Tesla Unveils New All-Wheel Drive Model S, Driverless Tech

[William Maley]

Last night, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced some big changes for the Model S.

The first change is the introduction of all-wheel drive to the Model S lineup, which means the addition of a second electric motor up front. The system dubbed Dual Motor All Wheel Drive works out like this for their lineup,

• 60D and 85D - Front & Rear Motor: 188 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque; Combined: 376 horsepower and 326 torque.
  
• P85D - Front Motor: 221 horsepower and 244 pound-feet of torque; Rear Motor: 470 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque; Combined: 691 horsepower and 687 pound-feet of torque.
  

The P85D will take the place of the P85+ as the Model S flagship with a 0-60 MPH time of 3.2 seconds (0.7 seconds faster than the P85+) and a top speed of 155 MPH.

On the range front, the 60D sees a 17 mile increase (208 to 225 miles); the 80D gets a 10 mile increase (265 to 275 miles); and the P85D takes 10 mile hit (285 to 275 miles).

Pricing for the all-wheel drive models is as followed,

• 60D: $75,070
  
• 85D: $85,070
  
• P85D: $120,170
  

Also being announced was Tesla's Autopilot system. The system utilizes a forward-looking camera, a radar sensor, and ultrasonic sensors to give the Model S a 360-degree view of the surrounding road. At the current time, the system will be able to read speed limit and stay at that speed if the driver allows it. The system will also automate lane changes and park itself. Tesla says there will be more features coming to the Autopilot system in the future.

Source: Tesla, Motor Trend, Carscoops, Automobile Magazine

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

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[G. David Felt]

WOW, Impressive Engineering statistics, course still a toy for the Rich. You also cannot do a long road trip like a Fuel based auto, but this is better. I clarify for those that say you can, while we might have what I consider a wasted electric highway. I do not see spending 8hrs or 4hrs at the 120V or 220V charging stations as viable for doing a true road trip out of state or around a large state. Wasted time for charging and Tesla does not have their swap stations in abundance yet to change this.

 

Makes me excited for the VOLT II and what GM will bring to the game.

[smk4565]

The P85D is crazy fast.   I do think it is really impressive that they can make an electric car that is almost GT-R or Corvette Z06 like acceleration.

[Robert Hall]

Very cool...regular Model Ses have become fairly commonplace sightings, at least in Scottsdale..saw at least 6 in the last two days..

[G. David Felt]

All that Boomer Money floating around down there.

[balthazar]

Has anyone seen an 'Average Buyer Age' stat for Tesla? 

[William Maley]

Has anyone seen an 'Average Buyer Age' stat for Tesla? 

 

Here's what CNBC says back in 2013:

 

Age

 

18-44 yrs. Old: 33.2%

45-64 yrs. old: 50.6%

 

Source: CNBC

[balthazar]

Not at all obvious in attempt to avoid any direct comparisons.

Guess what the median age of a 45-64 spread is? 54.5 yrs old.

 

"What's Tesla going to do when it's current crop of buyers dies off??"

[bobo]

My brother has a Tesla.  He has done the 400 mile San Francisco to L.A. trip with no problem.  Just need one stop at the supercharger station in the middle of the trip at the Grapevine during a lunch break.  Another charge at LAX the next day to get back to the Grapevine..

[G. David Felt]

The CNBC story is a joke, 13,000 is a small pool and clearly it is the rich buying the car regardless of age. Also 16.2% of the buyers are age 65. That ups the average age that Balthazar states. Once these boomers die off, it will be interesting to see if he can still keep sales or if they dip. Also with Supercharger stations in only select areas, he also still has limited appeal due to price and long charge times.

 

Nice cars, but limited appeal. Add a CNG generator to allow longer road trips and you have a winner winner Kobe Beef dinner!

[balthazar]

The ENTIRE CONCEPT of a car buying demographic "dying off' is ridiculous, a complete joke.

I quote such fallaciously. 

[pow]

Watch the numbers on the speedometer fly!

 

 

My parents actually had an early 2013 Model S. It was one of the rare 40-kWh, sub-$60,000 cars that Tesla later cancelled. Interesting fact: the car was actually a 60-kWh car but electronically limited to 160 miles of range. No actual 40-kWh cars were made; they were all 60s that could be "unlocked" if you paid Tesla another ten grand.

 

My parents kept the car for a year and ended up selling it for a bit more than they paid new. They're now leasing a Volt as they wait for the Model III. As cool as the Volt is, it's not quite as nice to drive as a Model S.

[pow]

The CNBC story is a joke, 13,000 is a small pool and clearly it is the rich buying the car regardless of age. Also 16.2% of the buyers are age 65. That ups the average age that Balthazar states. Once these boomers die off, it will be interesting to see if he can still keep sales or if they dip. Also with Supercharger stations in only select areas, he also still has limited appeal due to price and long charge times.

