The Tesla Model S sedan will finally hit showrooms early next year. According to new reports, the Cali-based electric automaker is also working on a successor to the Roadster and a rival to the BMW 3 Series.

The Tesla Model S is likely to be followed by convertible variant and will also spawn a crossover known as the Model X, which is due next year as well. CEO Elon Musk has confirmed that the company is also planning a new Roadster for 2014, which will no longer be based on a Lotus.

“Bob Lutz has said the Roadster prompted General Motors to do the Chevrolet Volt,” Musk said emphasizing the importance of the Roadster. “We’re trying to change the industry.”

The new Tesla Roadster will use the company’s third-generation platform, he said. ”This platform will spawn a range of cars in the next four to five years. “It’ll be a more mass-market platform for cars like a 3-series as well as the new Roadster. These cars will supplement the Model S range.”

- By: Omar Rana

Source: AutoCar

Remember the debacle between BBC’s Top Gear and Tesla Motors? No? Well, check out these articles to update yourself:

• Tesla Motors sues Top Gear over staged Roadster review
• Top Gear’s Executive Producer Andy Wilman speaks on Tesla Roadster case
• Elon Musk: Top Gear’s Tesla Roadster review was ‘completely phony’ and f*cked up

A new report states that Tesla Motors has lost a major part of its high court libel claim against Top Gear, but is still suing the show for “malicious falsehood” over the episode that showed Jeremy Clarkson driving the Roadster.

At a high court ruling in London today, Mr Justice Tugendhat said that no viewer of the show would have compared the Roadster’s performance on the show’s track to its real-life performance on a public road.

Check out the episode after the jump.

Tugendhat said:“In my judgment, the words complained of are wholly incapable of conveying any meaning at all to the effect that the claimant [Tesla] misled anyone. This is because there is a contrast between the style of driving and the nature of the track as compared with the conditions on a public road […] are so great that no reasonable person could understand that the performance on the [Top Gear] track is capable of a direct comparison with a public road.”

Tesla argues that it has seen a ‘continuing impact’ from the episode on its reputation. Tugendhat reserved Tesla’s malicious falsehood claim. A verdict is expected within weeks.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Guardian

House Republicans want to cut another of Obama’s green-jobs program – one that provides many new start-up electric car makers some finance to get things going. It’s the same program under which Tesla received up to $465 million. That loan has helped Palo Alto electric-car maker open an electric powertrain factory at its headquarters and refurbish the NUMMI plant where it will build the Model S sedan.

The loans have helped Tesla add over 1,000 jobs with another 1,000 expected as production of the Model S ramps up.

Apparently, Tesla is now looking for another loan.

“Tesla has applied for a loan, in our continued mission to make more affordable electric vehicles,” Tesla spokeswoman Khobi Brooklyn confirmed in an e-mail to the Chronicle. She declined to say how much Tesla is seeking or what the loan will be used for.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: SFGate

Tesla Motors continues to test the new Model S electric-sedan before the vehicle begins deliveries next year. In a recent attempt to keep the buzz around the Tesla Model S, the company released a video of its new model driving with the legendary Tesla Roadster.

Click here for more news on the Tesla Model S.

Check out the video after the jump.

Side Note: Tesla really could’ve picked better background music.

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.

Tesla Model S Alpha:

- By: Omar Rana

The Tesla Roadster has become known for changing the perception of electric cars from being little more than golf carts with doors. With a 0 to 60 mph time of 3.9 seconds and a driving range of 250 miles on a single charge, the Tesla Roadster offers far more than other electric-cars on the roads. The road is now about to come to an end for the Tesla Roadster.

Tesla said that it will stop taking orders for the model in the United States in about two months as it will shift focus on the Model S electric sedan.

Click here for more news on the Tesla Roadster.

“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,” Tesla said.

The Tesla Model S will hit roads in mid-2012.

Tesla Model S Alpha:

- By: Omar Rana

Source: CNNMoney

Tesla has announced the starting prices of its public stock offerings not too long ago. Starting at $28.76 per share, the maker of the full-electric sports car, the Tesla Roadster, said that it has fully allocated the 5.3 million shares in a secondary public stock offering.

Tesla is also selling about 1.4 million shares to co-founder and CEO Elon Musk whereas 637,475 shares will be sold to Blackstar Investco, a subsidiary of Germany’s automotive giant, Daimler.

