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The name Elon Musk sounds like a Bond villain or a perfume.

It is just the name of the ­entrepreneur behind PayPal, the first private ­spaceship to dock at the International Space Station and electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla. Musk is obviously a bit brainy, to put it mildly.

We’re testing a right-hand drive Tesla Model S – one of the first to arrive in the UK.

It is a momentous occasion because unlike almost all mainstream manufacturers who have built electric cars, Musk made one to rival luxury cars like Mercs, Audis and BMWs.

See, he’s not daft. The trouble with the VW e-Up! - which we rather like - is that the petrol version is so cheap to buy and run that the electric one is an expensive alternative. The same applies to the Renault Zoe and Nissan Leaf.

But the Model S is a different matter.

Before we look at the sums, let’s get to grips with this amazing motor. It looks pretty special on the outside, especially its pop-out chrome door handles that retract when you move off. But the inside, wow, that’s really different.

Sit at the steering wheel and you’ll see a touchscreen from Land of The Giants. It’s like a massive iPad.

Apart from a handful of buttons on the steering wheel, there are just two buttons in the Tesla – one for hazard warning lights and another to open the glove box. The rest you control at the screen. Steering setting, power, suspension and loads more. You can read the owner’s manual on it, find a charging station and plenty more besides.

There’s barely a centre console so you get a big feeling of space around your feet. And the car’s batteries live under the floor in a huge pack.

There are three versions – the standard car with a 60kWh battery, a Performance one with 80kWh battery, and ­Performance Plus with the same battery but sports-tuned air ­suspension, sportier tyres and bigger wheels.

The 60kWh battery provides a range of 200 miles and the 80kWh 300 miles. With the latter you get a 416bhp ­induction motor that gives seriously impressive performance. It’s the version we’re testing and its acceleration falls into the truly mind blowing category.

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Like 0-60mph in 4.2sec. A lot of people driving muscle saloons will get a shock when the silent Tesla blows them away at the traffic lights.

It’s fitted with a single-speed reduction gearbox that gives the Tesla not just Usain-like sprinting ability off the line, but huge overtaking grunt. The top speed is 130mph so it’s handy on the motorway, too.

You have to give a bit of rope to a company that started from scratch (its first car, the Lotus-built Roadster, is no longer in production) so we’ll forgive the slightly disappointing interior quality.

The seats in particular aren’t­ ­well trimmed. The suspension and steering could do with being better tuned ­ – but that will come with future tweaks.

That Tesla has built a car that is totally different to anything else on the market is enough. You can, for example, ask for the massive boot to be fitted with a pair of rear-facing child seats and turn the car into a seven seater. There’s a boot at the front, too, and that’s massive as well.

And then there’s the range. If you give it the beans everywhere or drive it fast on motorways, you won’t see 300 miles. But if you drive conservatively you certainly will. Even if you only manage 200 miles that’s pretty impressive.

Mr Musk isn’t relying on the ­Government or private companies installing charging points, so by the end of 2015 he’ll have placed enough Tesla Supercharger points to cover the UK. Your 85kWh Model S will recharge in less than an hour. Which means you could do London to Edinburgh and charge the car during a lunch stop.

Now for money. The basic 60kWh Model S is just over £50,000. The Performance is £69,000 and the Performance Plus £83,000.

With a full charge costing less than a fiver and the car attracting 0% benefit-in-kind tax, it’s not as simple as a price tag.

Expect over the next few years for Teslas to be a common sight on the road. Maybe even on the Hammond driveway.

(Image: Newspress)

The Facts

Tesla Model S Performance Plus four-door saloon

Price : £83,000

Engine : 416bhp electric motor

0-62mph : 4.2sec

Fuel consumption : n/a

The Rivals

BMW 5-Series Active Hybrid M Sport : High performance hybrid with 335bhp. Economy and speed but still won’t see where the Tesla went. £50,625

Lexus LS600h : Powerful but ridiculously expensive and very pointless. Have you ever seen one? £99,995

Mercedes-Benz E300 Hybrid SE : Not really a rival because Merc has gone for economy over performance. Even the standard Model S will eat it. £39,880