 

Nice cars, but limited appeal. Add a CNG generator to allow longer road trips and you have a winner winner Kobe Beef dinner!

By next year, I wouldn't be surprised if it's easier to find a Supercharger than a public CNG station:

 

[G. David Felt]

 

That map is a nice pipe dream, most of those dots still do not exist. I can find more CNG filling stations than these vaporware tesla charging stations.

[ocnblu]

SNOOZE

[pow]

 

That map is a nice pipe dream, most of those dots still do not exist. I can find more CNG filling stations than these vaporware tesla charging stations.

They do exist. Two weeks ago, Tesla hit the 200 mark, and they're growing at the rate of one new location per day.

 

http://insideevs.com/tesla-opens-supercharger-200/

 

To be honest, a CNG range extender is a horrible idea. Probably the worst idea in the world, no offense. I tried searching for CNG filling stations, and they're located at bus depots, dump truck yards, gas company lots, taxi co-ops, and ports. None of these locations are convenient to the public. Talk about range anxiety! 

[G. David Felt]

 

 

That map is a nice pipe dream, most of those dots still do not exist. I can find more CNG filling stations than these vaporware tesla charging stations.

They do exist. Two weeks ago, Tesla hit the 200 mark, and they're growing at the rate of one new location per day.

 

http://insideevs.com/tesla-opens-supercharger-200/

 

To be honest, a CNG range extender is a horrible idea. Probably the worst idea in the world, no offense. I tried searching for CNG filling stations, and they're located at bus depots, dump truck yards, gas company lots, taxi co-ops, and ports. None of these locations are convenient to the public. Talk about range anxiety! 

 

I will have to go out and take a picture next time I am in the area, Tesla has signs talking about stations coming in the future but they do not exist today. Marketing Fluff of BS.

 

Seattle has CNG stations all over and they are very easy for the public to access and use. Prices are half what Petro costs and is very clean as to why it is a Green Fuel. Plus with Bi-Fuel Auto's like the Impala, Cruze, Civic, Ford Transit and all the full size trucks, no need for anxiety unlike spending 4 or 8 hours of sitting on your ass waiting for your over priced car to charge.

[regfootball]

Wow, Fargo and Alexandria have superchargers?  MIGHTGITME A TESLA......oh wait its 80g

[smk4565]

If they had a cheaper model they would get a lot of younger buyers.  I think people under 35 would be more open to an electric car than people over 35.  Most people under 35 just can't afford $100,000 car or even a $40,000 car.

Edited October 13, 2014 by smk4565

[G. David Felt]

Let's not forget the Range Anxiety all Electric auto's have. Run past their very limited range and boom you have a 4-8hr sit time to wait for it to charge if someone is nice enough to let you use their 110 outlet.

[smk4565]

Most people aren't going more than 200 miles per day, most of the world only drive 40 miles a day or less.  The Tesla has plenty of range.  For those that need to travel halfway across the country they can get on an airplane. 

[G. David Felt]

But not all like to fly and road trips are great, so electric does not cut it. It is still a half ass approach to a complete freedom machine.

[A Horse With No Name]

Or just own more than one car...

[bobo]

Or just rent a car when you take a trip.

[A Horse With No Name]

...or grow a pair as a nation and admit we need to move away from petroleum. Building more charging stations should be a high national priority.

[G. David Felt]

...or grow a pair as a nation and admit we need to move away from petroleum. Building more charging stations should be a high national priority.

If you want to drastically increase green house gas. The pure electric thing is a lie. Untill we move off coal as a way to generate electricity, Electric auto's produce a ton of Green house gas. They create it as they generate the battery packs and then except for Washington state with a ton of Hydro producing dams, they generate even more green house gas with coal burning.

 

CNG is the logical next step from oil to Natural gas and eventually some day electric maybe.

 

Washington state is now capturing all the methane from the land fills and dairy farms. BIO-METHANE. Renewable and very clean green.

[Z-06]

 

...or grow a pair as a nation and admit we need to move away from petroleum. Building more charging stations should be a high national priority.

If you want to drastically increase green house gas. The pure electric thing is a lie. Untill we move off coal as a way to generate electricity, Electric auto's produce a ton of Green house gas. They create it as they generate the battery packs and then except for Washington state with a ton of Hydro producing dams, they generate even more green house gas with coal burning.

 

CNG is the logical next step from oil to Natural gas and eventually some day electric maybe.

 

Washington state is now capturing all the methane from the land fills and dairy farms. BIO-METHANE. Renewable and very clean green.

