Green Car Advisor has learned the names of the three Tesla employees killed in yesterday's plane crash.
They are Doug Bourn, 56, of Santa Clara; Andrew Ingram, 31, of Palo Alto; and Brian M. Finn, 42, of East Palo Alto.
Bourn was a senior electrical engineer whose specialties included digital logic design, analog circuit design, and test fixture design and construction.
Brian M. Finn, who held the position of senior manager of interactive electronics since July 2008. In that capacity, he created strategy for multimodal driver information and infotainment systems and developed human-machine interaction for connected multimedia applications.
Andrew Ingram was an electrical engineer at Tesla.
For additional info, see Green Car Advisor's full article.
Categories: Tesla Motors
Details are pretty sketchy at the moment, but a small plane owned by a high-ranking engineer at Tesla Motors crashed into a Palo Alto neighborhood after takeoff.
Three people were on board the small plane, but Tesla officials have yet to confirm if any of the three are in fact Tesla employees. Expect to hear more shortly.
UPDATE: Elon Musk has confirmed that the three people on board the plane were Tesla employees, but did not give any indication who they were.
L.A. Times
Categories: Tesla Motors
We've been following development of the Tesla Model S sedan ever since it was officially unveiled in March of last year. The car shown that day was a slick-looking concept, one that would surely draw plenty of attention, and money, to the project.
On the flip side, the car didn't reveal much about the actual development of the Model S. Sure it could drive around and all, but it was clearly for show as most of the car's engineering was still to be done. Where it would be built was also up in the air, but Tesla officials promised they had a site in mind and would announce it soon.
Well, here we are almost a year later and how is the Model S progressing?
Continue reading...
Categories: Future Vehicles,Luxury Cars,Tesla Motors
Tesla filed paperwork with the SEC this afternoon for an initial public offering. No date was set, but according to the AP the documents indicate that the company is looking to raise around $100M.
The report also notes some interesting information about Tesla's finances. The paperwork indicates that Tesla has lost $236M since 2003. This is not particularly surprising since Tesla is a start up company in an industry with high costs of entry.
A more curious number comes later when the AP report notes that the company lost $31.5M during the first nine months of 2009.
That number is notable given that the company sent out a press release in August declaring that it had achieved profitability -- for the month of July. Strangely, that press release is no longer listed on Tesla's website. You can read it here if you're curious. If I was a potential investor, I would be.
AP
Categories: Future Vehicles,Sedans,Sports Cars,Tesla Motors
Remember that Martin Eberhard guy who co-founded Tesla and then left after butting heads with Elon Musk? Well, now he's back in the car game, and this time he's signed on with a serious player, at least when it comes to regular cars that is.
Green Car Advisor has confirmed that Eberhard was hired on full-time at Volkswagen's R&D center in Palo Alto, CA. That's the same Palo Alto that will soon house the headquarters of Tesla Motors. Small world eh?
What is Eberhard doing exactly? Volkswagen officials weren't about to go into that level of detail, probably because they don't know either. Stands to reason that he might be helping the company develop the electric cars it keeps showing off at auto shows. Wouldn't Martin just love to help develop a production version of the electric Up! city car and get it on the road before Tesla's planned "affordable" car?
Green Car Advisor: Tesla Co-Founder Martin Eberhard Now Working at Volkswagen R&D
Categories: Auto Industry,Future Vehicles,Green Tech,Tesla Motors,Volkswagen
Tesla held a press conference at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show on Tuesday. It used the occasion to show off the 1000th roadster off its assembly line and give the Model S sedan a proper auto show debut.
Many of the journalists in attendance expected Tesla might finally announce its choice for a production facility. That announcement never came, but Tesla's CEO Elon Musk did note that the Model S is now scheduled to launch in early 2012. When the concept was shown in March of 2009, Tesla said it would start production in late 2011.