The sales are expected to raise $211.5 million and will help the small firm fund its developmental and research expenses for its latest model, the Model X SUV crossover, which will follow its sibling, the Model S’s release in 2013.

- By: Chris Chin

Source: AutoObserver

Tesla Motors CEO - Elon Musk

If this is your first time hearing about this, here’s a little update for you on this Tesla Motors vs Top Gear matter.

• On March 30, 2011 Tesla launched a section on its http://www.teslamotors.com/teslavstopgear, which states that Tesla has sued the BBC television program Top Gear for ‘libel and malicious falsehood.’ Tesla said that during Top Gear’s review, Tesla Roadsters are shown suffering some critical ‘breakdowns’ during track driving – all of which are staged – check out the original post here.
• On April 2, 2011, Top Gear’s Executive Producer Andy Wilman posted on the show’s Transmission: The Top Gear TV Blog to provide some inside on what the crew thought about this whole matter (you can read his full post here).

Tesla Motors’ CEO Elon Musk is now speaking about his feelings and said that Top Gear’s review of the Tesla Roadster was ”completely phony.”

Musk went on to say:” For European investors, every single one, except one, specifically asked us why our car broke down on ‘Top Gear,’” Musk said. “It was (messed) up.” – We believe he said It was fucked up.

“They literally wrote the script at ‘Top Gear’ before we even gave them the cars,” Musk said.

Stay tuned to see what the outcome of Tesla’s lawsuit will be.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Detroit News

Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson with the Tesla Roadster

We learned earlier this week that Tesla Motors is suing our favorite TV show Top Gear for “libel and malicious falsehood” regarding the show’s review of the company’s Tesla Roadster. Tesla claims that during the episode, the Tesla Roadster is shown suffering some critical ‘breakdowns’ during track driving – saying that it was all staged.

Well, Top Gear has been quite about the case… until now.

Executive Producer Andy Wilman has posted about the matter on Transmission: The Top Gear TV Blog to give us some insight as to what his crew is thinking.

“The normal procedure for the BBC in a legal case is to acknowledge receipt of the other party’s claim, and then say no more and get on with preparing its defence for court,” Wilman said. However, he went onto point out just a thing or two (or more) to Top Gear fans.

Hit the jump to read Wilman’s points – but before you do that check out our original post on Tesla vs. Top Gear here.

1. We never said that the Tesla’s true range is only 55 miles, as opposed to their own claim of 211, or that it had actually ran out of charge. In the film our actual words were: “We calculated that on our track it would run out after 55 miles”. The first point here is that the track is where we do our tests of sports cars and supercars, as has happened ever since Top Gear existed. This is where cars are driven fast and hard, and since Tesla calls its roadster “The Supercar. Redefined.” it seemed pretty logical to us that the right test was a track test. The second point is that the figure of 55 miles came not from our heads, but from Tesla’s boffins in California. They looked at the data from that car and calculated that, driven hard on our track, it would have a range of 55 miles.

2. We never said that the Tesla was completely immobilized as a result of the motor overheating. We said the car had “reduced power”. This was true.

3. Tesla claims we were lying when we said the brakes were “broken”. They now say that all that had happened was that the fuse to the vacuum pump had failed, which meant that the brake just had to be pushed down much harder than usual. Well – to my mind, if the brakes are broken, then they’re broken, and if this happened to your car, you’d take it to the garage to get it fixed. Odd it seems so trivial to Tesla now, because on the day of filming they insisted on repairing the fuse before we could carry on driving the car.

The above points will be argued over in the near future by brainy people wearing wigs, but in a layman’s nutshell, this is where we stand on the matter. Before I finish though, I must clear up one important issue: scripting. It’s alleged by Tesla that on the day of filming one of their employees caught sight of a script that had been written, before the car had even been driven, already containing the verdict that in the “real world” the Tesla doesn’t work. This, they say, proves our guilt, because we’d condemned the car in advance. May I just say in reply:

a) The truth is, Top Gear had already driven the car prior to filming, to enable us to form a view on it in advance

b) Our primary reasoning behind the verdict had nothing to do with how the Tesla performed; our conclusion was based primarily on the fact that it costs three times more than the petrol sports car upon which it’s based, and it takes a long time to recharge; you can’t use it as easily as a petrol sports car for the carefree motoring journeys that are a prerequisite of sports car driving. You can actually reach conclusions based on them without driving the car. As it happens, when it did come to the subjective area of how the car drove on the track, we were full of praise for its performance and handling

