Tesla Motors Opens Retail Store in Manhattan's Chelsea Art District

Prospective Customers May Test-Drive the Wicked-Fast Sports Car Starting Thursday At Tesla's First East Coast Store

NEW YORK, July 15, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tesla Motors will open its first East Coast sales and service center and host a public ride-and-drive event Thursday in Manhattan's Chelsea Art District.

Tesla representatives will offer rides and a limited number of extended test-drives to the public. The open house is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday at 511 W. 25th St., close to the West Side Highway with easy access to downtown and the suburbs.

Tesla, the world's leading electric vehicle manufacturer, has two showrooms in California and opened its London store last month. Tesla's Seattle store will open to the public July 25. Chicago, Miami, Munich and Monaco will open later this summer. Tesla is also scouting locations in Washington DC and Toronto. Please check online for more details on Tesla's exciting retail rollout.

Each store will serve as a regional service and distribution center. But remember: electric vehicles don't need routine oil changes, exhaust system repairs, spark plugs, pistons, timing belts and other time-consuming and costly maintenance.

Tesla customers may finance their Roadster through Bank of America. This payment option makes the Tesla Roadster more affordable than comparable super cars. A customer approved for a 5-year financing term on a base Roadster could put down as little as $20,000 before taxes and net of the US federal tax credit. The monthly payment would be approximately $1,700 at a 5 percent annual percentage rate.

That monthly payment is typical for high performance cars - but Roadster drivers will enjoy hundreds of dollars per month in savings unavailable to gas guzzlers. The Roadster, which gets an estimated 244 miles per charge, costs roughly $4 to refuel and does not require routine oil changes or exhaust system work. Unlike high-maintenance internal combustion engines, Teslas get a 100 percent waiver on sales, luxury and use taxes in at least four states, and they qualify for commuter lane privileges, free parking and free charging in many regions.

Prospective customers may complete documents at Tesla showrooms or online, including electronic signature and customer verification. Tesla customer service staff can assist with the application in a showroom or at 650-413-6300.

About Tesla

Based in California's Silicon Valley, Tesla Motors builds electric vehicles with exceptional design, performance and efficiency, while conforming to all safety, environmental and durability standards. The Roadster, which has a 0-to-60 mph acceleration of 3.9 seconds and a base price of $101,500 after a $7,500 US federal tax credit, is the only highway-capable production EV for sale in North America or Europe. Tesla has delivered more than 500 Roadsters to customers nationwide and will begin production of the all-electric Model S family sedan in late 2011.