Tesla's Elon Musk promises sub-$30k all-electric car in less than four years

Yes -- more breaking electric car news! Just after Tesla CEO Ze'ev Drori announced Telsa's plans to build the Model S, Elon Musk began discussing its development of electric car tech to get the price of future cars to (and below) $30,000. When asked when that technology would be commercially available, Musk said that it shouldn't be any more than four years from now. Granted, a $60,000 car is affordable but still quite steep for most buyers -- but a vehicle mass-produced at half the price is essentially mainstream, which could have a substantial impact on the automotive world.

[Image courtesy of Edmunds]

[Josh @ Jun 30th 2008 3:10PM]

now we're talking...

[Vidit Bhargava @ Jun 30th 2008 3:19PM]

so they heard engadget's blogger's calls for a cheaper vehicle ;)

[SITEiNK @ Jun 30th 2008 3:22PM]

bring it on...

[chris fredette @ Jun 30th 2008 4:08PM]

So this is how it breaks down:
tesla $100,000
It is like the Lotus in that it is the smallest car in america, is all aluminum and uses a li-ion battery pack(the best out there but expensive). Has only 2 seats and a 200 mile range(lowered from the original 250+).
Will this new car be lighter? no
Will it have a longer range? no
Will it have better batteries? no
So explain to me how it will be $30,000 and actually useful?

[Al @ Jun 30th 2008 4:26PM]

Maybe they are getting a bunch of cheap compact car chassis and using that as a start. Like a Civic, Focus or Sentra as a base? Or maybe something like an older Mercedes Benz C-class, Nissan's FM platform, BMW 3, Audi A3/A4 or something?

[chris fredette @ Jun 30th 2008 4:37PM]

I don't get your post.
The Lotus is smaller than any of those car and is all aluminum. Have you seen a elise? it's smaller than a Miata.
It weighs 1900lbs with a little engine. The Tesla weighs 2700lbs even with the aluminum and li-ion advantage!
If they make it really really slow like a Prius they should be able to get another say 40 miles from the same design(probably not). To get the price down something will have to give and for a $30,000 car everything would have to give a lot. The Prius sells for $25k in mass production and it would probably cost over $10k more to add li-ion batteries. And that would not be fully electric. Unless there is a way better battery or a way cheaper one I think this is FUD.

[carl @ Jun 30th 2008 5:36PM]

I don't think FUD means what you think it means.

[jake @ Jun 30th 2008 5:43PM]

@chris fredette
I think you are a bit mixed on low volume manufacturing and high volume manufacturing. The Elise SC (0-60 4.4 secs) probably the closest to the Tesla Roadster (0-60 3.9 secs) in performance already costs $55k base price. And it still uses a cheap toyota engine. Compare that to a corolla @ $15k or a yaris @ $12k. The difference in cost is very large between low volume manufacturing and high volume manufacturing. Also the roadster uses expensive carbon fiber. Also the range is 220 miles not 200. The Roadster is also burdened with being the car that is supposed to generate revenue of Tesla to use to fund the company. As you see with the Whitestar (or Model S), once things get going in higher volume the margins will be lower.

He's talking about a car that's 4 years away. 4 years is a long time for technology to evolve. We are on engadget right now, you should know that. He also didn't mention how many seats the $30k car will have or the performance or any details. Mitsubishi can make a 4 door EV and Subaru can make a 2 door one for ~$20k-$25k, maybe less, I don't see why Tesla can't make a useful EV for $30k, 4 years later.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/29/mitsubishi-shows-off-sporty-all-electric-i-miev-car-tesla-puts/
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/12/26/subaru-ev-could-arrive-as-early-as-2009/

The car Tesla just announced is going to be around $60k in case you are confusing this $30k promise with the $60k Model S.

[Al @ Jun 30th 2008 5:50PM]

Knowing Subaru their car is going to be awd standard. But the Mitsu you showed is a 2dr not a 4dr like you stated?

[lens42 @ Jul 1st 2008 1:53AM]

Yup, we sure are *talking*. For a company that makes one car a month, they sure are good at press releases. If I were running Tesla, I's shut up for a while and get some cars on the road. When you have 100s of people lining up to buy at 100k/per, why do you even *need* press releases? Maybe I'm getting too jaded, but I've been reading press releases from electric car companies for a bit too long. SHOW ME THE WHEELS!

