US: Schwarzenegger says Tesla to build electric sedan in California
By: Glenn Brooks, Tuesday, July 01, 2008, AutomotiveWorld.com
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ze'ev Drori, the chief executive of Tesla Motors, have jointly announced that a new, second model will be built in California, not Albuquerque, New Mexico as had been stated by the electric car OEM in February 2007. The project to bring this four-door, five-seat car to market, formerly known as 'WhiteStar', has been renamed 'Model S'.
At the time of the last statement about the WhiteStar in early 2007, Tesla said the vehicle was being engineered at its Michigan technical centre and that annual forecast build volume was 10,000upa. An indicative price of US$50,000-65,000 was also given, with a launch date of 2009.
Drori told the assembled media on 30 June that Tesla had decided that it would now be more advantageous to build manufacturing facilities in close proximity to R&D operations at its San Carlos headquarters.
The Lotus Elise-based Tesla Roadster, production of which finally got underway in April after several delays, has a battery pack that is California-made. The car itself, though mostly manufactured in England by Lotus, is assembled in the western US state.
In June, the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority (CAEATFA), approved a programme which exempts manufacturers of new so-called 'Zero Emissions' vehicles from sales and use tax on the purchase of manufacturing equipment, the idea being to encourage ZEV manufacturing in the state. By shifting its final assembly operations to California, Tesla's staff will also be eligible for vocational training grants.
Apart from General Motors and Toyota's NUMMI joint venture plant at Fremont near San Francisco, America's most populous state is notable for its absence of vehicle manufacturing facilities.
Published on Tuesday, July 01, 2008
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