HALF MOON BAY, Calif. — Following the introduction of its first electric car, startup Tesla Motors on Monday (Jan. 8) dropped hints about a next-generation sports sedan for the 2009 time frame.
The electric car startup is also looking to manufacturer the sedan in the United States and is seeking a new round of venture capital funding.
Last year, Tesla Motors (San Carlos, Calif.) rolled out its first electric car, dubbed the Tesla Roadster. The electric-powered Roadster boasts the equivalent of 135 miles per gallon and a range of 250 miles on a single charge. Based on an off-the-shelf lithium-ion battery, the electric sports car is capable of accelerating from 0-to-60 miles per hour in about four seconds.
The car, which sells for $92,000, will be produced in limited volumes and is already sold out in 2007. The company has already sold 270 cars since its introduction, said Martin Eberhard, CEO of Tesla Motors, at the Industry Strategy Symposium (ISS) event here.
''We think the future is the electric car,'' Eberhard said during at presentation at ISS.
The company is not producing cars based on fuel cells. Honda, General Motors and others have talked about building cars with fuel cell technology. ''I'm skeptical about fuel cells,'' he said. ''That does not make economic sense.''
Tesla is taking another approach. Using a two-speed electrically actuated manual transmission, the Tesla Roadster's power comes from a 3-phase, 4-pole AC induction motor. The motor is controlled by the Power Electronics Module (PEM) which also controls the inverting direct current to 3-phase alternating current, charging and braking systems.
The Roadster's Energy Storage System (ESS) provides power to the entire vehicle, including the motor. Its durable, tamper-resistant enclosure includes: 6,831 lithium-ion cells, a network of microprocessors for maintaining charge balance and battery temperature, a cooling system, and an independent safety system designed to disconnect power outside the enclosure under a variety of detectable safety situations.
Meanwhile, the company is already working on its second model, which will be a sports sedan, Eberhard said. Targeted for the 2009 time frame, the car will boast the equivalent of 110 miles per gallon and will continue to use off-the-shelf lithium ion batteries, he said.
The Roadster is being produced in the Lotus automotive facility in the United Kingdom. The sedan will be made in the United States. Tesla Motors is evaluating production sites in either Arizona or California, but no decision has been made, he said.
Tesla Motors was founded in 2003 by Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning to create efficient electric cars. The company has garnered three rounds of funding for a total amount of $60 million.
The company currently employs 140 people, including teams in California, the U.K. and Taiwan. It is looking to garner a new round of funding, but declined to elaborate.
RSS
Digital
10 emerging technologies to watch:
EE Times has compiled a list of emerging technologies that we think will be worth watching out for in 2010. Biofeedback or thought-control of electronics are among the contenders.
Hot applications in 2010:
We've compiled a list of 10 technology applications you should watch for in 2010, ranging from e-book readers to 3-D TVs. We examine the features that make these apps so compelling as well unresolved issues.
Top 25 predictions for semis in 2010:
2010 is just beginning to unfold in the electronics industry. Looking into our crystal ball, we have released our own chip forecasts--and other predictions--for 2010.
Seven things to fix in 2010:
The editors of EE Times came up with their own informal list of things we hope engineers fix in 2010, spanning everything from nano-lithography to space travel. What do you want to see get done this year?
'09 moves that are shaping the future:
This was a brutal year, but the industry gets a nod for showing grace under fire. Here's our Top 10 guide to the coming year, illustrating what to expect in 2010.
10 CEOs out in 2009:
It's been a tough year for the global electronics industry and CEOs. We survey the dismissal of 10 industry CEOs during the first three quarters of 2009 and what's ahead for the rest of the year.
Notable women in microelectronics:
There is no better time than a global economic recession to examine the keys to successful corporate governance. So, EE Times has compiled an international list that celebrates women who are business and technology leaders in semis.
EE Times updates Silicon 60:
Seventeen companies have been added to the lastest version of our Silicon 60 list of emerging startups. Forty-three companies survived as emerging companies that are still worth watching.
RSS| 
Digital| 
Mobile
