tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24975655613691918682024-02-08T10:35:07.300-08:00Tesla Motorsupercarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12039813514112272903noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2497565561369191868.post-61734497668368968362015-10-28T02:13:00.003-07:002015-10-28T02:13:58.237-07:00 <strong><em><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Tesla Motors </span></u></em></strong><br />
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<b>Tesla Motors, Inc.</b> is an American <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_industry" title="Automotive industry">automotive</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_storage" title="Energy storage">energy storage</a> company,<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></sup>that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_design" title="Automotive design">designs</a>, manufactures, and sells <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_car" title="Electric car">electric cars</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_vehicle" title="Electric vehicle">electric vehicle</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powertrain" title="Powertrain">powertrain</a> components, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Powerwall" title="Tesla Powerwall">battery products</a>.<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></sup> Tesla Motors is a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_company" title="Public company">public company</a> that trades on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASDAQ" title="NASDAQ">NASDAQ</a> stock exchange under the symbol TSLA.<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></sup> In the first quarter of 2013, Tesla posted profits for the first time in its history.<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></sup><br />
Tesla first gained widespread attention following their production of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Roadster" title="Tesla Roadster">Tesla Roadster</a>, the first fully electric <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_car" title="Sports car">sports car</a>.<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></sup> The company's second vehicle is the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Model_S" title="Tesla Model S">Model S</a>, a fully electric <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxury_sedan" title="Luxury sedan">luxury sedan</a>, which was followed by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Model_X" title="Tesla Model X">Model X</a>, a crossover. Its next vehicle is the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Model_3" title="Tesla Motors">Model 3</a>.<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></sup> Global cumulative Model S sales passed 90,000 units by October 2015.<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></sup><br />
Tesla also markets <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_powertrain" title="Electric powertrain">electric powertrain</a> components, including <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium-ion_battery" title="Lithium-ion battery">lithium-ion battery</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_pack" title="Battery pack">packs</a> to automakers including <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daimler_AG" title="Daimler AG">Daimler</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota" title="Toyota">Toyota</a>.<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></sup><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_executive_officer" title="Chief executive officer">CEO</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elon_Musk" title="Elon Musk">Elon Musk</a> has said that he envisions Tesla Motors as an independent automaker,<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></sup> aimed at eventually offering electric cars at prices affordable to the average consumer.<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></sup>Pricing for the Tesla Model 3 is expected to start at <span style="white-space: nowrap;">US$35,000</span> before any <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_incentives_for_plug-in_electric_vehicles#United_States" title="Government incentives for plug-in electric vehicles">government incentives</a>, and deliveries are expected to begin by 2017.<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></sup> In 2015, Tesla announced Tesla Energy, a suite of batteries for homes (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Powerwall" title="Tesla Powerwall">Powerwall</a>), businesses, and utilities (Powerpack).<br />
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<h2>
Contents</h2>
<span class="toctoggle"> [<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#" id="togglelink">hide</a>] </span></div>
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<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Overview"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Overview</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#History"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">History</span></a> <ul>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-3"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#2010_initial_public_offering"><span class="tocnumber">2.1</span> <span class="toctext">2010 initial public offering</span></a></li>
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<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-4"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Corporate_strategy"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Corporate strategy</span></a> <ul>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-5"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Business_model_and_US_automotive_dealership_disputes"><span class="tocnumber">3.1</span> <span class="toctext">Business model and US automotive dealership disputes</span></a> <ul>
<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-6"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Restrictive_states"><span class="tocnumber">3.1.1</span> <span class="toctext">Restrictive states</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-7"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Permissive_states"><span class="tocnumber">3.1.2</span> <span class="toctext">Permissive states</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-8"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Certified_Pre-Owned_program"><span class="tocnumber">3.1.3</span> <span class="toctext">Certified Pre-Owned program</span></a></li>
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<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-9"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Technology"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Technology</span></a> <ul>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-10"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Battery_technology"><span class="tocnumber">4.1</span> <span class="toctext">Battery technology</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-11"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Technology_sharing"><span class="tocnumber">4.2</span> <span class="toctext">Technology sharing</span></a></li>
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<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-12"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Competition"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Competition</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-13"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Car_models"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">Car models</span></a> <ul>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-14"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Tesla_Roadster"><span class="tocnumber">6.1</span> <span class="toctext">Tesla Roadster</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-15"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Model_S"><span class="tocnumber">6.2</span> <span class="toctext">Model S</span></a> <ul>
<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-16"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#AutoPilot"><span class="tocnumber">6.2.1</span> <span class="toctext">AutoPilot</span></a></li>
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<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-17"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Model_X"><span class="tocnumber">6.3</span> <span class="toctext">Model X</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-18"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Model_3"><span class="tocnumber">6.4</span> <span class="toctext">Model 3</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-19"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Future_models"><span class="tocnumber">6.5</span> <span class="toctext">Future models</span></a></li>
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<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-20"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Battery_products"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">Battery products</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-21"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Facilities"><span class="tocnumber">8</span> <span class="toctext">Facilities</span></a> <ul>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-22"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#United_States"><span class="tocnumber">8.1</span> <span class="toctext">United States</span></a> <ul>
<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-23"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Tesla_Factory"><span class="tocnumber">8.1.1</span> <span class="toctext">Tesla Factory</span></a></li>
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<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-24"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Supercharger_network"><span class="tocnumber">8.2</span> <span class="toctext">Supercharger network</span></a> <ul>
<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-25"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Battery_swapping"><span class="tocnumber">8.2.1</span> <span class="toctext">Battery swapping</span></a></li>
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<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-26"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Canada"><span class="tocnumber">8.3</span> <span class="toctext">Canada</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-27"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Europe"><span class="tocnumber">8.4</span> <span class="toctext">Europe</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-28"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Asia"><span class="tocnumber">8.5</span> <span class="toctext">Asia</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-29"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Australia"><span class="tocnumber">8.6</span> <span class="toctext">Australia</span></a></li>
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<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-30"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Partners"><span class="tocnumber">9</span> <span class="toctext">Partners</span></a> <ul>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-31"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Daimler_AG"><span class="tocnumber">9.1</span> <span class="toctext">Daimler AG</span></a> <ul>
<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-32"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Mercedes-Benz_A-Class"><span class="tocnumber">9.1.1</span> <span class="toctext">Mercedes-Benz A-Class</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-33"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Mercedes-Benz_B-Class_ED"><span class="tocnumber">9.1.2</span> <span class="toctext">Mercedes-Benz B-Class ED</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-34"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Smart_Fortwo"><span class="tocnumber">9.1.3</span> <span class="toctext">Smart Fortwo</span></a></li>
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<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-35"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Toyota"><span class="tocnumber">9.2</span> <span class="toctext">Toyota</span></a> <ul>
<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-36"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Toyota_RAV4_EV"><span class="tocnumber">9.2.1</span> <span class="toctext">Toyota RAV4 EV</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-37"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Freightliner_Electric_Van"><span class="tocnumber">9.2.2</span> <span class="toctext">Freightliner Electric Van</span></a></li>
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<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-38"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Panasonic"><span class="tocnumber">9.3</span> <span class="toctext">Panasonic</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-39"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Airbnb"><span class="tocnumber">9.4</span> <span class="toctext">Airbnb</span></a></li>
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<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-40"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Lawsuits_and_Controversies"><span class="tocnumber">10</span> <span class="toctext">Lawsuits and Controversies</span></a> <ul>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-41"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Fisker_Automotive"><span class="tocnumber">10.1</span> <span class="toctext">Fisker Automotive</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-42"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Founder_dispute"><span class="tocnumber">10.2</span> <span class="toctext">Founder dispute</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-43"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Top_Gear"><span class="tocnumber">10.3</span> <span class="toctext"><i>Top Gear</i></span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-44"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Ecotricity"><span class="tocnumber">10.4</span> <span class="toctext">Ecotricity</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-45"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Cold_weather"><span class="tocnumber">10.5</span> <span class="toctext">Cold weather</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-46"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Web_site_and_Twitter_account_compromised"><span class="tocnumber">10.6</span> <span class="toctext">Web site and Twitter account compromised</span></a></li>