c) Just so you understand there’s nothing devious going on, you need to know how this filming business works. When you film a car review, the reviewer is only the tip of the iceberg. Behind the lens is a film crew, and only a day’s worth of light to shoot the eight minute film. This means we have to prepare in advance a treatment – a rough draft of a script so that the director and film crew can get to work right away, knowing what shots they will need to capture. It will contain the facts about a car, and what we think of its looks and so on, but how well the car actually drives is added on the day. If we’ve driven it ahead of filming, as we do with most cars, we will also have an idea how it feels to drive. But, and this is crucial, as we uncover fresh information about a car whilst filming it, it is entirely normal for the treatment to be modified as the day unfolds. Jeremy is always tweaking the scripts to reflect what his driving experience has actually been on the day.

There you go. I’ve said my bit, and now we’ll hopefully shut up and prepare for our day in court.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Transmission

Tesla Model S

Here some good news for Tesla Motors and its stock holders. The electric-car makers stock increased the most in more than four months after a Morgan Stanley analyst said that the unprofitable electric-car maker will benefit from a shift away from internal-combustion engines.

Tesla’s shares surged $4.04, or 17 percent, to $27.75 at 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) on the Nasdaq Stock Market composite trading, the biggest increase since Nov. 10.

“Tesla has a viable opportunity to be a significant volume player in the global auto industry,” said Adam Jonas, a Morgan Stanley analyst based in New York. “The transformation from California startup to global auto player may require well more than a decade to achieve — not unlike the genesis of many of today’s established automotive companies.”

Electric-vehicle sales may increase 5.5 percent of global  sales by 2020 and more than 15 percent by 2025, Jonas said. He said that Tesla may sell 500,000 electric-vehicles by 2025.

Earlier this week, Tesla said more than 1,500 units of the Roadster have been delivered since the model was introduced in 2008. The company hopes to produce 20,000 units of the Model S electric sedan by 2013.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Bloomberg

Tesla Roadster 2.5

More than 10 million real-world miles without using a single drop of gasoline is a significant achievement – and that’s exactly what Tesla Motors is celebrating today. The Palo Alto, Calif. based electric-car maker announced today that its electric Roadsters in over 30 countries have now covered over 10 million real-world miles,

“Roadsters have collectively saved 500,000 gallons of fuel and over 5.3 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions,” Tesla said. “Over 1500 Roadsters have consistently outperformed the best traditional supercars all over the world, to the delight of their owners.”

“We owe this achievement to Roadster drivers around the world and their pioneering adoption of electric vehicles,” said Tesla Motors cofounder and CEO Elon Musk. “The Roadster has proven to the world that electric cars can be incredibly fun, and practical. Most importantly, these vehicles have provided Tesla with a real-world test fleet that allows us to stay on the cutting edge of electric powertrain engineering and technology.”

The Tesla Roadster was launched in 2008 as an electric sports car that runs from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds with a total driving range of 246 miles.

Tesla Roadster 2.5:

- By: Omar Rana

Jay Leno with the Jaguar C-X75

Although many people hate the environment for its smug megalomania, and frequent natural disasters, most celebrities seem to love it. While most celebrities phone-in support by wearing t-shirts and wristbands for charitable causes (also known as “slacktivism”), a select few walk-the-walk and drive-the-drive. The following celebrities rock environmentally friendly automobiles in support of polar bears and free tree love.

Check out our full list after the jump.

1. Leonardo DiCaprio

• Electric-car: Tesla Roadster.
• Fuel Economy: Fully-Electric (245 miles on a single charge).
• Price: $101,500.
• Type of Car: Sports Car.

Leonardo DiCaprio owns a Tesla Roadster

For years, DiCaprio has been a huge proponent of green initiatives. He was the first celeb to own, and spread the Gospel, about the Toyota Prius in 2001, prompting him to exclaim, “I am the King of the World….’s first successfully marketed hybrid car!” DiCaprio has owned several hybrids and electrics over the years, including the Tesla Roadster, which is fully-electric, and can go from 0 to 60 in 3.7 seconds.

2. Cameron Diaz

• Hybrid: Toyata Prius
• Fuel Economy: 52 MPG
• Price: $22,800
• Type of Car: Mid-Sized Sedan

Cameron Diaz owns a Toyota Prius

“It gets 52 miles per gallon in the city. Isn’t that exciting?” Cameron Diaz said about her hybrid car in an interview with Jay Leno. Diaz went on to say in the interview, “The craziest thing is, ’cause all of a sudden you just, like, you’re sitting at the stop sign. And you can’t hear anything. And you’re like, ‘Omigod! My car has died!’ And then all of a sudden you step on the gas, and you’re going again.”

