HAWTHORNE, Calif. — With a grin and a theatrical flourish, the chief designer for Tesla Motors this week unveiled what the fledgling automaker hopes will be the family-friendly, midsized sedan of the future.
“Welcome to Model S,” declared designer Franz von Holzhausen as he pulled the covers off a pair of prototypes of the all-electric-powered sedan the company said will seat seven people and travel 300 miles on a single charge.
Tesla hopes to begin producing the flashy, five-door car at a yet-to-be-disclosed location in Southern California by the final quarter of 2011.
Within a year, it wants to turn out as many as 20,000 of the vehicles annually.
No decision has been made on what options will be available at extra cost. A model with a range of 160 miles per charge will cost $49,900, but the top-of-the-line model that goes 300 miles on a charge remains unpriced.
John Rogers, The Associated Press
