Super model

The current darling of the electric vehicle world, the Tesla Model S will soon be joined by crossover and sports saloon siblings. But just what is it that makes Tesla’s first volume seller both so popular and so highly thought of? Richard Gooding spends seven days with the Model S 85.

The Tesla Model S rocked the motoring world when it was launched in June 2012. Up until that point the Californian automotive and energy storage company was probably best known for selling the Roadster, a battery electric-powered two‑seater sports car capable of scintillating performance and over 200 miles on a single charge. Based on the Lotus Elise, the £86,950 car was built from 2008-2012 and sprinted to 60mph from rest in just 3.7 seconds.

Full-sized five-door luxury
Tesla’s intent to produce a more luxurious and practical offering was announced in June 2008. While it took four years for the first production cars to emerge from the company’s factory in Fremont, California, it turns out that intent was deadly serious. The Model S promised full-sized five-door luxury and two or four-wheel drive with minimal running costs thanks to its plug-in all-electric powertrain.

Success very quickly followed. The Model S became the first all-electric car to top the monthly sales charts in 2013, and secured the leading position in Norway twice. The following year the luxury liftback was ranked as the second best‑selling plug-in electric vehicle after the ubiquitous and more affordable Nissan Leaf. By October 2015, the Model S had found over 90,000 homes and was the top-selling plug-in electric car in the US.

Striking appearance
The Model S is certainly striking in appearance. Although styled by ex-Mazda North American Operations designer Franz von Holzhausen, the Model S is far removed from any current or past car from the Japanese manufacturer. It blends elements from Aston Martin, Jaguar and Maserati to create a swoopy five-door silhouette, with a large footprint. Be in no doubt, although the Tesla Model S is sold in Europe and around the world, at 196 inches (almost 5m) long and 86.2 inches (2.18m) wide it is primarily a car designed for the US highways.

That super-sized footprint does reap dividends when it comes to accommodation. The cabin is commodious and can fit six-footers with ease. There’s also the option of having two further occasional pop-up seats in the 895 litre rear load space, making the Model S a full seven-seater. With no transmission tunnel or batteries to interrupt things (the 85kWh battery pack is stored under the floor), access is easy and two-wheel drive models have space for a further 10 litres of luggage under the front bonnet (or ‘frunk’ in Tesla-speak). Two armchair-style rear seats can also be optioned for an additional £2,500 – ideal for chauffeuring duties.

Staying inside, most onlookers are wowed by the car’s advanced central 17-inch colour touchscreen which controls all of the Model S’ functions including the heating and ventilation system. Looking for all the world like a large iPad (which is essentially what it is), there’s WiFi and 3G connectivity as well as the impressive Google Maps navigation, complete with live traffic feed updates. An energy meter measures Wh/mile consumption, while real‑time energy consumption and range estimation can also be viewed easily.

Haven for technology geeks
The Tesla Model S is a haven for technology geeks: the satellite navigation works via the 3G SIM card, while the matching system in the instrument binnacle is powered by an in‑car hard drive. Even the car’s panoramic electric sunroof can be operated by a swipe of the finger, while the suspension can also be raised or lowered by a press of the capacitive screen. GPS-memory suspension also remembers lowering/raising locations after the first time the system is used  and then tells the car to raise or lower automatically the next time that same location is reached. Clever stuff, and once you’ve lived with details such as the live traffic updates, it becomes very hard to get used to not having them.

Downsides? The lack of door storage bins and general cubbies mean interior storage space is severely limited. A central tray in‑between the two front seats provides a place to place smaller items, but no dividers sees them slide around when you take a corner a little too enthusiastically (and you will). There’s also the fleeting feeling that certain elements of the interior struggle to justify the car’s price, although who’s not going to feel special when surrounded by alcantara headlining and sitting on leather seats? Our particular test car also had issues with Apple iOS connectivity, too and with all the controls on the touchscreen, some tactility is lost. However, all things considered, the Tesla Model S’ cabin is a comfortable and impressive place to be.

Two battery pack and drive options
Five versions of the Model S are available. A pair of batteries rated at 70kWh and 85kWh can be chosen, in both two (single motor) and four-wheel drive (dual motor, ‘D’‑designated) variants. A four-wheel drive, dual motor range-topping 85kWh ‘Performance’ (‘P’‑designated) version is also available, with Tesla’s much-publicised ‘Ludicrous’ mode available which reduces the 0-60mph time to just 2.8 seconds, dispatching the drag strip quarter-mile benchmark in 10.9 seconds. With 259bhp put through the front wheels and 503bhp channelled through the rear tyres, that’s proper supercar performance.

