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Tesla Model S Gets Over 500 Orders

The race car look, matted to the pure all-electric performances of the Model S, combined with its affordable price, has made 520 people place their reservations for the seven seater family sedan. The increased interest shown by customers has caught even the manufacturer off guard.

“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, Tesla CEO said in a release.

And take into account that until now, the manufacturer does not have an assembly plant. With production set to begin sometimes in 2011, Tesla has applied for a $350 million loan from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program in order to built its production unit.

As we reported upon its release, Tesla Model S will likely be the world’s first mass-produced, highway-capable electric vehicle. The $50,000 EV (starting price) leaps from naught to 60 mph in under six seconds, with the sport versions capable of reaching the same speed in under five seconds. The Model S will have an electronically-limited top speed of 130 mph (209 km/hour).

Model S will make use of three different battery packs, which will give customers ranges of 160 (257 km), 230 (370) or 300 (482 km) miles per charge. When plugged into a 480V socket, the battery takes about 45 minutes to reach full capacity.

“Tesla is relentlessly driving down the cost of battery technology – similar to what other technology companies did to make cellular phones and laptop computers low-cost commodities,” Musk added.
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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