Tesla to Stop Production of Electric Roadster, Shift Focus to Model S
Photo: Tesla Motors
Its Role Was to Grab Attention, And It Did That Well
The now iconic Tesla Roadster - the car that turned the public perception of electric cars from "golf cart" to "I want one!" - is about to reach the end of the road. Tesla Motors will stop taking orders for the electric Roadster in about 2 months to shift focus on its next car, the less expensive and more practical Model S electric sedan.
Photo: Michael Graham Richard
Tesla's Electrifying Future
While the Model S will still be too expensive for most people, it will represent a step in the right direction for price and practicality (a 2-seater was never going to be mainstream), and Tesla's 3rd and 4th models will most likely be affordable to the average person. The question is: Will Tesla be passed by bigger players like Nissan, Ford, and GM who are already making more affordable electric cars (or more specifically, a series plug-in hybrid in the case of GM)? Will Tesla try to carve out a niche at the higher end, kind of like BMW, or is their strategy still to eventually aim for the mass-market? We'll have to wait and see.
Photo: Tesla Motors
See also: Tesla's Elon Musk Bets $1 Million (for Charity) that Model S Will be Ready on Time
The early design of the Tesla Model S electric car next to the Tesla electric Roadster. Click the image above to see our Tesla Model S slideshow.
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Via CNN
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