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<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-47"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Product_issues"><span class="tocnumber">11</span> <span class="toctext">Product issues</span></a> <ul>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-48"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Recalls"><span class="tocnumber">11.1</span> <span class="toctext">Recalls</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-49"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Crashes_and_fires"><span class="tocnumber">11.2</span> <span class="toctext">Crashes and fires</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-50"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Delays"><span class="tocnumber">11.3</span> <span class="toctext">Delays</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-51"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Hacking"><span class="tocnumber">11.4</span> <span class="toctext">Hacking</span></a></li>
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<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-52"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#Board_of_directors"><span class="tocnumber">12</span> <span class="toctext">Board of directors</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-53"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#See_also"><span class="tocnumber">13</span> <span class="toctext">See also</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-54"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#References"><span class="tocnumber">14</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-55"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#External_links"><span class="tocnumber">15</span> <span class="toctext">External links</span></a></li>
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<h2>
<span class="mw-headline" id="Overview">Overview </span></h2>
Tesla Motors is named after <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_engineer" title="Electrical engineer">electrical engineer</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physicist" title="Physicist">physicist</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla" title="Nikola Tesla">Nikola Tesla</a>.<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></sup> The Tesla Roadster uses an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_motor" title="AC motor">AC motor</a> descended directly from Tesla's original 1882 design.<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></sup> The Tesla Roadster, the company's first vehicle, is the first production automobile to use <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium-ion_battery" title="Lithium-ion battery">lithium-ion battery</a> cells and the first production <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_vehicle" title="Electric vehicle">EV</a> with a range greater than 200 miles (320 km) per charge.<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></sup> Between 2008 and March 2012, Tesla sold more than 2,250 Roadsters in 31 countries. Tesla stopped taking orders for the Roadster in the U.S. market in August 2011.<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></sup> Tesla unveiled the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Model_S" title="Tesla Model S">Tesla Model S</a> all-electric sedan on March 26, 2009.<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></sup>In December 2012, Tesla employed almost 3,000 full-time employees. By January 2014, this number had grown to 6,000 employees.<br />
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<h2>
<span class="mw-headline" id="History">History</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tesla_Motors&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: History">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2>
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<a class="image" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Founders_of_Tesla_Motors.jpg"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" data-file-height="410" data-file-width="600" height="219" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c1/The_Founders_of_Tesla_Motors.jpg/320px-The_Founders_of_Tesla_Motors.jpg" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c1/The_Founders_of_Tesla_Motors.jpg/480px-The_Founders_of_Tesla_Motors.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c1/The_Founders_of_Tesla_Motors.jpg 2x" width="320" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption">
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Early days: Marc Tarpenning (left) and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Eberhard" title="Martin Eberhard">Martin Eberhard</a> (right), with a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Roadster" title="Tesla Roadster">Tesla Roadster</a></div>
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Tesla Motors was incorporated in July 2003 by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Eberhard" title="Martin Eberhard">Martin Eberhard</a> and Marc Tarpenning who financed the company until the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Series_A_round" title="Series A round">Series A round</a> of funding.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-29"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-29"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>29<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Both men played active roles in the company's early development prior to Elon Musk's involvement.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gigaom1_30-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-gigaom1-30"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>30<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-From_Archive.org-7620615_31-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-From_Archive.org-7620615-31"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>31<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Musk led the Series A round of investment in February 2004, joining Tesla's Board of Directors as its Chairman. Tesla's primary goal was to commercialize electric vehicles, starting with a premium sports car aimed at early adopters and then moving as rapidly as possible into more mainstream vehicles, including sedans and affordable compacts.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-MasterPlan_32-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-MasterPlan-32"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>32<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
Musk took an active role within the company and oversaw Roadster product design at a detailed level, but was not deeply involved in day-to-day business operations;<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-33"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-33"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>33<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Eberhard acknowledged that Musk was the person who insisted from the beginning on a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon-fiber-reinforced_polymer" title="Carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer">carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer</a> body and he led design of components ranging from the power electronics module to the headlamps and other styling.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-34"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-34"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>34<span>]</span></span></a></sup> In addition to his daily operational roles, Musk was the controlling investor in Tesla from the first financing round, funding the large majority of the Series A capital investment round of <span style="white-space: nowrap;">US$7.5 million</span> with personal funds.<br />
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The insignia of Tesla Motors as seen on a Tesla Roadster Sport</div>
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From the beginning, Musk consistently maintained that Tesla's long-term strategic goal was to create affordable mass market electric vehicles.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gigaom2_35-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-gigaom2-35"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>35<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Musk received the <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Green" title="Global Green">Global Green</a> 2006 product design award for his design of the Tesla Roadster, presented by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Gorbachev" title="Mikhail Gorbachev">Mikhail Gorbachev</a>,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-36"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-36"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>36<span>]</span></span></a></sup> and he received the 2007 Index Design award for his design of the Tesla Roadster.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-37"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-37"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>37<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
Musk's Series A round included Compass Technology Partners and SDL Ventures, as well as many private investors. Musk later led Tesla Motors' <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venture_round" title="Venture round">Series B</a>, <span style="white-space: nowrap;">US$13 million</span>, investment round that added Valor Equity Partners to the funding team. Musk co-led the third, <span style="white-space: nowrap;">US$40 million</span> round in May 2006 along with Technology Partners. Tesla's third round included investment from prominent entrepreneurs including <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google" title="Google">Google</a> co-founders <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergey_Brin" title="Sergey Brin">Sergey Brin</a> & <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Page" title="Larry Page">Larry Page</a>, former <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EBay" title="EBay">eBay</a> President <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Skoll" title="Jeff Skoll">Jeff Skoll</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyatt" title="Hyatt">Hyatt</a> heir <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_J._Pritzker" title="Nicholas J. Pritzker">Nick Pritzker</a> and added the VC firms <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draper_Fisher_Jurvetson" title="Draper Fisher Jurvetson">Draper Fisher Jurvetson</a>, Capricorn Management and The Bay Area Equity Fund managed by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JPMorgan_Chase" title="JPMorgan Chase">JPMorgan Chase</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Motor_Press_Guild_Speech_38-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Motor_Press_Guild_Speech-38"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>38<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The fourth round in May 2007 added another <span style="white-space: nowrap;">US$45 million</span> and brought the total investments to over <span style="white-space: nowrap;">US$105 million</span> through private financing.<br />
In December 2007, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ze%27ev_Drori" title="Ze'ev Drori">Ze'ev Drori</a> became CEO and President. In January 2008, Tesla fired several key personnel who had been involved from the inception after a performance review by the new CEO.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Stealth_Cabbage_39-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Stealth_Cabbage-39"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>39<span>]</span></span></a></sup> According to Musk, Tesla was forced to reduce the company workforce by about 10% to lower its <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burn_rate" title="Burn rate">burn rate</a>, which was out of control in 2007.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Bloomberg_2009-01-19_40-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Bloomberg_2009-01-19-40"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>40<span>]</span></span></a></sup> In May 2008, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Truth_About_Cars" title="The Truth About Cars">The Truth About Cars</a> launched a "Tesla Death Watch", as Tesla needed another round of finance to survive. In October 2008, Musk succeeded Drori as CEO. Drori became Vice Chairman, but then left the company in December. In December a fifth round added another <span style="white-space: nowrap;">US$40 million</span> avoiding bankruptcy.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-41"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-41"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>41<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-bloomb-201505_42-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-bloomb-201505-42"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>42<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
By January 2009, Tesla had raised <span style="white-space: nowrap;">US$187 million</span> and delivered 147 cars. Musk had contributed <span style="white-space: nowrap;">US$70 million</span> of his own money to the company.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Bloomberg_2009-01-19_40-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Bloomberg_2009-01-19-40"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>40<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Crunchbase_43-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Crunchbase-43"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>43<span>]</span></span></a></sup> On May 19, 2009, Germany's Daimler AG, maker of Mercedes-Benz, acquired an equity stake of less than 10% of Tesla for a reported <span style="white-space: nowrap;">US$50 million</span>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-techcrunch1_44-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-techcrunch1-44"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>44<span>]</span></span></a></sup> In July 2009, Daimler announced that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Dhabi" title="Abu Dhabi">Abu Dhabi</a>'s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aabar_Investments" title="Aabar Investments">Aabar Investments</a> bought 40% of Daimler's interest in Tesla.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-45"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-45"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>45<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
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<a class="image" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tesla_Obelisk_(2).jpg"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" data-file-height="2131" data-file-width="1421" height="330" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/Tesla_Obelisk_%282%29.jpg/220px-Tesla_Obelisk_%282%29.jpg" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/Tesla_Obelisk_%282%29.jpg/330px-Tesla_Obelisk_%282%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/Tesla_Obelisk_%282%29.jpg/440px-Tesla_Obelisk_%282%29.jpg 2x" width="220" /></span></a> <div class="thumbcaption">
