Tesla S Coupe gets high marks from Consumer Reports (Page 1/1)
fierosound MAY 10, 09:01 AM
With a 200 mile "real world driving" range it sure beats out the other cars that have a limited 50-80 mile range.
Looks nice too. Tesla sold 4900 units of the Model S and actually made a profit this year.
Of course, long term testing on reliability etc. will determine whether this is a turning point to success for the company.


Article http://www.bloomberg.com/ne...orts-top-rating.html

Tesla's electric Model S, Motor Trend’s 2013 “Car of the Year,” received the highest rating from Consumer Reports in an evaluation of the luxury sedan that led first-quarter North American plug-in car sales.

The Model S from Palo Alto, California-based Tesla scored 99 out of 100 points, the non-profit magazine said in an e-mailed statement. The $89,650 car bought by Consumer Reports “performed better, or just as well overall” as any vehicle it’s ever tested, the Yonkers, New York-based magazine said.

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The Tesla Electric Model S Sedan Tesla via Bloomberg
Tesla Motors Inc.’s electric Model S received the highest rating from Consumer Reports.

Tesla Motors Inc.’s electric Model S received the highest rating from Consumer Reports. Source: Tesla via Bloomberg
14:43 April 2 (Bloomberg) -- Hans Humes, chief executive officer at Greylock Capital Management, talks about his purchase of Tesla Motors Inc.'s Model S sedan, Ben Kallo, senior research analyst at Robert Baird, discusses the features and financing options of the electric car. They speak with Pimm Fox on Bloomberg Television's "Taking Stock." Bloomberg's Matt Miller and Cory Johnson also speak. (Source: Bloomberg)
.“It accelerates, handles and brakes like a sports car, it has the ride and quietness of a luxury car and is far more energy efficient than the best hybrid cars,” said Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports’ director of automotive testing, in a statement. Still, the magazine said it isn’t recommending the car yet as there isn’t enough reliability data so far to do so.

A favorable evaluation from the influential publication comes after Tesla yesterday reported its first-ever profit in the quarter that ended March 31. Tesla, led by billionaire Elon Musk, beat estimates for the quarter by delivering 4,900 units of the Model S, which has a $69,900 base price, in 2013’s first three months.

Net income was $11.2 million in the first quarter, compared with a loss of $89.9 million a year earlier, Tesla said in a statement on its website. Excluding some items, the profit was 12 cents a share, compared with a year-earlier loss of 76 cents. The average estimate of 10 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg was for a profit of 4 cents a share.

Highest Score
Tesla surged 24 percent to $69.40, a record closing price. The shares have more than doubled this year, compared with a 14 percent gain in the Russell 1000 Index.

No rechargeable car has won a score as high as the Model S. The magazine last gave a vehicle 99 points in 2007, when Toyota Motor Corp. (7203)’s Lexus LS460L ranked that high, said Douglas Love, a spokesman for Consumer Reports.

Among competing luxury cars, Consumer Reports said Porsche AG’s Panamera received 84 points and Fisker Automotive Inc.’s Karma plug-in hybrid got 57 points. Fisker Automotive stopped making cars in 2012 and fired most employees in April.

Model S shortcomings include limited range, long charge times and “coupe-like styling that impairs rear visibility and impedes access,” Consumer Reports said. Along with reliability that isn’t yet determined, Tesla still has a limited service network, the magazine said.

‘Most Practical’
The test vehicle had an 85-kilowatt/hour lithium-ion battery pack and averaged about 200 miles (322 kilometers) per charge in real-world driving, the magazine said.

The Tesla “is easily the most practical electric car that has been tested to date,” Consumer Reports said. By comparison, Ford Motor Co. (F)’s Focus Electric and Nissan Motor Co. (7201)’s Leaf hatchback averaged about 80 miles and 75 miles, respectively, per charge, the magazine said.

Based on electricity costs for charging, Consumer Reports estimates fueling the Model S is equivalent to running a car on gasoline that costs $1.20 a gallon. The average U.S. price for regular grade gasoline was $3.54 a gallon on May 7, according to AAA’s Daily Fuel Gauge report.

A review of the car appears in the July issue of Consumer Reports.

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Xyster MAY 11, 12:21 AM
All that and it's a nice looking car too. It's nice to see a company getting something right on so many levels.

[This message has been edited by Xyster (edited 05-11-2013).]

IMSA GT MAY 11, 12:52 PM
Tesla has always been a great company here in the bay area. I see their cars on the road every day and they truly are beautiful. The only problem is that they can be sold to only a handful of States due to their price. Some States highest income is still lower than the price of one of the cars so their market is limited right now to higher income areas.