Tesla and Daimler plan joint 'affordable' e-car

Leccy Tech Daimler AG’s recent “double-digit million Euro sum” tie-up with Tesla will result in an “affordable” electric vehicle, Tesla’s CEO has announced.

Elon Musk was keen to keep further details under wraps, but promised website Green Car Advisor that further details will be released later this year.

It’s reasonable to assume that the pair’s affordable e-car could well be the start of Project BlueStar - the long awaited Tesla leccy car for the rest of us that was to be developed using profits from the Model S.

The project’s thought to centre on a $30,000 (£18,200/€21,000) e-car that’ll sit just below its $57,400 (£34,900/€40,400) Model S.

A BlueStar-conceived e-car’s been rumoured to emerge in 2013, around the same time that Tesla plans to replace its Roadster with a new 2+2 style model sporting more luggage space and a four-wheel drive option.

Musk stressed that Tesla isn’t currently working on a second-generation Roadster, perhaps because all its efforts are currently focused on the Model S, which is due for release in 2011.

But when its new Roadster does hit the road, Musk claimed, it’ll be gunning for the Porsche 911 both in terms of performance and practicality.

The second-gen Roadster will use the same platform as the Model S and be available as both a convertible and a hard top coupé. ®