My Perfect Automobile » Model s

Tesla Shocks Wall Street, Stock Soars

Larry Bell — Fri, 10 May 2013 11:32:59 +0000

Tesla Model S interior

Shares of Tesla Motors stock surged 24 percent in value on a day when the company posted an $11.2 million profit and earned one of the highest-ever ratings in a Consumer Reports car review. The magazine awarded Tesla’s Model S electric sedan 99 out of a possible 100 points, primarily for exceptional handling and interior design. After a loss in the final quarter of 2012, the company’s stock roared back for Q1 2013, notching its first profitable quarter in company history. As the Model S is set to launch in Europe next month, the upstart electric vehicle maker realistically expects to sell 30,000 Model S cars this year.

Tesla and Google: Video

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is discussing driverless car technology with Google. Musk points out that “autopilot” science, as he refers to the technology, is a logical choice for ground transportation and is part of the inevitable future of motor vehicles. Now the two companies are talking about the possibility of adding driverless controls to some of Tesla’s electric cars. For a complete explanation of what the systems look like and how they work, see the short video clip above.

Tesla Motors

The Model S has already won rave reviews from various influential critics, amassed a shelf load of trophies, and outsold some of its much lower-priced rivals. After revamping, and upgrading, a resale price guarantee earlier in the week, Tesla Motors went on to log one of the most positive quarters any carmaker has seen in at least a decade. Tesla’s stock symbol is TSLA. Share value closed on Thursday at $69.40, showing a total capitalization of $8 billion. Benchmark small-cap stock indices have risen approximately 14 percent this year, while Tesla’s share price has enjoyed more than a 100 percent increase in value.

For more about Tesla Motors and Google, see the companies’ respective websites below:

http://www.teslamotors.com

http://www.google.com/about/company/

Larry Bell

Larry Bell + is My Perfect Automobile’s Genius Author, but we call him ‘The Expert‘. Here is his full Blog: My Perfect Automobile. Larry lives in San Jose, CA and is also the Expert Author. Larry is a lover of the Automobile as well and shares a passion for Concept, Hybrid and Electric Cars…

Tesla Guarantees Resale Value of Model S

Larry Bell — Tue, 07 May 2013 12:35:04 +0000

Tesla Model S

Tesla Motors will revamp its leasing and financing plans in order to guarantee that its new Model S electric sedan will have the best resale value in the industry. The company’s CEO and founder, Elon Musk, noted that the change came as a result of feedback from buyers and media reviewers. Musk pointed out the flaws in the previous plan and noted, “We’re fixing it and, moreover, upping the ante by providing the best resale value guarantee in the automotive industry.”

Tesla Motors: Video

See the short video clip above for a condensed biography of Elon Musk, founder and CEO of Tesla Motors. The piece features a few live interview questions with Musk, during which he gives his overall views about the future of electric transportation, space travel and the computer culture. Many industry insiders credit Musk’s attitude for the company’s success. Persevering through some turbulent early years, he and his dream have come full circle. The Model S was the best-selling electric car in the month of April and will likely keep up the brisk pace throughout 2013.

Tesla Model S Financing

The first version of Tesla’s guarantee offered buyers a resale value that was certain to be above that of the Mercedes-Benz S550. The reworked financing guarantee says the Model S resale value will be higher than any premium sedan that is, “made in volume.” Tesla needed to put it that short qualifier in order to exclude certain custom and collectible cars whose selling prices are often astronomical and not tied to the larger marketplace. Another change to the company’s financing arrangement included much longer loan terms, which allow owners to purchase a Model S and have lower monthly payments.