Despite inadvertently setting the hybrid movement back dozens of years by sounding like a 16-year-old girl, Diaz has been a vocal proponent of hybrid cars, and has been photographed extensively by the media while zooming around town in her Prius.

3. George Clooney

• Electric-car: Tango 600.
• Fuel Economy: Fully-Electric (range is between 40-100 miles depending on battery.
• Price: $108,600.
• Type of Car: Hatchback Mini.

George Clooney with the Tango 600

Known for being a loner, it is perhaps fitting that George Clooney is the proud owner of a Tango 600, a one-passenger fully-electric car. Maybe he got the one passenger car to prove to himself that he doesn’t need anybody—it’s just him, his Tango, and the open road.

Or maybe the one seat is just to inspire his ladies to climb on top of him, a la Kristy Swanson in The Chase. Regardless of its looks, this goofy car can move, going 0 to 60 in less than four seconds, with a top speed of over 130 mph.

4. Barack Obama

• Hybrid: Ford Escape
• Fuel Economy: 34 MPG
• Price: $21,215
• Type of Car: Mid-Sized SUV

Barack Obama with the Ford Escape Hybrid

Before he became President, and began being carted around by gas-guzzling motorcades and 747’s, Obama was driving a Ford Escape. In fact, after buying the green car, he said something like, “Yes we can…go on a family vacation to Laredo, Texas, on half the amount of fuel consumption of traditional mid-sized SUVs.”

American drivers everywhere applauded at first, but then took a 180 degree turn a year later, and blamed him for everything from traffic congestion to the rising prices of gasoline.

5. Dave Matthews

• Hybrid: Honda Insight
• Fuel Economy: 43 MPG
• Price: 18,200
• Type of Car: Mid-Sized Sedan

Dave Matthews owns a Honda Insight

Dave Matthews is a rock star who is known for his support of environmental issues. In addition to driving a Honda Insight, he has joined the fight against global warming, and uses bio-diesel fuel on his tour buses. His environmentally-conscious visage was slightly marred in 2004, however, when he was punished and publicly vilified for a pollution charge, after his tour crew emptied their bus’s septic system waste off of a bridge in Chicago. The band was subsequently fined $200,000 for this incident.

6. Paris Hilton

• Hybrid: GMC Yukon Denali Hybrid
• Fuel Economy: 23 MPG
• Price: 22,800
• Type of Car: Full-Sized SUV

Paris Hilton drives a GMC Yukon Hybrid

Paris Hilton has contributed to green initiatives in a small way, buying a hybrid SUV, a GMC Yukon Hybrid, and going on to say that it’s the little things people do every day that make a huge difference.

7. Jay Leno

• Electric-car: Chrysler Crossfire (Retrofitted With a Lithium I-Cell)
• Fuel Economy: Fully-Electric
• Price: N/A
• Type of Car: Sports Car

Jay Leno owns Chrysler Crossfire fitted with a lithium-ion battery

Jay Leno is a car buff. That has been documented. But an environment buff? In 2005, Leno bought the first lithium I-Cell-powered sports car. The battery allows the retrofitted Chrysler Crossfire to produce zero emissions, and reach speeds of more than 100 miles an hour.

This is all well and good, but considering Leno owns over 50 other cars, many luxury and high-performance sports cars that get less than 15 miles per gallon, you could hardly say that he’s “going green.” That’s like eating an entire bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken, and then having a bowl of sugar-free Jell-O for dessert, and saying that you’re “dieting.”

8. Al Gore

• Hybrid: Mercury Mariner Hybrid
• Fuel Economy: 34 MPG
• Price: $23,565
• Type of Car: Mid-Sized SUV

Al Gore owns a Mercury Mariner Hybrid

Al Gore won a Nobel Peace Prize for raising awareness of environmental issues, principally through his documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, which he made after scrapping his original documentary idea that dealt with the shooting of Abraham Lincoln, entitled An Inconvenient Booth.

Because of this, Gore drives a Mercury Mariner hybrid. The Gore-mobile gets 34 miles per gallon—but it can go 25 miles per hour on zero-tailpipe-emission electric power. The car’s 2.3-liter engine shuts down when it is not needed, such as during coasting, idling at stoplights, and crawling through slow traffic.

