Tesla might not exist if General Motors hadn’t inspired protests by repossessing and crushing its EV1 electric car in 2003.
So says Tesla cofounder and CEO Elon Musk, a man who also plans to colonize Mars and carve tunnels through the earth. At times, Musk seems to embody the crackpot-visionary archetype, but his company has realized the only comprehensive vision for electric vehicles to date.
Tesla has proved that what’s under a car’s hood (and floor) is far less important to consumers than style, image, and performance. Its EVs are taken seriously by enthusiasts and luxury buyers alike, with eye-catching proportions, near-300-mile driving ranges, and sub-three-second zero-to-60 times. And it has smartly supported customers with a coast-to-coast network of Superchargers, a no-dealership model that mimics Apple’s retail and support system, and over-the-air updates that can automatically add features and improve a car’s performance.
This story is from the December 2017 edition of Car and Driver.
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This story is from the December 2017 edition of Car and Driver.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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