[March 14, 2012] Tesla Motors and Athlon Car Lease sign agreement to introduce Model S in Europe Tweet Mar 14, 2012 (Datamonitor via COMTEX) -- Tesla Motors and Athlon Car Lease have announced an agreement to introduce Model S, Tesla's premium electric sedan, into corporate fleets across Europe. Athlon Car Lease has also reserved 150 Model S sedans to ensure early availability of Model S for its customers. This is reportedly the first Model S fleet reservation made worldwide by a leasing company. The two companies established a leasing program for the Tesla Roadster and Roadster Sport across Europe in July 2011. The Roadster leasing program is available in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands. Model S is the first premium electric sedan. It seats five adults and two children. With no internal combustion engine or transmission tunnel, the interior of the car has class-leading cargo space, including a second trunk under the hood. The centerpiece of the interior is a 17 touch screen with wireless connectivity for streaming radio, web browsing and navigation. Model S comes with three battery pack options, 40kWh, 60kWh or 85kWh. It can be recharged using any conventional outlet and is capable of a fast charge of 45 minutes, the company said. "We are delighted to continue our collaboration with Tesla and to increase our EV offering to our customers under our one-stop-shop policy for electric vehicles. As a leading mobility provider, sustainability and innovation are in Athlon's DNA and at the very core of our business. "We believe that bringing EV solutions closer to customers is key in increasing the adoption of electric vehicles in the market. We are thus proud to be once more a frontrunner in promoting change in our industry," said Hans Blink, president of Athlon Car Lease. Equipped with Tesla's electric power train, Model S provides instant torque and smooth acceleration from 0-60 in less than six seconds. The aluminum body is engineered for superior handling, safety and efficiency, the company added. Richard Sikkel, senior vice president commerce at Athlon Car Lease International, said, "Our collaboration with Tesla has been very well perceived by the market. Almost 50 % of our initial order has already been pre-reserved by several of Athlon's existing customers an example that demonstrates the increasing need for electric vehicles in the industry." http://www.datamonitor.com Republication or redistribution, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without prior written consent. Datamonitor shall not be liable for errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]