Famous Tesla Manufacturer announced recently their plants to produce the new versions of their Model S and Model X cars, alongside with new drivetrains, upgraded suspension, and other improvements.
Drivetrain
In this department, Tesla will bring their permanent magnet synchronous reluctance motor, which they first made for the Model 3. The new motors are more efficient, but how does it translate to longer range? Tesla said that it is “a more than 10% improvement in range”, and continued:
“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.”
These new Long Range versions of S and X travel 370 and 325 miles respectively. However, both cars are still using the same 100 kWh battery packs. The company also brought back the ‘Standard Range’ option for both cars, which is an on and off option during the past year.
For the Model S, the price tag starts at $78,000, with a range of 285 miles on a single charge. For the Model X, it is $83,000 with the range of 250 miles.
Tesla’s latest marketing strategy is not to disclose the energy capacity of their ‘Standard Range’ battery pack. Most recently, it was between 75 and 85 kWh.
Charge Rates
Tesla also bumped up the charging rates of both vehicles. The company said this:
“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 they launched the Supercharger V3 back in February, Tesla announced a 250 kW charge rate for Model 3 at new charging stations. Back then, they noted that a higher charge rate will come for Model S and Model X, however more details are unknown.
The New Fully Adaptive Suspension
A new and upgraded suspension system will be installed into the Model S and Model X. The company had this to say:
“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.”
Except this, Tesla will also take advantage of the over-the-air software capability, in order to improve the suspension over time.
What Else?
If these major hardware changes are not enough for you, Tesla also has minor improvements in store:
“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.”
What is more, the existing free Ludicrous Mode upgrade worth around $20,000 will be offered to all existing Model S and Model X owners, who are willing to upgrade to the Model S or Model X.
Conclusion
What Tesla is doing with their Model S and Model X is quite impressive. The cars did not need an increase in range, but an upgrade like this is always welcome. The efficiency increase is significant as well, and the charge rate is also better. It is not as impressive as with the Model 3 however, but this car is also expected to get an upgrade soon. This should help the company with the limited sales od Models S and X, especially with improvements on the interior and the battery.
Nina Smith 
Kim Marks