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.
Also, don’t forget that you can get discounted new car pricing with a free quote through qualified local dealer partners.
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.
