Tesla hires a Northwest regional manager from Portland
Tesla Motors has hired a Portland native to manage the sales channel for its Northwest region.
Troy Jones, a former real estate investor and western regional manager for real-estate information company Costar, is moving to Seattle to set up the distribution network for the sexy electric sports cars in the Northwest region.
Jones said there are currently 55 Teslas on the roads in the Pacific Northwest, 15 of them in the Portland Metro area. He's meeting with Oregon businesses in an effort to set up relationships, help develop a Tesla sales channel and partner to install charging stations throughout the region.
Tesla has a direct sales model for its Tesla Roadster in Oregon. Cars are delivered to individuals who order them, rather than being sold through dealerships. But Jones said that model will likely evolve over time.
Tesla announced earlier this year that it would increase production of its Roadster by 40 percent and is due to start selling the car in Japan this month. In January, the company filed with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to make an initial public offering of stock and it remains one of the most anticipated clean-tech IPOs.
"This car is game changing," Jones said.
He shared a story about driving his Chevy Tahoe to Seattle and spending $68 in gas for the trip.
"On the way back I drove a Tesla," he said. "It cost me $4.10 in electricity."
Tesla is holding an event in Portland this weekend at the Hotel Modera, making the Roadster available for test drives by appointment.
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