SAN CARLOS, California — Tesla Motors' next electric vehicle — a $60,000 sedan code-named WhiteStar — will be built in California, not far from the company's Bay Area headquarters, rather than New Mexico, as earlier announced.
The clincher for Tesla was a package of state incentives, including tax relief and training funds that could total nearly $10 million.
The deal was announced Monday at a press conference attended by state officials, including Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has ordered one of the company's $100,000 Roadsters and who helped negotiate the incentive package for Tesla.
"We want these cutting-edge companies not to just start in California and do their research and development here — we want them to build in California," Governor Schwarzenegger said at the press conference.
WhiteStar — now known as Model S — is described in the state's press release as "a fully electric, five-passenger, multi-use sport sedan with a driving range of approximately 225 miles on one charge." The press release said the projected cost is $60,000. The sedan is slated to begin production in about two years.
Tesla executives have said they are working on a third model code-named BlueStar — reportedly a sporty coupe slated for 2012 that will sell for around $30,000.
The original code name of the Tesla Roadster was DarkStar.
What this means to you: Leave it to the Governator to figure out how best to game the Star system. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
The clincher for Tesla was a package of state incentives, including tax relief and training funds that could total nearly $10 million.
The deal was announced Monday at a press conference attended by state officials, including Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has ordered one of the company's $100,000 Roadsters and who helped negotiate the incentive package for Tesla.
"We want these cutting-edge companies not to just start in California and do their research and development here — we want them to build in California," Governor Schwarzenegger said at the press conference.
WhiteStar — now known as Model S — is described in the state's press release as "a fully electric, five-passenger, multi-use sport sedan with a driving range of approximately 225 miles on one charge." The press release said the projected cost is $60,000. The sedan is slated to begin production in about two years.
Tesla executives have said they are working on a third model code-named BlueStar — reportedly a sporty coupe slated for 2012 that will sell for around $30,000.
The original code name of the Tesla Roadster was DarkStar.
What this means to you: Leave it to the Governator to figure out how best to game the Star system. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
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