CONCLUSION

There you have it: almost as much as attention, communism, and godlessness, celebrities love the environment. Judging from how many celebrities drive “green” cars today, it’s safe to say that if you buy a “green” car, you too will feel famous.

- By: The egmCarTech Staff

Tesla Roadster 2.5

Tesla announced today that it is recalling 439 Roadster 2.0 and 2.5 models due to a risk that a power cable could short and catch fire.

According to Tesla’s techy explanation:

“The recall involves the 12v low voltage auxiliary cable from a redundant back up system that provides power to various systems, including the headlamps, taillights, turn signals and hazard lights, and airbags in the unlikely event the primary 12V power fails or drops below a minimum threshold value. Located forward of the passenger side front wheel, behind the headlamp, the 12v low voltage auxiliary cable is physically isolated from the main battery pack in the rear of the car. Tesla decided to initiate a recall after the low voltage auxiliary cable in a single vehicle chafed against the edge of a carbon fiber panel in the vehicle causing a short, smoke and possible fire behind the right front headlamp of the vehicle. This issue is limited to the 12V low voltage auxiliary cable and does not involve the main battery pack or main power system.”

To fix the problem Tesla will check the routing of the 12V low voltage auxiliary cable and installing a protective sleeve over it. Customer notifications have already begun and Tesla Service Rangers can perform the service at a customers” homes or offices. The fix takes approximately one hour.

Tesla said the recall does not impact the Roadster 1.5 vehicles (VIN ending with 500 or before) as they do not include the 12V auxiliary cable.

Tesla Roadster 2.5:

- By: Omar Rana

Jay Leno test drive the Tesla Roadster 2.5

Celebrity and a really big car enthusiasts Jay Leno has driven countless cars over his life. The Tonight Show host recently got behind the new Tesla Roadster 2.5 and has given his opinion on the updated version of the electric-roadster.

Hit the jump for the video.

Refresher: The new Tesla Roadster 2.5 gets its power from a AC induction motor and single speed gear box. The model delivers up to 288-hp and 295 lb-ft of torque allowing 0-60 mph to come in 3.7 seconds. On full charge, the Tesla Roadster 2.5 can travel a total of 245 miles.

Tesla 2.5 Roadster:

Jay Leno test drives the Tesla 2.5 Roadster:

Tesla 2.5 Roadster:

- By: Zain Haq

Source: Jay Leno’s Garage

Tesla Roadster 2.5

Tesla Motors has announced that its Roadster electric sports car has been approved for the Japanese government’s Clean Energy Cash Rebate Program. Japan’s Clean Energy Cash Rebate Program is aimed at promoting the accelerated adoption of electric vehicles or plug-in hybrids.

Besides the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid, the Tesla Roadster is only standard-sized car to qualify. The base Tesla Roadster in Japan starts at 12.8 million yen but is eligible of a cash rebate of up to 3.24 million yen, approximately $38,000 US at current exchange rates.

Tesla entered Japan in May of this year, and has begun deliveries of its Signature Series Roadsters to pioneer customers. Tesla has delivered more than 1,200 Roadsters to customers in North America, Europe and Asia.

The model is available to order in Japan immediately.

Tesla 2.5 Roadster:

- By: Omar Rana

Tesla Roadster with LOL OIL license plate

For those of you laughing at hybrid drivers and soon-to-be electric-car drivers, this Tesla Roadster owner is here to shut you up. Here is a California owner of the fully-electric Tesla Roadster with a license plate that reads “LOL OIL.”

Creative and funny – we give it two thumbs up.

Click here for more news on the Tesla Roadster.

Tesla 2.5 Roadster:

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Reddit (via Jalopnik)

Tesla Roadster 2.5

Hot on the heels of Tesla Motors making headlines with its initial public offering, the electric-car maker decided to unveil the Tesla Roadster 2.5, and updated version of its popular Roadster electric sports car.

“Although development of the Model S is our main focus, this shows that we still care a great deal about improving the Tesla Roadster,” said Tesla CEO Elon Musk. “These improvements are a direct result of customer feedback and come only a year after release of Roadster 2.0, showing an exceptionally rapid pace of innovation. Where feasible, we will also offer existing customers the ability to purchase the upgrades now available in version 2.5.”

