Tesla Motors Delivers World's First Premium Electric Sedan to Customers

Tesla Motors

delivered Model S, the world's first premium electric sedan, to its first customers at an invitation-only event at the Tesla Factory in Fremont, California on Friday. These deliveries put Model S on the road approximately one month earlier than previously announced and places the company in a good position to build 5,000 cars by the end of 2012, followed by 20,000 cars in 2013. "In 2009, we set out to build the most innovative car of the 21st century, and since then have dedicated ourselves to developing and testing Model S to ensure that under any situation, Model S never disappoints," said Elon Musk, Tesla Motors co-founder, CEO and Chief Product Architect. "Today we achieved our goal with an exceptional car that we believe sets a new standard for efficiency, safety, style, technology, operating cost and performance." The base price of Model S is $49,900 after available federal tax credits of $7,500. Deliveries of Model S in Europe and Asia will begin in early and mid-2013, respectively.