Electric car manufacturer Tesla enters local market

Isabel Fan poses for a picture besides the Tesla Model S

American electric automobile manufacturer Tesla Motors has announced its official entry into the Macau market with the launch of Tesla’s official Macau website. Through this platform, Macau customers can now place orders for the brand’s award-winning Model S.
To celebrate the announcement and to seize the opportunities created by the 5th China (Macau) International Automobile Exposition, held recently at the Venetian’s Cotai Expo, a representative of the manufacturer for Macau and Hong Kong displayed two units of its Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive Model S. This was to enable Macau customers and enthusiasts to have an intimate encounter with the car and experience some of its features and options.
Macau has become Tesla’s fifth market in the Asia-Pacific region after Australia, China, Hong Kong and Japan, showcasing the company’s commitment and mission to advancing the adoption of electric vehicles in the region.
Just like what happened in Hong Kong, and in addition to vehicles sales and aftersales service, Tesla will also set up charging solutions to support its customers. This was one of the major concerns from the public in adopting this type of vehicle in Macau. As the Regional Director of Tesla Hong Kong and Macau, Ms Isabel Fan, noted to the Times: “We will provide the necessary support to the customers so that they can install their own charging station at home or at the office (each vehicle includes one charging station), and can also partner will local companies and institutions in order to establish [public or semi-public] charging areas.” These places, as a representative from Tesla mentioned, can include hotels, parking lots, and shopping malls. For the time being, in Hong Kong, Tesla already set eight of these partnerships into motion, with one more set to open in the next few days.
“We are thrilled to be making our debut in Macau,” said Ms Fan. “The close cultural proximity between Hong Kong and Macau, as well as the support from the Macau SAR government, makes Macau an ideal place for EVs. We are committed to helping the city accelerate its transition to sustainable transport,” she added.
As for deliveries, the first batch of vehicles is expected to be ready for delivery in the first quarter of 2016.
No figures are yet available regarding orders from Macau customers, since the website only started operations on Friday. But Ms Fan mentioned that the company’s interest in the Macau market had a lot to do with “the many requests received in Hong Kong from potential Macau customers.” She added that by being a “small territory, it is in fact the perfect location for the successful implementation of the EVs, since the bigger concerns in other countries and regions is always the range that the car can reach. Since the Model S is set in between 400 and 500 kilometers, I do not think that will be a problem for most of the drivers here.”
As for the long-awaited “Falcon Winged doors” Model X, this will be the brand’s first foray into the SUV market, with Ms Fan mentioning that “the delivery of the first batch is expected for the middle of 2016.”

Test drive: An impressive car

At first glance, the Tesla Model S 85D captivates the public by its executive and discreet look, with some futuristic elements that hint at its capacities.
The interior is luxurious with various fabrics and leather used throughout the cockpit. At the center of the console, a huge 17-inch touchscreen clearly indicates that we are in the presence of something different. Using the touchscreen, everything in the car can be set up and customized: the seat or driving wheel adjustments; the air conditioning, sound system, navigation; the amount of light on board; the backlight in the displays; and, of course, all the necessary parts of the vehicle, including  battery life and charging status.
On the road, the Tesla impresses because of its power. The output delivery from its dual-motor system provides a real-time Four Wheel Drive experience. The fact is, although the car does not conventionally resemble a “super car”, the electric engines provide full torque, in this case a 660 Nm. This is the equivalent of what the Bentley 4.0L V8 engine or a Lamborghini Murcielago 6.5L V12 would deliver.
The power of its two motors working together reaches 311kW or 416BHP output and it can reach 100Kph from 0 in 4.4 seconds, like a Mercedes S Class 65 AMG or a Porsche 911 GT3 997.
Its top speed is set at 250 kph. Can you believe that all of this happens with zero fuel and zero emissions? RM