A few months back, Tesla CEO Elon Musk dropped a hint that his company is working on an electric vehicle that will boast of 400 plus miles range, and the close candidate to that was the Tesla Model S Long Range Plus. That same sedan was unveiled with an EPA-rated range of 391 miles, which has been bumped to 402 miles.
So officially, the new Model S is the first EV now available in the market with a range over the 400 miles threshold, which Tesla said was made possible by applying crucial upgrades from the last version. The automaker described the step-ups as "both iterative and transformational, in core hardware and system architecture development."
Foremost of the improvements introduced is the use of the new Tempest Aero wheels and tires on the reengineered Model S that is designed to reduce rolling resistance. As a result, the sedan is expected to gain up to two percent of the range.
Overall, the new Model S is lighter than ever and its aerodynamics and driving efficiency better than before, which Tesla said are the factors that delivered the range gain.
According to CNET, the Model S Long Range Plus will be packed with an increased range but minus the extra cost. That reads correct, the upgrade will be afforded at a price tag of $74,999 that comes with the bragging right for would-be buyers - they'd be driving the first mass-produced EV with the highest rated range to date.
Tesla reminded that the range boost and tweaks applied on the Model S Long Range Plus will not affect the car's originally advertised capabilities. The sedan can still accelerate to 60mph in just 3.7 seconds and can reach a top speed of 155mph. In addition, the vehicle is now equipped with a braking mode dubbed by the automaker as Hold.
When in use, Hold will bring the Model S to a complete stop provided the driver releases the accelerator gradually, Tesla said.
For those interested, the Model S Performance remains an option available for Tesla fans but the range can only extend up to 348 miles. And as expected, the Performance variant is 58 pounds heavier than the Long Range Plus.
Electrek said the Model Long Range Plus having a 402-mile range is certainly welcome but users need to be reminded that Tesla's promise will only benefit driving in specific conditions. As hinted by the automaker, the use of Tempest Aero wheels, paired with low-resistance tires, is required to realize the targeted.
It's important to note as well that driving speed must be limited to 70mph as beyond that limit, the new Model S will see a reduced range.
