The future of cars

Tesla Motors, who produce the highly respected and desired Tesla Roadster, which I blogged about here, had not long ago officially released the details on the upcoming Model S family sedan (due in 2011). Tesla has always intended to try the concept of an all-electric car in their roadster model first, which has better performance specs than most street-legal gas cars, to set the stage for a car targeted to families. Here are some highlights:

The Model S carries 7 people and travels up to 300 miles (483km) per charge. It has its charger on board, can be recharged from any 120V, 240V or 480V outlet, with the latter taking only 45 minutes to fully charge the car (4 hours on 220V). This really opens up the chance that this car could (potentially) go long distances. The floor-mounted battery pack is designed to be changed out in less time than it takes to fill a gas tank, allowing for the possibility of a network of battery-pack swap stations.

The Model S has more trunk space than any other sedan on the market and more than most SUVs. At today's electricity costs, the Model S costs roughly $5 to drive 230 miles. The anticipated base price of the Model S is $49,900 after a (US) federal tax credit of $7,500. 3 battery pack choices will offer a range of 160, 230 or 300 miles per charge (258, 370 or 483km). The standard Model S does 0-60 mph in under six seconds and has a limited top speed of 130 mph (209km/h). A 17-inch touchscreen with in-car 3G connectivity allows passengers to listen to Pandora Radio or consult Google Maps, or check the state of the car's charge remotely from their iPhone or laptop.

I truly believe we are looking at the future of cars right here. Make sure you check out the photo gallery and the video. I'm so stoked about this car company, that I'm trying to form a connection with them to help promote their cars in western Canada. Hey - you never know, right?