The Auto Writer

Introduced in March, the 2012 Tesla S sedan is being aimed to reach a broader audience, a higher volume car than the Roadster which is now in production.

It’ll be more than two years before the first Tesla S sedans roll off an assembly line, but that isn’t stopping Tesla Motors from taking orders for its seven-passenger all-electric vehicle. Tesla rolled out the car in March and promptly began taking orders online for the sedan, accepting refundable $5,000 deposits with more than one thousand people having already done so.

Priced To Attract Mainstream Buyers

Unlike the Tesla Roadster which is priced north of six figures, the Tesla S is expected to retail for about $57,000, but cost approximately $49,900 after the federal tax credit has been included. That puts the Tesla S in Jaguar XF territory, the British luxury car that seems closest to the S in design.

Seating seven passengers the unique glass roof and hatch combination provides a sky view of the interior.

Clearly, the environmental aspect of the Tesla S is an important marketing tool for Tesla Motors. The car emits no emissions and is expected to have a range of about 300 miles on pure electric power. Tesla is also working to build an onboard QuickCharge device which will allow the sedan to recharge in as little as 45 minutes, perhaps the amount of time travelers would spend at a restaurant while in the middle of a lengthy trip. Recharge car, recharge self and go!

Why Buy A Toyota When You Go With A Tesla?

Tesla is touting the sedan’s lower cost of ownership to attract buyers. Unlike the Roadster, which is aimed toward exotic car enthusiasts, Tesla’s approach with the S is to attract mainstream buyers who might be attracted to a Toyota Avalon or BMW 3-Series. Instead of choosing a car with a lower base price, but ongoing ownership costs the Tesla S would cost more from the beginning but have much lower ownership costs over the life of the model.

One is such a lonely number when it comes to electric vehicles, especially if that vehicle is a low production model. Tesla Motors is aiming for mass-production when the sedan goes on sale late 2011, extending brand reach to buyers who might consider a Ford Taurus or Honda Accord instead.

Source: Tesla Motors

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