Tesla News
#31
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Tesla D is, as expected, an AWD Model S but new autopilot features surprise
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To say that the Internet was excited about the mysterious Tesla D before tonight's official announcements were made is a terrible understatement. Amid a bunch of excited tweets and frustrating attempts at getting a livestream from the event, USA Today published the first story that described some of the new D's features. Automotive News followed suit, but both of those articles were quickly taken down. On site at the Hawthorne airport in Los Angeles, CA, our friend Zan Dubin-Scott tweeted about an overheard comment before Musk took the stage, "What he's about to say - you need to feel, not just hear about." The 'he' here is Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Yeah, people were ready for something big.
But the news didn't quite live up to the hype. How could it, really? People wanted to see the first glimpse of the Model 3 or even the production Model X, but all they got were improvements to the current Model S. Thankfully, these are interesting improvements. Here's what Elon's D is all about:
But the news didn't quite live up to the hype. How could it, really? People wanted to see the first glimpse of the Model 3 or even the production Model X, but all they got were improvements to the current Model S. Thankfully, these are interesting improvements. Here's what Elon's D is all about:
- The new all-wheel drive Model S – the "D" – will get 10 more miles of range to a max of 275 miles thanks to increased overall efficiencies in the powertrain that Musk called, "a huge improvement." All Model S EVs that have AWD will be designated with a "D," so the P85 "performance" model will become the P85D when it has AWD, for example. The D models will also have a higher top speed and a decreased 0-60 time of just 3.2 seconds. "Literally everything improves about the car with dual-motor," Musk said.
- The "something else" is the "A," which is the other letter that Musk said he was glad he didn't tease when he said he would "reveal the D." The A is a suite of Tesla autopilot autonomous driving technologies and it's been in production for the last two weeks (no kidding). The new technological bits include a long-range forward-looking radar, a camera with image recognition that can read things like signs and know where pedestrians are, and a 360-degree, long-range sonar. This will all be integrated into the GPS, navigation and real-time traffic, which means that the car is now capable of being semi-autonomous. But Musk said that there are not enough safety redundancies built in to the vehicle quite yet, so it's really just a tremendously advanced active safety system. Unfortunately, the new bits cannot be retrofitted into earlier Model S vehicles.
- These autopilot doohickeys mean that the car will also be able to autopark or drive up to where you are waiting for it (as long as you're on private property). If you have the calendar programmed correctly, the car can even come meet you on time. What makes all of this possible is the electric powertrain, Musk said. People at the event were loudly excited about all of this autopilot stuff, which makes us think a lot of them must have tremendously long driveways. Musk said that the next thing he wants the car to do is automatically plug itself in, and he announced that, "we will probably do something like that." He made no mention of wireless charging or how much all of this new tech would cost.
#32
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Not mentioned during the much-hyped announcement event last night for the Tesla Model S Dual Motor "D" and Autopilot "A" options were how much those advancements will cost. Today, Tesla updated the Model S order page and those pesky little numbers are now available. As it turns out, opting for all of the features mentioned last night will add over $18,000 to the price of your $93,400 Model S P85.
Let's start by revealing the D's price. To add the second-motor to either the 60- or the 85-kWh Model S costs $4,000. That drops the 0-60 time by 0.2 seconds and ups the top speed by five miles per hour in the 60 (to 125 mph) and 30 mph in the 85 (to 155 mph). Interestingly, the overall horsepower output (according to Tesla) is 4 hp lower (376 compared to 380), but the car apparently gets the speed benefits by putting 188 hp on each axle.
On the P85D, everything's different. Here, Tesla isn't just dividing the motor into two smaller versions. Instead, the old 470-hp motor is replaced by a "High Performance Dual Motor" setup that has a total output of 691 hp, 221 hp in the front and 470 hp in back. That's how you get the headline 3.2-second 0-60 time alongside the same 155 mph top speed, but the price tag jumps to $14,600 for the setup.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said last night that the tremendous drop in 0-60 time gets you 10 miles of extra range from the dual-motor setup. But if you don't need the quickness, you can go even further. Without the dual motors, an 85-kWh battery Model S can go 265 miles (EPA numbers). The standard 85D gets its range increased to 295 miles at 65 mph (according to Tesla's numbers) while the quicker P85D can "only" go 275 miles. Dual-motor Model S versions will begin deliveries in February 2015.
The A option, officially called the "Tech Package with Autopilot," costs $4,250. This is the way that you can get your Model S to drive itself (on private property) and act as an active safety net to your own driving on public roads. Since all Model S EVs now come standard with a new forward-looking camera, radar and 360-degree ultrasonic sensors, the "Autopilot" part of the package would appear to be mostly a software switch. The rest of the package is rounded out by things like seven years of free navigation map updates, LED running lights, memory seats and more.