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The Tesla obelisk is used to identify the Supercharger network sites in California.</div>
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In June 2009 Tesla was approved to receive <span style="white-space: nowrap;">US$465 million</span> in interest-bearing loans from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Energy" title="United States Department of Energy">United States Department of Energy</a>. The funding, part of the <span style="white-space: nowrap;">US$8 billion</span> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Technology_Vehicles_Manufacturing_Loan_Program" title="Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program">Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program</a>, supports engineering and production of the Model S sedan, as well as the development of commercial powertrain technology.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-46"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-46"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>46<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The low-interest loans are not related to the "bailout" funds that GM and Chrysler received, nor are they related to the 2009 economic stimulus package. The loan program was created in 2007 during the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Bush" title="George W. Bush">George W. Bush</a> administration.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-47"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-47"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>47<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Tesla repaid the loan in May 2013. Tesla was the first car company to have fully repaid the government, while <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Motor_Company" title="Ford Motor Company">Ford</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan" title="Nissan">Nissan</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisker_Automotive" title="Fisker Automotive">Fisker</a> had not.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-iev20130522_48-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-iev20130522-48"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>48<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
The company announced in early August 2009 that it had achieved overall corporate profitability for the month of July 2009.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-49"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-49"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>49<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The company said it earned approximately <span style="white-space: nowrap;">US$1 million</span> on revenue of <span style="white-space: nowrap;">US$20 million</span>. Profitability arose primarily from improved gross margin on the 2010 Roadster, the second iteration of Tesla’s award-winning sports car. Tesla, which like all automakers records revenue when products are delivered, shipped a record 109 vehicles in July and reported a surge in new Roadster purchases. In September 2009, Tesla announced an <span style="white-space: nowrap;">US$82.5 million</span> round to accelerate Tesla's retail expansion.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-50"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-50"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>50<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Daimler participated in the round to maintain equity ownership from its initial investment.<br />
Tesla Motors signed a production contract on July 11, 2005, with Group Lotus to produce "gliders" (complete cars minus powertrain).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-lotustesla1_51-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-lotustesla1-51"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>51<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The contract ran through March 2011, but the two automakers extended the deal to keep the electric Roadster in production through December 2011 with a minimum number of 2,400 units,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-lotustesla3_52-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-lotustesla3-52"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>52<span>]</span></span></a></sup> when production ended,<sup class="noprint Inline-Template" style="white-space: nowrap;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[<i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Dates_and_numbers#Precise_language" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers"><span title="The text near this tag is dated.">dated info</span></a></i>]</span></sup> mostly because of tooling changes orchestrated by one of its suppliers.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-53"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-53"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>53<span>]</span></span></a></sup> In June 2010, it was reported that Tesla sold a total of <span style="white-space: nowrap;">US$12.2 million</span> zero emission vehicle credits to other automakers, including Honda, up to March 31, 2010.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-54"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-54"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>54<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
In October 2014, both Daimler and Toyota sold their holdings of Tesla shares.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-55"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-55"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>55<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-56"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-56"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>56<span>]</span></span></a></sup> As of 2014<sup class="plainlinks noprint asof-tag update" style="display: none;"><a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tesla_Motors&action=edit"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[update]</span></a></sup>, Tesla has a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_Average_Fuel_Economy" title="Corporate Average Fuel Economy">Corporate Average Fuel Economy</a> (CAFE) of 276 mpg.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-57"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-57"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>57<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
In October 2015, Tesla Motor announced the company is negotiating with the Chinese government on producing cars domestically. Local production has the potential to reduce the sales prices of Tesla models by a third. However, foreign automakers are generally required to establish a joint venture with a Chinese company to produce cars domestically<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-CHImodelS092015_58-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-CHImodelS092015-58"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>58<span>]</span></span></a></sup> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elon_Musk" title="Elon Musk">Elon Musk</a> clarified that production will remain in the U.S. in the foreseeable future, but if there’s sufficient local demand for the <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Model_3" title="Tesla Model 3">Tesla Model 3</a> in China, a factory could be built in the country as soon as a year after the launch of the new model. Production in Europe will also depend on the region's demand for the Model 3.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-59"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-59"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>59<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
<h3>
<span class="mw-headline" id="2010_initial_public_offering">2010 initial public offering</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tesla_Motors&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: 2010 initial public offering">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3>
On January 29, 2010, Tesla Motors filed <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Form_S-1" title="Form S-1">Form S-1</a> with the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Securities_and_Exchange_Commission" title="U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission">U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission</a>,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-secforms1_60-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-secforms1-60"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>60<span>]</span></span></a></sup> as a preliminary <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prospectus_(finance)" title="Prospectus (finance)">prospectus</a> indicating its intention to file an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Initial_public_offering" title="Initial public offering">initial public offering</a> (IPO) underwritten by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldman_Sachs" title="Goldman Sachs">Goldman Sachs</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan_Stanley" title="Morgan Stanley">Morgan Stanley</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._P._Morgan" title="J. P. Morgan">J. P. Morgan</a>, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsche_Bank" title="Deutsche Bank">Deutsche Bank Securities</a>. On May 21, 2010, Tesla announced a "strategic partnership" with Toyota, which agreed to purchase <span style="white-space: nowrap;">US$50 million</span> in Tesla common stock issued in a private placement<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-bbcToyota_61-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-bbcToyota-61"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>61<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TeslaToyota_62-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-TeslaToyota-62"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>62<span>]</span></span></a></sup> to close immediately after the IPO.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-secforms2_63-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-secforms2-63"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>63<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Executives at both companies said that they would cooperate on "the development of electric vehicles, parts, and production system and engineering support."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TeslaToyota_62-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-TeslaToyota-62"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>62<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Less than two months later, Toyota and Tesla confirmed that their first platform collaboration would be to build an electric version of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_RAV4_EV" title="Toyota RAV4 EV">RAV4 EV</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-64"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-64"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>64<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
On June 29, 2010, Tesla Motors launched its initial public offering on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASDAQ" title="NASDAQ">NASDAQ</a>. 13,300,000 shares of common stock were issued to the public at a price of US$17.00 per share.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-65"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-65"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>65<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The IPO raised <span style="white-space: nowrap;">US$226 million</span> for the company.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-66"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-66"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>66<span>]</span></span></a></sup> It was the first American car maker to go public since the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Motor_Company" title="Ford Motor Company">Ford Motor Company</a> had its IPO in 1956,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-67"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-67"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>67<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="noprint Inline-Template" style="white-space: nowrap;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[<i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Dates_and_numbers#Precise_language" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers"><span title="The text near this tag is dated.">dated info</span></a></i>]</span></sup> and by 2014 Tesla had market value half that of Ford.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-wp2014-03_68-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-wp2014-03-68"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>68<span>]</span></span></a></sup> During November 2013, Tesla's stock fell more than 20 percent, following news of a third Model S fire. All Model S fires had developed several minutes after the cars had struck significant road debris at high speeds and all of the vehicles had provided warnings to the occupants of serious battery damage, advising that an immediate stop was required. All three owners ordered new Model S's. In the following months Tesla developed a battery protection system as a no-cost retrofit to all Model S's; no fires have been reported since.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-69"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-69"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>69<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Despite the drop, Tesla was still the top performer on the Nasdaq 100 index in 2013.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-70"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-70"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>70<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Tesla was seeking to sell 40,000 electric vehicles worldwide in 2014, adding China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Australia to the list of countries where it exports cars,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-71"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-71"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>71<span>]</span></span></a></sup> but it later reduced its guidance on sales down to 33,000 units for 2014 in November 2014.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-72"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-72"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>72<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
<h2>
<span class="mw-headline" id="Corporate_strategy">Corporate strategy</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tesla_Motors&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Corporate strategy">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2>