What news for the Tesla Roadster 2.5? First off a new look includes a new front fascia with diffusing vents, a new rear diffuser, directional forged wheels available in both silver and black, new seats with more comfort/lumbar support, power control hardware that enables spirited driving in exceptionally hot climates, an optional 7″ touchscreen display with a rear back-up camera and interior sound reduction including new front fender liner material make the cabin even quieter.

The Tesla 2.5 Roadster is available for order now.

Make the jump for the press release and the high-res image gallery.

Tesla 2.5 Roadster:

Press Release:

Tesla Unveils Roadster 2.5 at Newest Stores in Europe and North America
New Roadster Demonstrates Tesla’s Commitment to Innovation
Thursday, July 1, 2010

Palo Alto, CA — Tesla Motors today announced Roadster 2.5, the latest version of its revolutionary electric sports car. It will debut simultaneously with the opening of Tesla’s two new stores in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Newport Beach, California.

The Roadster 2.5 reflects Tesla’s commitment to innovation and the company’s close feedback loop with its customers. The new Roadster includes improvements in both design and technology, including a new front fascia, rear diffuser, improved seat comfort & internal finishes, sound dampening and a large touch screen navigation system.

New features in Roadster 2.5 include:

* A new look, which includes a new front fascia with diffusing vents, and rear diffuser reflecting the future of Tesla design
* Directional forged wheels available in both silver and black
* New seats with improved comfort, larger more supportive bolsters and a new lumbar support system
* Power control hardware that enables spirited driving in exceptionally hot climates
* An optional 7″ touchscreen display with back-up camera
* Improved interior sound reduction including new front fender liner material make the cabin even quieter

Tesla is launching the new Roadster with an online image gallery.

Tesla will unveil the new Roadster at its two newest stores worldwide in Copenhagen and Newport Beach, CA. Journalists can see the car during media open houses at both stores throughout the day. Customers, prospective customers and other guests will celebrate the opening of the newest stores this evening.

The enhancements in the Roadster 2.5 are the direct result of accumulated customer feedback. Tesla’s unique, company-owned retail network allows Tesla’s engineers to receive customer feedback directly and iterate rapidly. More than 1,200 current owners in at least 23 countries have logged over five million electric miles.

Roadster 2.5 is currently available for order and soon will be available at Tesla stores worldwide.
About Tesla

Tesla Motors Co-founder, Chairman, CEO - Elon Musk

The revolutionary world of electric-vehicles is generating a lot of buzz in the technology world and now, in a sort of a TMZ way, is generating a lot of buzz in celebrity divorce cases. Co-founder Elon Musk and his wife Justine Musk have filed for divorce, a move that could complicate plans by Elon to take the company public and retain $465 million in U.S. government funding to launch a mass-market Model S sedan.

Musk is the largest shareholder in Tesla, which has over 81 million shares. Nonetheless it is unclear how much of the company Elon owns since Tesla does not disclose current shares on issue. According to Tesla’s regulatory filing, the government loan could be in default if Elon does not hold enough of the company stock.

As for Justine, here is what she wrote in a recent post on her blog outlining exactly what she wants from Elon (hit the jump to see the list):

For those who want to know the extent of my golddigging, this is what I asked for, from my ex-husband and the father of my five children Elon Musk, who is a billionaire and likely to become one of the wealthiest men on the planet.

• The house
• alimony and child support
• 6 million cash
• 10 percent of his stock in Tesla
• 5 percent of his stock in SpaceX
• (and he retains all voting rights)
• and a Tesla Roadster (I really, really want one…)

Note: Check out Justine’s blog here.

Photo Copyright © 2009 Kap Shah ““ egmCarTech.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

Tesla Roadster S (RHD)

Tesla Motors will be bringing its right-hand drive all-electric Roadster to Japan. The company said that it will ship a dozen Japan Signature Series Roadsters from Port Hueneme, California to Yokohama in early May for delivery to select customers throughout Japan.

“With its combination of high-level car enthusiasts and interest and appreciation of cutting edge technology, Japan is a natural market for the Roadster,” said Tesla CEO Elon Musk. “The Tesla Roadster is a no-compromise (dakyo no nai) vehicle that makes no sacrifices on performance, design, or engineering.”

Tesla said that the Japanese government is currently working toward a full-scale electric-vehicle roll-out program and is working with regions around the country to install power outlets for vehicle charging.

Japan hopes to reduce carbon emissions 25 percent by 2020.

Tesla Roadster S (RHD):

- By: Kap Shah