For more about Tesla Motors, maker of the Model S, visit the company’s official website:
http://www.teslamotors.com

Larry Bell

EV Car Sales: Second-Generation Volt by 2016

Larry Bell — Mon, 06 May 2013 12:36:19 +0000

EV Car Sales (Pictured: Chevy Volt)

Amid a flurry of plug-in car sales announcements late last week, GM CEO Dan Akerson said Chevrolet Volt would unveil a second-generation model not later than 2016. The Chevy Volt, Nissan’s all-electric Leaf, and the Tesla Model S electric sedan all jockeyed for top sales spot in April. While Volt’s sales were down compared to April 2012, the model did manage a 3 percent increase for the first four months of 2013, compared to the same period last year. April marked the second month in a row that Volt was slightly outsold by the Nissan Leaf, as Tesla Motors appears to have beaten both those cars in the monthly sales derby.

EV Car Sales: Video

The video clip above contains the sort of footage that electric car enthusiasts live for, a Formula-E burnout on the streets of L.A. It is all quite legal of course, as the demo was under the auspices of city officials there to promote alternative fuels. Notice the odd lack of noise compared to combustion car burnouts, where decibel levels are almost deafening. Some hardcore-racing fans claim a race is not a race without noise. Formula-E followers, on the other hand, love the hum and rev of the smooth-running electric motor. The good news is, you still get the burnout.

EV Car Sales

Tesla Motors does not reveal monthly sales data, but analysts estimate that the luxury electric sedan topped the much less expensive Volt and Leaf in April sales. As gasoline prices have leveled off, one company official at Chevrolet noted that competition between GM’s Chevy Volt, Nissan’s Leaf and Tesla’s Model S will become more competitive. Volt ruled the roost for a number of months, but now that Nissan has gone into full domestic production with its Leaf, and cut its price by $6,000, the battle of the plug-ins is getting underway. For its part, Tesla Motors expects to sell 20,000 Model S cars by the end of 2013.

For more about the carmakers mentioned above, see their official websites:
http://www.chevrolet.com
http://www.nissanusa.com
http://www.teslamotors.com

Larry Bell

Tesla Vs. Volt Vs. Leaf: The Winner is…

Larry Bell — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:49:27 +0000

Tesla Model S, interior

The statistics read like a football game update. At the end of the first quarter, in a three-way contest, Tesla Motors has pulled ahead of its two rivals, Chevy and Nissan, by a score of 4,750 to 4,421, to 3,695. In the automotive world, that news is no less surprising. Electric carmaker Tesla will post sales of 4,750 Model S vehicles for the first quarter of 2013, a period in which GM has sold 4,421 Chevy Volts and Nissan Motor Co. of Japan has posted sales of 3,695 for its all-electric Leaf automobile. What makes the data even more unusual is the fact that the cars feature wildly differing base prices. The Leaf costs $28,000, while Tesla’s luxury electric sedan goes for $69,000 and Chevy’s hybrid-electric Volt carries a sticker of $39,000.

Tesla, Volt, Leaf: Video

Hybrid and electric car enthusiasts have no doubt seen dozens of videos featuring the Chevy Volt. Chances are this has not been one of them. It is, however, proof that the car has become so popular even dogs are choosing it as their favorite. Kidding aside, the fellow in the clip, and his clever pets, are the owners of a shiny new Volt. This is simply a record of their first-ever ride in the car, along with a few still shots of the canines enjoying some all-electric errand running courtesy of their private chauffeur.

Tesla Sales

Some analysts consider the newly released sales data relatively unimportant, given that Tesla, Chevrolet and Nissan sell to such diverse demographics. The Leaf is trying to carve out a niche for itself as an affordable, budget-minded EV. Tesla’s much higher price tag is not a magnet for those buyers, while the Volt sits squarely between the two extremes. Chevy’s groundbreaking Volt is well within reach of many car buyers after federal and state tax credits.

For more about Tesla Motors, Chevrolet, and Nissan Motor Co., see their official corporate websites:
http://www.teslamotors.com
http://www.chevrolet.com
http://www.nissanusa.com

Larry Bell

Tesla to Offer Unique Financing Arrangement

Larry Bell — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 13:06:27 +0000

Tesla Model S

Tesla Motors has joined with Bancorp and Wells Fargo in order to offer a unique lease arrangement for Model S customers. The banks will front the 10 percent down payment and get reimbursed with the federal tax credit. Those who opt for the lease will pay $500 per month for use of the car during the contract period. Many industry experts see the move as a wise bit of marketing on Tesla’s part, coming so soon after the automaker announced its first profitable quarter last week.

