Without having spoken to anyone, Tesla has revised up the range of its Model S in Europe. Thus, the electric sedan can reach 723 kilometers of WLTP autonomy, but only in a very specific configuration.
If there is something that is very important for buyers of electric cars, it is autonomy. Still judged as an obstacle by many, this aspect is today an important issue. Because for many motorists, it would only be possible to consider buying a car with a zero emission exhaust if it can travel at least 400 kilometers on a single charge. However, with the rise of fast charging solutions, this reasoning is flawed.
A “little” surprise
This does not prevent car manufacturers from working on the development of cars that offer ever greater autonomy. For example, we can cite Zeekr or Nio, as well as Lucid, who 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, has further improved the autonomy of one of its star models. This is the Tesla Model S, whose configurator has been discreetly updated in Europe. Taking a look at the latter, and more specifically at the choice of tires, we note that the saloon can travel up to 723 kilometers according to the European WLTP cycle compared to 634 km a few weeks ago. What to approach the Mercedes EQS with its 784 kilometers, or rather 725 km with the configurations available in France.
Only the American manufacturer Lucid does it better in Europe, with the Lucid Air and its 883 km of autonomy, thanks to a huge battery of about 120 kWh. Compare with 107 kWh for the Mercedes EQS and 100 kWh for the Tesla Model S.
Pay attention to the choice of tires.
But be careful, because for that you need necessarily opt for 19-inch Tesla Tempest wheels, supplied as standard in the car. While these aren’t the prettiest, they are designed to offer less air resistance. On the other hand, if you choose the optional 21-inch mount called the Arachnid, theautonomy drops to 634 kilometers. And you will have to spend 4,900 euros more.
In order to take advantage of this greater autonomy, which is not clearly indicated in the configurator, it will also be necessary to choose the entry version with the Dual motor four wheel drive. In fact, the Plaid finish, which we recently tested, has a range of 695 kilometers with the aerodynamic wheels. This has also been changed in the configurator, whereas the 21-inch frame 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 estimate of the autonomy of the version with 19-inch wheels after the official homologation of the 21-inch version in Europe in the WLTP consumer cycle.
many improvements
If no restyling is planned for the sedan, while the manufacturer is already working on renewing its Model 3 and Model Y, it is still entitled to some improvements. In fact, late last week, Tesla announced a host of new features for its sedan, including 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 choose between the Yoke steering wheel and a more classic round steering wheel, while the former didn’t excite us much during our test. If the manufacturer also announced a price drop in the United States, this does not worry us at the moment.
In fact, the Model S starts at 89,900 dollars, or about 84,388 euros, while in France it is displayed at 113,990 euros in its basic version. Thus, you cannot receive the ecological bonus of 5,000 euros, reserved for cars of less than 47,000 euros. On the other hand, it is now the case of the 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, offering new, sportier suspensions. The manufacturer is now working on the launch of its Model 2, which, however, was not detailed during the Investor Day that was held on March 1. The affordable sedan could help the brand, which will face fierce competition from Chinese automakers.
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