Tesla Model S To Be Produced In San Jose

TreeHugger.com:

We knew that the manufacturing plant of Tesla's second electric car, the Model S, would be in California, but we didn't know where. Today we learn that San Jose has been picked to host not only Tesla Motors' EV plant and R&D, but also the company's headquarters.

"Construction of the proposed $250 million facility on an 89-acre site, located at Zanker Road and Highway 237 near the San Jose Water Pollution Control Plant in North San Jose, is planned to begin in the summer of 2009. The first vehicles will likely roll off the assembly line in late 2010. When fully operational, the facility will employ approximately 1,000 workers." The plant is expected to get LEED Gold certification. Read on for more details on the Model S and incentives to Tesla.

Read the whole story: TreeHugger.com

Comments

[freedog]

I had seriously thought about purchasing one of these cars. But now, with the potential of incurring the Obama tax wrath and capital gains tax, I'll just stick with my Hummer.

[KillTheMessenger]

Good for you.

[BlackbirdHighway]

You still have time to sell everything before the election. But, looking at the market, you should have really done that a few weeks ago.

I guess if you make over $250,000 a year, you can easily afford the gas for the Hummer, so who cares.

[Tom95134]

I feel sorry for the workers. The proposed site for the plant in downwind of the pollution control plant. This location makes very little sense (of smell ?) because there are other available sites within the immediate area and upwind of the plant.

[KillTheMessenger]

For the same money? Hardly. They probably picked the place because it was the cheapest real estate they could find.

What does not make sense in all of this is economics. CA is way too expensive a state to make a buck on something as low margin as car production. That holds even for luxury cars.

I can't see this working out. The decision for the site was probably based on personal preference rather than a deep knowledge of the cost structure in the automobile industry.

[SolarPowerGuy]

http://cbs5.com/local/tesla.san.jose.2.819323.html

The site will have both an auto manufacturing facility and an R&D building.

The CEO of Tesla said that they wanted to stay near to their current headquarters in San Carlos, and close to Silicon Valley, so they can can draw from the talent pool.

As for the manufacturing part: San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed says he wants some mid-level jobs in the city -- skilled jobs, but not necessarily requiring a 4-year college degree, which pay intermediate wages. Jobs of that kind are sorely lacking here.

[SolarPowerGuy]

"Pollution control plant"? Do you mean the sewage treatment plant? The one in Alviso?

[Semaj51]

Just like the Volt, way over-priced for the average family.

[KillTheMessenger]

They have moved the production of a non-existent car to CA? Cool... that's just one more car that won't be built in the state.

:-)