Green Wombat

Tesla Motors co-founder Martin Eberhard has been replaced as CEO of the Silicon Valley electric car company by former Flextronics chief Michael Marks. Tesla marketing executive Darryl Siry told Green Wombat that Marks, a Tesla investor, will serve as interim CEO as part of a planned transition. The news was first reported Saturday night on San Jose Mercury News auto editor Matt Nauman’s blog.  Tesla communications director David Vespremi says Eberhard will become the startup’s president of technology as it prepares to roll out its Roadster super car later this year. "We were looking for someone who could help take the business to the next level, someone who had manufacturing experience," Vespremi told Green Wombat. "Michael Marks definitely has those credentials with Flextronics. This is all part of growing the business and positioning us to be ready for even more success. Which is why Martin is still very much involved. If anything, it allows Martin to do what he does best, be a technology leader."

After stepping down as Flextronics CEO in 2005, Marks joined private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts. Flextronics is an electronics manufacturing services company that designs, engineers and builds tech products. Siry said Marks will remain with KKR while he serves as interim CEO.

"Martin and the board have been looking for a permanent CEO since early this year and the plan was to have someone in place before we got into production because the amount of manufacturing expertise needed is tremendous," says Siry. "We haven’t found the right one yet, and since we’re about to head into production we decided to name an interim CEO so we could get through this period. Michael Marks has a tremendous amount of manufacturing experience and he knows Tesla."

So far more than 500 people – including California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Google (GOOG) co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, and inventor Dean Kamen – have ponied up nearly $100,000 each for the thrill of going zero-to-60 in four seconds.  The leadership change comes as automakers like General Motors (GM) and Toyota (TM) step up programs to develop plug-in hybrid electric cars. The Roadster takes its first public road trip later this month.

Here’s what Green Wombat wrote about Eberhard in Business 2.0’s 50 Who Matter Now list from the magazine’s June issue:

Eberhard’s high-tech, battery-powered electric car is less about bland eco-consciousness than about sex and speed. The Tesla Roadster does zero-to-60 in a whiplash-inducing four seconds, reaches over 130 mph, and goes more than 200 miles on a single charge.

And oh, yes, it’s also helping to save the earth. No surprise that the likes of Larry Page and Arnold Schwarzenegger have lined up to buy the six-figure supercar. Next up, Eberhard will take aim at the mass market by introducing a four-door sedan, the WhiteStar, that’s slated to debut in 2009 at half the price.