 

 

Get of that smoke pipe. Coal consumption in USA is currently at the level seen in the 80s. Your favorite NG is taking over most of the coal plants as utilities are retooling coal fired plans into co-gen gas plants.

 

And that methane from landfills is nothing but smoke and mirrors given its inconsistent outputs. It is not renewable as once the landfill has reached its design height, how is more methane going to be produced?

 

If you want cheap, extremely renewable energy then nothing beats nuclear breeder reactors. With current amount of known U235 deposits, US can sustain its electricity for the next 100,000 years. But then people's perception of being besides an atom bomb possibly scares into more regulations for that energy source.

[G. David Felt]

 

 

...or grow a pair as a nation and admit we need to move away from petroleum. Building more charging stations should be a high national priority.

If you want to drastically increase green house gas. The pure electric thing is a lie. Untill we move off coal as a way to generate electricity, Electric auto's produce a ton of Green house gas. They create it as they generate the battery packs and then except for Washington state with a ton of Hydro producing dams, they generate even more green house gas with coal burning.

 

CNG is the logical next step from oil to Natural gas and eventually some day electric maybe.

 

Washington state is now capturing all the methane from the land fills and dairy farms. BIO-METHANE. Renewable and very clean green.

 

 

Get of that smoke pipe. Coal consumption in USA is currently at the level seen in the 80s. Your favorite NG is taking over most of the coal plants as utilities are retooling coal fired plans into co-gen gas plants.

 

And that methane from landfills is nothing but smoke and mirrors given its inconsistent outputs. It is not renewable as once the landfill has reached its design height, how is more methane going to be produced?

 

If you want cheap, extremely renewable energy then nothing beats nuclear breeder reactors. With current amount of known U235 deposits, US can sustain its electricity for the next 100,000 years. But then people's perception of being besides an atom bomb possibly scares into more regulations for that energy source.

 

Good Idea and I did overlook about the Nuclear thing. If we can only figure out a proper way to deal with waste water and material that is useless but radioactive, then you are right we will have plenty of electricity and then they just need to get the auto's to recharge in 15min and go 4-5 hundred miles on a charge.

[kestas57]

All they need to do now is range or more charging stations. If I am running low of fuel I can just pull up at a petrol station and refill. I can't really do that in a Tesla now can I?

[G. David Felt]

All they need to do now is range or more charging stations. If I am running low of fuel I can just pull up at a petrol station and refill. I can't really do that in a Tesla now can I?

But the Tesla Freaks will say we have SuperCharging stations where you drive in and they swap in less than 10min the battery pack, depleted one for fully charged one.

[hyperv6]

 

All they need to do now is range or more charging stations. If I am running low of fuel I can just pull up at a petrol station and refill. I can't really do that in a Tesla now can I?

But the Tesla Freaks will say we have SuperCharging stations where you drive in and they swap in less than 10min the battery pack, depleted one for fully charged one.

 

 

Were still waiting on those. Also we are still waiting on the supercharger that is not more than 100 miles way or farther.

The reality the EV is a growing segment but it will not replace gasoline cars soon. There are still a lot of things to work out that will take time. All the MFG's are working on EV models and the prices will go down and ranges will go up. But as long as gas remains cheap it will remain number one for vehicles. Contrary to popular myths we are not going to run out soon.

 

 

In the mean time like Tesla or not we need to pull for them as if they fail as a high profile car it can set back the entire segment. Tesla has a lot of things yet to do and a lot of cars they need to sell that will be a challenge.

Tesla is like going faster in a car. The first 100 MPH takes only a set amount of power but the next 50 MPG can take 3 times as much and more the faster you go. Tesla is facing the same thing. The firs sedan at a high price point was easy once they found people willing to pay for it. Lower volumes are not an issue at the higher prices. Now once they get to the 3 series it will be a much tougher deal. Lower profits and much higher volumes. More plants to make the cars as the Fremont plant can handle 300,000 units and with the x model and the other two they will need more production than that to use up the batteries they plan to build in Reno.

 

The Telsa future is calculated and will be a challenge. Add to the this the increased competition from other makes with deeper pockets and more resources. It will be a tougher ride as they go on.

 

The real question will be is how long will the investors stay on board. If the non fans bail it will hurt their growth and even with Musk owning 1/3 I do not see him writing the checks out of his accounts.

Add to all this the S model will need styling changes and updates more than just adding AWD and another $15K to the price while they get the late X to market and the 3 that is still several years off. They claim 2017 but will see.

 

You can always tell when Tesla is not having good news as Elon talks the transport tubes, his rockets or some other crazy thing. Just watch and if the stock takes a dip or someone challenges him on his reporting of only quarterly sales he deflects with these other topics. He is the PT Barnum of the internet.

Edited February 2, 2015 by hyperv6