Under the industrial glory of the Space X rocket factory in Hawthorne, California, Tesla brought us the world’s first look at its Model S sedan to be built at an unspecified location in Southern California. Unsatisfied with just a Sunday cruising roadster, Tesla sought to develop a sedan that would not only work for every mid to high level executive but also for those looking for an every day clean-power luxury sedan.
While the 300-mile range (with an optional upgraded battery pack, standard Model S’s come with a 160-mile range pack) exceeds the roadster’s 240-mile range, the price point is the real kicker: at $49,900 (after a $7,500 tax credit) it starts at less than half of the roadster’s base price. Elon Musk, Founder & CEO, mentioned that when you compare the Model S on a lease price basis to gasoline engined cars and account for fuel costs, the Tesla’s price is more in line with a Ford Taurus. It was unclear, however, if he meant the comparably fast Taurus SHO or not, which starts at $37,995.
Nevertheless, the Model S is clearly a luxury sedan that is priced aggressively. A plan to lease the battery packs is not part of Tesla’s roll out strategy, but they are open to 3rd party providers that might plan to carry out this service. Also, the battery pack can be swapped out in less time than it takes to fill a gas tank, which indicates to us that Musk certainly might envision a future with battery swapping stations operating in place of gas stations.
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