When it was introduced in 2012, the Tesla Model S blew us away with its luxurious interior, surprising driving dynamics, and usable all-electric range—so much so that we named it our 2013 Car of the Year. Tesla has made continuous updates to the car over the years, introducing larger battery packs and dual-motor all-wheel drive, among other features. But the electric-vehicle moonshot of making it from California’s Bay Area to Los Angeles on a single charge remained out of reach. Not anymore, as MotorTrend has proven with its own testing.
Here are the five crucial changes Tesla made to the Model S to make this feat possible.
Greater Range
Tesla claimed up to 265 miles of range when the Model S first hit the market, an unthinkable number at the time. Nowadays, the Long-Range Model S is rated at 335 miles. In the updated Model S Long Range, that distance will increase 10 percent, to 370 miles, thanks to a new electric motor. The updated Model S’ new front electric motor is a permanent magnet unit that’s similar to the rear motor of the Model 3, but adapted to work in the front. The new motor is more efficient than the outgoing induction motor, and the drag that permanent magnet motors are known for isn’t much of an issue because it powers the front, which is the main drive axle in Tesla’s dual-motor setup. Along with the motor is a new inverter and gearbox, which also contribute efficiency gains. The battery pack and rear motor are unchanged, but there are other updates that help the Model S achieve its increased range.
Less Resistance
Tesla performed a cost analysis to determine how best to spend its money to improve the Model S’ range. The company ruled out a battery pack using a newer cell design (like the one in the Model 3), and ultimately decided to find efficiencies elsewhere. One area is in the wheel bearings, which are now low-friction. Tesla also equipped the Model S with lighter low-rolling-resistance tires. Despite being low-rolling-resistance, Tesla says the tires offer better grip than before.
From the Engineers Who Brought You Track Mode
In addition to its unique tires, the Model S Performance gets a new adaptive air suspension that uses software developed by the same team that came up with Track Mode for the Model 3 Performance. Unlike other adaptive suspension systems, which typically rely on a table with set values, the Model S uses a real-time math model that looks at steering inputs, speed, lateral G, and other variables to make continuous adjustments. As a result, the software can adjust damping rates for all four wheels in real time.
Ride and Handling Improvements
Another benefit of the adaptive suspension is improved steering, which feels crisper because the dampers stiffen up on diagonal wheel sets when cornering. And although past versions of the Model S had a tendency to porpoise over bumps, the new suspension combats that with a softened front spring rate and firmer rear. Additionally, ride height now automatically adjusts based on your route rather than vehicle speed. That means the car can hunker down as soon as you hit the onramp.
No V3 Supercharging, but…
Tesla announced its faster V3 Supercharger tech for the Model 3 earlier this year, but if you owned a Model S and Model X you were sadly out of luck. Because the Model S is built on an older architecture it can’t support V3, but Tesla doesn’t want Model S owners to feel left out. After an over-the-air update, the Model S will be able to juice up at a V2 Supercharger station at a rate of 145 kW, up from the current 120 kW. That will drop charge time from 37 minutes down to 26, Tesla says. That’s not the 1,000 miles of range per hour that V3 promises, but knocking 11 minutes off your Supercharger visit is better than nothing. If you do hook up your Model S or Model X at a V3 Supercharger, Tesla says you can charge at 200 kW. Not a bad consolation.
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