TESLA MOTORS GRAND OPENING: EVs FOR THE UPPER CRUST COMBINE LOTUS-LIKE LOOKS WITH SUSTAINABILITY; LET YOUR WILD SIDE SHINE, WESTSIDE RIDE IN STYLE!

Event Report

Ready to drop six figures on a clean ride? Want to see how the rich and famous roll green? Check out the Tesla EV. Showroom now open at 11163 Santa Monica Blvd, in West LA; to schedule a test drive, call 310.473.8337. The very-high-performance (and high expectation-laden) electric car is ready to drive. It looks like a Lotus with fast acceleration (0-60 in 3.9 seconds) and superb sound system. More info at www.teslamotors.com. Below is a report from the showroom opening party, excerpted from the Sustainable Transport Club newsletter produced by Speakers Press:

Wow! I just got home from Tesla's grand opening of their first ever store located on the west side of LA, hard against the 405 freeway on Santa Monica Blvd. We've been anticipating this moment for some time, and we were not disappointed. As it was rush hour on the west side, which means driving is not any faster than walking, I chose to leave my beautiful wife the RAV while I drove the Vectrix. The Vectrix being a motorcycle, I was able to lane split and so I was there in about 10 minutes.

I pulled up just as three beautiful Tesla Roadsters took off with excited passengers. Stefano Paris, Plug In America's resident documentarian, was shooting tape as I grabbed one of the Tesla parking spots, this being a very tough neighborhood in which to find parking. The party was just getting underway as I saw many friends including Chris Paine, Director of "Who Killed the Electric Car?" and Chelsea Sexton, Linda Nicholes and many more.

Lots of free drinks and food got folks in a great mood, but the rides in the Tesla were the real hit. It had been almost two full years since I rode in one of those phenomenal cars, so I was ready for another turn. The driver behaved himself on the side streets until he was able to get out on Sepulveda with no one in front of us for a couple of blocks. Bam! he hit the accelerator and the adrenaline shot through my body providing me with a jolt that my first martini couldn't begin to dampen. Time for a second. I spent a lot of time just bringing people to the Tesla line for a ride. It was so much fun watching them as they got out with that big grin on their faces. My favorite was Marvin Campbell's son. This kid was beside himself with glee as he got in, and even more so when he got out.

It was fun talking to Elon Musk, chair of Tesla and the president, Ze'ev Driori and his lovely wife, Carolyn. The new Tesla sales manager for SoCal, Jeremy seemed as pleased as you can imagine someone would be who just landed the plum job of selling these incredible machines. The ride home on the Vectrix was fun, but all I could think about was how can I get my hands on one of those Roadsters. Time to go to bed and sleep on it.

Paul Scott

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