Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Electric car maker Tesla plans to offer a limited-edition version of its Model S sedan next year that will have a battery mighty enough to keep the car going for 300 miles on a single charge.

That's much farther than the Nissan Leaf, which can go up to 100 miles on a charge. The Leaf went on sale late last year.

A Tesla vice president says the company plans to sell a Model S Signature Series with the 300-mile battery in North America starting in mid-2012. Versions with 230-mile and 160-mile batteries are planned for later in 2012.

The Model S with a 160-mile battery will start at $57,400, or $49,900 after a $7,500 federal tax credit. The 230-mile option is expected to cost $10,000 more, and the 300-mile option about $20,000 more.

The Leaf sells for less than $33,000, or just over $25,000 with the tax credit.