FOR eco-conscious car buyers, Tesla’s luxury electric vehicles, with their neck-snapping acceleration, are proof that performance doesn’t have to be sacrificed on the altar of saving the environment.But for some discerning consumers, there is a nagging problem. The leather on the seats and steering wheel requires slaughtering animals, and the cloth substitute doesn’t quite measure up for a vehicle that can cost more than $100,000.Now, in response, comes the Tesla that even a luxury-minded vegan could love. Synthetic leather, in a shade Tesla calls Ultra White, is available as an option for the new Model X sport utility vehicle.Tesla is just the latest car maker to join in a rush by the industry — long a symbol of environmental wreckage — to project a more responsible image."All the car companies want sustainability cred," says Jack Nerad, executive editorial director at Kelley Blue Book.Celebrities such as Beyoncé and Brad Pitt have given the vegan lifestyle gloss, while its growing...
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