Here’s an awesome question for all you green motor enthusiasts out there:  which car is more green, an electric Tesla roadster or a car powered by bioethanol?  Here are two points to consider by way of the Biofuels Institute:

*  The Tesla gets its juice from a power plant that is burning coal, which means it has 2.095 pounds of CO2 per kWh and can go 3.12 miles per kWh.

* The theoretical corn-ethanol E85-burning vehicle puts out CO2 according to the GREET model (Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation) for lifecycle emissions and is operating at the proposed new CAFE standards.

These facts by themselves don’t mean a whole lot, but when you follow them to their logical conclusion what you get is a downright shocker: as it turns out, the E85 car is actually THIRTY PERCENT GREENER (in that it generates thirty percent fewer CO2 emissions over the course of both vehicles’ hundred and forty five thousand mile life spans) than the Tesla Roadster.

I was pretty shocked to hear that myself.  Now the next time someone looks all smug in their electric car while you’re filling up on flexfuel, just look at them, shake your head sadly, and know that you’re greener than thou.

Tags: e85 flex fuel, e85 vehicles, Ethanol, Tesla, tesla motors, tesla roadster

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Well, Tesla owners, you may well be happy to know that you’ll be able to call for help almost at any time around the clock day or night should your hugely expensive electric car break down.

But I hope that you didn’t spend your entire life savings on the roadster itself, because using the repair service is gonna cost you. Like a LOT.  Read on:

Customers will pay $1 per round-trip mile from the nearest Tesla service center — and there are just four of them in North America, with none in the heartland. Tesla has service centers in California’s Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, Seattle and New York City. Stores are slated to open later this year in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Toronto and South Florida. The electric-car startup says it plans to have at least 20 regional sales and service locations in the U.S. in about two years.

Just so you know, the barest minimum charge is a hundred bucks. And considering where these guys are coming out of, you’ll pay a WHOLE lot more than that by the time you’re done.  Of course, Tesla claims it’s losing money on the deal, as a dollar per mile is less than their actual cost.

But somehow…I’m not convinced.

Tags: costly repairs, house call, minimum charge, repairs, service charge, Tesla, tesla motors, tesla roadster

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You may have already read our detail of the huge government grant that went to Fisker Automotive for its construction of their new electric sports car.  Well, what just came out in the Wall Street Journal is a bit of explanation as to the WHY behind it.

See, Fisker Automotive has a major name backer behind it; you may recognize the name  when I tell you it’s Al Gore.  That five hundred and twenty nine million is going to Fisker so they can build “a hybrid sports car in Finland that will sell for about $89,000″.

Naturally, Fisker cars are also backed by a whole lot of celebrities who all, interestingly enough, voted Democrat in the last election.  Fisker defends itself by saying that most technology starts out pricey, but eventually becomes affordable, and cites flatscreen televisions as an example.

Yes, this is true, but generally we don’t pay foreign flatscreen makers tax money to build them in the hopes that, one day, we’ll get to BUY THEM!  Oh, and those five thousand jobs that Fisker mentioned?  From the look of it, they’ll be in Finland rather than in the United States.

My disgust is palpable.

Tags: electric cars, electric roadster, Fisker, fisker automotive, Tesla, tesla motors

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A judge has ruled Tesla Motors alleged “co-founder” and former CEO Martin Eberhard’s lawsuit against Tesla Motors, deeming the case to move forward. Eberhard is suing the company for $100,000 for counts of libel, slander, and breach of contract.

“We are quite pleased with the judge’s ruling and will proceed with the litigation of the lawsuit,” Eberhard’s lawyer Yosef Peretz said.

Tesla Motors responded promptly: “Would we have liked to see the entire case dismissed? Yes, but we’re very happy about the founder issue. The judge struck down Eberhard’s claim asking to be ‘declared’ one of only two founders”.

via BusinessInsider

Tags: lawsuit, Martin Eberhard, tesla motors

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Just weeks after Tesla Motors announced that they have officially opened shop in Manhattan they have again come forth to announce a new store, this time in Seattle.

The shop will apparantly be situated in a warehouse at 425 Westlake Ave where visitors can take a look at Tesla’s current offerings. The Seattle store will also provide service to current Tesla owners in the area.

To celebrate the store’s opening Tesla will be holding a sneak preview event this weekend where AutoBlogGreen suggests test drives are likely to be available. The event will reportedly run from 10AM on Saturday to 5PM on Sunday so if you’re in the area be sure to stop by.

