Tesla to release a Model S with 300-mile range

[March 08, 2011]  PALO ALTO, Calif. (AP) -- Electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc. plans to offer a limited-edition version of its Model S sedan next year that will have a battery mighty enough to keep the car going for 300 miles on a single charge.

That's much farther than the Nissan Leaf, which can go up to 100 miles on a charge. The Leaf went on sale late last year.

Tesla vice president for worldwide sales George Blankenship said in a Web posting Monday that Tesla plans to sell a Model S Signature Series with the 300-mile battery in North America starting in mid-2012.

Tesla will sell versions of the all-electric Model S with 230-mile and 160-mile batteries later in 2012. A right-hand drive Model S also is due in 2012.

The Model S with a 160-mile battery will start at $57,400, or $49,900 after a $7,500 federal tax credit. Blankenship said the 230-mile option is expected to cost $10,000 more, and the 300-mile option about $20,000 more.

The Leaf sells for $32,780, or $25,280 with the tax credit.

Blankenship said Tesla expects to produce 5,000 Model S sedans in 2012 and 20,000 in 2013.

[Associated Press]

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