[lens42 @ Jul 1st 2008 2:03AM]

Re "now we're talking". Yup, we sure are "talking". For a company that ships one car a month, Tesla sure is good at press releases. My suggestion to Elon is to shut up for a while and get some cars on the road. With 100s of people lined up for cars at 100k/per, why does Tesla even *need* press releases. Maybe I've gotten too jaded, but I've been reading electric car company press releases for 5 years. SHOW ME THE WHEELS! When will I see an Engadget post about a car you can actually get.

[Ignatius @ Jun 30th 2008 3:13PM]

Wow. Tesla must have been reading the comments of the last Engadget post. That was fast.

[thedesolate1 @ Jun 30th 2008 3:40PM]

I wish every company did that.

[Joe @ Jun 30th 2008 3:42PM]

Well, I know I asked for a $5 blowjob machine. Did they not read all the comments? What gives, Tesla?

[Brian K @ Jun 30th 2008 4:03PM]

Yeah, it was totally all the comments on some crappy tech site that made Tesla consider building a cheaper electric vehicle. The fact that 100k is way too much normal car buyers had no role in their choice. Thanks everyone who posted, you really made this happen.

>_>

[Jherez @ Jun 30th 2008 4:17PM]

@ Brian. That's heresy talk 'round these parts son.

[giantenemycrab @ Jun 30th 2008 3:14PM]

Did you hear that? That's GM's boardroom screaming in horror.

[Outinthedark @ Jun 30th 2008 3:17PM]

I think GM's boardroom has been apathetic about electric cars when they killed the EV-1 6 years ago...watch "Who Killed the Electric Car"...it's eye opening...

[Bob @ Jun 30th 2008 3:27PM]

I thought that it was the Stonecutters who hold back the electric car.

[jong118 @ Jun 30th 2008 3:27PM]

I guess you guys missed all the news about the Chevy Volt?

http://www.chevrolet.com/electriccar/

Yes it's real and yes they're shooting for 2010. Last I heard it will probably be priced higher than this, but to say GM is screaming in horror/apathetic about electric cars is completely wrong.

[thatrotierkid @ Jun 30th 2008 3:30PM]

The Volt is a hybrid... not a full electric

I will believe GM is pushing electric cars when i see it. no sooner

[Doug @ Jun 30th 2008 3:35PM]

who held back the electric car! We DOOO, WEEE DOOOOOOOOOOO!

[Ace b @ Jun 30th 2008 3:50PM]

@thatrotierkid

To be completely correct,the Chevy Volt is a plug-in hybrid.

And last time I checked,toyota is doing the same thing by 2012 I believe?

[jong118 @ Jun 30th 2008 4:20PM]

Admittedly the Volt is a plug in hybrid, but the gas isn't used for propulsion at all, it's only used to generate electricity for the car. Also, for most commuters it will be basically an electric vehicle due to the range of it. Plus, it's real, we haven't seen any evidence from Tesla of this yet. Considering all the shakiness before the current one came to market and the price of it, I'm quite skeptical.

[luke @ Jun 30th 2008 5:08PM]

Aw great... another idiot that believe that docutrash.

I'm still waiting for me quadcore laptop that gets 15 hours battery life on a 20 minute charge.

(I can't wait for an electric car, but anyone with a brain knows that it's the technology that's holding it back... GM's got nothing to do with it. Believe me, after their current losses they'd be scrambling for a profitable EV1)

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Jun 30th 2008 6:32PM]

Maybe you should watch "Who Killed the Electric Car?" too, it is enlightening.

Make sure to notice the guy from TH!NK (which was owned by Ford at the time) who says that they'd explain the limitations of electric cars to people and then they would expect to pay LESS for them than a gas car, when in fact they cost many times more.

The movie itself fingers many causes at the end, not blaming just GM. It blames nearly everyone (mistakenly exonerating battery technology).

Give it a real watch next time, you might find it interesting.

[skulldriveshaft @ Jun 30th 2008 10:21PM]

Sorry, actually, there isn't anyone in GM's boardroom, everyone's booked the day off to go play golf, as usual.

[Xee @ Jul 1st 2008 12:25AM]

GM has a boardroom?