Tags: all electric, NYC, Seattle, service station, showroom, tesla motors

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Just about two month after purchasing 10% of Tesla Motors it was announced that Daimler will sell 4% of that stake to Aabar Investments, a Middle East invement fund.

Furthermore, Daimler announced that they and Aabar will pursue a joint venture into low emissions transportation. Perhaps another automaker to go along with Telsa?

Either or, more money into Tesla means more affordable all-eletric vehicles for the public. I’m all for it!

Read (AutoBlogGreen)

Tags: aabar investments, Daimler, tesla motors

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In a bid to help contribute towards the turn for more electric and cost-efficient vehicles, Tesla Motors was granted a $465 million low interest loan which they will use in the production of affordable fuel-efficient electric vehicles.

One vehicle that is expected to benefit from this development is the Tesla Model S. The Model S is all-electric family sedan that carries seven people and travels up to 300 miles per charge. The Model S has an anticipated base price of $49,900 after a $7,500 US federal tax credit. Tesla is aiming to start production by late 2011 at a state-of-the-art plant that will be employing about 1,000 workers.

“Tesla will use the ATVM loan precisely the way that Congress intended — as the capital needed to build sustainable transport,” said Tesla CEO and Product Architect Elon Musk. “We are honored that the US government selected Tesla to be among the first companies to participate in this progressive program.”

(Source) Press

Tags: art plant, base price, department of energy, efficient vehicles, electric vehicles, federal tax credit, low interest loan, product architect, program source, progressive program, state of the art, sustainable transport, tesla motors, us government

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In a preliminary move by Tesla Motors as far as establishing a global distribution for its electric vehicles, the first official regional sales and service center was opened today in London. The London facility will open this spring at 49-51 Cheval Place, formerly the Segrave Supercar Club. The showroom is in the popular Knightsbridge district, walking distance from Harrods department store and convenient to Heathrow Airport.

Tesla is scouting sites in Munich and Monaco. Tesla will begin delivering cars to European customers in late June. These cars will comply with all EU safety, environmental and durability regulations.

Greater London is a key customer market and premier showcase for Tesla – not only for the Roadster sports car but the Model S sedan, which Tesla expects to produce in 2011. The Model S, which will be among the world’s first mass-produced, highway-capable EVs, will carry five adults and two children up to 480 kilometers per charge.

Tesla’s first showrooms opened last summer in Los Angeles and Menlo Park, Calif. Tesla will open another store this spring in Chicago. Tesla is finalizing site selection in Manhattan, Miami and Seattle and is scouting sites in Washington, D.C.

(Source) Press

Tags: electric vehicles, heathrow airport, menlo park, roadster, segrave, Sports Car, tesla motors

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Tesla Motors is reportedly getting orders for its Model S Sedan, an all electric family sedan that carries seven people and travels 300 miles per charge. This model carries an estimated price of $49,900 and can run up to a 300-mile range and 45-minute quick charge capability.

The Model S, which carries its charger onboard, can be recharged from any 120V, 240V or 480V outlet, with the latter taking only 45 minutes. By recharging their car while they stop for a meal, drivers can go from LA to New York in approximately the same time as a gasoline car. Moreover, 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 battery-pack swap stations.

The floor-mounted powertrain also results in unparalleled cargo room and versatility, as the volume under the front hood becomes a second trunk. Combining that with a four-bar linkage hatchback rear trunk and flat folding rear seats, the Model S can accommodate a 50-inch television, mountain bike and surfboard simultaneously. This packaging efficiency gives the Model S more trunk space than any other sedan on the market and more than most SUVs.

Tesla expects to start Model S production in late 2011. The company believes it is close to receiving $350 million in federal loans to build the Model S assembly plant in California from the Dept of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program.

(Source) Business Wire

Tags: battery pack, gas tank, gasoline car, mountain bike, powertrain, technology vehicle, tesla motors

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In a move that is expected to help in Daimler’s shift towards the development of electric vehicles, Tesla Motors and the German-based company have reached an agreement to which Tesla will be supplying lithium-ion batteries, chargers and other components for the electric version of the Smart.

Daimler had debuted a gasoline-powered version of its Fortwo model in the United States in early 2008. It sold 24,622 of those cars last year.

Tesla has been involved with Daimler for more than a year, but neither company would confirm the deal before Tuesday. Musk also said the deal with Daimler wasn’t exclusive, and that Tesla was looking for other automaking partners.

(Source) Mercury News

Tags: Daimler, electric vehicles, gasoline, lithium ion batteries, smart car, tesla motors

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