Tesla Hits A Bump In The Road

Tesla the electric car maker (named for Nikola Tesla, one of the most important scientists and inventors of the modern age) is undergoing layoffs, restructuring and office closings in the face of the current economic crisis.

The Tesla Roadster is a high-performance electric vehicle with sexy looks and an incredible 0-60 mph time of 3.9 seconds. It will run for 244 miles on a single charge and burns no oil or gas.

Though it has been a very difficult year the company is not entirely in dire straights with a year-long waiting list for the $109,000 Roadster and operation of a profitable power-train supply business. If they can control costs and get their act together they will do well.

Tesla has delayed the release of their Model S, which is expected to sell for $60,000, until mid-2011. This gives General Motors a good six-month lead with sales of their Chevrolet Volt beginning in 2010.

All alternative fuel and energy initiatives, in all sectors, are being challenged by the recent drop in oil prices. Even though science suggests we are facing a Global Warming crisis we have seen that real efforts to find alternative energy sources are only seriously considered when they are cost effective. Cheaper oil driven by a stalling economic engine around the world will have a negative effect on clean energy development.

This is an interesting and concerning challenge for our times and one I hope Tesla weathers through.

Comments

[SOLOMON AZAR]

I love the man called jesus-a life of struggle and sacrifice for the betterment of mankind- this is the highest principle of life to live-struggle in any form- you want a strong body- train hard all the time- take one week off and you deteriorate- want a strong mind-read and learn everything as often as you can-want an enlightened soul- love god with all your heart and soul and struggle and sacrifice for the betterment of mankind-Life is a struggle- I wouldn't have it any other way- Free will

* my name is Solomon Sami Azar-born on the 13th January-1965. I have combined the century old ideas of Tesla and Einstein to produce safe nuclear fusion of heavy water in order to end the energy crisis- When the scientific community has found this and understands -the energy crisis will be over along with talks of greenhouse gases-I have been guided to this discovery by the heavens- by a force in this universe we are all connected to in spirit and pray to in the name of god- I have put together many signs and connections to form the big picture- I am a messenger of GOD---I have been sent by heaven to declare An Age of Unity has begun- world war 2 was Armageddon signified by two atomic bombs-An age of unity has begun--

[Bob Kilpatrick]

Well okay then...

[Kramer Tell]

Definitely bad-ass.

But when are we going to start seeing this kind of performance in cars that the rest of us can actually afford?

[Bob Kilpatrick]

Like anything there is an economy of scale. Once electric vehicles are mass-produced they should become much more affordable. One day they will probably be cheaper than gas-powered vehicles.