Without having spoken to anyone, Tesla has revised the autonomy of its Model S upwards in Europe. Thus, the electric sedan can reach 723 kilometers of WLTP autonomy, but only in a very specific configuration.
If there’s one thing that’s very important to electric car buyers, it’s range. Still judged as a hindrance by many, this aspect is today an important subject. Because for many motorists, it would only be possible to consider buying a zero-emission exhaust car if it can travel at least 400 kilometers on a single charge. However, with the rise of fast charging solutions, this reasoning is actually wrong.
A “little” surprise
This does not prevent car manufacturers from working on the development of cars offering ever greater autonomy. For example, we can cite Zeekr or Nio as well as Lucid, which all come close to the fateful 1,000 kilometer mark. But Tesla is also a big believer in extended ranges.
The firm has always made this data one of its selling points. And now, without telling anyone, she has further improved the autonomy of one of her star models. This is the Tesla Model S, whose configurator has been discreetly updated in Europe. By taking a look at the latter, and more particularly in the choice of rims, we notice that the sedan can travel up to 723 kilometers according to the European cycle WLTP against 634 km a few weeks ago. What get closer to the Mercedes EQS with its 784 kilometers, or rather 725 km with the configurations available in France.
Only the American manufacturer Lucid does better in Europe, with the Lucid Air and its 883 km of autonomy, thanks to a huge battery of around 120 kWh. Compare to the 107 kWh of the Mercedes EQS and the 100 kWh of the Tesla Model S.
Pay attention to the choice of rims
But be careful, because for that, you need necessarily opt for the 19-inch Tesla Tempest rims, supplied as standard on the car. While these aren’t the prettiest, they’re designed to offer less air resistance. On the other hand, if you choose the optional 21-inch mount called Arachnid, theautonomy drops to 634 kilometers. And you will have to spend 4,900 euros more.
To be able to take advantage of this increased autonomy, which is not clearly indicated on the configurator, it will also be necessary to choose the entry-level version with the Dual Motor all-wheel drive. Indeed, the Plaid finish, which we recently tested, has a range of 695 kilometers with the aero rims. This has also been modified on the configurator, while the 21-inch mount only allows 600 kilometers.
It should be noted that these “new” ranges are not the result of an improvement in the car. This is simply thanks to a better estimation of the autonomy of the version with the 19-inch rims following the official homologation of the 21-inch version in Europe on the WLTP consumption cycle.
Many improvements
If no restyling is planned for the sedan, while the manufacturer is already working on the renewal of its Model 3 and Model Y, it still has the right to some improvements. Indeed, at the end of last week, Tesla announced a series of new features for its sedan, which includes a completely new body color.
A new less opaque panoramic roof also makes its appearance, while the braking system has been reworked and improved. It is also possible to choose between the Yoke steering wheel and a more classic round steering wheel, while the first did not thrill us much during our test. If the manufacturer also announced a drop in prices in the United States, this does not concern us for the moment.
Indeed, the Model S starts from 89,900 dollars, or about 84,388 euros while it is displayed at 113,990 euros in France in its entry-level version. Thus, it is not eligible for the ecological bonus of 5,000 euros, reserved for cars under 47,000 euros. On the other hand, it is now the case of Model 3 and Model Y, which lost up to 13,000 euros in a few hours last January.
A few weeks ago, Tesla also made some surprise changes to its Model Y, which offers new, sportier suspensions. The manufacturer is now working on the launch of its Model 2, which was however not detailed during the Investor Day which was held on March 1. The affordable sedan could help the brand, which will face fierce competition from Chinese automakers.
Our colleagues from Numerama are launching Watt Else, their newsletter dedicated to the mobility of the future. Sign up here to make sure you get the first issue!