Menlo Oak Staff
Beamer, Benz, or Bentley? That’s
the question the modern luxury car buyer asks when he or she is in the
market for a new car.
 |
| The Tesla Model S
(front) and Roadster (back). |
Californians all too
accustomed to an elite standard of automobile. With gas prices rising and a job
rates declining, these West Coast drivers are also trying to avoid the pump, and find alternative
means of transportation. In the Atherton-Menlo Park area, these alternatives are easy to spot--Caltrain is just down the street, Samtrans bus stops
line El Camino. But if you take a walk just a little bit further you will find
Tesla Motors.
Tesla
Motors was founded in 2003 by a group of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. From its
Palo Alto-based headquarters, the company has expanded to 21 store locations
worldwide. The company’s success has been powered by electricity; creating cars
that lessen the global dependency on petroleum-based transportation and instead
run completely on electricity.
When
visiting the Palo Alto Store, the first person you may speak to is Manager Neil
Joseph.
“Tesla is leading the way in sustainable
transportation,” Joseph said. We
are making compelling electric cars that are usable in the real world, and they
perform better than their gasoline counterparts. This is helping create a
new industry, and charging infrastructure that will produce thousands of jobs.”
“Public
transit is minimal because of the vast size of our country, its important to
try and make personal transportation as efficient as possible,” Joseph added.
“Since
Tesla makes compelling electric cars, it also creates a brand that is highly
iconic like Apple. We are changing the way people interact with a car
company and helping make a brand that is as iconic as the classics,” Joseph continued. He added that all of Tesla’s services and
repairs are all done at the dealership and customer relations are a major part
of Tesla’s operations.
Currently
Tesla offers a line of three vehicles. The Roadster, a two door sports coupe.
The Model X, its SUV vehicle; and its newest release, the Model S, which is a
sporty sedan. These cars statistically outperform the competition, and offer an
eco-friendly solution to one of the world’s biggest problems, carbon emissions.
The federal government is providing a half a billion-dollar loan to Tesla, and the new
Model S should be available in late 2012 with a price tag of $57,400. Wholesale
all models are being offered under $130,000.
A Car and Driver magazine review stated that, “The Roadster proved that
Tesla could deliver an electric. But that’s a tin toy compared with the Model
S.”
Journalist Kim Reynolds of MotorTrend.com said, “When reviewing the Model
S outside of Tesla’s Fremont factory, I had one solitary thought: this is it.”
In addition to offering its own line of
cars, Tesla helps other car manufacturers in developing electric powertrains.
If
successful, Joseph said, how Tesla could help improve the American economy.
“We’re going to make transport, energy production, and consumption as
efficient and sustainable as possible, aiding in a eco-friendly environment.” 
No comments:
Post a Comment