Tesla's strategy has been to emulate typical technological-product life cycles and initially enter the automotive market with an expensive, high-end product targeted at affluent buyers. As the company, its products, and consumer acceptance matured, it is moving into larger, more competitive markets at lower price points.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-73"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-73"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>73<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-74"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-74"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>74<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
Tesla has a three step strategy, where the battery and electric drivetrain technology for each new type would be developed and paid for through sales of the former types, starting with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Roadster" title="Tesla Roadster">Tesla Roadster</a> and moving on to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Model_S" title="Tesla Model S">Tesla Model S</a>, Model X and Model 3 vehicles.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-MasterPlan_32-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-MasterPlan-32"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>32<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-bbweek20070730_75-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-bbweek20070730-75"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>75<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Step one was making the Tesla Roadster high price, low volume. The Model S is step two with mid price, mid volume. The third generation will be low price, high volume.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gigaom2_35-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-gigaom2-35"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>35<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-The_Guardian_76-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-The_Guardian-76"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>76<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
Aiming premium products at affluent "thought leaders" is a very well-known business strategy in Silicon Valley and the global technology industry, where prices for the first versions of, for example, cellular phones, laptop computers, and flat-screen televisions start high but drop with subsequent products as the technology matures and production volumes increase.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-77"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-77"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>77<span>]</span></span></a></sup> According to a blog post by Musk, "New technology in any field takes a few versions to optimize before reaching the mass market, and in this case it is competing with 150 years and trillions of dollars spent on gasoline cars."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Soap_Opera_78-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Soap_Opera-78"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>78<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
While the Roadster's base price was <span style="white-space: nowrap;">US$109,000</span>,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-79"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-79"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>79<span>]</span></span></a></sup> the Model S's base price was US$57,400,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TeslaPrices_26-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-TeslaPrices-26"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>26<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-80"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-80"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>80<span>]</span></span></a></sup> and the Model 3's projected base price is near <span style="white-space: nowrap;">US$35,000</span>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ModelEprice_17-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-ModelEprice-17"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>17<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
One of Tesla's stated goals is to increase the number and variety of electric vehicles (EV) available to mainstream consumers by:<br />
<ul>
<li>selling its own vehicles in company-owned showrooms and online;<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-teslamotors2_81-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-teslamotors2-81"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>81<span>]</span></span></a></sup></li>
<li>selling powertrain components to other automakers<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-82"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-82"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>82<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-83"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-83"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>83<span>]</span></span></a></sup></li>
<li>serving as a catalyst and positive example to other automakers<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-84"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-84"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>84<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-85"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-85"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>85<span>]</span></span></a></sup></li>
</ul>
Tesla focuses on pure electric propulsion technology, even for larger vehicle segments and ranges beyond 200 miles. Musk won the 2010 Automotive Executive of the Year Innovator Award for hastening the development of electric vehicles throughout the global automotive industry.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-86"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-86"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>86<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
Tesla would like to disrupt the automotive industry in a way that Tesla investor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Thiel" title="Peter Thiel">Peter Thiel</a> (see <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PayPal_Mafia" title="PayPal Mafia">PayPal Mafia</a>) calls complex coordination, which means many innovative pieces fit together in just the right way and when assembled has tremendous advantages.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-87"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-87"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>87<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
<h3>
<span class="mw-headline" id="Business_model_and_US_automotive_dealership_disputes">Business model and US automotive dealership disputes</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tesla_Motors&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Business model and US automotive dealership disputes">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3>
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<a class="image" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tesla_store,_Austin,_Texas_01.jpg"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" data-file-height="2448" data-file-width="3264" height="165" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Tesla_store%2C_Austin%2C_Texas_01.jpg/220px-Tesla_store%2C_Austin%2C_Texas_01.jpg" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Tesla_store%2C_Austin%2C_Texas_01.jpg/330px-Tesla_store%2C_Austin%2C_Texas_01.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Tesla_store%2C_Austin%2C_Texas_01.jpg/440px-Tesla_store%2C_Austin%2C_Texas_01.jpg 2x" width="220" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption">
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Tesla gallery in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin,_Texas" title="Austin, Texas">Austin, Texas</a>.</div>
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<table class="infobox" style="clear: right; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 1em 1em; width: 22em;"><caption>External images</caption><tbody>
<tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" data-file-height="512" data-file-width="512" height="16" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/61/Searchtool.svg/16px-Searchtool.svg.png" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/61/Searchtool.svg/24px-Searchtool.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/61/Searchtool.svg/32px-Searchtool.svg.png 2x" width="16" /> <a class="external text" href="http://www.mojomotors.com/blog/where-can-tesla-sell-cars/" rel="nofollow">Map of direct automaker sales</a>, regarding Tesla conditions</td></tr>
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Tesla operates stores or galleries<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-88"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-88"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>88<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-89"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-89"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>89<span>]</span></span></a></sup>—usually located in shopping malls—in 22 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._state" title="U.S. state">U.S. states</a> and Washington DC. Customers cannot purchase vehicles from the stores,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-90"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-90"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>90<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-91"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-91"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>91<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-92"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-92"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>92<span>]</span></span></a></sup> but must order them on the Tesla Motors website instead.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-93"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-93"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>93<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The stores act as showrooms that allow people to learn more about Tesla Motors and its vehicles. The galleries are located in states with more restrictive dealership protection laws, which prevent discussing prices, finances, and test drives, as well as other restrictions.<br />
Tesla's strategy of direct customer sales and owning its own stores and service centers is a significant departure from the standard dealership model currently dominating the U.S. vehicle marketplace.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-94"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-94"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>94<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Tesla Motors is the only automaker that sells cars directly to consumers, with all other automakers using independently owned dealerships<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-95"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-95"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>95<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-96"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-96"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>96<span>]</span></span></a></sup> (partly due to an earlier conflict),<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-wp2014-03_68-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-wp2014-03-68"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>68<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-97"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-97"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>97<span>]</span></span></a></sup> although some automakers provide online configuration and/or financing.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-98"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-98"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>98<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-99"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-99"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>99<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-100"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-100"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>100<span>]</span></span></a></sup> 48 states have laws that limit or ban manufacturers from selling vehicles directly to consumers,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-101"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-101"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>101<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-102"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-102"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>102<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-103"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-103"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>103<span>]</span></span></a></sup> and even though Tesla Motors has no independent dealerships, dealership associations in multiple states have filed numerous lawsuits against Tesla Motors, trying to block the company from selling cars in some states. North Carolina and New Hampshire sided with Tesla Motors while Virginia and Texas have taken the opposite position.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-104"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-104"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>104<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
This situation is unique to Tesla Motors' US operations. Other countries do not have such regulatory laws dealing with car dealers and manufacturers. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Trade_Commission" title="Federal Trade Commission">Federal Trade Commission</a> suggests allowing direct manufacturer sales,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-105"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-105"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>105<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-106"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-106"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>106<span>]</span></span></a></sup> which analysts believe would save consumers an average of 8% on their car purchase.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-wp2014-03_68-2"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-wp2014-03-68"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>68<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-107"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-107"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>107<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Automobile_Dealers_Association" title="National Automobile Dealers Association">National Automobile Dealers Association</a> states that franchises offer better value for customers than direct sales.<br />