Tesla: Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twC1d-HEfJw

For those who would like to hear the announcement from Tesla CEO Elon Musk himself, the above video clip has the intrepid auto magnate sitting in front of a pair of Model S cars as he explains the ins and outs of the company’s latest financing arrangement. Pointing out that he personally stands behind the plan, and that Tesla offers to buy the cars back from those who lease for three years, Musk notes the advantages of electric drive in general. The lease allows for very low initial cash outlay, almost zero risk on resale value, ease of return and favorable tax treatment.

Tesla Financing

Tesla Motors was founded in 2003 and made a name for itself with the world’s first electric sports car, the Roadster. Since then, the company has gone on to produce the Model S electric sedan. Tesla also manufactures electric powertrain components and lithium battery packs for sale to other carmakers. The company’s Roadster employed an AC motor that was very similar to inventor Nikola Tesla’s 1882 version. Tesla Motors has worked with some of the industry’s better-known players, providing electric motors and in some cases lithium battery packs. A short list of the carmaker’s partners includes Toyota, Daimler AG, Mercedes-Benz, and Freightliner Trucks. Tesla Motors’ is based in Palo Alto, Calif.

For more about Tesla Motors, see the company’s official website:
http://www.teslamotors.com

Larry Bell

Tesla Motors Will Show Q1 Profit, Co. Says

Larry Bell — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 23:34:55 +0000

Tesla Motors: The 2012 Model S in action

Based on recent sales data, Tesla Motors has announced that it expects to show a profit for the first quarter of 2013. The brief post on the company’s blog led to a 17 percent increase in the price of Tesla stock. In fact, the automaker produced 450 more cars than it had anticipated during the first quarter, rolling 4,750 Model S vehicles off the assembly line. Sales figures were equally as bright, since not one Model S went unsold.

Tesla Motors: Video

For a super-detailed view of the Tesla 17-inch touch-screen display, spend five very productive minutes watching the above video clip. Besides being Motor Trend’s 2013 Car of the Year, the Model S recently chalked up the World Green Car of the Year award at the New York Auto Show. The electric sedan’s interior is not as well known as the sleek body style that has graced dozens of magazines. Nevertheless, Tesla Motors has demonstrated that its innovative exterior design and next-generation propulsion system work well with an interior that is just as up to date. The 17-inch screen is the star of the show.

Tesla Motors

The Model S 60 kWh model achieves a 208-mile-per-charge range, while the company’s top trim version, an 85 kWh car, is able to travel 265 miles on a single charge, the highest range of any EV sold. Tesla Motors has been in the process of blanketing busy U.S. travel corridors with its proprietary Supercharger units, which allow owners to reboot the battery pack in minutes.

Tesla Motors has apparently passed through its early growth period, according to industry experts. The challenge for Elon Musk and his team now appears to be a sustained level of production and sales which can carry the 2013 calendar year to across the board profitability.

For the latest about Tesla Motors, see the carmaker’s official corporate website:
http://www.teslamotors.com

Larry Bell

World Green Car of the Year: The Nominees

Larry Bell — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:28:09 +0000

World Green Car of the Year (Pictured: The 2012 winner, Mercedes-Benz S250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY)

By the time you read this, you may already know who the winner is. In any case, it never hurts to know who made the finals, and why. The nominees for 2013 World Green Car of the Year are:

The Tesla Model S
Renault Zoe
The Volvo V60 plug-in hybrid

The winner will be announced on Thursday at the New York Auto Show amid a series of other Car of the Year winners in various categories. In order to make the finals, a car must be for sale on at least two continents and be a production model, not a concept vehicle. Though the Zoe is not familiar to U.S. consumers, the other two entrants are. The judging panel is well aware of each car’s pros and cons, and has extensive experience in making comparisons among engine types, performance parameters and reliability.

