Tesla releases new longer range Model S and Model X with drivetrain, suspension upgrades

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Tesla announced today that it is bringing to production new versions of the Model S and Model X with new drivetrains, upgraded suspension, and more.

Over the last few weeks, we have been reporting on a series of upgrades that Tesla is planning to bring to its Model S and Model X lineup – starting with new drivetrains.

As anticipated, Tesla is bringing its new permanent magnet synchronous reluctance motor, first developed for Model 3, to Model S and Model X.

When first reporting on the upgrades, we knew that the new motors were more efficient, but we couldn’t say how it would translate to longer range exactly.

Tesla now says that it results in “a more than 10% improvement in range”:

“The net effect is a more than 10% improvement in range, with efficiency improvements in both directions as energy flows out of the battery during acceleration and back into the battery through regenerative braking. In addition to adding range, power and torque increases significantly across all Model S and Model X variants, improving 0-60 mph times for our Long Range and Standard Range models.”

The story is still developing… refresh for more details.

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The Long Range versions of Model S and Model X can now respectively travel 370 miles and 325 miles based on the EPA cycle.

According to a blog post about the changes, the Long Range versions are still using the same 100 kWh battery pack.

Tesla is also bringing back a ‘Standard Range’ option for both vehicles – an option that has been on and off the configurator over the past year.

For Model S, it starts at $78,000 and it offers a range of 285 miles on a single charge and for Model X, it starts at $83,000 and the range is 250 miles.

As per Tesla’s latest marketing strategy, the automaker doesn’t disclose the energy capacity of the ‘Standard Range’ battery pack, but it has most recently been between 75 and 85 kWh.

New Model S and Model X Charge Rate

Along with the new drivetrain, Tesla says that it managed to bump the Model S and Model X charge rate:

“Paired with the new more efficient drivetrain design, Model S and Model X are now capable of achieving 200 kW on V3 Superchargers and 145 kW on V2 Superchargers. Together, these improvements enable our customers to recharge their miles 50% faster.”

When Tesla launched Supercharger V3 in February, the company announced a 250 kW charge rate for Model 3 at the new stations.

At the time, the automaker did note that a higher charge rate would also be enabled for Model S and Model X, but it didn’t release any more details until now.

Tesla’s New Fully Adaptive Suspension

The automaker is also bringing a new upgraded suspension to Model S and Model X:

“We’ve also upgraded our air suspension system for Model S and Model X with fully-adaptive damping, giving it an ultra-cushioned feel when cruising on the highway or using Autopilot, and a responsive, exhilarating confidence during dynamic driving.”

Along with the hardware upgrade, Tesla says that it will also be able to take advantage of its over-the-air software capability to improve the suspension over time.

And More…

Along with those major hardware changes, Tesla also announced some more minor improvements:

“To complement these changes, we’ve also re-engineered several other components of Model S and Model X in keeping with our philosophy of continuous improvement. These updates include new wheel bearings and a few new tire designs for certain variants to improve range, ride, and steering.”

Furthermore, Tesla will be offering existing free Ludicrous Mode upgrade (worth $20,000) to any existing Model S and Model X owners willing to upgrade to a new Model S or Model X with all those new changes.