Tesla celebrates opening of Milan store on Feb. 11

“The Milan store will capture the imagination and attention of Italy’s sports car aficionados, and it will also offer test drives to the many trend setters and early adopters who visit the world’s capital of fashion and design,” said Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who will host the evening gala on Feb. 11. The celebrity-studded party will take place as the global fashion industry converges on Milan for runway shows.

Shortly before the VIP celebration, Tesla is hosting a first-of-its-kind “customer chat” with Roadster owners from at least eight countries. Many Roadster owners are driving their zero-emission sports electric cars to this special event, in which Musk will discuss the future of transportation and take questions from owners in an unscripted Q&A.

During the evening celebration, Musk will announce a charitable donation to non-profit Haitian relief organization Yele Haiti through the foundation’s European ambassador, Florent Malouda. The international football star plays for Chelsea and the French national team and is one of the newest owners of the Tesla Roadster. The Roadster has the world’s most technologically sophisticated powertrain and is the hottest car among thought leaders– from Hollywood celebrities to cutting-edge fashion designers.

Under the Italian Sun

Tesla’s opening gala will also feature premium wines from Querciabella. Based in Greve in Chianti (Tuscany), Querciabella is one of the first Italian wineries to have incorporated sustainable methods into winemaking through biodynamic viticulture.

The opening party will also herald the delivery of another Roadster to Tesla’s biggest corporate customer in Italy, Energy Resources. The Ancona-based company is one of Italy’s leading renewable energy providers, and Energy Resources Green Mobility builds charge points – including those that run on pure solar energy. Italy aggressively promotes renewable energy development, ranking second to Germany for solar power installations.

Energy Resources Green Mobility installs charging points in convenient locations such as Ikea. Many of its charging points run on solar energy.

The community of Tesla owners in Italy stretches from Naples to the Lakes District. Roadster owners do not pay Milan’s notorious congestion fees, and they can park and charge for free at hundreds of charging stations nationwide.

The Roadster, which averages 340 kms per charge, is the only sports car that produces zero emissions. That’s made it the hottest fashion accessory in Europe, where many designers opt for environmentally friendly materials such as organic cotton, bamboo and sustainable silk. Shortly after the grand opening celebration, Roadsters will be on display during Milan Fashion Week.

Tesla’s goal is to produce a full range of electric cars, from premium sports cars to mass market electric vehicles – relentlessly driving down the cost of electric vehicles. It is currently the only automaker in the U.S. that builds and sells highway-capable electric vehicles in serial production. Palo Alto, Calif.-based Tesla designs and manufactures electric cars and EV powertrain components. Tesla has delivered more than 1,500 Roadsters to customers in North America, Europe and Asia. The electric car Tesla Roadster accelerates faster than most sports cars yet produces no emissions.

www.teslamotors.com