When you’re thinking about buying a Tesla or other EV, driving range is a key deciding factor: how long will you be able to drive on a single charge. In this piece, we’ll take a look at the Tesla Model S, the company’s longest-range EV.
The Tesla Model S was the record-breaker in EV’s driving range. But a little later, the title went to the 2022 Tesla Model S, with 405 miles (initially announced in June 2021, it was supposed to have 412 mileage). Though it’s not as high as the current record-breaker, the newly presented 2022 Lucid Air Dream Edition R has 520 miles of driving range.
Despite that, the company gave up on the driving range contest. In 2022, Elon Musk stated that a Tesla with 600 miles of range could’ve been built 12 months ago. However, the company doesn’t want to sacrifice handling, acceleration, and efficiency due to unneeded battery mass.
In retrospect, it was probably a good idea for the company to stop increasing the range. After all, the leap in this respect was quite significant over the ten years. The first Model S presented in 2012 had 265 miles per charge, which was considerable at the time. Tesla Model 3, however, offered 272 miles, while the long-range version could be driven for 358 miles.
According to official notes, the Model S Long Range Plus was the first EV to go beyond the 400-miles barrier with 402 miles of drive on a single charge in 2020. Model S line now has a 405-mile range, and the Model S Plaid comes with 396 miles of estimated range. Other models offer decent mileage: the 2022 Model Y Long Range can drive for 330 miles, and the Model X for 348 miles. Overall, Tesla models stay in the top 10 of driving range leaders.
When you read vehicle specifications to compare the models, the driving range always comes with an asterisk saying “EPA-estimated”, which is vital to keep in mind. The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) rates the cars according to in-room dynamometer tests. The vehicle stays in the test room, and its wheels rotate, delivering this “theoretical” range number without touching a real road. EPA tests are fair for independent ratings as they test the rides in similar conditions. For EVs, they charge cars in the evening and run tests in the morning to imitate cold starts and turn on the conditioner for some time.
For gas vehicles, the real mileage you get from an actual road test is similar to the theoretical one, but for EVs, the difference can be enormous. Depending on the outside temperature, wind, and road surface, it could be more than 40%. So don’t be disappointed when you drive in winter and your battery is actively consumed by heating and windage.
Other extra loads on the motor – like driving in the mountains or carrying a heavy trailer also decrease your driving range. Additionally, regularly using level three stations of fast charging could degrade the battery and lessen the mileage.
While increasing the driving range, Tesla makes yearly improvements, focusing on several things. First, there’s vehicle mass reduction without compromising the comfort and safety of the driver and passengers. For that, the company uses lightweight construction materials and lighter interior details like car seats. Then there’s the aerodynamic drag reduction due to improved wheels and tires. Innovations in drivetrain and oil pumps also make the car work more effectively and save energy. Each of these add about 2% to the efficiency while increasing battery capacity. However, not increasing battery weight works better than any other option.
The Model S Plaid Plus announced before was supposed to become the most expensive sedan of the family and should’ve had the longest driving range of 520 miles and acceleration from 0 to 60 mph in less than 2 seconds. But it got canceled, as Elon Musk considered the current one offered enough benefits to the driver.
Although Tesla promised they’ll give their cars even more driving range, their record-breaker is a 2022 Model S with 405 miles. The company seemingly gave up on increasing mileage, as they wanted to focus on other aspects. Despite that, Tesla models still stay in the Top-10 EVs with the highest driving range and can offer anywhere from 272 to 358 miles.
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