Elon Musk

Tesla says it paid back entire DOE loan today

10:48 am U.S. ET | May 22, 2013

Tesla Motors today said it paid off the entire balance of its federal government loan given as part of a Department of Energy program to spur development of alternative energy vehicles.... Read More »

Tesla Motors may repay U.S. loan by Wednesday, Musk says

10:41 pm U.S. ET | May 20, 2013

Tesla Motors may repay its federal Department of Energy loan as early as Wednesday, CEO Elon Musk said in a message on Twitter on Monday.... Read More »

Behind the scenes, Straubel keeps Tesla running at pivotal time

12:01 am U.S. ET | May 18, 2013

Elon Musk was fresh off the sale of PayPal and starting another business, commercial rocket service Space Exploration Technologies, when he met kindred spirit JB Straubel. Their shared belief that consumer electronics advances could be applied to more earthly modes of transport is a cornerstone of Tesla Motors.... Read More »

Tesla expands share, debt offering to repay U.S. loan, hike cash

10:34 am U.S. ET | May 17, 2013

Tesla Motors increased the size of its equity and debt offerings by 30 percent to as much as $1.08 billion to repay its U.S. loan and build up cash reserves.... Read More »

Tesla issuing stock, debt to accelerate repayment of U.S. loan

5:34 pm U.S. ET | May 15, 2013

Tesla Motors plans to issue 2.7 million new shares and debt to repay its U.S. Energy Department loan faster than a five-year plan.... Read More »

Musk's magic touch on Wall St.

12:01 am U.S. ET | May 13, 2013

The cult of personality surrounding Tesla Motors founder and CEO Elon Musk has wowed the investment community. Operating on the edge of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's fair-disclosure rules, Musk and his steady flow of Twitter posts about Tesla have corresponded with a swift rise in the share price of his EV company. He has repeatedly halted declines with well-timed tweets.... Read More »

DAVE GUILFORD

Next hurdle for hot Tesla is pushing EVs mainstream

11:47 am U.S. ET | May 10, 2013

Tesla has had one hell of a week. It reported its first quarterly profit. It's brainstorming self-guided cars with Google. The stock is sizzling.... Read More »

Tesla shares surge 24% after 1st quarterly profit

5:21 pm U.S. ET | May 8, 2013

Tesla shares surged 24 percent today after the company posted its first quarterly profit in its 10-year history, driven by sales of the battery-powered Model S sedan.... Read More »

Tesla hikes guaranteed residual value on Model S

4:16 pm U.S. ET | May 3, 2013

Tesla increased the guaranteed residual value of its electric Model S sedan to 50 percent after its lease-to-own period of three years. The car's guaranteed residual value had been tied to that of the Mercedes-Benz S class, which, at 43 percent after 36 months, is relatively low compared with the overall luxury segment.... Read More »

Q&A

Musk: Why franchised dealers are wrong retail route for EVs

12:01 am U.S. ET | April 15, 2013

After testifying last week before Texas legislators, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk talked in depth with Automotive News about his reluctance to use franchised dealers. The following is an excerpt of the interview with Automotive News reporter Amy Wilson:... Read More »

Tesla's Musk: I'll take store fight federal

12:01 am U.S. ET | April 15, 2013

If Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk can't win against dealers at the state level, he will make a federal case of his bid to sell electric vehicles directly to the public through factory stores.... Read More »

Musk: Franchises are wrong route for electric vehicles

12:01 am U.S. ET | April 15, 2013

After testifying last week before Texas legislators, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk talked about his reluctance to use franchised dealerships to sell his electric vehicles.... Read More »

Tesla wins N.Y. verdict; lobbying continues in Texas

6:12 pm U.S. ET | April 11, 2013

Tesla Motors has won a round in its legal fight against franchised dealership laws in New York over direct sales to consumers while it continues to lobby Texas legislators on the issue.... Read More »

Musk: Tesla could build second plant in Texas

5:48 pm U.S. ET | April 10, 2013

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk says he would consider locating a second automotive assembly plant in Texas. Musk, who is fighting for legislation to allow Tesla to sell its electric vehicles directly to consumers in Texas, told Automotive News Wednesday that the company will invest more in the state if it wins the exemption.... Read More »

Musk says Texas dealers 'unjust' in preventing Tesla stores

3:04 pm U.S. ET | April 10, 2013

Texas dealers are unjustly trying to prevent Tesla Motors from competing in their state, company founder and CEO Elon Musk told state lawmakers late Tuesday. Musk testified in a Texas House committee hearing on behalf of Tesla-backed legislation that would allow the electric vehicle maker to operate company-owned dealerships in the state.... Read More »

Tesla CEO opens fire on Texas dealers

12:01 am U.S. ET | April 8, 2013

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk is firing all barrels against dealers in Texas in a franchise-law battle over whether the electric-car maker can sell its cars directly to the public.... Read More »

NEWS ANALYSIS

How affordable is Tesla's Model S?

12:01 am U.S. ET | April 8, 2013

Tesla Motors did its best last week to cast its Model S electric sedan, which starts at $71,070, including shipping and fees, as affordable. But some of its logic is, well, elusive.... Read More »

Tesla's Musk calls e-mail sent by sales staff 'overzealous'

6:57 am U.S. ET | April 5, 2013

Elon Musk, the billionaire who leads Tesla Motors, called an e-mail sent by his sales staff last month “overzealous” and said the wording wasn't approved by the electric-car maker.... Read More »

Q&A: Musk talks about Tesla's financing plan, company's future

9:18 am U.S. ET | April 3, 2013

On Tuesday, Tesla Motors announced a guaranteed-residual-value financing plan starting at $1,051 a month for the base 60 kWh Model S electric sedan. While paying off the 63-month loan, consumers can trade in the car after 36 months for a guaranteed price. After the announcement, Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk spoke with Automotive News West Coast Editor Mark Rechtin about the plan, as well as other Tesla topics.... Read More »

Tesla offering special financing plan for Model S sedan

5:18 pm U.S. ET | April 2, 2013

Tesla Motors has joined forces with USBank and Wells Fargo Bank to create vehicle financing and leasing products that allow consumers to lease a Model S electric sedan for a net payment of about $500 a month after a 10 percent down payment and calculated savings. CEO Elon Musk said he would personally guarantee the value of the cars.... Read More »

Tesla says it turned profitable as Model S sales beat forecast

7:27 am U.S. ET | April 1, 2013

Tesla Motors, the electric carmaker headed by billionaire Elon Musk, said it turned profitable in the first quarter, citing higher-than-expected sales of its Model S sedan.... Read More »

Norway shows the way with EVs, but at what cost?

March 16, 2013 06:01 CET

Norway's market for pure electric cars has in its very success shown the severe drawbacks to a model that relies on public subsidies worth as much as $8,200 per car, every year. Carmakers such as Nissan, Mitsubishi, PSA and Tesla Motors see Norway and its 10,000 battery-powered vehicles as a reason for optimism in otherwise gloomy terrain.... Read More »