Tesla Model S

The Tesla Model S is a battery-electric full-size liftback sedan produced by the American automaker Tesla since 2012.

Deliveries began in June 2012 with rear-wheel-drive configurations powered by liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery packs ranging from 40 to 85 kilowatt-hours. In late 2014, Tesla introduced dual-motor all-wheel drive on the P85D model, improving traction and acceleration through independent front and rear electric motors. A 2016 facelift removed the faux black front grille in favor of a smooth body-color nose cone. The company rolled out the tri-motor Plaid performance edition in 2021, featuring carbon-sleeved rotors and an updated interior with a horizontal seventeen-inch central display.

The Model S Plaid variant produced 760 kW (1,020 hp) across three electric motors, achieving a top speed of 322 km/h (200 mph) and accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.1 seconds. In 2021, a Model S Plaid set an official electric production vehicle lap record at the Nürburgring Nordschleife track in Germany with a time of seven minutes and 35.579 seconds. Standard battery configurations eventually reached an EPA-rated range of 652 km (405 mi) on a single charge.

Motor Trend named the vehicle its 2013 Car of the Year, the first non-combustion vehicle to win that prize, before later awarding it Ultimate Car of the Year honors in 2019. The sedan integrated over-the-air software updates to alter battery management, motor output, and navigation features remotely while parked. Global cumulative sales passed 250,000 units by 2018, leading electric vehicle market adoption across the United States and Norway. In 2013, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded the chassis a five-star safety rating across every test category.