Tesla Gearing Up For A BIG 2012 -- Is It DO or DIE For The Electric Automaker?

Tesla has come a long way from its initial days as a boutique electric car manufacturer. Or has it?

Now it has stores around the globe selling its Roadster, of which 1,650 have been sold, and analyst coverage on the marque has been positive in recent months. But it still has a relatively long way to go until it introduces the Model S and the rest of its pipeline comes to fruition. Although running an auto manufacturer is probably one of the hardest businesses to run, at least it has a theoretical shift away from internal combustion engines on its side.

The problem is it's only theoretical. It's not like sales of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt and 2011 Nissan Leaf are blowing anyone's doors off.

In a Securities and Exchange Commission filing this week, Tesla mentioned plans for a new crossover, the Model X, but that won't debut for another two years after the Model S hits the road. This is a pretty long lead time.

Currently, Tesla says it has "approximately 4,600 customer reservations" with a minimum down payment of $5,000 smackers. That's not such a bad turnout, admittedly so; however, with prices ranging between the high $50,000 mark to the high $70,000 area, it better be damned good.

Taking all of this into consideration, do you think the Tesla boat is going to SINK or SWIM?


Tesla said it is planning to reveal a prototype of the Model X crossover by the end of the year and will end production of the Tesla Roadster in December, in a filing Wednesday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The filing said that Tesla is "designing the Model X to incorporate the functionality of a minivan with the consumer appeal of a sports-utility vehicle." It noted that the electric powertrain developed for the Tesla Roadster "has provided the foundational technology for the Model S, the Model X and for electric powertrain components that (Tesla) has begun selling to Daimler and its affiliates that (Tesla) intends to sell to Toyota."

In an interview late last year with Greentech Media, Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed plans to introduce a battery-powered crossover, the Model X, in 2014, about two years after the mid-2012 launch of its midsize Model S sedan...

[Source: Edmunds]


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Joe_Limon - 5/30/2011 12:37:29 PM

+1 Boost

I wouldn't be surprised if they ran out of money from investors. Especially if more EV vehicles hit the market before they can form their foothold with the Model S and Model X.

At which point I wouldn't be surprised at all if GM, or Toyota didn't buy them up for a fraction of their estimated worth, took their engineering, watered it down, and incorporated it into their next generation of EV vehicles.

jtz7 - 5/30/2011 2:56:11 PM

-3 Boost

Why wouldn't you be suprised? Only Koreans copy right Joe_Limon?

Joe_Limon - 5/30/2011 3:51:40 PM

+2 Boost

I dunno, you're the king of finding general design features and thinking that the reason it exists was because it was copied.

I don't think I've criticized Hyundai for copying... recently at least.

If I have, please post a link.

ceric - 5/30/2011 3:15:23 PM

+1 Boost

It will sink, and that is why you should go get one if you can afforf it. Tesla will be collectables like Tucker. And, honestly, Model S looks very nice!

Agent00R - 5/30/2011 3:32:00 PM

+1 Boost

@Ceric

There is no doubting its looks, which are very good as you can see from our cover shot AND it has that unique center stack, however I think the most crucial aspect will be how many miles we can get out of a charge. In addition, I think we have to see what happens to electric cars in the used market in say several years.

That will be the TRUE test, IMHO.

uaw_lax - 6/1/2011 4:09:05 AM

+1 Boost

eldard you are on to somthing why not make a lux car, and also a conventional model s for anout 15k less.

WorldofLuxury - 5/31/2011 9:52:13 PM

+1 Boost

Is that the design close to production? I like it's much stronger presence when compared to the concept's!

internationalmanofmystery - 6/1/2011 1:13:25 PM

+1 Boost

"..DO or DIE'

It should be more like "..DO, CHARGE and then DIE!"