World Green Car of the Year: Video

For a closer look at one of this year’s award nominees, take a video test drive (above) in the Renault Zoe. Judging everything from looks and handling to performance and acceleration, the narrator puts the Zoe to the test, and just happened to face a very rainy day. The 2013 finalists consist of a pair of battery-electric cars and one plug-in hybrid, so it should be revealing to see how the judges compare these rather different models. One of the highlights of the New York Auto Show each year is the announcement of the World Car of the Year awards.

World Green Car of the Year

Ford, Peugeot and Mercedes-Benz faced off in last year’s green award competition, with the German carmaker’s S 250 CDI coming out on top. Second and third place trophies went to the Focus Electric and Peugeot’s 3008.

For more about the World Car of the Year awards, and to see how the system works, visit the official website for the WCOTY organization:
http://www.wcoty.com/web/

Larry Bell

Tesla Model S: Production and Delivery Update

Larry Bell — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:14:06 +0000

Tesla Model S

Tesla Motors reached one of its benchmark production goals recently, having announced that Model S cars are coming off the line at a rate of 400 per week. With deliveries at 500 units per week, the company is looking at ways to increase production to match demand. Because Tesla’s exclusive charging network is about to take on new territories in Illinois, Texas, Florida and elsewhere, it appears to most observers that demand cannot go anywhere but up. In addition, new Asian and European markets are opening for the electric sedan, which increases pressure to ramp up output.

Tesla Model S: Video

For an insider’s view of what went into the design of the Tesla Model S, have a look at the video clip above. The foresight on the part of the primary creator is truly astounding. In an industry awash with every conceivable style configuration imaginable, the development of the Model S is nothing short of historic. After hearing about the ideas behind the initial drawings, one can actually see the “muscularity” in the fluid lines and rounded fascia of the popular electric sedan. Some automotive journalists called the S an instant classic because of its electric drivetrain and all else under the hood. What often is left out of discussions about the Model S is its exterior design artistry. Already the owner of a shelf full of awards and trophies for engineering, performance, social significance, and efficiency, the Tesla Model S will likely go down in transportation lore as one of the best-looking vehicles ever produced.

Tesla Model S

Along with the Volvo V60 and the Renault Zoe, the Tesla Model S is one of three finalists at the upcoming New York Auto Show for the Green Car of the Year award.

For more about the company that makes the Model S, see the official website for Tesla Motors:
http://www.teslamotors.com

Larry Bell

Tesla to Repay Gov’t Loans Early

Larry Bell — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:19:10 +0000

Tesla Model X will launch in 2014

Tesla Motors announced this week that it would repay its Dept. of Energy loans five years early, after getting a federal go ahead to speed up the repayment of the $465 million financial package. In the automaker’s filing with the SEC, it was also disclosed that the Model X electric car would have a likely production date of 2014, rather than 2013. The filing noted that Tesla Motors would focus its managerial attention on the rollout of the Model S sedan.

Tesla Model X: Video

The video clip above includes the short Tesla Model X presentation from the 2013 Detroit Motor Show. It reveals the unusual, elegant EV in all its sleek glory, from above, below, and at unusual vantage points around the falcon doors. A company spokesperson explains why Tesla opted for the unique styling, and what went into the decision to produce the car in the first place. Quite different from its cousin, the Model S electric sedan, the X is a giant of an EV. When it finally arrives in showrooms in late 2014, there will be a choice of battery sizes, as on the Model S. The company’s third production car, the Model X will be the world’s only all-wheel-drive car that features a frunk (front trunk). As with the Model S, the X will have a 17-inch touch screen and all the futuristic interior appointments one would expect in a Tesla product.

Tesla Model X

The Model X will be offered with both a 60 kWh and 85 kWh battery pack. The company will manufacture between 10,000 and 15,000 Model X cars at its plant in California. Both announcements were big news for the company, having planned to release the X this year. Many in the auto industry are encouraged to see Tesla repaying the federal loan so quickly, as the move indicates a sign of financial strength and managerial stability.

