Tesla has again boosted the driving range of the Model S sedan, which now boasts of 409 miles per charge and up from the 402 miles range bump that was delivered earlier this 2020. The automaker has yet to detail how the upgrade was achieved but the move certainly pulled a surprise on the competition.
Even before its official rollout, the Lucid Air was touted with a range of 406 miles on a single charge so it appeared that Tesla did some tweaks on the Model S to ensure that the EV will not be lagging. And this will be the case for the Model S Long Range Plus that is not listed with the increased driving range and an EPA rating of 116 MPGe.
In the absence of an explanation from Tesla on how the extended range was realized for the Model S, it can only be assumed that the automaker has implemented a combo of hardware changes and software optimization.
Now doing that is nothing new for Tesla, according to Teslarati, adding that the Model X benefitted from a similar approach in the past. The electric SUV is considerably big but its 100kWh battery pack can push the EV to reach a maximum range of 371 miles.
It is expected that the latest range bump will not be the last for the Model S as the report added that the Tesla sedan will likely widen its lead over the Lucid Air, which not be out until next year. Tesla's advantage lies in the fact that the company's business model is focused on electric vehicles so it is always a few steps ahead of the competition.
This fact was in full display when Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently adjusted the Model S sticker price, making it more tempting at $69,420. Electrek said the more affordable tag was Musk's response to the Lucid Air being advertised as the nearest rival to the Model S.
Simply put, Musk is not having it - the maverick Tesla chief is not allowing the Lucid Air to even come close to the Model S and he will make the changes needed if only to keep the competition catching up.
Something to note though on the increased range of the Model S, there will be a slight trade-off. The same report indicated that while the electric sedan has become more efficient when driving on highways, the same cannot be expected in city-driving mode. The efficiency has been dialed down on that aspect but surely that will be a temporary issue.
The Model S will be getting further optimizations in the years to come and the driving range and efficiency of the sedan will only get better. This is in line with Musk's promise that all Tesla EVs will prove to be appreciating investment for their owners.