In August 2015, Tesla launched a wholesale revamp of its stores worldwide as the company prepares to debut its Model X. The stores will include interactive displays focused on four major themes: safety, autopilot features, the company's charging network and the dual motors that power each axle.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-108"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-108"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>108<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
<h4>
<span class="mw-headline" id="Restrictive_states">Restrictive states</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tesla_Motors&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Restrictive states">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4>
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<dt>Texas</dt>
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Texas currently has stringent dealership protection laws which make purchasing a vehicle from Tesla Motors in person, at a Tesla Gallery, difficult. Thus, all Texas orders are taken via the internet or over the phone. Texas requires all new cars to be purchased through third-party dealerships, effectively blocking Tesla from selling cars directly. A resident of Texas may still easily purchase a vehicle from Tesla Motors, but purchasing the vehicle is handled as an out-of-state transaction. This may result in the inability to include Texas state sales tax in the loan, and new owners cannot take advantage of the personal delivery of their new Tesla at their home or office, usually picking up their car at a Tesla Service Center in a neighboring state instead. New owners must then register the vehicle with the state and pay the sales tax when license tags are ordered. In 2015 Tesla had lobbied the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Legislature" title="Texas Legislature">Texas Legislature</a> to modify <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas" title="Texas">Texas</a> law <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-109"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-109"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>109<span>]</span></span></a></sup> to allow Tesla to sell directly to consumers and specifically allow Tesla employees to discuss "financing, leasing, or purchasing options" at the firm's existing stores in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin,_Texas" title="Austin, Texas">Austin</a> and <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston,_Texas" title="Houston, Texas">Houston</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-110"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-110"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>110<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Texas was considering passing legislation to allow Tesla to operate in the state<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-111"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-111"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>111<span>]</span></span></a></sup> but legislation was not passed.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-112"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-112"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>112<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
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<dt>New Jersey</dt>
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On March 10, 2014, it was announced that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Jersey_Motor_Vehicle_Commission" title="New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission">New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission</a> and Governor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Christie" title="Chris Christie">Chris Christie</a>’s administration would be holding a meeting to pass a new proposal into law. This new proposal, PRN 2013-138, was announced one day before it was to be put into law. Tesla Motors responded by saying that the proposal "seeks to impose stringent licensing rules that would, among other things, require all new motor vehicles to be sold through middlemen and block Tesla’s direct sales model," and that "[Governor Christie’s] Administration has decided to go outside the legislative process by expediting a rule proposal that would completely change the law in New Jersey."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Business_113-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Business-113"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>113<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The meeting was for 2pm the next day. The law was passed, and "Tesla will no longer [be able to] sell electric cars in New Jersey, effective April 1". Diarmuid O’Connell, Tesla Vice President of Business Development, said, "Worse, it has done so without any reasonable notice or even a public hearing."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-114"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-114"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>114<span>]</span></span></a></sup> <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbes" title="Forbes">Forbes</a></i> contributor Mark Rogosky said, "The state’s new rules protect its auto dealers from having to compete with Tesla’s direct sales model"; he goes on to point out that this is a direct contrast from what Christie said earlier, “We are for a free-market society that allows your effort and ingenuity to determine your success, not the cold, hard hand of the government.”<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-115"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-115"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>115<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Kevin Roberts, a spokesman for the Christie administration, responded by saying "it was the [Tesla Motors] company, not the governor's office, that was attempting to bypass normal procedures.".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Business_113-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Business-113"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>113<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-116"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-116"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>116<span>]</span></span></a></sup> In March 2015 the ban on Tesla Motor's operations in New Jersey was lifted, but with restrictions (maximum of 4 locations, and 1 service center).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-117"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-117"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>117<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
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<dt>Michigan</dt>
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On October 1, 2014, Michigan <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_House_of_Representatives" title="Michigan House of Representatives">House</a> Bill 5606, drafted "to keep automakers from forcing dealers to charge different documentation fees to different customers,"<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-118"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-118"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>118<span>]</span></span></a></sup> was amended with a section stating that a manufacturer shall not "sell any new motor vehicle directly to a retail customer other than through its franchised dealers." The word "its" was removed, which assumed the manufacturer already had dealerships. Both houses passed the revised bill the next day, with only one nay vote from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_McMillin" title="Tom McMillin">Tom McMillin</a> in either house of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_Legislature" title="Michigan Legislature">Michigan Legislature</a>. Tesla argued that the original law would have allowed them to sell, because they didn't already have franchised dealers.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-119"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-119"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>119<span>]</span></span></a></sup> On October 21, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors" title="General Motors">General Motors</a> released a statement saying that governor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Snyder" title="Rick Snyder">Rick Snyder</a> should sign the bill into law because "we believe that House Bill 5606 will help ensure that all automotive manufacturers follow the same rules to operate in the State of Michigan." The same day, Snyder signed the bill. Tesla responded to the GM statement by saying that "GM distorts the purpose of the franchise laws which are in place not to cement a monopoly for franchised dealers, but rather to prevent companies with existing franchises from unfairly competing against them."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-120"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-120"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>120<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The law in Michigan goes so far as to ban a manufacturer from opening a service center for its cars, effectively banning Tesla Motors from opening even a service center.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-121"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-121"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>121<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
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<dt>Others</dt>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Virginia" title="West Virginia">West Virginia</a> does not allow Tesla-owned stores or showrooms.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ccGA-WV_122-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-ccGA-WV-122"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>122<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
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<span class="mw-headline" id="Permissive_states">Permissive states</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tesla_Motors&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Permissive states">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h4>
In September 2014 Massachusetts allowed Tesla to sell directly.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-bostin_123-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-bostin-123"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>123<span>]</span></span></a></sup> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_(U.S._state)" title="Georgia (U.S. state)">Georgia</a> has legislation favorable to Tesla.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ccGA-WV_122-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-ccGA-WV-122"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>122<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-124"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-124"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>124<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
In May 2015, the state of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryland" title="Maryland">Maryland</a> approved, through House Bill 235,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-125"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-125"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>125<span>]</span></span></a></sup> direct Tesla sales to consumers beginning in October 2015, allowing 4 stores. The legislation was crafted specifically for Tesla.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-126"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-126"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>126<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-127"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-127"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>127<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
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<span class="mw-headline" id="Technology">Technology</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tesla_Motors&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Technology">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2>
Tesla Motors builds electric powertrain components for vehicles from other automakers, including the lowest-priced car from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daimler_AG" title="Daimler AG">Daimler</a>, the Smart <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_electric_drive" title="Smart electric drive">ForTwo electric drive</a>, the Toyota <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAV4_EV" title="RAV4 EV">RAV4 EV</a>, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freightliner_Trucks" title="Freightliner Trucks">Freightliner's</a> Custom Chassis Electric Van.<br />
<h3>
<span class="mw-headline" id="Battery_technology">Battery technology</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tesla_Motors&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Battery technology">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3>
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Tesla Electric Car Recharging Station (USA, 2014)</div>
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Unlike other automakers, Tesla does not use single-purpose, larger format cells. Tesla uses thousands of <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/18650" title="18650">lithium-ion 18650</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodity_cell" title="Commodity cell">commodity cells</a>. 18650 cells are small, cylindrical <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrochemical_cell" title="Electrochemical cell">battery cells</a>, which are usually found in laptops and other consumer electronics devices. Tesla Motors uses a version of these cells, designed to be cheaper to manufacture and to be lighter than the standard cells. The cost and weight savings were made by removing some safety features which, according to Tesla Motors, are redundant because of the advanced thermal management system and a protective <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intumescent" title="Intumescent">intumescent</a> chemical in the battery pack. This chemical is intended to prevent battery fires.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-WhatGoesIn_143-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-WhatGoesIn-143"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>143<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Currently Panasonic, a Tesla Motors investor, is the sole supplier of the battery cells for the car company.<br />
Tesla Motors may have the lowest rates for electric car batteries; the estimated battery costs for Tesla Motors is around US$200 per kWh.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-WhatGoesIn_143-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-WhatGoesIn-143"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>143<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-144"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-144"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>144<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Currently, Tesla Motors charges US$10,000 more for the 85 kWh battery than the 60 kWh battery, or US$400 per kWh. At US$200 per kWh, the battery in the 60 kWh Model S would cost US$12,000, while the 85 kWh battery would cost US$17,000. The price increase is closer to US$8,000, as supercharging is included in the higher price. It is a US$2,000 option for the 60 kWh version.<br />
