Tesla Motors is an American company that manufactures and sells high performance electric cars. The company also manufactures and sells high performance advanced electrical car power components. Currently, the company is primarily selling its Model S sedan. Model S is an electrical passenger car that produces zero tailpipe emissions. Tesla recorded its first delivery of the Model S sedan in June 2012 and delivered more than 2,500 units up to date. The company offers the Model S sedan in three battery pack options including 40kWh, 60kWh, and 85kWh (). In addition to the Model S four-dour passenger sedan, the company also offers a high-performance sports car: the Tesla Roadster. The roadster is a two-door, convertible high-performance electric sports car. According to the company website, Tesla has designed the Model S sedan with an adaptable platform and plans to manufacture a Model X. For instance, the company revealed the Model X prototype in 2012. Model X is a crossover that the company intends to develop by leveraging the Model S platform.
Apart from cars, Tesla Motors also manufactures several electrical powertrain components. They include power electronics, battery pack, gearbox, and control software. Tesla designs its battery to ensure that it has long life, as well as significant storage capacity. According to the company product statement, the Tesla battery pack has a storage capacity of 53 kilowatt and a battery life of seven years. The company manufactures power electronics to serve two primary purposes. First of all, it controls torque generation during car transmission. The other function is to control the delivery of energy back to the car during charging. The company also designs single speed gearboxes specifically for its Model S and Tesla Roadster. Lastly, Tesla writes custom firmware for most of its vehicle processes in order to achieve effective control.
Tesla has a company-owned charging network, service, and warranty. The company has established supercharging centers along key routes in California to enable the user of Tesla cars to replenish 50 percent of the battery in less than thirty minutes. The company also has supercharging centers in other cities such as Boston, New York, and Washington D.C. Tesla provides service for its vehicles at its own service center. Additionally, the company has mobile technicians who offer services that do not require vehicle lift.
As of December 31, 2012, Tesla employed 2,964 full-time employees. These employees are not members of labor unions, but they have a collective bargaining agreement with the company. The company has a good relationship with its employees, and there is yet to be a disagreement. According to the annual report dated March 7, 2013, Tesla recorded 413.26M in sales. This is an improvement compared to the last five years. This means that the company is consistently growing and expanding its operations. In fact, the company has operations beyond the United States of America. Tesla has facilities in Canada, Asia, Australia, and Europe. In Canada, the company opened a facility in 2012 in Toronto, Ontario. The facility has interactive displays and design studios where customers can customize the Model S sedan. In Europe, Tesla has stores in London, Munich, and Tilburg. The company also has a showroom in Japan, Hong Kong, and China. It is recording very rapid expansion in new markets and has even partnered with a number of motor companies such as Toyota and Daimler.
Works Cited
Tesla. Annual Report. Retrieved from
http://ir.teslamotors.com/sec.cfm?DocType=Annual&Year=2013&FormatFilter= on 29 Jan 2014.
