Tesla Motors Plans to Offer Electric Sedan

Tesla Motors Inc., an electric-car company funded by founders of PayPal Inc.and Google Inc. among others intends to add the WhiteStar sedan to its line in 2010, said Darryl Siry, vice president of marketing. Tesla, based in San Carlos, California, has more than 400 orders for its $100,000 two-seat Roadsters (above), including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, actor George Clooney and GM.

But to revive the U.S. market for rechargeable battery-powered electric autos it needs more than the Roadster. The five-passenger WhiteStar will be assembled at a $35 million factory under development in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and will sell for $50,000 to $65,000. Tesla’s plan is to sell at least 10,000 of them annually.