Tesla Model S. The best car. EVER

In some news out of left field. The folks from Consumer Reports have come out an announced that the Tesla Model S is bar none, the BEST car they have ever tested. Interesting because of the fact that it is a full electric car. But that's also one of the biggest reasons why CR says it's the best. Styling is uniquely Tesla, and looks like nothing else on the road. Inside, a 17 inch touch screen panel controls just about everything in the car. Now how it is better than say a VW Jetta TDI?

Well, I'm not sure other than you can take the Jetta on long road trips. The Model S can handle say Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Longer trips are possible thanks to a network of supercharged charging stations that can charge the battery from empty to half full in about a half hour. However, expect a full charge to take 12 hours using normal 240 volt home electric. That can be cut down with an optional charger from Tesla that takes about 5 hours to recharge.

Sticker price for the Model S comes in at a hefty $90,000 give or take a couple hundred bucks. And lets face it. Frankly, it's not a Prius, and that's why we like it. Even though we still prefer our cars to suck gas, not electricity.

So, while it may not fit the need for everyone, it's pretty darn close for some. Unfortunately, for those of us here in Pittsburgh, and the rest of Pennsylvania for that matter. There are no Tesla dealers. There is a service center in Philadelphia, but the closest dealer is in Tysons Corner, Virginia which is just outside of Washington D.C. That is partially due to Tesla's troubles with their store style of dealer system that has the national and state dealer associations up in arms. And that's not to mention the other financial troubles that have hounded Tesla.

Here's hoping that Tesla sticks around for a while. 

Source: Consumer Reports, Tesla Motors.

Chevy Volt Teaser Shot

Here's a teaser shot out of General Motors today. Gives you an idea of what the Volt production car will look like, but without giving too much away.

GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz vowed at the Los Angeles Auto Show that the Volt project is working at full steam ahead. This is all in order to have the Volt in production by the end of the decade. He also announced that we will start seeing driveable prototypes on the road as early as spring of 08.

I like what I'm seeing from this teaser shot. The styling follows along the lines of Chevrolet's current line up. The grille work reminds me of the new Malibu. You can also make out the low sleek roofline carried over from the concept Volt.

More info as it becomes available.

Source: GM

Chevrolet Volt in production by 2010!

Yup. We heard it right. Direct from Bob Lutz's mouth to our ears. At the Reuters Auto Summit in Detroit Mr. Lutz announced that a production version of the Volt concept car will be in production by the end of 2010.

Though it will not look anything like the concept car. The first test of the Volt will come by Easter of 2008. Which is a polite way of saying we have testing prototypes built and ready to go, or at least very close.

GM's hopes are to move above Toyota in the marketplace. Toyota is currently the industry leader in the "Green" market. GM currently has two suppliers for the lithium-ion batteries working overtime to further enhance the durability and performance of the batteries.


Sounds very exciting to see this much development. Especially when the concept was just unveiled at Detroit in January 07. This should definitely have Toyota standing on their toes.


Source: Reuters