Tesla touts top sales at Detroit auto show

Tesla credits the "exceptional cold weather performance" of its Model S for 20 percent-higher-than-expected Q4 sales of 6,900 units, bringing total Model S sales worldwide to 25,000 so far.

In fact, Tesla says its sedan does so well in the snow that the rear wheels are the only ones that need any torque.

"This car performs outstandingly in winter conditions," said Tesla vp of vehicle engineering Chris Porritt in a video released the day of the Detroit Auto Show. "In fact, all wheel-drive is not required at all."

Which doesn't bode well for anyone waiting for an awd Model S.

Porrritt points to the electric motor's low inertia compared to an internal combustion engine, which allows the car's traction control to react quickly.

To that end, Tesla announced that installation of Superchargers in select areas of Canada will be coming “soon.” There are approximately 80 Tesla Superchargers in place in the U.S. right now.

But if you're an engineer and want to get the heck out of the cold climate, Tesla also said at the Detroit show that it's hiring. So maybe brush off that resume and get ready to move to California, where it never snows and the only time you'll need traction control is when you're racing around all those dry roads.

Unfortunately, there was no Model X – the SUV that is scheduled to be the next Tesla model - on the stand in Detroit, but Tesla said to expect it to debut in California in the near future. Our sister publication Automotive News shows the Model X going into production in early 2015.

By Mark Vaughn