Let's start by revealing the D's price. To add the second-motor to either the 60- or the 85-kWh Model S costs $4,000. That drops the 0-60 time by 0.2 seconds and ups the top speed by five miles per hour in the 60 (to 125 mph) and 30 mph in the 85 (to 155 mph). Interestingly, the overall horsepower output (according to Tesla) is 4 hp lower (376 compared to 380), but the car apparently gets the speed benefits by putting 188 hp on each axle.
On the P85D, everything's different. Here, Tesla isn't just dividing the motor into two smaller versions. Instead, the old 470-hp motor is replaced by a "High Performance Dual Motor" setup that has a total output of 691 hp, 221 hp in the front and 470 hp in back. That's how you get the headline 3.2-second 0-60 time alongside the same 155 mph top speed, but the price tag jumps to $14,600 for the setup.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said last night that the tremendous drop in 0-60 time gets you 10 miles of extra range from the dual-motor setup. But if you don't need the quickness, you can go even further. Without the dual motors, an 85-kWh battery Model S can go 265 miles (EPA numbers). The standard 85D gets its range increased to 295 miles at 65 mph (according to Tesla's numbers) while the quicker P85D can "only" go 275 miles. Dual-motor Model S versions will begin deliveries in February 2015.
The A option, officially called the "Tech Package with Autopilot," costs $4,250. This is the way that you can get your Model S to drive itself (on private property) and act as an active safety net to your own driving on public roads. Since all Model S EVs now come standard with a new forward-looking camera, radar and 360-degree ultrasonic sensors, the "Autopilot" part of the package would appear to be mostly a software switch. The rest of the package is rounded out by things like seven years of free navigation map updates, LED running lights, memory seats and more.
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I have to say the auto pilot sounds great, even better than the distronic system of the S class. Only a silicon valley company has the ***** to do full autonomy first.
I hope Tesla refreshes the Model S soon. When it came out, the car looked great but not it looks pretty mainstream compared to say, the S class, with which it competes.
I hope Tesla refreshes the Model S soon. When it came out, the car looked great but not it looks pretty mainstream compared to say, the S class, with which it competes.
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I have to say the auto pilot sounds great, even better than the distronic system of the S class. Only a silicon valley company has the ***** to do full autonomy first.
I hope Tesla refreshes the Model S soon. When it came out, the car looked great but not it looks pretty mainstream compared to say, the S class, with which it competes.
I hope Tesla refreshes the Model S soon. When it came out, the car looked great but not it looks pretty mainstream compared to say, the S class, with which it competes.
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#37
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I don't know about you guys in America, but here in Oz the Model-S is a bargain (relatively speaking), as for the price of the base S-class you can get 2 loaded model-s
I guess the Germans just gouge us really bad
I guess the Germans just gouge us really bad
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I have to say the auto pilot sounds great, even better than the distronic system of the S class. Only a silicon valley company has the ***** to do full autonomy first.
I hope Tesla refreshes the Model S soon. When it came out, the car looked great but not it looks pretty mainstream compared to say, the S class, with which it competes.
I hope Tesla refreshes the Model S soon. When it came out, the car looked great but not it looks pretty mainstream compared to say, the S class, with which it competes.
#40
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i'm rooting for tesla, but they've still got a long way to go. the number of vehicles they sell is TINY. they certainly get a lot of good press though.
the problems they've had are relatively few, with the biggest being profitability. i know they made headelines declaring a profit one time, but i think that was an accounting gimmick.
what's taking so long with the X? seems to me that would hugely increase their appeal. i could see it really hitting the high end ute market and it should allow for a lot more batteries and range.
i still think the vertical 17" center stack display is crazy though
talk about a distraction!!!
the problems they've had are relatively few, with the biggest being profitability. i know they made headelines declaring a profit one time, but i think that was an accounting gimmick.
what's taking so long with the X? seems to me that would hugely increase their appeal. i could see it really hitting the high end ute market and it should allow for a lot more batteries and range.
i still think the vertical 17" center stack display is crazy though
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Model X arrives late next year, that seems very far away. And if they are really working on the Model E (did they change the name recently?), that means that hardly have enough resources to build the next Model S.
the X is hardly an "ute" though, it has 3 rows of seating
the X is hardly an "ute" though, it has 3 rows of seating
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Another rumor was that it was 'E' so that way Tesla would have Models S, E and X
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#44
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depends if you are using "utes" to refer to any utility vehicle or as "cute utes", the latter of which comes to my mind.
Utes brings vehicles like the NX, Macan, GLK/GLA, X3/X1 to my mind
Utes brings vehicles like the NX, Macan, GLK/GLA, X3/X1 to my mind