Not a huge setback as car development programs go, but it does signal that Tesla might be getting more realistic about its aggressive schedule for the roll out of the Model S. Musk said to expect an a plant agreement soon.
Green Car Advisor: Must Close to Decision on Model S Plant
Categories: Concept Vehicles,Detroit Auto Show,Future Vehicles,Luxury Cars,Sedans,Tesla Motors
Nope. Tesla still doesn't have a plant to build the Model S electric sedan, as John O'Dell of Green Car Advisor reports that the company hasn't worked out a deal with the city of Downey, California. Last month Downey's mayor, Mario Guerra, announced that Tesla would build its second model at an 80-acre site there that formerly housed a Boeing/NASA factory.
Keep in mind Tesla has said it will start selling the Model S sometime in 2011, so the clock is ticking rapidly. The company was approved for $465 million in federal loans this year, and most of that sum is designated for developing a plant to build the Model S. The loan agreement stipulates that Tesla must refurbish an existing U.S. factory.
Green Car Advisor: No Deal Yet For Tesla 'Model S' EV Manufacturing Plant, Company Says
Categories: Auto Industry,Green Tech,Sedans,Tesla Motors
Curious whether the new 2010 Honda Accord has an optional neck massager? How about the tow rating on the Ford F-150? And what about those European cars, they're always adding some new totally nonessential technological "feature."
Now there's an easy way to find out. Our 2010 Buyer's Guide lists every model change from every manufacturer. From colors to options to full redesigns, it's all there.
2010 Buyer's Guide
Categories: Acura,Aston Martin,Audi,BMW,Bentley,Bugatti,Buick,Cadillac,Chevrolet,Chrysler,Dodge,Ferrari,Fiat,Ford,GMC,General Motors,HUMMER,Honda,Hyundai,Infiniti,Jaguar,Jeep,Kia,Lamborghini,Land Rover,Lexus,Lincoln,Lotus,MINI,Maserati,Maybach,Mazda,Mercedes-Benz,Mercury,Mitsubishi,Nissan,Pontiac,Porsche,Rolls-Royce,SMART,Saab,Saturn,Scion,Subaru,Suzuki,Tesla Motors,Toyota,Volkswagen,Volvo
A reader named Lars H. sent this shot of a demolished Tesla to Autotopia, which is part of Wired. The Tesla collided with a VW Touareg and ironically a Toyota Prius. According to Lars the accident happened in Denmark.
For a larger and more complete version of the image, click here.
Categories: Crossovers,Green Tech,Hybrids,SUVs,Sports Cars,Tesla Motors,Toyota,Volkswagen
Alas, a pay-per-view fight night involving Tesla CEO Elon Musk (right) and former Tesla CEO Martin Eberhard (left) will never come to pass. Eberhard has settled the defamation lawsuit he filed against Tesla Motors and Musk.
In the lawsuit, Eberhard accused Musk of attempting to usurp his legacy as company founder and destroy his reputation in the media. He also blamed Musk for the Tesla Roadster's production delays and the company's financial instability.
But today that's all behind them, as Eberhard noted, "As co-founder of the company, Elon's contributions to Tesla have been extraordinary," while Musk offered, "Without Martin's indispensable efforts, Tesla motors would not be here today."
Also, Eberhard's attorney reports that his client is "very pleased" with the result. We can only imagine what sort of payout was required to reach the "very pleased" threshold. Also, is it strange that we know more about Eberhard and Musk personally than we do about how the Tesla Roadster and the Model S drive?
Green Car Advisor: Tesla Motors' Eberhard, Musk Reach Settlement in Defamation Lawsuit
Categories: Auto Industry,Tesla Motors
Tesla has announced that it will move its powertrain assembly operations to a former Hewlett-Packard facility in Palo Alto.
"Silicon Valley and the Stanford Research Park are synonymous with innovation and entrepreneurship," said Tesla CEO and Product Architect Elon Musk. "It's an ideal place for a new car company trying to rethink many aspects of the traditional automotive business."
