Tesla Model S

Tesla Model S at a glance

The Model S was Tesla's second production car after the Tesla Roadster and the first designed from the ground up as a Tesla. It showed that an electric car could offer the range, space and performance of a premium petrol saloon, and it was launched together with Tesla's own Supercharger fast-charging network. The company's story is told in the history of Tesla, and the range, including the Tesla Model X SUV that shares its platform, is in the Tesla catalogue.

Development and launch

The Model S was styled by Franz von Holzhausen, who had previously worked at Mazda North American Operations, and was developed under the code name "Whitestar". An early idea of a range-extending petrol engine was dropped. After plans for plants in New Mexico and San Jose were abandoned, series production began at Tesla's plant in Fremont, California, in June 2012. Output rose from 15–20 cars a week in August 2012 to about 400 a week in December, and 2,650 cars were delivered in 2012. European cars received final assembly at Tilburg in the Netherlands from August 2013.

Design, interior and practicality

The Model S has a smooth, low body with flush door handles, and its aerodynamic efficiency was the best of any production car at its launch. The 2016 facelift replaced the black nose panel with a solid front fascia and added full-LED adaptive headlights. Inside, a 17-inch vertical touchscreen controlled almost all functions; the 2021 refresh brought a horizontal screen and, on many cars, a yoke-style steering wheel. Front seats have good side support and wide electric adjustment, while the rear bench has a flatter cushion. Because there is no engine, there is a 150-litre front trunk as well as a 750-litre rear boot, which grows to 1,650 litres with the rear seats folded. An optional pair of rear-facing child seats in the boot made the Model S one of very few hatchbacks with a third row.

Battery, motors and charging

The original 85 kWh battery contains 7,104 lithium-ion cells with nickel-cobalt-aluminium cathodes from Panasonic, arranged in 16 modules under the floor. This low position lowers the centre of gravity and gives a weight distribution of about 46:54 front to rear. Early cars had a single rear motor; from 2014 dual-motor all-wheel-drive versions arrived, and in 2021 the Plaid added a third motor. The onboard charger accepts 10 kW, or 20 kW with an optional upgrade, and Tesla's Superchargers, initially rated at 120 kW, can add several hundred kilometres of range in about an hour.

Versions and performance

In 2023 a Standard Range version offered about 595 km (370 mi), and the 2025 update raised the Long Range to about 660 km (410 mi). Power figures for the dual-motor cars are system outputs as quoted by Tesla; top speed of the regular versions is about 250 km/h.

Chassis and safety

Air suspension with adjustable ride height was available, and the car weighs between 1,961 and 2,250 kg depending on version. In Euro NCAP testing the Model S received five stars, with 94% for adult occupants, 91% for children, 85% for pedestrians and 98% for safety assist. The US NHTSA also gave it five stars in 2015; Tesla's claim of a "5.4-star" rating was rejected by NHTSA. Autopilot driver assistance has been developed continuously through software updates.

Dimensions

Awards and sales

The Model S was named Motor Trend Car of the Year 2013 and World Green Car of the Year 2013; Motor Trend also named it its Ultimate Car of the Year in 2019. In 2015 it was the world's best-selling plug-in electric car, with 50,366 deliveries. Production in Fremont ended in May 2026, when Tesla converted the line, together with that of the Model X.

Rivals: how the Model S compares

The Model S competed with large premium saloons such as the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, BMW 5 Series and Porsche Panamera, and later with electric rivals such as the Porsche Taycan, Mercedes EQS and Lucid Air. Its strengths are range, acceleration, the Supercharger network and software updates; its weaknesses are interior quality below the German rivals and a high purchase price.