For more about Tesla Motors, see the company’s official corporate website:
http://www.teslamotors.com

Larry Bell

Tesla Announces Q4 Earnings

Larry Bell — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:38:04 +0000

Tesla Motors’ Model X

On what many called the most important day in the company’s history, Tesla Motors came out on the good side of things, reporting that it expects to show a profit when first quarter results for 2013 are released. Until today, Tesla Motors’ CEO Elon Musk had said he expected the carmaker to turn a profit much later this year, thus today’s report was an overall positive announcement for the firm. Even though the electric car manufacturer reported an $89 million loss for the fourth quarter of 2012, it delivered ten times as many Model S cars in the fourth quarter than in the third, and is continuing to ramp up production.

Tesla Motors: Video

In the video clip below, the reviewer does an in-depth comparison between the Tesla Model S and the Fisker Karma. She drives both cars through city and highway traffic, stops, starts, and parks. Her verdict might surprise you, given the fact that she began the session not caring for either of the cars. Both vehicles ranked high in the aesthetics department, which is something that seems to keep showing up in customer surveys for both the Model S and Karma. As for the ride itself, arrangement of controls, and related reviewer criteria, Tesla won points for its incredible amount of cargo space and ease of driving. Karma did well on several parameters as well, but the final decision between the two appeared to be an easy one for the professional reviewer. Watch and see how she decides.

Tesla Earnings

Tesla spokespersons, including the company’s CEO, Musk, also announced that the firm has at last achieved its desired production goal of 20,000 cars per year. Tesla Motors, according to the latest data, expects to show a profit margin of approximately 25 percent for all of 2013.

For more about electric carmaker Tesla Motors, see the company’s official website:
Tesla Announces Q4 Earnings

Tesla Motors: Video

Tesla Earnings

For more about electric carmaker Tesla Motors, see the company’s official website:
http://www.teslamotors.com

Larry Bell

All Eyes on Tesla Earnings Wednesday

Larry — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 04:31:47 +0000

Tesla Model S Road Test

PALO ALTO — Electric car enthusiasts as well as skeptics will be watching Tesla Motors (TSLA) on Wednesday as the Palo Alto-based automaker holds its quarterly earnings call, the first since its high-profile feud with The New York Times over an unflattering review of a Model S road trip.

The main thing they’ll be looking for is how many Model S vehicles were delivered to customers in the fourth quarter, whether or not the company has succeeded in ramping up production of the new luxury sedan and the pace of new reservations for the car.

In November, Tesla said it was on track to deliver 2,500 to 3,000 units of the all-electric Model S sedan in the fourth quarter after delivering just 250 cars in the third quarter.

Many analysts, including Ben Kallo, a senior research analyst at Robert W. Baird, expect Tesla to reach its target.

“We have them coming in at 3,013 cars for the year,” Kallo said.

Tesla has promised to reach a 400-car-per-week rate this year at its Fremont factory, which would allow the company to produce 20,000 vehicles a year. And as Tesla ramps up production, many hope to see costs, including sizable research and development costs, coming down.

CEO Elon Musk, along with CFO Deepak Ahuja, always participates in the quarterly conference call that follows the earnings release. Musk typically fields many of the questions.

Kallo said he wants to know how many new customers have put down $5,000 to reserve a Model S and how many of those reservations have been canceled. He wonders if some potential Model S buyers were spooked earlier this month when New York Times reporter John Broder wrote a story about his botched East Coast road trip in a Model S that resulted in the vehicle being rescued by a tow truck. Musk responded with a blistering blog post that defended the car and attacked Broder for what Musk claimed was deliberately setting out to write a negative review.

Tesla does not typically break out reservations by region, but the largest market for the Model S outside of the United States is Europe. There is strong demand from Norway and Denmark, where electric vehicles are excluded from high import taxes. And as Tesla rolls out more stores — it plans to open a showroom in Beijing this spring — that should drive ever-higher numbers of reservations.

