tesla

Video: Tesla's Model S Alpha sedan hits the track

Tesla has released yet another preview video of its upcoming Model S electric sedan. This time, rather than a single Model S blasting down a back road, a trio of camouflaged Alpha sedans have a go at a track to collect data for the Beta sedan, which is the next step in the Model S' development. Normally one of the coolest parts of checking out a track testing video is hearing the roar of the engine, but the Model S is all electric and all silent, so you'll have to make due with the sound of wooshing wind and … Read more

Toyota to build electric SUV in Canada

Toyota Motor will build its first electric vehicle produced outside Japan in the Canadian province of Ontario as part of a multimillion-dollar public-private project announced in July.

The automaker will build the vehicle--an electric version of the RAV4 SUV--at its plant in Woodstock, Ontario, the Canadian government said in a release today.

Toyota plans to invest as much as C$545 million ($558 million) in the overall project. Known as Operation Green Light, the plan includes upgrades at other Toyota plants in Ontario, the country's industrial heartland.

The Canadian government will chip in C$70.84 million toward C$… Read more

This Day in Tech: Hacking laptop batteries; Tesla to reveal Model X electric SUV

Too busy to keep up with the tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET for Thursday, August 4.

A security researcher at Black Hat says it possible to hack laptop batteries using malicious software. While old versions of MacBook Pro have batteries that are replaceable, the newer laptops like the MacBook Air do not. The researcher didn't try this but says it's possible to overheat a battery and start a fire by sending commands to the battery controller.

Ahead of budget and schedule, Tesla announces plans to show off its Model X electric … Read more

Tesla to reveal Model X alpha version in December

Tesla Motors is getting the hang of this electric car thing, and plans to debut the alpha version of the Model X crossover way ahead of schedule, according to an article in VentureBeat.

During its quarterly investor call, CEO Elon Musk reportedly told listeners that the company will unveil the alpha version of the seven-seater electric SUV sometime in mid-December, which is in half the time than the company planned, and about one-third of what it budgeted. But don't add the Model X to your holiday wish list yet--the crossover isn't expected to go into production until 2013. When it does, Tesla expects to produce only 15,000 units per year of the SUV when it ramps up production in 2014.

The Model X is the third electric vehicle that Tesla is producing. The SUV is designed as a 5+2, and uses the same power train as the Model S sedan, which will also seat up to seven. Tesla recently began assembling the Beta version of the Model S electric sedan and, according to VentureBeat, expects to reveal it in October. … Read more

Tesla begins assembling beta versions of Model S

Tesla's Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen and Model S Program Director Jerome Guillen announced on the company's blog that they've begun working on Beta versions of the Model S sedan.

Tesla is breaking up the vehicle's development into two stages: Alpha and Beta. Earlier this year Tesla revealed the Alpha version of the electric sedan. In a recent blog post on the company's Web site, von Holzhausen and Guillen said that they've begun assembling the Beta versions of the vehicle to help them prepare for the preproduction of the vehicle that is expected to … Read more

Tesla sees $100 million from electric RAV4 deal

Tesla Motors today said that it has signed an agreement worth $100 million to supply electric power train equipment to Toyota.

In a regulatory filing, Tesla said that it will supply the battery, charging system, inverter, motor, and related software to power Toyota's planned electric version of its RAV4. Toyota plans to sell the small SUV to both consumer and residential customers next year.

Toyota took a $50 million stake in Tesla last year and signed an agreement to use Tesla's electric power train in the electric RAV4. In Tesla's filing, it said production of the electric … Read more

Tesla's next act: Cheaper electric cars...and a profit?

Tesla Motors can design cool-looking electric cars. Now it has to show the world that it can steer its finances just as well.

CEO Elon Musk said this week that Telsa's iconic Roadster electric sports car will no longer be on sale in the U.S. within a few months, marking a turning point for the company which helped catalyze an industry-wide technology shift to electric propulsion.

The move will cut off Tesla's main revenue source and start a transition to a new product--the Model S electric sedan. Whereas Tesla has still sold fewer than 2,000 Roadsters, … Read more

This Day in Tech: Tesla says bye to Roadster; Google antitrust probes stepped up

Too busy to keep up with the tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET for Thursday, June 23.

Tesla bids farewell to Roadster Tesla will stop taking orders for its electric Roadster sports car later this year as it shifts its focus to the Model S electric sedan. More

FTC, Senate rachet up Google antitrust probes Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Senate appear to step up their antitrust investigations of Google, a development that follows formal investigations already under way in Europe. More

Microsoft chasing Apple's app lead Trailing badly in the number … Read more

With Model S in wings, Tesla to stop making Roadster

Tesla Motors will stop taking orders for its pricey Roadster sports car as it begins a tricky transition to manufacturing and selling its Model S sedan.

The electric-car company will stop taking orders for the $109,000 Roadster in two months, according to reports. A representative from Tesla said today that two months was not a firm time. Instead, it will depend on when Tesla runs out of cars for North American customers. Roadsters will continue to be available in Europe and Asia through 2012, she said.

Last week, Tesla said in a regulatory filing that it has amended its … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1496: Goodbye to the Winklevii (Podcast)

On today's show, why horny Amish guys shouldn't sext while driving their horse and buggies and why somewhere in the world, Martin Short is currently clenching his butt cheeks. Yep, it's a Donald Bell show. Also, ISPs are adopting graduated responses to piracy and Apple gets a patent that may or may not be broad depending on how you define "N."