Tesla delivering the 100th Roadster today
Click above for a high-res gallery of Tesla Roadster v1.5
Another bright spot in the current darkness. The 100th Tesla Roadster will be delivered today at the Tesla store in Menlo Park in Silicon Valley. Elon Musk, Tesla Motors' CEO and chairman will be there at noon to hand over the keys to "a special customer" according to Rachel Konrad, Tesla's senior communications manager. Not sure if that means a celebrity or just a "cashed up greenie," but, whoever it is, it's good to see Tesla is moving forward even with a bit of upheaval in the ranks.
For a long while, I've heard people criticize Tesla for being real good at taking orders, not so good at delivering vehicles. Now that we've finally hit the big 1-0-0 and production speed is ramping up, it's not as easy to say this. I'll be way more impresed when Tesla delivers #100 of the Model S, but this is still a good milestone to reach.
Gallery: 2009 Tesla Roadster v1.5
[Source: Tesla Motors]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jo 12:40PM (12/09/2008)
As one of the first to usually chime in on all of Tesla's failures, I must admit that this is great news - let's hope they're still around to deliver the big 1-0-0-0!!
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Richard 1:07PM (12/09/2008)
I think Elon Musk is still very enthusiastic about Tesla, so there will be a a future model S, no doubt about it. But unfortunately I'll have to wait for the model after that, and depending on the price, the one after that! Maybe, just maybe, I might have to wait for a used one. I still will follow their progress and look forward to owning (riding) in one!
Phil L. 1:30PM (12/09/2008)
Awesome news.
I am one of those who fear that Tesla will join the long list of EV makers who tried mightily, but ultimately failed to survive. One hundred Roadster deliveries is an impressive reminder that there are many hard working people making a difference within the company, in spite of some of the headline-making corporate drama.
I will never own a Roadster; I'm simply not within their target demographic. But a successful Roadster will be a compelling case that other automakers cannot ignore.
That situation will someday result in an EV I can own.
Go Tesla!
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meme 1:38PM (12/09/2008)
100 roadsters = $10.9 million in sales (+ options)
From what I've heard, they're now producing 15 a week; that's $85.3 million (+ options) in annual sales.
I wonder how that positions them, revenue-wise. Think they're in the black? I know that's been their goal of late, to get into the black on Roadster production.
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Randy C. 1:38PM (12/09/2008)
Yes, keep up the good work. Every Tesla on the road equals 1 more point in the GM is stupid column. "Who Killed the Electric Car"
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John Rowell 1:40PM (12/09/2008)
Congratulations to Tesla and to customer # 100 :D
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Zeph 2:09PM (12/09/2008)
No leases. No trial periods. No marketing bs. They invest and deliver product. This alone, even if they get crushed by the weight of finance, which seems to do nothing but slow us down these days, is to be hailed. They are doing what all the major car makers are dragging their feet on, what they don't really want to do, which is abandon the old technology, the high maintenance customer dependence technology, and change to something which vaguely resembles "the future(tm)".
I'm happy for them. I hope they survive long enough to go multinational and survive national depressions. If that happens we will at least be one step better than gasoline, and that will open the doors for all the other viable fuels, like the return of alcohol and the holy grail, which is water or even zero point.
If GM, VW, Toyota or Ford has to die for this to happen, so be it.
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Joe B. 3:55PM (12/09/2008)
I hope Tesla succeeds. It would be a shame if they failed.
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UH2L 4:25PM (12/09/2008)
That is great, but remember that it took Tesla how long to make 100 units, each costing close to $100,000(?) whereas any other major car company can make 1,000 cars in one day at one plant. They really haven't done much yet. Tesla has a long way to go before it's more than just a footnote in automotive industry history. They also have to prove out their products' reliability and safety, of which I am skeptical.
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fnc 5:41PM (12/09/2008)
"They really haven't done much yet."
Wow, somebody hasn't been following this company very closely. Putting this particular alternatively powered car on the road for the total investment Tesla has made is actually pretty significant. They have single handedly proven a market niche (high performance electric auto) exists that NO traditional auto manufacturer, companies that really should have known their own market upside down and sideways, ever even thought to research.
So congrats to Tesla on number 100. The more of these that are out there, the more likely I am to be able to get one used some day. Maybe. Yeah okay, probably not but I remain hopeful.
UH2L 5:52PM (12/09/2008)
I'm a car fanatic who used work in the auto industry and work for a test system supplier now. I follow the industry (and Tesla) closely. I'll stand by my statement that they haven't really accomplished much in the grand scheme of things.
For a company of their size, they have done a lot to develop and sell a product that nobody else has, but have they started making money, have they proven that the cars and batteries will last for more than a couple of years, is 100 units really more than a blip on the radar in an industry that sells 10-17 million per year? No.
I'm not saying that I don't wish them well and what they are trying to accomplish is admirable, but the news about Tesla is still a lot of hype without a proven track record.
BlackbirdHighway 8:48PM (12/09/2008)
UH2L,
So what are you saying; that Tesla isn't making money and don't have a proven track record like, for instance, GM? Or maybe you want to hold up Chrysler as a shining example of the car company that Tesla should be in order to meet your approval?
UH2L 12:43AM (12/10/2008)
GM and Chrysler aren't exactly the poster children of successful corporations lately, but that doesn't weaken my argument. Come to think of it though, both companies are around 100 years old. How many companies, (automotive or non-automotive), have lasted that long? How many Teslas have been driven for 10-20 years in real world usage? Zero. A car company can't prove itself in a year, just like a new college graduate can't say they had a successful career after 2 years at a real job.
Some of you Tesla defenders are incorrigible. I'm rooting for Tesla to be successful too. But the extreme hype over them and corresponding criticism of the Detroit 3 gets out of hand.
I did write a whole article about the loans for the Detroit 3 here...
http://uh2l.blogs.com/things_ive_noticed/2008/11/weve-heard-a-lot-of-news-from-the-press-lately-about-the--dire-situation-the-american-automobile-industry-is-in-in-pa.html
Chris M 12:53AM (12/10/2008)
And just how many cars did Henry Ford turn out in his first year of production? How about Ransom Olds? Cadillac? Chevrolet? Buick? Daimler? Honda?
Fact is, all the big auto companies started much smaller, with much less production capacity, but after growing a century or so they got really big and now produce a lot.
After Tesla is in production for a few decades, then we can make a fair comparison.
stevejust 6:01PM (12/09/2008)
The rumor around town is that the 100th customer is the guy who Oprah Winfrey was leaning on during Barack's acceptance speech is Grant Park. I have no idea who that guy is, though, and from the reports neither did Oprah.
I got this rumor from a friend of mine who heard it from Elon Musk on Saturday night at a party at Dennis Hopper's house... so... there you go.
Now if you excuse me, I've got to pick up all the names I just dropped all over the floor...
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Sebastian 6:07PM (12/09/2008)
nice
Andy 8:30PM (12/09/2008)
Sam Perry
stevejust 6:30PM (12/09/2008)
"IN" Grant Park. Not "IS" Grant Park.
Geeez, darn this no edit feature!
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Mi key 8:22PM (12/09/2008)
@stevejust
Name drop much. ;)
Just kidding.
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Doug 11:26PM (12/09/2008)
I went to the media event today. It was quite interesting and enjoyable. I made some comments and posted photos from it here: http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/news-articles-events/1972-tesla-delivers-100th-roadster-post16231.html#post16231
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