<story><title>2013 Automobile of the Year: Tesla Model S</title><url>http://www.automobilemag.com/features/awards/1301_2013_automobile_of_the_year_tesla_model_s/viewall.html</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>martythemaniak</author><text>Even if Tesla do not survive, ten years from now every new electric car will be a descendant of the Model S in all the major ways - floor-mounted battery pack, lack of physical buttons, etc.</text></comment>
<story><title>2013 Automobile of the Year: Tesla Model S</title><url>http://www.automobilemag.com/features/awards/1301_2013_automobile_of_the_year_tesla_model_s/viewall.html</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>rdl</author><text>If they can get to volume production, I think the $50-60k models, leased, could be great sellers.  The really interesting thing would be to rip off Better Place&apos;s model and lease the cars at a discounted monthly payment plus a per-mile &quot;fuel equivalence&quot; charge.  It&apos;s just accounting, but you could basically price the Model S at BMW 3-series lease rates (or even Toyota Avalon!), plus a per-mile fuel cost which was 10-20% less than gasoline.  Combine that with the quality of the Model S, the environmental/status benefit (90+% of the girls I&apos;ve polled would be more impressed by a Model S than a 2-3x as expensive Ferrari), and HOV lane access, and it would be great.&lt;p&gt;The Leaf, which basically sucks by comparison as a car, is essentially free in California ($200/mo lease, $2500 California incentive tax credit covers the first year, fuel, HOV lane, and toll savings vs. a less-efficient gas car pretty much cover lease payments IMO).&lt;p&gt;I&apos;d have a Leaf as a hold-over until Teslas ship in quantity if I had a second parking space.</text></comment>