Tesla Profitable

[RWebb]

didn't take them long to turn a profit

esp. impressive in a recession

http://money.cnn.com/2009/08/07/technology/tesla_profitability/?postversion=2009080716

[924slover]

sorry thought this was about the band tesla

[dd74]

This is very good news, actually. There's a Tesla showroom in Santa Monica -- I should go check it out. I forgot that they were producing an all-electric sedan. Hmmmm...a little pricey, but a cool idea.

[red-beard]

How much of the money they received was grant money?

I could be profitble too, if someone gave me $250M

[RWebb]

the development grant is for a sedan and is separate from this

[KaptKaos]

They are a private company afaik. No way to know for sure if it's true.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Originally Posted by Tesla's Smug-producing CEO

"There is strong demand for a car that is unique in offering high performance with a clean conscience. Customers know that in buying the Roadster they are helping fund development of our mass market electric cars."

Uh, sorry, but I don't feel one bit of guilt every time I drive my 911, ride my VFR, or fart in your general direction.

[Laneco]

Well clamp your thighs to the tank, keep a good squeeze on your sphincter and open the throttle WFO on the VFR because that's what it will take to beat the Tesla 0-60.

At 3.7 to that mark, it's going to leave most of our beloved 911's in the dust...

All teasing aside, not much of one for the guilt either. But I do admire the Tesla's performance and the idea that someone is thinking outside of the box by producing an attractive high performance full electric vehicle.

3.7 to 60. Dang... I want that like a fat kid wants cake! But the 100K price is oh, just a wee bit out of my league - LOL!

angela

[Porsche-O-Phile]

The Tesla is a cool car - no doubt.

If I came into a few million I'd certainly consider one. To go alongside my dinosaur-burning, polluting abomination of a Bugatti Veyron.

[island911]

Originally Posted by Laneco

...Tesla 0-60.

At 3.7 to that mark, it's going to leave most of our beloved 911's in the dust...

...

angela

Yes it will . . ..to 125mph. ..or until the corners . .. or for about 55 miles...

[Laneco]

Wouldn't be the first race a 911 won not just because it goes fast, but because it goes fast for a very, very long time! Fast and has range.

I thought they had the range up on the Teslas though. Are they really grounding to a halt (get it? grounding? - bwahahaha!) at 55 miles?

angela

[ckissick]

But wasn't that 55 miles of genuine track-driving? Anybody who's ever driven on the track instead of driving fast on a twisty mountain road will notice a huge difference. Track driving is very demanding. My 911's stock oil-cooling system could not handle 15 minutes at Sears Point. Maybe the Tesla can make 100 miles in normal driving?

[Sonic dB]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyJaunte

Uh, sorry, but I don't feel one bit of guilt every time I drive my 911, ride my VFR, or fart in your general direction.

I was in downtown Santa Monica a couple months ago, and parked on the roof of a parking complex. As I got out of my 993, a hot looking girl in a black Tesla pulled in to the spot next to me. The plate said "Tesla 1" on it. The car made this little "wooshing" sound kinda like an electric steam iron. It was very cool.

Anyway....I had some game that day, so when she got out I chatted her up and it turned out that she was the fiance of Musk the CEO. She is a British actress who is engaged to that guy... we talked for a while as we walked to our various appointments and after I complemented her car, she told me "I like yours too...we also have a Porsche in the garage!".... she was very cool and quite the catch. Musk is a lucky fellow. Id love to get a Tesla car someday and hope that they make it as a profitable company and viable alternative to gas combustion engines.

[island911]

Originally Posted by ckissick

But wasn't that 55 miles of genuine track-driving? Anybody who's ever driven on the track instead of driving fast on a twisty mountain road will notice a huge difference. Track driving is very demanding. My 911's stock oil-cooling system could not handle 15 minutes at Sears Point. Maybe the Tesla can make 100 miles in normal driving?

Yes, 120miles is what the sales guy at Tesla told me was the most he could reasonably manage - said he liked the fun acceleration too much.

If you got a call - gumball - you wouldn't jump in the Tesla: that's for sure.

...not even going to take that from LA to SF w/o time and planning.

[cl8ton]

I applaud Tesla and think Musk is both a genius and a thief at the same time (long internet history on this)

But seriously, if I’m going to fork over >$100k for a car, it had better have the following qualities…

A) Wife/Girlfriend smells like unburned fuel at the end of the drive
B) Garage smells like burning oil/hot German metal after a hard drive
C) No stereo cause I want to hear the pipes roar
D) 5 point harness
E) No cup holders
F) Terrified cars at a stoplight next to me

I would pay a bit more and just buy a GT3

BTW, Tesla really did turn a profit minus the $460 million our tax dollars gave him.
They are partially funded by BMW and they also license out their battery technology.

[slodave]

A friend had one up on Mulholland tonight. Eerily quiet as he left tonight. He was jamming through the corners and all you hear is a little hum.

[Noah930]

Man, that thing scoots. Like watching a golf cart on super fast forward.

[island911]

What's your hybrid sound like?

[dd74]

Tesla is cool, but I'd rather have one of these: hauls a bicycle, dog, S/O, has enough torque to produce some sub 7 0-60s, and runs on a multitude of household products (cooking oil, kerosene, maybe even Johnnie Walker).

[HardDrive]

LOL. That commercials slays me. So funny.

Originally Posted by island911

What's your hybrid sound like?