Fisker vs. Tesla

[LBrennan]

This isn't a good comparison but it's bound to be made. A lot like comparing Mercedes and Lotus. Fisker is a luxury vehicle, Tesla is a performance vehicle. Which do you prefer?

[LoganJ]

I was on the waiting list for the Tesla Roadster however when I test drove it, I ultimately found it to be way to small. If the Model S was coming out in 2010 like the Karma, then I would definitely consider it.

[Wareal]

The first US automotive manufacturer to IPO since Ford in 1956. The times are indeed a-changin'.

6/29/10 6:58 AM

DOW JONES NEWSWIRES



Tesla Motors Inc.'s (TSLA) initial public offering of at least 13.3 million shares priced at $17 Monday night, above expectations of $14 to $16 each.

The deal bucks a trend of companies cutting the size and or price of IPO plans the past several months amid stock-market volatility. Others haven't been able to complete efforts and shelved deals for the time being.

Telsa's IPO was expected to appeal to both clean-energy investors and car geeks.

The company is selling 11.1 million shares while current holders are offering the rest. The later includes Chief Executive Elon Musk, whose stake will fall from 36% to as little as 28% after the IPO. The shares will trade starting Tuesday on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol TSLA and there will be some 93 million shares outstanding following the offering.

The company, named for scientist and inventor Nikola Tesla, has been selling its all-electric Roadsters for nearly two years and is still the only company selling highway-capable electric vehicles to consumers in volume.

It sold 1,063 Roadsters as of March 31 and has unfilled reservations for 110.The Roadster sells for $109,000, or $101,500 after federal tax credits. The Roadster Sport edition costs an extra $19,500. Some states offer additional consumer-tax breaks for buying an electric car, topping out as much as $42,000 in Colorado.



-By Matt Jarzemsky, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2240, matthew.jarzemsky@dowjones.com