The S 85 sits somewhere in the middle of the Model S range, and features a single rear motor driving the rear wheels. The 85kWh battery pack runs the whole length of the car. With 373bhp (283kW) produced at 6,000rpm and over 441Nm (325lb ft), the S 85 doesn’t want for speed: rest to 62mph takes 5.4 seconds, with the car topping out at 139mph. Those kind of figures really give the Model S 85 quite prodigious performance. Although most electric vehicle drivers are used to the off-the-line ease an electric powertrain gives, the Tesla’s pace really is quite astonishing, and not something necessarily expected from a 2,100kg luxury car.

Advanced technology
The Model S is very easy to drive. Further evidence of its advanced technology is shown by the fact there is no on/off button as in traditional EVs/hybrids – the car senses when you approach with the key and the usually‑hidden wind-cheating door handles come out to meet you. Just get in, select ‘D’ on the Mercedes-Benz sourced column stalk gear control, press the accelerator, and you’re away. It really is that simple. On the move, the Model S shrinks around you and, as most EVs, piloting the Tesla is a relaxing experience. Refinement, as you’d expect from the price, is first class, with barely any wind noise at all and minimal road roar from the 21-inch tyres (part of a £3,800 alloy wheel upgrade on our test car).

Those over-sized tyres offer plenty of grip and three adjustable steering modes offer varying levels of power assistance. The ‘Sport’ setting adds weight if little feedback, but does make the car feel like a proper sports saloon. The whole car feels tied down thanks to 48/52 per cent front/rear weight distribution and the super-low centre of gravity given by the floor-mounted battery pack, which aids handling and balance superbly and makes the Tesla an enjoyable car to drive. Regenerative braking can be set to standard or low and is particularly effective, shedding speed quickly and making the brake pedal feel almost redundant.

Typical range of 250 miles
A big draw of the Model S is its range, hitherto unheard of in electric vehicle circles. A typical range of 250 miles – or twice that of ‘ordinary’ EVs – in the real-world (around 330 miles on the official NEDC test cycle) is more than enough to handle most commutes and a good deal of longer journeys. Tesla also has a global network of around 500  ‘Superchargers’ that line the major motorway networks which can recharge the Model S’ battery to 80 per cent capacity in around 30 minutes. That’s 170 miles of range in the time its takes to grab a cup of coffee. A full charge takes just 75 minutes, a half charge just 20. Tesla states that Superchargers are free for owners to use and always will be. A 90kWh battery upgrade increases range still further by 6 per cent or 10/20 miles.

Other charging options range from Tesla’s 22Kw Wall Connector which delivers 68 miles of range in an hour. ‘Type 2’ connector public chargers serve up anything between 11 miles (32A/400V, 3.7kW) and 68 miles (32A/400V, 22kW) to the battery pack, depending on power rating. Tesla doesn’t recommend recharging the Model S on a domestic power supply, as only around 6 miles of range are put back into the car for every hour the car is plugged in. Superchargers are the best way to charge the car and are the fastest rapid chargers currently in use. Convenient and easy to use, we visited two Supercharger locations and were impressed with each one, although our particular car took an hour to refill 120 miles of range. A smartphone Tesla App allows you to check your state of charge remotely, check on the car’s location or pre-set the interior temperature to save all-important battery power and energy.

‘Zero emissions, zero compromise’
Tesla states that the Model S is a ‘zero emissions, zero compromise’ car. Certainly in terms of range, it’s the most practical electric vehicle on the market and fewer charging stops makes the world of difference to that practicality. Of course, some would also question the ‘zero emissions’ part of Tesla’s statement. Most of the domestic electricity in the UK is made by power stations which burn fossil fuels, so every mile driven results in some effect on CO2 levels. But that’s true of every electric car, not just the Model S.

Price aside, what separates the Model S from other battery electric vehicles (BEVs) is that it can be driven like a regular conventionally‑fuelled car with similar performance. Not many other BEVs can offer that. The Model S range starts at £50,800 (cash price) for the 70kWh version, while the S 85 variant we tested is £59,000 once the government’s Plug-in Car Grant has been deducted. The four‑wheel drive dual-motor P85D is £79,900.

The Model S should have low running costs: BIK is 5 per cent and free charging is available if you utilise the network of Superchargers. Servicing shouldn’t be expensive, due to fewer moving mechanical parts, and the fact it is only needed every 12,500 miles or 12 months. A four‑year, 50,000-mile warranty is standard, with a 125,000-mile guarantee on the battery pack.

What Tesla has achieved with the Model S really moves the EV game on. It almost banishes any thoughts of range anxiety and lets the driver enjoy the electric vehicle experience. That counts for a lot in terms of practicality, while the no-cost Supercharger network is groundbreaking in its promise. With a new Model X-branded crossover due to arrive in the next few months, and the promise of a smaller ‘sports saloon’-type car aimed at BMW and Mercedes-Benz compact executive models, Tesla is arming itself with all the weaponry it can to increase the awareness in electric vehicle technology and move the industry forward. And with the technology being this impressive, we wouldn’t bet against that happening.

Further Information
www.teslamotors.com/en_GB/