Tesla vehicles at a facility in Hawthorne, Calif. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)
The Tesla Model S draws an admirer before a test drive by the car’s designer, Franz von Holzhausen. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)
The body structure could be aluminum or steel or a combination, but the Model S will have lightweight aluminum body panels. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)
Car designer Franz von Holtzhausen returns to a facility in Hawthorne after a test drive. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)
The all-electric car will seat five adults and have a battery range of up to 300 miles. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)
A prototype of the Tesla Model S features LED lights on the headlights. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)
The front grille of the Tesla Model S. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)
