Tesla to stop building Roadster in 2011, replacement due in 2013
Come 2011, Tesla Motors will stop building its Tesla Roadster electric-car. Hidden deep within its Securities and Exchange Commission documents filed ahead of its IPO announcement, Tesla said that production of the Roadster and the Roadster Sport will stop next year – however, a replacement is due out in 2013. What’s the reason? Well, apparently Tesla doesn’t have anyone to build it.
“We do not plan to sell our current generation Tesla Roadster after 2011 due to planned tooling changes at a supplier for the Tesla Roadster,” the company said in its filing.
The current Tesla Roadster is built by Lotus, so it is speculated that Tesla is talking about the changes taking place at the British automaker’s factory in Hethel, England.
Tesla said that it will replace the Roadster but not “until at least one year after the launch of the Model S, which is not expected to be in production until 2012.” Tesla just closed a $465 million loan with the Department of Energy to finance production of the Model S sedan.
– By: Omar Rana
Source: Autopia
