamaClaus )
You Brits may be comfortable getting ripped off on your Tax £ but we Yanks are not
Man a bunch of haters here. Currently as I recall everything about Telsa fall right inline with other high end automakers. There are minor improvements across the board, and having driven the roaster I personally know it does come close to the range as stated by the company, so @GuitarSlinger I would suggest drive one and drive it according to how they claim it was tested. I am of course not a big fan of the low range on the LEAF the current one I have cost $35,000. With the tax break the S will be around $50,000 when they first started the S class they said they were hoping to shoot for the Mid 40 to Mid 50’s for full production run. I wouldn’t call 5000 cars a full production run, so them getting to the 50’s is good for this number of cars.
Price wise if you compare to a LEAF and the range its about 10% more of cost. LEAF gets at max 80miles (27,000/80-35,000/80= 337-435 per mile range), (57,000/125 =$456 per mile range). This would mean the 87k would be the best value at $290 per mile range.
So all in all pretty good estimation at least compared to other car companies. And while I personally don’t like E. Musk the new spaceship seems to be living up to the hype.