In the Model S, Tesla Motors integrated the battery pack into the floor of the vehicle, unlike in the Roadster, which had the battery pack behind the seats. Because the battery is integrated into the floor of the Model S, no interior space is lost for batteries, unlike in other electric vehicles, which often lose trunk space or interior space to batteries. The location of the battery pack and the lower ride of the Model S does put the battery at a higher risk of being damaged by road debris or an impact. To protect the battery pack, the Model S has 0.25 in (6 mm) <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium_alloy" title="Aluminium alloy">aluminum-alloy</a> armor plate.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-145"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-145"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>145<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The battery pack's location allows for quick <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_swap_station#Battery_swapping" title="Battery swap station">battery swapping</a>. A battery swap can take as little as 90 seconds in the Model S.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-146"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-146"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>146<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Tesla's first battery swap station is located at Harris Ranch, California, and is operational as of December 22, 2014.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-147"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-147"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>147<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Since 2008, Tesla has worked with ToxCo/Kinsbursky to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_recycling#Lithium_ion_batteries" title="Battery recycling">recycle</a> worn out <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restriction_of_Hazardous_Substances_Directive" title="Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive">RoHS</a> batteries, which will be an integral part of GigaFactory.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-148"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-148"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>148<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-149"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-149"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>149<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-150"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-150"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>150<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
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<span class="mw-headline" id="Technology_sharing">Technology sharing</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tesla_Motors&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Technology sharing">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3>
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The Tesla Patent Wall at its headquarters was removed after the company announced its patents are part of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source" title="Open source">open source</a> movement.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-151"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-151"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>151<span>]</span></span></a></sup></div>
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Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced in a press release and conference call on June 12, 2014, that the company will allow its technology <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patent" title="Patent">patents</a> be used by anyone in good faith.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-opens_152-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-opens-152"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>152<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Future agreements to be made are expected to include provisions whereby the recipients agree not to file patent suits against Tesla, or to copy their designs directly.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-153"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-153"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>153<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Reasons expressed for this stance include attracting and motivating talented employees, as well as to accelerate the mass market advancement of electric cars for sustainable transport. "The unfortunate reality is, electric car programs (or programs for any vehicle that doesn't burn hydrocarbons) at the major manufacturers are small to non-existent, constituting an average of far less than 1% of their total vehicle sales," Musk said. Tesla will still hold other intellectual property, such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trademark" title="Trademark">trademarks</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_secret" title="Trade secret">trade secrets</a>, which would prevent direct copying of its vehicles.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Roberts_154-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Roberts-154"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>154<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
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<span class="mw-headline" id="Competition">Competition</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tesla_Motors&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Competition">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2>
General Motors' then-Vice Chairman <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Lutz_(businessman)" title="Bob Lutz (businessman)">Robert Lutz</a> said in 2007 that the Tesla Roadster inspired him to push GM to develop the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Volt" title="Chevrolet Volt">Chevrolet Volt</a>, a plug-in hybrid sedan.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-155"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-155"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>155<span>]</span></span></a></sup> In an August 2009 edition of <i>The New Yorker</i>, Lutz was quoted as saying, "All the geniuses here at General Motors kept saying lithium-ion technology is 10 years away, and Toyota agreed with us—and boom, along comes Tesla. So I said, 'How come some tiny little California startup, run by guys who know nothing about the car business, can do this, and we can't?' That was the crowbar that helped break up the log jam."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-156"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-156"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>156<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
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<span class="mw-headline" id="Car_models">Car models</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tesla_Motors&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Car models">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2>
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<span class="mw-headline" id="Tesla_Roadster">Tesla Roadster</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tesla_Motors&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Tesla Roadster">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3>
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Main article: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Roadster" title="Tesla Roadster">Tesla Roadster</a></div>
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Tesla began producing right-hand drive Roadsters in January 2010 and sold them in the UK, Australia and parts of Asia.</div>
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Tesla Motors' first production vehicle, the Tesla Roadster, was an all-electric sports car. The Roadster was the first highway-capable all-electric vehicle in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_production" title="Mass production">serial production</a> for sale in the United States in the modern era. The Roadster was also the first production automobile to use <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium-ion_battery" title="Lithium-ion battery">lithium-ion battery</a> cells and first mass production <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_electric_vehicle" title="Battery electric vehicle">BEV</a> to travel more than 200 miles (320 km) per charge.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-157"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-157"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>157<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
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<a class="image" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Roadster_2.5_windmills_trimmed.jpg"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" data-file-height="1600" data-file-width="2647" height="133" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Roadster_2.5_windmills_trimmed.jpg/220px-Roadster_2.5_windmills_trimmed.jpg" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Roadster_2.5_windmills_trimmed.jpg/330px-Roadster_2.5_windmills_trimmed.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Roadster_2.5_windmills_trimmed.jpg/440px-Roadster_2.5_windmills_trimmed.jpg 2x" width="220" /></span></a> <div class="thumbcaption">
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Tesla Roadster Sport 2.5, the company's fourth-generation Roadster</div>
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Prototypes were introduced to the public in July 2006. The Tesla Roadster was featured on the cover of <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_(magazine)" title="Time (magazine)">Time</a></i> in December 2006 as the recipient of the magazine's "Best Inventions 2006—Transportation Invention" award.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-158"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-158"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>158<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The first "Signature One Hundred" set of fully equipped Roadsters sold out in less than three weeks,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-159"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-159"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>159<span>]</span></span></a></sup> the second hundred sold out by October 2007, and general production began on March 17, 2008.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-reg_prod_160-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-reg_prod-160"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>160<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Since February 2008 two new models were introduced, one in July 2009, and another in July 2010.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-161"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-161"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>161<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-boingboing1_162-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-boingboing1-162"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>162<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-163"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-163"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>163<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
In January 2010, Tesla began producing its first right-hand-drive Roadsters for the UK and Ireland, then began selling them in mid-2010 in Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-righthand_164-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-righthand-164"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>164<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Tesla produced the Roadster until early 2012, when its supply of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Elise" title="Lotus Elise">Lotus Elise</a> <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_glider" title="Vehicle glider">gliders</a> ran out, as its contract with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Cars" title="Lotus Cars">Lotus Cars</a> for 2,500 gliders expired at the end of 2011.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Sales0611_23-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Sales0611-23"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>23<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NYT050611_24-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-NYT050611-24"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>24<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Tesla stopped taking orders for the Roadster in the U.S. market in August 2011.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-165"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-165"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>165<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-166"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-166"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>166<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Featuring new options and enhanced features, the 2012 Tesla Roadster was sold in limited numbers only in Europe, Asia and Australia.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TRSalesDec11_167-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-TRSalesDec11-167"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>167<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-LastSales_168-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-LastSales-168"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>168<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The next generation is expected to be introduced in 2019, based on a shortened version of the platform developed for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Model_S" title="Tesla Model S">Tesla Model S</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-169"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-169"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>169<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Tesla sold more than 2,400 Roadsters in 31 countries through September 2012.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-SalesJune2012_170-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-SalesJune2012-170"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>170<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Tesla3Q2012_171-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Tesla3Q2012-171"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>171<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Most of the remaining Roadsters were sold during the fourth quarter of 2012.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Tesla4Q2012_172-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Tesla4Q2012-172"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>172<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
