DOWNEY, Calif. (AP) -- A Tesla electric car assembly plant is a step closer to reality in Southern California.
Downey's planning commission last week approved a plan to subdivide some property that used to be a NASA manufacturing plant and allow Tesla Motors to lease 51 acres.
The San Carlos-based carmaker has been looking for a location to build its next-generation Model S sedan, which could travel as far as 300 miles on a charge. The car is slated to go into production by late 2011 with a base price of $57,400.
The neighboring Los Angeles suburbs of Downey and Long Beach both want the plant, which could employ as many as 1,500 people. Tesla has yet to announce which city it will select.
