Tesla ships first all-aluminum Model S
by CanadianManufacturing.com Staff
The company plans to make and sell 5,000 units this year
NEW YORK—Luxury electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla Motors has developed an all-aluminum sedan that accelerates from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 5.6 seconds with zero tailpipe emissions.
Tesla Model S electric vehicle combines stamped, extruded and cast aluminum parts for rigidity and strength, and gain immense weight reductions in the process. Practically all visible metal on Model S is aluminum, according to a blog post by George Blankenship, Tesla Motors vice-president of worldwide sales and ownership experience
The first Model S was shipped from the Tesla factory in Fremont, Calif. today. Tesla will be ramping up production throughout 2012 and plans to deliver 5,000 vehicles by year end. Reservations for the premium electric sedan currently exceed 10,000 units.
The Model S has no internal combustion engine or transmission tunnel, leaving plenty of room in the interior of the car for additional cargo space and one of the most spacious cabins in its class.
The vehicle—with a base price of US$57,400—has three battery options: 40 kWh, 60 kWh and 85 kWh. The battery’s floor-mounted position provides a low center of gravity and ideal weight distribution for performance and handling.
Palo Alto, California-based Tesla designs and manufactures electric vehicles for itself and power train components for partners such as Toyota and Daimler.
