Tesla Motors is in the process of upgrading its factory in California to be able to manufacture its electric Model X SUV, in addition to the current Model S sedan. Following the quick refit, Tesla is expecting to have delivered 35,000 all-electric cars in 2014. It was only at the beginning of 2013 that Tesla scaled its production to 400 cars a week, or 20,000 cars a year. What’s more, Tesla is expecting to end the year at a production rate of 100,000 electric cars per year.
Another interesting stat from CEO Elon Musk’s Shareholder Letter, from a sustainability point of view, is that he says Tesla customers have now driven the Model S 394 million miles (634 million kilometers) globally, which equates to saving nearly 18 million gallons (68 million liters) of gasoline. That won’t exactly have oil companies shaking in their boots just yet, but it’s significant, and the potential for the future is obvious.
Besides the strong market developing in the United States, Tesla has been expanding internationally, including to Europe, China, Japan, and Australia. This expansion also involves growing its Supercharger station network, where Tesla drivers can fast-charge their cars for free, using clean energy. Most of the stations are currently in the US, but there are now over 150 of them.
When it comes to making and selling luxury all-electric cars, it seems that Tesla is developing a significant first-mover advantage over other carmakers. At a lower price level, the Nissan Leaf is certainly catching on as well. As we reported recently, Tesla has plans to make a cheaper mass-market model. It won’t be as cheap as the Nissan Leaf, but will be priced at about half the price of the base Model S.
Image: Tesla Motors, Tesla Body Center
Via Treehugger, Tesla Motors
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