Can't argue with Musk on the innovation part, but it's hard to imagine that Tesla couldn't find a cheaper location for an assembly plant. High tech or not, seems like they would be better off moving manufacturing to cheaper locales while the rest of the business operations work out of Silicon Valley.
Tesla did note that it will make a separate announcement regarding a California assembly facility for the Model S sedan.
Categories: Auto Industry,Future Vehicles,Green Tech,Tesla Motors
Tesla Motors announced that it is now offering financing on its electric roadster through Bank of America.
Ahh...the dream of electric motoring has finally arrived for the average American.
Well, not exactly. According to Tesla's own release, a customer who qualifies for a 5-year loan would have monthly payments of $1,700, provided that customer can also put down a $20,000 deposit. So, yeah, forget it.
GCA: Tesla Announces Roadster Financing by B of A
Categories: Coupes,Green Tech,Sports Cars,Tesla Motors
The U.S. Department of Energy announced today the first installment of loans to promote clean energy. A total of $8B will be handed out to Ford, Nissan and Tesla in hopes of jump starting efforts to produce electric vehicles as well as cleaner internal combustion drivetrains.
Ford will receive $5.9B to to "help finance numerous engineering advances to traditional internal combustion engines and electrified vehicles." The money will also be used to convert two trucks plants into car plants.
Nissan is getting $1.6B to help defray the costs of producing an electric car and battery packs at its Smyrna, Tenn. manufacturing plant.
And finally, Tesla will receive $465M to help develop and build its Model S sedan as well as the production of battery packs in a separate facility.
For the record, GM and Chrysler were not eligible for the program because of their bankruptcy filings. The loan program specifies that any company receiving money must first prove its viability as a stand alone company separate from the loans. How Tesla, which is currently not profitable, got around this provision isn't clear.
So what do you think? Is this a good way to spend federal stimulus money?
Categories: Auto Industry,Ford,Future Vehicles,Green Tech,Hybrids,Nissan,Tesla Motors
Elon Musk's foot-in-mouth disease appears to be progressing. In an interview at the Disruptive by Design conference in Manhattan, he told Wired magazine Editor in Chief Chris Anderson that he would like a crack at running Detroit.
"When the mess gets sorted out, I'd like to have a conversation with whoever's in charge at the time -- the car czar or whoever -- and say 'I'd like to run your plants, if you don't mind,'" Musk said
Musk probably thinks he can bring all sorts of "Silicon Valley efficiencies" to big auto plants, but he's about two decades behind in that regard. And let's face it, Musk has yet to build a single car on his own yet, so his ability to run even one auto plant is questionable.
Speaking of which, it's been nearly three months since Tesla announced that it was close to securing a site for the production of its Model S Concept car. It's been radio silence on that front since. Not a good sign given that Tesla is still telling people that the Model S will begin production in late 2011.
And for the record, despite the Wired headline, Elon Musk had nothing to do with the founding of Tesla Motors.
Tesla Motors Founder: Let Me Run Detroit
Categories: Auto Industry,Concept Vehicles,Future Vehicles,Green Tech,Luxury Cars,Sedans,Tesla Motors
What's more lucrative than selling Teslas? Being Tesla's legal team of course. After unsuccessfully suing Fisker last year, Tesla's lawyers now have the chance to rack up some hours defending the company from Martin Eberhard, Tesla's co-founder.
Turns out Eberhard was none too pleased about the things current CEO Elon Musk said about him after Eberhard was ousted from the company. After mulling it over for some time, Eberhard finally decided to file suit for defamation among other things, a claim that Tesla calls "twisted and wrong." Well this ought to be interesting.
GCA: Tesla Motors Founder Sues CEO, Unidentified Other for Liber, Slander and More
Categories: Auto Industry,Celebrities,Green Tech,Sports Cars,Tesla Motors
