Tesla's electric sedan named 'Car of the Year'

Tesla Model S electric car on display during the second press
 preview day at the 2012 North American International Auto Show
 January 10, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan

Tesla Motors Inc.'s battery-powered Model S sedan was named 2013 "Car of the Year" by Motor Trend magazine, a first for the maker of electric vehicles led by Elon Musk that's working to accelerate production.

Tesla's 2013 Model S, with a $57,400 base price, beat out competitors including BMW AG's new 3-Series sedan, Ford Motor Co.'s Fusion sedan, Honda Motor Co.'s revamped Accord and Toyota Motor Corp.'s 2013 Lexus GS. The magazine said it's the first time the award went to an electric vehicle.

The sleek new sedan has space for up to seven. It’s fast, with some versions speeding from zero to 60 miles an hour in about four seconds. It’s full of the latest gadgets, from a 17-inch touch-screen control panel to automatically retracting door handles. And it can travel as far as 300 miles on one charge, and be ready to go again after 30 minutes plugged into a high-power charging station.

"It is a testament not only to the luxury sedan and electric car segment, but to American engineering overall," Edward Loh, editor-in-chief of Motor Trend, said in a statement.

"To be the first car in the 64-year history of the award to be powered by something other than gasoline must mean it is very special."