Daily News Briefs: June 7, 2012

Chrysler Group CEO Sergio Marchionne has decided to keep the number of offerings at Dodge and Chrysler brands to no more than five models, according to Automobile Magazine. The Chrysler brand is already below that level at four models, but Dodge has seven models. Primed for the chopping block are the Dodge Avenger and, over time, the Dodge Durango SUV, the magazine reports. The Durango will be replaced by a seven-passenger Jeep model, says the magazine.

In other news:

2012 Tesla Model S Will Launch a Month Early, Have 265-Mile Range

Tesla Motors has moved up the on-sale date of its 2012 Tesla Model S to June, and the electric carmaker revealed that top-of-the-line Model S trims will have a range of up to 265 miles.

Due to quicker-than-expected approval by government agencies, Tesla expects to deliver its first retail Model S vehicles in June instead of its original July date.

The Model S is now fully certified with the EPA and the state of California, according to Tesla. On the company's blog, the carmaker mentioned that the Model S with the largest battery pack, an 85-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery, is EPA-rated as traveling about 265 miles per charge. This exceeds the range of any electric vehicle on the market today. No word yet on what the 40- and 60-kWh batteries will get, but Tesla originally stated ranges of 160 miles and 230 miles, respectively. The 85-kWh battery was originally estimated to get 300 miles per charge, about 12% higher than the EPA's number.

Tesla Developing a Mercedes Electric Vehicle

Amid reports of losses and progress by Tesla Motors to develop its own lineup of electric vehicles comes news that the carmaker is also helping Mercedes-Benz to develop its own EV.

In Tesla's latest filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the electric startup says it is fully developing a powertrain for a new all-electric Mercedes vehicle. Tesla will design the electric motor, gearbox, inverter and software that will go into the EV, according to the filings.

This project is separate from another one in which Tesla is contracted to give 1,000 lithium-ion battery packs to Mercedes. In exchange, Mercedes made a large investment in Tesla and now owns about 10% of the company.

Tesla continues to help develop an electric powertrain for the Toyota RAV4 EV, which is scheduled to go into production in the middle of this year.

Tesla also announced year-end revenue of $204 million, up 75% from 2010. Despite bringing in more money, Tesla lost about $254 million in 2011, which is a 65% increase in losses compared with 2010. Tesla expects revenue to increase significantly in 2012 once the Tesla Model S goes on sale. The company forecasts year-end revenue to increase to around $550 million to $600 million, with most of the money coming from the latter half of 2012.

Tesla Model X: First Look

• Looks like: The Tesla Model S gets the crossover treatment  
• Defining characteristics: All-wheel drive, electric drivetrains, massive roof-hinged rear doors 
• Ridiculous features: Huge touch-screen might make MyFord Touch look simple  
• Chances of being mass-produced: Deliveries start in early 2014

While the first Tesla Model S sedans have yet to reach customers, the automaker feels confident enough to show its next new model, the Model X.

The Model X is a three-row crossover that's based on the Model S. Shown here in prototype form, the electric carmaker says it's investing about $150 million into designing the new body style. Tesla also expects the Model X to go into production late next year, with it showing up in early 2014 at customers' doorsteps.

Why should you choose this over the Model S, which also has the ability to seat seven people in a pinch?

Tesla Model X Crossover Teased

We still have to wait until July for the first Tesla Model S sedans to go on sale. Even so, that's not stopping the automaker from announcing a new model that the company has been working on, alongside the Model S, called the Model X.

Based off the Model S, the Tesla Model X is a crossover. It will be unveiled to the public via the company's website at 8 p.m. PST on Feb. 9, according to a tweet from Tesla CEO Elon Musk. The vehicle will officially debut at the company's Los Angeles Design Studio park. No word on if the new model will also be shown at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show, which will be underway at the time.

According to Tesla, the Model X combines the functionality of a minivan with the design of an SUV. Since the crossover features the Model S' powertrain and platform, Tesla believes it can get the Model X out quickly. With development already underway, the company expects a late-2013 delivery.

Tesla Model S Gets Official Price of $57,400

As the Tesla Model S prepares to go on sale later next year, the car company has reaffirmed its previous pricing strategy. The sedan will start at $57,400, though the first models available will be the Model S Signature trim, which will start at $95,400. All models are eligible for a maximum $7,500 tax credit if you meet a tax liability of at least that amount.

While all vehicles are powered by the same electric motor, the battery capacity will vary depending on what you’re willing to pay. The standard 40-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery allows the Model S to go 160 miles when traveling at average speeds of 55 mph. There are also 60-kWh and 85-kWh batteries with ranges of 230 and 300 miles, respectively. Each increase in battery size increases the price by $10,000 — so $67,400 and $77,400, respectively.

Tesla Model S Gets Price, 2012 Release Date

We haven’t heard much from Tesla Motors since its successful initial public offering last summer. The electric car company has gone quiet, focusing on its Model S sedan. According to recent comments from CEO and co-founder Elon Musk, retail production for the EV is set to being within the next year and a half.

Deliveries should begin in mid-2012, Musk said, with the previously stated target base price of $57,400 ($49,900 with tax credits) for a Model S with a 160-mile range. A battery pack with a range of 230 miles will cost about $67,000, and a 300-mile option will top out at $77,000. If the figures stay put, the Model S will be a competitively priced full-size luxury sedan. It’s slightly larger than the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Audi A6, according to Tesla.

EV Startups Fail to Deliver on Promises

In 2007, the automotive industry was on the brink of a revolution. Large, established car companies were reeling from the gas price spike and, for the first time in decades, small startup automakers emerged, this time to build electric cars.

Some three years later, the major automakers have delivered on their promised electric vehicles, but most of the new automakers have run into trouble.

The Wheego — a Chinese-sourced, California-assembled electric car that can go 100 miles on a charge — has been delayed, according to AllCarsElectric.com. The Wheego LiFe was supposed to go on sale (with a starting price $32,995) in December, but it's held up because it's awaiting final approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The automaker already has 500 orders and 32 dealerships lined up, but if there are more delays, will the interest in this EV remain?

Toyota Teases Electric RAV4

Toyota announced over the summer that it will unveil an electric RAV4, powered by Tesla technology, at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show.Today, Toyota is backing up the claim with a few teaser images.

Toyota showed off its nameplate badge and “EV” emblem and a speedometer with an LED readout promoting the Tesla-Toyota relationship prominently.

We’ll have more for you when Toyota unveils the EV on Nov. 17.

Tesla to Build Electric Toyota RAV4s

Recall Alert: Tesla 2.0, 2.5 Roadster

Electric sports carmaker Tesla is recalling 439 of its latest Roadster models due to a potentially defective low-voltage cable. The 12-volt auxiliary cable could lose power, which would impact systems including headlights, taillights, turn signals, hazard lights and airbags. The recall was initiated after the cable caused a short in a vehicle, leading to a fire.

The models involved in the recall are the Roadster 2.0 and 2.5. The Roadster 1.5 is not included in the recall.

Tesla has reported the recall to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and begun contacting customers. The fix will include inspecting the cable’s routing and adding a protective sleeve over it.

Customers can contact their Tesla dealer for more information.