The car had an average range of 245 miles (394 km) per charge according to Tesla.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-173"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-173"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>173<span>]</span></span></a></sup> On October 27, 2009, the Roadster driven by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Hackett" title="Simon Hackett">Simon Hackett</a> drove the entire 313-mile (504 km) segment of Australia's annual Global Green Challenge on a single charge, at an average speed of 25 mph (40 km/h).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-174"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-174"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>174<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-175"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-175"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>175<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The Tesla Roadster can accelerate from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/0_to_60_mph" title="0 to 60 mph">zero to 60 mph (97 km/h)</a> in under 4 seconds and has a top speed of 125 mph (201 km/h). The base price of the car is <span style="white-space: nowrap;">US$109,000</span> (€84,000 or <span class="nowrap">£87,945</span>).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TeslaPrices_26-2"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-TeslaPrices-26"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>26<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The Roadster Sport price started at <span style="white-space: nowrap;">US$128,500</span> in the United States and €112,000 (excluding VAT) in Europe. Deliveries began in July 2009. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_Trend" title="Motor Trend">MotorTrend</a> reported that the Roadster Sport recorded a 0–60 mph of 3.70 seconds and a quarter-mile test at 12.6 sec @ 102.6 mph (165.1 km/h), and stated "Tesla is the first maker to crack the EV legitimacy barrier in a century."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-176"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-176"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>176<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
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<span class="mw-headline" id="Model_S">Model S</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tesla_Motors&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: Model S">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3>
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Main article: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Model_S" title="Tesla Model S">Tesla Model S</a></div>
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Tesla started production of its <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Model_S" title="Tesla Model S">Tesla Model S</a> sedan in 2012, and deliveries to retail customers began in June 2012.</div>
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The Model S was announced in a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Press_release" title="Press release">press release</a> on June 30, 2008.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-177"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-177"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>177<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-178"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-178"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>178<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedan_(car)" title="Sedan (car)">sedan</a> was originally code-named "Whitestar".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-179"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-179"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>179<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Retail deliveries began in the U.S. on June 22, 2012.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1stModelS_180-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-1stModelS-180"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>180<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The first delivery of a Model S to a retail customer in Europe took place on August 7, 2013.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-181"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-181"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>181<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Deliveries in China began on April 22, 2014.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-182"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-182"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>182<span>]</span></span></a></sup> First deliveries of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-_and_left-hand_traffic" title="Right- and left-hand traffic">right-hand-drive model</a> destined for the UK, Australia, Hong Kong and Japan were delivered as scheduled in 2014.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-183"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-183"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>183<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The Model S was to have three battery pack options for a range of up to 265 miles (426 km) per charge,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-184"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-184"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>184<span>]</span></span></a></sup> but this was reduced to two, due to lack of demand for the shortest range vehicle. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Environmental_Protection_Agency" title="United States Environmental Protection Agency">United States Environmental Protection Agency</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-electric_range" title="All-electric range">range</a> for the 85 kW·h battery pack model, the first trim launched in the United States market, is 265 mi (426 km),<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-EPAratings_185-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-EPAratings-185"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>185<span>]</span></span></a></sup> and 208 mi (335 km) for the model with the 60 kW·h battery.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Range60kWh_186-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Range60kWh-186"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>186<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
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<a class="image" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Global_sales_Tesla_Model_S_by_quarter.png"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" data-file-height="1209" data-file-width="1707" height="230" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Global_sales_Tesla_Model_S_by_quarter.png/325px-Global_sales_Tesla_Model_S_by_quarter.png" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Global_sales_Tesla_Model_S_by_quarter.png/488px-Global_sales_Tesla_Model_S_by_quarter.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Global_sales_Tesla_Model_S_by_quarter.png/650px-Global_sales_Tesla_Model_S_by_quarter.png 2x" width="325" /></span></a> <div class="thumbcaption">
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Model S global sales by quarter (3Q 2012 to 3Q 2015)</div>
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A total of 2,650 Model S cars were sold in the North American market during 2012, mostly in the United States.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Tesla4Q2012_172-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Tesla4Q2012-172"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>172<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Sales in Europe and North America totaled 22,477 units in 2013.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Tesla4Q2013_187-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Tesla4Q2013-187"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>187<span>]</span></span></a></sup> During 2014 a total of 31,655 units were delivered worldwide,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Top102014_188-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Top102014-188"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>188<span>]</span></span></a></sup> and about 33,151 units were sold worldwide during the first three quarters of 2015.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Tesla1Q2015_189-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Tesla1Q2015-189"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>189<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Tesla2Q2015_190-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Tesla2Q2015-190"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>190<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Tesla092015_191-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Tesla092015-191"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>191<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The United States is the leading market with over 50,000 units sold by early July 2015.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-CumSales062015US_192-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-CumSales062015US-192"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>192<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Norway is the Model S largest overseas market,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-193"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-193"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>193<span>]</span></span></a></sup> with 8,697 new units registered through June 2015<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NorwaySales2013_194-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-NorwaySales2013-194"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>194<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-OFV2014_195-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-OFV2014-195"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>195<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-OFV062015_196-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-OFV062015-196"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>196<span>]</span></span></a></sup> As of September 2015<sup class="plainlinks noprint asof-tag update" style="display: none;"><a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tesla_Motors&action=edit"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[update]</span></a></sup>, global Model S sales totaled 89,933 units since its introduction in June 2012,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Tesla2Q2015_190-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Tesla2Q2015-190"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>190<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Tesla092015_191-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Tesla092015-191"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>191<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ModelS062015_197-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-ModelS062015-197"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>197<span>]</span></span></a></sup> and sales are expected to pass 100,000 units globally by December 2015.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ModelSTop2015US_11-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-ModelSTop2015US-11"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ModelS062015_197-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-ModelS062015-197"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>197<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
The Tesla Model S was the top selling new car in Norway in September 2013, thus becoming the first electric car to top the sales ranking in any country. The Model S captured a market share of 5.1% of all new car sales that month.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-SalesNorway092013_198-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-SalesNorway092013-198"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>198<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NorwayTop1_199-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-NorwayTop1-199"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>199<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NorwayTop2_200-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-NorwayTop2-200"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>200<span>]</span></span></a></sup> In December 2013, and with a 4.9% market share, the Model S topped one more time the best selling new car list in Norway.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NorwayTop3_201-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-NorwayTop3-201"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>201<span>]</span></span></a></sup> In March 2014 Tesla Model S became the best-ever selling car for over a period of one month in Norway, with 10.8% of all new cars registered in the country in March 2014 were Tesla Model S.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NorwayTop4_202-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-NorwayTop4-202"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>202<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The Model S ranked as the third top selling plug-in electric car in the U.S. after the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Volt" title="Chevrolet Volt">Chevrolet Volt</a> and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_Leaf" title="Nissan Leaf">Nissan Leaf</a> in 2013 and 2014.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Top2013US_203-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Top2013US-203"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>203<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Sales2014US_204-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Sales2014US-204"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>204<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Also in 2013, the Model S was the top selling car in the <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full-size_luxury_car" title="Full-size luxury car">full-size luxury</a> sedan category in the U.S., ahead of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_S-Class" title="Mercedes-Benz S-Class">Mercedes-Benz S-Class</a> (13,303), the top selling car in the category in 2012, and also surpassing the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_7_Series" title="BMW 7 Series">BMW 7 Series</a> (10,932), <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexus_LS" title="Lexus LS">Lexus LS</a> (10,727), <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi_A8" title="Audi A8">Audi A8</a> (6,300) and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_Panamera" title="Porsche Panamera">Porsche Panamera</a> (5,421).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-USModelS18K_205-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-USModelS18K-205"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>205<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The Model S ranked as the world's second best selling plug-in electric vehicle after the Nissan Leaf in 2014,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Top102014_188-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Top102014-188"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>188<span>]</span></span></a></sup> and it ranked as the top selling plug-in electric car in the U.S. for the first nine months of 2015, with about 17,700 units delivered.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ModelSTop2015US_11-2"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-ModelSTop2015US-11"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
