It looks like Tesla's sales plan is paying off. The electric carmaker Tesla Motors have already booked over 1000 orders for their Model S sedan, a vehicle that can carry up to seven people for a range of up to 300 miles. The Model S starts at $49,900 after tax rebates, but Tesla claims that the operating costs are so low, that it is rely the equivalent of owning something like a $30,000 vehicle.

Tesla has already put more than 400 examples of their $100,000 electric roadster into the hands of customers. The Tesla Roadster is capable of running from 0 to 60 MPH in only 3.9 seconds, besting most sports cars, while being twice as energy efficient as the Toyota Prius. Roadster owners also benefit from a far lower cost of ownership than comparably priced sports cars, with none of the traditional internal combustion maintenance and the added benefit of the cost of electricity compared to the fluctuating price of gas, an amount that could be back up to $5 per gallon by the end of summer. Tesla believes that owning an environmentally friendly Roadster can add up to a savings of around $26,000 over the lifetime of the vehicle as opposed to say, a $100,000 Porsche.

Tesla Motors CEO, Chairman and Product Architect Elon Musk believes that “despite the enormous environmental benefits, lower total cost of ownership will soon become the primary motivation for consumers to evolve from gas guzzlers to EVs.”

Press release after the jump.

Press release

Tesla Motors surpassed 1,000 reservations for the Model S, an all-electric family sedan that carries up to seven people and travels up to 300 miles per charge.

Tesla launched the car March 26, and reservations immediately began streaming in online and at showrooms in California. The anticipated base price of the Model S is $49,900 after a federal tax credit. The $5,000 reservation fee is refundable.

But sticker price is only one part of a car’s total cost of ownership. If you account for the much lower cost of electricity vs. gasoline at a likely future cost of more than $5 per gallon, the Model S is equivalent to a gasoline car with a sticker price of about $30,000, such as a Ford Taurus, Honda Accord or even a Toyota Avalon or BMW 3-Series. Those savings are realized immediately if you lease a Model S, so there is no need wait years to earn back the price difference.

“The Model S is a better value than much cheaper conventional cars,” said Tesla CEO, Chairman and Product Architect Elon Musk. “Despite the enormous environmental benefits, lower total cost of ownership will soon become the primary motivation for consumers to evolve from gas guzzlers to EVs.”

Performance with a Clean Conscience

Tesla is the only production automaker selling highway-capable EVs in North America or Europe. With 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds, the Roadster outperforms almost all sports cars in its class, yet is more than twice as energy efficient as a Toyota Prius and delivers 244 miles per charge – the only car that offers performance with a clean conscience.

Tesla has delivered more than 400 Roadsters to customers so far. The base price of the Roadster is $101,500 after a $7,500 federal tax credit.

The Roadster has a far lower cost of ownership than comparably priced sports cars -- even after factoring in a battery pack replacement. The lower cost of electricity vs. gasoline, the relative lack of maintenance on an EV, and state and federal tax incentives may result in lifetime savings of at least $26,000 compared with a similarly priced gasoline sports car. The Roadster also liberates owners from detours to the gas station and inconvenient trips to the mechanic for routine oil changes, exhaust system repairs and other internal combustion engine maintenance.

“Some Roadster customers are sports car enthusiasts. Some are environmentalists. Some care about energy security. All are discriminating and value conscious consumers,” Musk said. “Now we’re seeing the same attributes in customers who opt for the Model S. People who drive Teslas refuse to compromise on value, performance or efficiency.”