Electric car maker Tesla unveiled its latest electric vehicle last night, the Model X, a cross-over that offers more space than the company’s Model S sedan and original sporty Roadster. For those waiting for a semi-affordable electric car that offers plenty of space, power, and versatility, the Model X looks to be the best option yet. Like other cross-over vehicles, the Model X sits somewhere between a sedan and a SUV. But Tesla couldn’t help but add its own spin to the form: the Model X features funky rear doors, dubbed “Falcon Wings,” that flip up and allow you to easily step into the car. Tesla CEO Elon Musk says that the Falcon Wings are the largest rear door openings found in a passenger car, CNet reports. Tesla expects the Model X to retail close to the Model S’ ...

Electric car-maker Tesla’s second vehicle, the Model S, won’t be available until next summer, but the company is taking a version of its new electric sedan out for a little publicity spin with a North American tour. VentureBeat was among the very first to take the new Tesla Model S Beta for an early test drive, and we can report that it’s a beast. We’ve got photos from our plant visit below, and we’ll be uploading a video soon. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the Model S is already sold out for 2012, thanks to 6,500 pre-orders. And after spending some time with the vehicle in person, it’s easy to see why. This car is dead sexy, with all the features to make gadget boy or girl’s heart melt. Yet unlike the earlier Tesla Roadster, ...

Tesla’s Roadster is one of the sexiest electric cars on the road, and their new sedan looks pretty sweet, too. Not only does it seat up to 7, there’s also a performance model available (0-60 in 4.5 seconds!). Helping keep costs down so more of us can ride in this sweet silent sedan is Panasonic, providing the lithium-ion battery cells.

Both companies say that the agreement will help Tesla meet its costs and margin targets for the Model S, according to a statement released Tuesday. As the base model is priced at $57,400 (before the applicable federal tax credit, which is $7,500 and any other incentives), it’s anyone’s guess what that margin is. The Roadster, in comparison, costs upwards of $109,000 (presumably using the same type of batteries, but hey, it’s a sports car).

Panasonic’s involvement with Tesla ...

We already know a lot about the all-electric 2012 Tesla Model S sedan — but at a press event ahead of yesterday’s exclusive VIP event at the former Toyota NUMMI facility in Fremont, California, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced Tesla was making a faster Model S for those with a sporty side. Cutting the brisk 0-60 time of the standard Model S from 5.6 seconds to under 4.5 seconds, the sportier version features the same 85 kilowatt-hour, 300 miles-per-charge battery pack found in the 2012 Model S Signature series. “That’s quicker than a [Porsche] 911 [Carrera],” joked Musk. “Not bad for an electric luxury sedan.” The additional model, complete with enhanced powertrain to cope with the additional current required for faster acceleration, will be available from launch alongside the 120 mile, 230 mile and ...

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Some crazy concept cars have emerged since the electric car frenzy hit the market in 2008. Where are they now? We caught up with 29 electric car manufacturers and developers to find out what they’re doing today. Some are still going strong, some have begun actively producing their cars, and some … well, not every startup can survive. Most major car companies have begun working on a hybrid electric car or a pure battery-powered electric car. The Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Volt, two of the cheapest electric cars on the market, now cost less than $50,000. And there are plenty of other battery-powered and hybrid electric cars in the pipeline that will bring those costs even lower. This list is sorted according to car availability and release ...

“Range anxiety” for pure battery-powered electric car owners wears off quickly as a driver begins to understand the capabilities and charging patterns of their car, according to a new study by the Technology Strategy Board. Around 35 percent of electric car owners were concerned about reaching a destination before running out of juice three months after buying a car, compared to 100 percent of car owners when they first bought the electric car, according to the report. More car owners drove the cars until the battery fell below 50 percent charge. But the report also showed that electric car owners still desire longer ranges. Most battery-powered electric cars are limited in their range, which can make car purchasers skittish and less likely to buy a pure battery-powered electric car. It’s ...

Car manufacturers Ford and Toyota announced today that the companies will collaborate on a hybrid-electric car powertrain for sport utility vehicles and light trucks. Ford and Toyota will jointly develop a rear-wheel drive electric powertrain and then introduce the powertrain in separate vehicle lines for each company. The light trucks and SUVs should arrive sometime later this decade, the companies said in an official announcement. “The companies are likely looking to reduce cost of the drivetrain to grow the hybrid market, and they don’t see each other as much as direct competitors in the SUV/truck market as with light duty cars,” Pike Research analyst John Gartner told VentureBeat. “There is enough differentiation in the rest of the vehicle design that a common drivetrain with a competitor should not be problematic.” Toyota is already collaborating with Tesla Motors, makers of the battery-powered Tesla Roadster electric ...

Tesla Motors will unveil it’s sport utility electric vehicle sometime in December after finishing up development of an alpha model of the car, chief executive Elon Musk said in the company’s quarterly earnings call. The Model X uses the same powertrain and technology the other electric cars Tesla Motors produces employ, which cut the development time for the Model X in half. It cost around a third of the upfront capital expenditures to begin producing the Model X as well, Musk said. “The plan is to have an unveiling of the Model X prototype in the mid-December time frame,” Musk said. “So far it’s looking good, I don’t think anything will cause an issue.” The company raised an extra $210 million in June to fund development of the Model X and the Model S. Musk ...

Less than a fifth of electric car buyers listed the price tag of an electric car as the most important factor when deciding to buy an electric car, according to a new report by management consulting firm Accenture. Most of the concerns for electric car buyers center around how long it takes to charge the car and how far it is able to drive, according to the report. Electric cars are typically limited in how far they are able to drive and they can take a long time to recharge. It can take up to 5 hours for some vehicles to charge completely from a dry battery to a full charge. The Nissan Leaf, one of the cheapest electric cars on the market, can only travel around 100 miles before needing to recharge. Most electric car buyers were concerned about how much money they would ...

Tesla has just released an update on its  upcoming 2012 Model S all-electric sedan, for which it has received 3,700 reservations (each costing $5,000). The main points from the update: The company expects to produce about 5,000 units in 2012 while ramping up for capacity of 20,000 cars per year in 2013. Deliveries for North America will start in mid-2012 The first 1,000 Model S’s will be part of the “North American Model S Signature Series,” which will have a 300-mile range battery, unique badging and “an extensive complement of options.” After the signature series is delivered, Model S’s for North America will offer battery range options later in 2012 of 300, 230 and 160 miles. Base price for the 160-mile option is $57,400. The 230-mile options is expected to cost $67,500, and the 300-mile option about $77,400. The car is eligible for ...