[Sabba @ Jul 1st 2008 2:33AM]

@Ace b: hmm when chevy produces a hybrid car i will laugh...at the gasmileage...


anyway...toyota has also promised to produce enough hybrids to balance out profits with gas powered cars by 2010, and they have promised to have a complete hybrid fleet by 2020.

chevy might produce its first hybrid by 2012, but lets see its production and sales records and then we'll talk.

[applefan @ Jun 30th 2008 3:16PM]

Holy crap! Sweet!

[Darren @ Jun 30th 2008 3:18PM]

Anybody else wondering what the odds are Tesla gets bought out by one of the big 3 before this $30k car hits the streets?

[xero @ Jun 30th 2008 3:23PM]

The Odds are 0.... the big 3 are poor and have no funds to buy out anybody

[ww @ Jul 8th 2008 10:21AM]

How about Apple or Microsoft, or Google. More likely by some oil rich country.

[patsy @ Jun 30th 2008 4:14PM]

Not bloody likely. Tesla hasn't really got anything in particular to offer, other than a certain level of tech integration expertise. They don't actually produce their car(s) themselves, they source them from more established manufacturers (Lotus currently). They probably don't produce the batteries themselves, either, so what exactly is left? Perhaps some of the electronics and the software. They have a narrow window ATM while the large manufacturers are napping/revving up their EV skills, and once they have caught up Tesla may have a niche as a boutique high performance EV shop. I would wager a guess that any of the large manufacturers' EV research departments are probably bigger than the entirely of Tesla.

[kjb434 @ Jun 30th 2008 4:32PM]

Actually, Tesla is in talks with the Diahmler Group (Mercedes Benz) to manufacture parts for the Mercedes A class electric car.

I think this may be the direction Tesla eventually goes. They'll make money by designing the electrical parts needed to go into cars versus manufacturing on there own.

Tesla doesn't have the infrastructure to build cars at the price point they are discussing unless they partner with one or more companies. To effectively build their cars for cheaper, they'll have to mass produce them. To mass produce them, they'll need to partner up.

[Kakabonae @ Jun 30th 2008 3:18PM]

Just after I commented in the last post about how that price was too much for me they announce a car half the price? Great feedback, guys. Now, I demand your next announcement is of an electric scooter that costs $70, and gets 800 miles with 4 AA batteries.

[Jon Acheson @ Jun 30th 2008 4:44PM]

No, you don't get it. The $30,000 model IS the scooter...

[PEN_IS_STUCK @ Jun 30th 2008 3:19PM]

Woo!

Don't f*ck this up Tesla!

[Justin B @ Jul 1st 2008 1:56AM]

At least commit to completely typing out fuck. We all know what you mean.

[Scentedflame @ Jun 30th 2008 3:19PM]

I would consider purchasing this vehicle. I bet it feels awesome to drive an all electric car.

Quiet + great acceleration = yes please.

2 cents per mile is also enticing :-D

[natels @ Jun 30th 2008 3:25PM]

How about you wait until we see the pictures unveiling a plastic ball with wheels.

[Scentedflame @ Jun 30th 2008 3:37PM]

That is why I said "consider"...if it is a plastic ball on wheels, I will definitely buy it. We'll just have to wait and see.

[KAYPEE @ Jun 30th 2008 3:20PM]

4 years is way too long... by then... there would already be green crude oil that is compatible with existing gasoline cars.

[derX @ Jun 30th 2008 3:40PM]

Yeah, I don't quite know about that.....

[Marques @ Jun 30th 2008 3:59PM]

Yeah ummm...not so much.

[Pingmeister @ Jun 30th 2008 3:20PM]

And it's gonna fly, too! And the onboard robots will drive for you!

Pretty easy to make promises without specifics.

[phanbouy @ Jun 30th 2008 3:23PM]

in soviet russia onboard robot drive you

[thatrotierkid @ Jun 30th 2008 3:32PM]

@phanbouy

now thats what im talking about right there... ya baby ya ;-)

[ShadowKain @ Jun 30th 2008 3:21PM]

As soon as I opend my mouth on the other tesla blog about 20 to 30 thousand price range cars, this had to blow me out of the water hahahaha. Josh you sly fox lolz.

[Frankenstein Black @ Jun 30th 2008 3:22PM]

Look at you Tesla type all awake and stirring things up. I suspect it could be that VC funding time of year again?