"Tesla will unveil the Model S all-electric, zero-emissions sedan in late March," said Tesla Motors spokesperson Rachel Konrad in an e-mail to Inside Line on the eve of the Geneva show. "We expect to begin production in the second half of 2011, and we anticipate selling roughly half the cars in North America and half in Europe."
The Model S is a five-passenger sedan powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. Although stopping short of announcing official pricing, Tesla on Monday said the Model S will have "an anticipated base price of $57,400. "After a federal tax credit of $7,500, the effective price should be less than $50,000," it said. Tesla originally had hoped to begin production in 2009, but recently said it had canceled plans to construct a new factory for the Model S in San Jose.
Konrad spelled out that while Tesla has no formal media events during the Geneva press preview, it will begin delivering the Tesla Roadster to EU customers in June. "We will be opening regional service and retail centers in the U.K. and Germany this year," she said.
Inside Line says: Geneva may be quiet, but March 26 is shaping up as a critical date for those curious about the Tesla Model S. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
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