Hasta La Gadget!

Tesla’s still got a ways to go before it overtakes those conventional automakers, but darn if it’s not on the right track now. The company today announced a deal with Toyota — yeah, Toyota — in order to collaborate on the “development of electric vehicles, parts, and production system and engineering support.” Reportedly, the tandem will form a specialist team to further these efforts, with Toyota agreeing to purchase $50 million of Tesla‘s common stock issued in a private placement. In the short term, Tesla is purchasing the former NUMMI factory in Fremont, California in order to build the Model S sedan and other “future Tesla vehicles,” which should employ around 1,000 workers now to produce around 20,000 cars per year. For those unaware, the NUMMI facility was recently vacated, leaving 4,500 Toyota employees holding pink slips and ginormous frowns; Tesla CEO Elon Musk did confirm, however, that some of those have already been rehired. The good news here is that consumers should see lower prices due to Tesla having access to Toyota’s streamlined supply chain (not to mention those hugely leveraged bulk buy deals), but the bad news is that citizens of Downey, California — a town that was purportedly ready to sign a similar deal with Tesla “tomorrow” — now have to deal with an erupted bubble. You win some, you lose some, as they say.

Tesla lands sudden deal with Toyota, will build Model S sedan in Fremont NUMMI plant originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 May 2010 21:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MIT researchers have been working on wireless power longer than most (Nikola Tesla aside), and it looks like they’ve now made a somewhat surprising discovery that could lead to more efficient wireless power. In addition to reducing the size of the transmitters and receives used in their system to something approaching practical, the researchers found that the system’s efficiency at transmitting energy increased “significantly” if multiple devices are charged at the same time. What’s more, while the amount of power transmitted in the latest experiment only amounted to 100 watts, MIT’s André Kurs says that is only limited by the amplifier used for the transmitting coil, adding that the system could easily “feed power to a medium-sized room and power a dozen devices.”

MIT researchers demonstrate more efficient wireless power originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well, that was quick. Just weeks after hearing that Tesla would be nixing Roadster production prior to the world ending, it looks as if those planning to blow their life savings in the next 18 or so months took issue with the intentions. So much so, in fact, that Tesla has now “negotiated agreements with key suppliers that will increase total Roadster production by 40 percent and extend sales into 2012.” Better still, the iconic electric supercar will soon be hitting Australia and Asia, so even if you hit the relocate button in the next little while, you should still be covered should you choose to buy (or lease) in.

Tesla switches gears, plans to keep Roadster till 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Mar 2010 05:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ain’t got a hundred large to dump on a new Tesla Roadster? Fret not, as the outfit famous for producing the world’s first commercially viable electric supercar now has another option for you to ponder: leasing. For those unfamiliar, it’s somewhere in between buying one outright and swiping one while the salesperson’s not looking, and it’ll require just over $12,000 up front along with 36 payments of $1,658 in order to temporarily own the car of your dreams. Of course, that’s just a model scenario based on a Roadster with an $111,005 MSRP, though the somewhat snazzier Roadster Sport is also included in the deal. Come to think of it — if you get in on a lease now, there’s a good chance that the Volt you pre-ordered will finally be in stock by the time you bid your Tesla a fond farewell. Right, Ed?

Tesla launches Roadster lease program for wannabe eco-ballers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Very sad news to report this morning related to a plane crash in East Palo Alto, California, on Wednesday. A plane owned by Doug Bourn, senior electrical engineer for Tesla Motors, veered off course just after taking off in heavy fog and crashed into a neighborhood killing all three Tesla employees on board. Although four houses were damaged, no one on the ground was injured. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla issued the following statement:

“Three Tesla employees were on board a plane that crashed in East Palo Alto early this morning. We are withholding their identities as we work with the relevant authorities to notify the families. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. Tesla is a small, tightly-knit company, and this is a tragic day for us.”

Although not technically rock stars, the engineers that produced the Tesla Roadster, the first production electric vehicle manufactured around lithium-Ion batteries, certainly rocked the automotive world. Tragic, indeed.

Three Tesla employees killed in twin-engine plane crash originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 03:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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