Fully charged
Tesla gains new admirers as it heads towards the mass market
IF COMFORTABLY outpacing your rivals is the main measure of automotive achievement, Tesla’s electric car is a resounding success. The Model S last year outsold its nearest luxury rival, Mercedes’s petrol-engined S-class, by 30% in America. And in its top specification the Tesla will also beat the German car in the race from 0-60mph. As a battery-maker Tesla is also moving fast. This week it announced plans to build a “gigafactory” in America to make lithium-ion power-packs, that it hopes will propel its vehicles to the mainstream.
This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “Fully charged”
From the March 1st 2014 edition
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