“Nothing should matter more than the pace of net reservations,” said Aaron Chew of the Maxim Group. “They exited the third quarter with 13,000

A Tesla Model S electric sedan is driven near the company’s factory in Fremont, California, in this June 22, 2012, file photo. Tesla Motors Inc Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk disputed claims in a February 8th, 2013 New York Times article that the battery-powered Tesla Model S performed poorly in cold-weather testing. REUTERS/Noah Berger/Files (NOAH BERGER)

reservations. In my view, they need at least 2,500 new reservations for the quarter.”

Andrea James, an analyst with Dougherty & Co., is also focused on reservations. As the company moves through the reservation list and fulfills orders for early adopters, the question for Tesla becomes its ability to breakthrough to mainstream consumers.

“I’d like to see that they are sold out,” said James. “That will help prove that demand is there to people who are still not believers. This is the year where Tesla is going to prove whether or not its model works.”

Tesla’s stock rose more than 6 percent Tuesday, to close at $39.29, after Margaret Sullivan, The New York Times public editor, took reporter John Broder to task for errors in judgment and “taking what seem to be casual and imprecise notes along the journey.” Others, including CNN, CNBC and a group of devoted Model S owners have recreated Broder’s rode trip with no problems.

Tesla published a new blog post from Musk on Tuesday that thanked Sullivan for looking into the matter and thanked customers who “rallied immediately to the defense of Tesla and the electric car revolution.”

“The bottom line is that the Model S combined with Supercharging works well for a long road trip, even in a cold, snowy winter,” wrote Musk in the blog post. “Nonetheless, we will keep increasing the number of Superchargers, improving the software in the car (via over the air updates), and the technology behind the Supercharger itself.”

Tesla reports earnings at 2:30 Wednesday, after the close of the stock market.

Contact Dana Hull at 408-920-2706. Follow her at Twitter.com/danahull.

Larry Judkin

Larry Judkin + is My Perfect Automobile’s General Manager, but people call him Lar’. Here is his full Blog: My Perfect Automobile. Larry lives in San Jose, CA and is also the Co-owner of My Perfect Automobile. Larry is a lover of the Automobile as well and shares a passion for Concept, Hybrid and Electric Cars…

Gas Prices Headed Up, Says Dept. of Energy

Larry Bell — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 16:50:49 +0000

Gas Prices (Pictured: Tesla Model S electric sedan)

The U.S. Dept. of Energy announced this week that gasoline prices would likely rise faster than forecasters had predicted for 2013. Rising crude oil prices and key refinery slowdowns are the suspected culprits, as short-term pump prices are set to make their way to $3.55 per gallon. In 2012, the average annual pump price in the U.S. was $3.63. Diesel prices are expected to follow suit, though will not approach last year’s high, at least for the next several months.

Gas Prices: Video

After reading the latest gasoline price report from the DOE, there could be no more appropriate time to gaze into the future, imagining a life without the need for liquid fuel. Enter Tesla Motors. For a rare look at a Tesla spec commercial, the video clip below shows the Model S in all its glory, as it “introduces the future,” with its sleek looks and super-efficient operating ability. Though just a half-minute in length, the spot does a comprehensive job of highlighting the electric sedan’s key features, conveying a sense of mystery and expectation about what the future might hold. A solid conceptual argument for electric cars in general, the masterfully done ad exudes the Tesla vibe from beginning to end.

Gas Prices Headed Up

DOE forecasters predict that gasoline prices will top out around $3.73 per gallon just before summer. The month of May typically sees the highest gas prices each year. Various market-driven causes are behind the climb, though most are based on buying cycles and annual introduction of summer-grade fuels. For the past several years, U.S. gasoline demand has been relatively steady at approximately 8.7 million barrels per day. The DOE makes regular projections about the long- and short-term prices of various fuels.

For more about U.S. electric automaker Tesla Motors, see the company’s official corporate website:
http://www.teslamotors.com

Larry Bell