Tesla Owner Drives Roadster More Than 100,000 Kilometers

KARLSRUHE, Germany, May 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Hansjorg von Gemmingen, owner of the 83rd Tesla Roadster delivered in Europe, has racked up 100,000 zero-emissions kilometers - the greatest distance covered by any Tesla customer to date. Proving that the electric Roadster excels as both a supercar and daily driver, von Gemmingen drives it consistently, charging every night with a standard household outlet.

"Driving the Roadster is still thrilling, and I enjoy every single ride," von Gemmingen says. "I'm constantly impressed by the durability and performance of Tesla's technology."

A stockbroker who lives in southwest Germany, von Gemmingen relies on the Roadster for all of his driving regardless of purpose or distance, and says he never has trouble finding somewhere to plug in. His 82-year-old mother-in-law even installed a 32-amp (240-volt) plug at her house to ensure more frequent visits. In fact, the electric blue Roadster owner credits daytrips to his extended family with boosting his mileage.

"The Roadster handles long road trips with ease," says von Gemmingen, who made the 800-kilometer trek to Berlin for the Tesla owners event last year. "As long as you have somewhere to plug in for a bit along the way, it's simple to drive the car no matter where you're headed."

Von Gemmingen first spotted the Roadster in German Manager Magazine, and was readily impressed with the 340-km range and instant acceleration in a zero-emissions package - he booked his Roadster immediately. When he got behind the wheel for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show later that year, he was convinced he made the right decision. When his car arrived, he started driving it every chance he got.

In less than two years, Von Gemmingen has already driven farther than any other Tesla customer. Even when the weather turned cold, he was thrilled to take advantage of the car's adaptive temperature and traction controls - zooming through the winter when most sports cars are stowed away.

Collectively driving more than 17 million real-world electric kilometers, Tesla's global fleet of over 1,600 Roadsters proves that drivers don't have to compromise on performance, style or range to go electric.

The extensive experience Tesla has gained with the Roadster - and from customer experiences like von Gemmingen's - is being channeled directly into making Model S the best premium sedan on the market when it launches in 2012. Roadster owners have been instrumental in this mission by making important, early investments in the EV revolution.

About Tesla

Tesla's goal is to produce a full range of electric cars, from sports cars to mass-market vehicles - relentlessly driving down the cost of electric vehicles. It is currently the only U.S. automaker that builds and sells highway-capable EVs in serial production. Palo Alto, California-based Tesla designs and manufactures EVs and EV powertrain components. Tesla has delivered more than 1,600 Roadsters to customers in North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific Region. Model S, the first premium sedan to be built from the ground up as an electric vehicle, goes on the market in mid-2012. Sarah Zimmermann, +49-151-16159991, sarah.zimmermann@teslamotors.com