Tesla CEO says purpose-built electric-vehicles will be more beneficial

October 14, 2010 Omar Rana electric-cars, electric-vehicles, Elon Musk, Sedans, Tesla Model S, Tesla Model S Sedan

When Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk speaks about the future of electric-vehicles, everyone listens. In an interview with Automotive News, Musk recently said that the next-generation of electric-vehicles will be lighter, stiffer and safer.

“I don’t think any manufacturer, Tesla included, has really designed a car to optimize the electric powertrain,” Musk said. “It’s a bit like the early days of automobiles where you had horseless carriages. It works, of course. You can take a carriage and put an engine on it and you can drive around, but it’s not the best way to use an internal combustion engine.”

Tesla’s Roadster was based on a Lotus. He said that taking a gasoline powered vehicle and throwing in an electric-vehicle misses the mark. With the upcoming Model S sedan, Tesla will build its own platform.

Click here for more news on the Tesla Model S.

“That’s why, for example, we’ve got the battery pack in the floorpan as an integrated part of the chassis,” he said. “This is an important point. You don’t want to carry the battery pack like a sack of potatoes.”

The layout will alloy Tesla to reduce weight, improve stiffness and free up interior space.

Refresher: The Tesla Model S sedan can be recharged from any 120v, 208v or 240v outlet. Depending on which Model S trim-level you chose, the all-electric sedan will provide you with a total range of 160, 230 or 300 miles per charge. 0 to 60 comes in just 5.6 seconds with a top speed that is limited to 130 mph. Pricing is expected to come in at $49,900 after a federal tax credit of $7,500. A $5,000 reservation fee is required but is refundable.