7 Ways Tesla Motors is Changing the Game By Riley Merkel, Contributor October 22, 2012   |      Though the company is less than 10 years old, Tesla Motors has made great strides in the automotive industry. The producer and innovator of electric, sustainable vehicles is changing the way we view cars and energy sources. Not convinced of Tesla Motors' vast potential? Take a look at these seven ways the company is already changing the auto game. 1. They’re making electric cars desirable And we don’t just mean desirable to people bent on saving the planet. Tesla’s electric cars are sleek and attractive, while providing power that you’d expect from a traditional, gas-guzzling sports sedan. The Model S, for example, has been compared to the Jaguar XF and the BMW 5-series. And it’s not at all dinky. The four-door vehicle can carry five adults, as well as two children in back jumpseats. Tesla is proving that electric cars can be just as functional and handle just as well as any other car, a necessary step if electric cars are ever going to make their way into the mainstream. 2. You don’t have to wait hours to charge up One of the major perceived drawbacks of electric cars is the fact that people feel like they’ll be out of luck with their battery runs out and they’re away from home. And while the answer isn’t available throughout the U.S. just yet, Tesla has addressed the concern with the roadside Supercharger. The free charging stations, which are currently being tested in six locations in California, can fully charge the Model S in an hour or so, and if you just plug in for a half hour, you’ll add 150 miles to your range. 3. The traditional dealership model is blown