Tesla Motors Takes Aim At Hotel Chains For Commercial Charging Stations

ByGroovy Green May 30, 2007

The electric car renaissance is barely spreading ink on the canvas and already plans are in motion to have a viable charging infrastructure in place. Earlier this week, Tesla Motors — the crew behind the highly anticipated 2008 Tesla Roadster — received a grant from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to develop a 16KW station that could be installed at hotel chains across the state. While the stations would be commercially based, we have no idea if they might also be autonomous through solar power; much like the stations Vectrix is planning on introducing in Europe.

Tesla also recently announced plans to form a new division that will sell batteries to other car manufacturers.

“The electric-car startup said it will initially provide advanced lithium-ion battery packs from the new Tesla Energy Group to Think, a Norwegian maker of electric cars. The deal is expected to bring Tesla $43 million over the next two years. The new division will also develop and make battery packs for Tesla’s two-seat roadster that is set to go into production this fall, and for a four-door sedan set to debut later this decade.”

Carving a niche in the lithium-ion industry is focus number one for auto manufacturers as the technology is widely considered the logical replacement for nickel-metal hydride batteries. Lithium cells are lighter, take up less space and store more energy. They also make a mean French Toast.

For more info on Tesla’s plans, click here to see what everyone else is saying. I’m still trying to figure out a way to get Groovy to help me out with the $92,000 down payment for the new roadster…