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<a class="image" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tesla_auto_bots.jpg"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" data-file-height="3564" data-file-width="5100" height="154" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/57/Tesla_auto_bots.jpg/220px-Tesla_auto_bots.jpg" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/57/Tesla_auto_bots.jpg/330px-Tesla_auto_bots.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/57/Tesla_auto_bots.jpg/440px-Tesla_auto_bots.jpg 2x" width="220" /></span></a> <div class="thumbcaption">
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automation" title="Automation">Robotic manufacturing</a> of the Model S at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Factory" title="Tesla Factory">Tesla Factory</a> in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fremont,_California" title="Fremont, California">Fremont, California</a></div>
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Tesla manufactures the Model S in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fremont,_California" title="Fremont, California">Fremont, California</a>, in an assembly plant formerly operated by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NUMMI" title="NUMMI">NUMMI</a>, a defunct joint venture of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota" title="Toyota">Toyota</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors" title="General Motors">General Motors</a>, now called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Factory" title="Tesla Factory">Tesla Factory</a>. Tesla purchased a stake in the site in May 2010 for <span style="white-space: nowrap;">US$42 million</span>,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TeslaToyotabiz_206-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-TeslaToyotabiz-206"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>206<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NUMMI_207-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-NUMMI-207"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>207<span>]</span></span></a></sup> and opened the facility in October 2010.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TeslaToyotabiz_206-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-TeslaToyotabiz-206"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>206<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-kvtu_208-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-kvtu-208"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>208<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-209"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-209"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>209<span>]</span></span></a></sup> For the European market, Tesla assembles and distributes the Model S from its European Distribution Center in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilburg" title="Tilburg">Tilburg</a>, the Netherlands. Tesla chose Tilburg because of its location near the port of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotterdam" title="Rotterdam">Rotterdam</a>, where Models S components arrive from the U.S. The center also serves as a workshop and spare parts warehouse. Cars are built and tested in Fremont. Then, the battery pack, the electric motor and parts are disassembled and shipped separately to Tilburg, where the cars are reassembled.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Tilburg_210-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-Tilburg-210"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>210<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
Among other awards, the Model S won the 2013 "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_Trend_Car_of_the_Year" title="Motor Trend Car of the Year">Motor Trend Car of the Year</a>",<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-211"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-211"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>211<span>]</span></span></a></sup> the 2013 "<a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Green_Car" title="World Green Car">World Green Car</a>",<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-212"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-212"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>212<span>]</span></span></a></sup> <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automobile_Magazine" title="Automobile Magazine">Automobile Magazine</a>'s 2013 "Car of the Year",<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2013_Automobile_of_the_Year:_Tesla_Model_S_213-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-2013_Automobile_of_the_Year:_Tesla_Model_S-213"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>213<span>]</span></span></a></sup> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_(magazine)" title="Time (magazine)">Time Magazine</a> Best 25 Inventions of the Year 2012 award.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-214"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-214"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>214<span>]</span></span></a></sup> In June 2015, three years after the Model S introduction and with almost 75,000 Model S sedans delivered worldwide, Tesla announced that Model S owners have accumulated over 1 billion electric miles (1.6 billion km) traveled.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-215"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-215"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>215<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1BiMiles_216-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-1BiMiles-216"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>216<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The Tesla Model S is the first plug-in electric vehicle fleet to reach the 1 billion electric miles milestone. In October 2014 General Motors reported that Volt owners had accumulated a total of 629 million all-electric miles (over 1 billion kilometers) traveled; while Nissan reported in December 2014 that Leaf owners had traveled 625 million miles (1 billion kilometers).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1BiMiles_216-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-1BiMiles-216"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>216<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
In October 2014, Tesla announced the 85D and P85D dual-motor all-wheel drive variants of the Model S.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BO_217-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-BO-217"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>217<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-:0_218-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-:0-218"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>218<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-IND_219-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-IND-219"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>219<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The high-end P85D can accelerate from 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) in 3.2 seconds and has a top speed of 155 miles per hour (249 km/h), compared to the Model P85's 130 miles per hour (210 km/h).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-:0_218-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-:0-218"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>218<span>]</span></span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-IND_219-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-IND-219"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>219<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The Model S 85D can cruise at 65 mph (105 km/h) for 295 miles (475 km) on a single charge, 10 miles more than the Model S 85.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-220"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-220"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>220<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The control system shifts power between the motors, so each is always operating at its most efficient point.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-:0_218-2"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-:0-218"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>218<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
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<span class="mw-headline" id="Delays">Delays</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tesla_Motors&action=edit&section=50" title="Edit section: Delays">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3>
Tesla has been criticized for overpromising and underdelivering in a number of areas. Delivery dates for new vehicles and new vehicle features have slipped on the Roadster, the Model S and the Model X. Advanced technologies like the prospect of a large network of <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar-power" title="Solar-power">solar-powered</a> supercharger stations (2012; only two are solar powered as of late 2014) and of a growing number of battery-swapping stations (2013; none operational by 17 December 2014) are substantially behind and auto-industry media sources have written about it.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-jalop20141217_290-2"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-jalop20141217-290"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>290<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
<h3>
<span class="mw-headline" id="Hacking">Hacking</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tesla_Motors&action=edit&section=51" title="Edit section: Hacking">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3>
On August 6, 2015, it was reported that two researchers claimed to be able to take control of a Tesla Model S by hacking into the car’s entertainment system.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-395"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-395"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>395<span>]</span></span></a></sup> The hack required the researchers to first physically access the car.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-396"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-396"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>396<span>]</span></span></a></sup> Tesla has issued a security update for the Model S after security researchers discovered six flaws that allowed them to control its entertainment software and hijack the vehicle.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-397"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-397"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>397<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
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<span class="mw-headline" id="Board_of_directors">Board of directors</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tesla_Motors&action=edit&section=52" title="Edit section: Board of directors">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2>
As of 2014<sup class="plainlinks noprint asof-tag update" style="display: none;"><a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tesla_Motors&action=edit"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[update]</span></a></sup>, the Tesla Motors board of directors consists of:<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-398"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors#cite_note-398"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>398<span>]</span></span></a></sup><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elon_Musk" title="Elon Musk">Elon Musk</a>—Chairman of the board of directors, CEO and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_product_officer" title="Chief product officer">Product Architect</a> of Tesla; former President of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PayPal" title="PayPal">PayPal</a>, founder, CEO and CTO of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX" title="SpaceX">SpaceX</a>; Chairman of the board, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SolarCity" title="SolarCity">SolarCity</a></li>
<li>Brad Buss—CFO of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cypress_Semiconductor" title="Cypress Semiconductor">Cypress Semiconductor</a> Corp</li>
<li>Ira Ehrenpreis—General Partner, <a class="new" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Technology_Partners&action=edit&redlink=1" title="Technology Partners (page does not exist)">Technology Partners</a></li>
<li>Antonio J. Gracias—CEO and Chairman of the Investment Committee at <a class="new" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Valor_Equity_Partners&action=edit&redlink=1" title="Valor Equity Partners (page does not exist)">Valor Equity Partners</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jurvetson" title="Steve Jurvetson">Steve Jurvetson</a>—Managing Director, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draper_Fisher_Jurvetson" title="Draper Fisher Jurvetson">Draper Fisher Jurvetson</a>.</li>
<li>Harald Kroeger—Mercedes-Benz Vice President, responsible for electrics and electronics</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimbal_Musk" title="Kimbal Musk">Kimbal Musk</a>—CEO of Medium, Inc., Co-founder Zip2</li>
<li><a class="new" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Robyn_Denholm&action=edit&redlink=1" title="Robyn Denholm (page does not exist)">Robyn Denholm</a>—<a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Financial_Officer" title="Chief Financial Officer">Chief Financial Officer</a> and <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_Vice_President" title="Executive Vice President">Executive Vice President</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniper_Networks" title="Juniper Networks">Juniper Networks</a></li>
</ul>
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