San Jose - The Electric Detroit?
Sep. 17th, 2008 10:15 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
webfarmerEncouraging news in a discouraging time.
Tesla to Build Electric-Car Factory in San Jose - San Jose Mercury News - 16 Sep 08
"For San Jose, the deal not only is a public-relations coup, it also brings new jobs and expands the city's tax base. For Tesla, the move signals the automaker is moving beyond a rocky start and toward its goal of producing zero-emission cars in volume."
"Tesla chose San Jose for numerous reasons. It's a Silicon Valley company, and it wanted its executives and engineers to be near its factory. Drori mentioned the skilled high-tech workforce, especially those familiar with electronics and software. Also, the company expects many of its buyers to be Californians; its first two showrooms are in Menlo Park and Santa Monica."
"Tesla's first car, a two-seat electric called the Roadster, went on sale this summer. The company said it has delivered 27 cars, which are being built at a Lotus factory in England. It has begun installing a revised transmission and will ramp up production from four to 10 cars a week. By March, it will be making 40 cars a week.
While the Roadster, priced at $109,000, is destined to remain a niche model, Tesla has much more mainstream plans for its Model S sedan, to be built in San Jose. That car, which is expected to cost $50,000 to $60,000, could see annual production numbers of 20,000, Tesla says. It will be an all-electric four-door model."
GM is still making noise with the Chevy Volt. They still want $25 billion in loan guarantees to help them compete with Toyota and Honda now that their Hummer and SUV business isn't looking like such a sustainable business move. Doh! And whatever happened to that dumb ass hydrogen car initiative that was supposed to be so much better than these puny hybrid units? Grrr...
Chevy Volt's Unveiling Sparks Questions About Financing - LA Times - 17 Sep 08
"GM revealed the much-hyped vehicle at an event celebrating the automaker's centennial. Immediately afterward, company executives faced a barrage of questions about whether some of the $25 billion in low-interest loans the industry is urging Congress to fund would be used to subsidize the Volt's development and production.
At the same time, GM executives called for federal and local incentives to boost the Volt program.
The loans 'certainly would help us finance the vehicle,' said Frederick Henderson, president of GM. 'This is exactly the kind of vehicle that was contemplated when the money was put into the bill,' he added, referring to last year's Energy Security and Independence Act."
Tesla to Build Electric-Car Factory in San Jose - San Jose Mercury News - 16 Sep 08
"For San Jose, the deal not only is a public-relations coup, it also brings new jobs and expands the city's tax base. For Tesla, the move signals the automaker is moving beyond a rocky start and toward its goal of producing zero-emission cars in volume."
"Tesla chose San Jose for numerous reasons. It's a Silicon Valley company, and it wanted its executives and engineers to be near its factory. Drori mentioned the skilled high-tech workforce, especially those familiar with electronics and software. Also, the company expects many of its buyers to be Californians; its first two showrooms are in Menlo Park and Santa Monica."
"Tesla's first car, a two-seat electric called the Roadster, went on sale this summer. The company said it has delivered 27 cars, which are being built at a Lotus factory in England. It has begun installing a revised transmission and will ramp up production from four to 10 cars a week. By March, it will be making 40 cars a week.
While the Roadster, priced at $109,000, is destined to remain a niche model, Tesla has much more mainstream plans for its Model S sedan, to be built in San Jose. That car, which is expected to cost $50,000 to $60,000, could see annual production numbers of 20,000, Tesla says. It will be an all-electric four-door model."
GM is still making noise with the Chevy Volt. They still want $25 billion in loan guarantees to help them compete with Toyota and Honda now that their Hummer and SUV business isn't looking like such a sustainable business move. Doh! And whatever happened to that dumb ass hydrogen car initiative that was supposed to be so much better than these puny hybrid units? Grrr...
Chevy Volt's Unveiling Sparks Questions About Financing - LA Times - 17 Sep 08
"GM revealed the much-hyped vehicle at an event celebrating the automaker's centennial. Immediately afterward, company executives faced a barrage of questions about whether some of the $25 billion in low-interest loans the industry is urging Congress to fund would be used to subsidize the Volt's development and production.
At the same time, GM executives called for federal and local incentives to boost the Volt program.
The loans 'certainly would help us finance the vehicle,' said Frederick Henderson, president of GM. 'This is exactly the kind of vehicle that was contemplated when the money was put into the bill,' he added, referring to last year's Energy Security and Independence Act."
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hope it works out
Date: 2008-09-17 04:00 pm (UTC)Re: hope it works out
Date: 2008-09-17 04:15 pm (UTC)If those kinds of subsidies were not forthcoming, I suspect that the move to less pricey areas would have been the no brainer. I'm still not sure San Jose makes sense for Tesla in the long run for such a plant vs going to an area that has more of a history of auto manufacturing and has lower costs of living and land.
I'd be surprised if they stick around once the goodies are gone.