SAN CARLOS, Calif.- If you’re looking to buy a $100,000 plus electric-powered Roadster, and want to get it serviced too, you’re in luck. Tesla Motors will open a regional sales and service center in Chicago in late June, one of seven centers opening nationwide.
Besides Chicago, other centers will open in New York, Seattle and Miami. The new additions will complement Tesla’s flagship stores in Northern and Southern California, which opened a year ago. Tesla is also scouting locations in Washington DC and Toronto.
Tesla’s first European store will open in London later this month, followed by Munich and Monaco.
The Tesla Roadster beats nearly every other car for acceleration yet is twice as energy efficient as a Toyota Prius. With an EPA-estimated range of 244 miles per charge, it costs roughly $4 to refuel and can be completely recharged in as little as 3.5 hours.
Teslas consume no gasoline, never need routine oil changes and require far less maintenance than internal combustion engine vehicles or complicated hybrids. They also qualify for numerous incentives, which significantly lower their total cost of ownership compared to gas guzzlers.
The Roadster, which has a 0-to-60 mph acceleration of 3.9 seconds and a base price of $101,500 after a federal tax credit, is the only highway-capable production EV for sale in North America or Europe. Winner of the 2009 Globe Award for environmental sustainability, Tesla expects to begin producing the all-electric, zero-emission Model S sedan in late 2011.
New Jersey, Arizona and Washington, for instance, waive sales and use taxes on EVs, resulting in an immediate savings of $10,000 or more compared to a conventional car. Combined with a $7,500 US federal tax credit and lower cost of electricity vs. gasoline, the Roadster has a lifetime cost advantage of at least $25,000 over a gas-powered sports car with a similar sticker price.
The new Tesla showrooms take their cues from Apple, Starbucks and other customer-focused retailers. Tesla stores provide a welcoming spot to surf the Web, test drive cars and learn more about Tesla, the only production automaker selling highway-capable EVs in North America or Europe.
“We are rethinking almost every aspect of the automobile – from the powertrain to the customer experience, both online and in our stores,” said Tesla CEO and Product Architect Elon Musk.
Store locations and hours are updated online. The showrooms are centrally located to allow quick access to nearby highways and suburbs, giving prospective owners an opportunity to experience Tesla’s best-in-class performance under a range of driving conditions.
For more information, click on TeslaMotors.Com
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