RICK WALKER | SAN FRANCISCO BY REMOTE
Tesla Motors Inc. has crowned itself the manufacturer of the world's fastest production car. Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk claims the company's new Model S, with a new upgraded 100 kilowatt battery, can accelerate from 0-60 miles-per-hour in just 2.5 seconds. With the battery upgrade the car will be known as the Model S P100D.
Musk says the new battery also extends the range of the car to more than 300 miles.
The new battery pack is also being ofered in the Model X sport utility, making it the fastest sport utility ever, with a 0-60 miles-per-hour time of 2.9 seconds.
In a telephone interview with journalists, Musk claims the new battery will allow a driver to take a Model S P100D or Model X, from San Franciso to Los Angeles without recharging.
"These are very profound milestones and I think will help convince people around the world that electric is the future," said Musk.
The Model S, and Model X both sell currently for more than 100-thousand dollars U.S. "Of course this is an expensive car. But it's very important to bear in mind that is what it's paying for, the Model 3," Musk said. The upgraded battery pack will add to the price of the vehicle.
In May, Tesla said it was ramping up production of its upcoming Model 3 mass-market sedan. Musk is promising to build a total of 500,000 all-electric vehicles in 2018. That would put the company two years ahead of schedule, but he has warned spending will increase as well.
The ambitious plans to accelerate production are doing little to calm concerns about the company's financial position, and its controversial plan to buy out Solar City Corporation. SolarCity has agreed to Tesla's $2.6 billion purchase offer. The company is a solar panel installer. Acquiring the company is one way Musk hopes to create a totally carbon-free energy and transportation company.
The LaFerrari and Porsche 918 Spyder with gasoline engines are in fact faster than the Tesla S and Tesla X models. Musk has admitted that, however he says those two super cars are both priced at over a million dollars each and only have two seats. He also points out those vehicles are not available for purchase as new cars today.
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