Telsa Rolls Out Model S And Model X EVs That Are $10K Cheaper But There's A Caveat
Austin-based EV company Tesla just soft-launched a couple of new lower-priced trims that could fit into the budget of customers who might have wanted an EV, but shied away from paying the so-called Tesla-tax. With the "Standard Range" trim for the Model S and Model X, buyers pay $10,000 less than the Base trim, which now sounds like a confusing misnomer. Note that the savings exclude any federal and/or state credits buyers can receive when purchasing an EV.
However, as the trim name suggests, max EPA range, as well as 0-60 times are reduced quite drastically. The new Model S trim maxes out at 320 miles and 3.7 seconds respectively, while the Base does 405 miles and 3.1 seconds. In the Model X, it's 269 miles and 4.4 seconds to 60 mph for the Standard, versus 348 miles and 3.8 seconds for the Base.
On paper, without digging into the specs, the Standard Range model might seem like a huge downgrade and concession to owning Tesla's largest sedan and SUV. It begs the question whether Tesla installed smaller battery/motor set ups for the new trim or restricted the performance behind software. Glancing at the Tesla's configurator site, one would notice that the weight is identical between the Standard Range and Base models, which, if the information on the site is to be believed, likely means that the lesser trim is software-locked.
This tactic makes perfect business sense: selling essentially the same car with identical motor and battery packs keeps R&D and production costs down, then pull in more customers with the lower price, while giving them the opportunity to unlock longer ranges and quicker drag times by forking up extra. Whether customers will continue to accept these practices is another matter.
Image credit: Tesla
