There is certainly quite a bit of anticipation building up for Telsa’s 2012 Model S electric vehicle (EV).
As part of a rather obvious promotional campaign, Tesla has been hyping the vehicle’s impressive driving range and EPA testing numbers. Rumors also surfaced that the long-awaited vehicle may roll out earlier than originally scheduled, with Tesla now confirming the first 2012 Model S will be delivered to customers starting June 22 – a few weeks ahead of schedule.
Timely delivery of a vehicle as anticipated and important to Tesla as the Model S is obviously a big deal for the small automaker, as a late roll out would have been highly embarrassing.
Indeed, the Washington Post reports that Tesla’s engineering team has been working hard to confirm production is up to speed at the carmaker’s factory in Fremont, California.
The Model S allows drivers to customize the amount of regenerative braking the vehicle delivers to the battery packs when the foot is taken off the accelerator. Essentially, this permits a driver to tweak the car so it delivers the same sort of engine braking feel you get from a traditional vehicle. At the same time, the driver can select no regenerative braking – allowing the car to coast.
This particular feature will be available through the large touchscreen in the center console of the car. The vehicle also offers the ability to change the steering response between settings that include comfort, standard, and sport.
Finally, Tesla is boasting that the adjustable air suspension is standard on all Model S trim levels – except the base-level car. Adjustable suspension will allow drivers to lower the car for sporty driving or raise it up for rough surfaces when driving around town.
As noted above, the Tesla Model S was given an impressive 265-mile driving range by the EPA and uses an 85-kilowatt hour battery pack. The vehicle starts at $49,900 for the base model, although Tesla only plans to sell Model S Signature and Signature Performance versions of the car to start with.
