UPDATE: According to Electrek, quoting Tesla advisors, the new Standard Range models feature the same batteries as the Long Range variants, but their range capabilities are software-locked. This means a subsequent in-app purchase that would unlock the full capacity of the battery could be possible.
Original version of the story follows below.
Tesla is bringing back the Standard Range variant for the Model S and Model X EVs after the trim level has come and gone several times before 2021 when the refreshed flagship models hit the market in Long Range and Plaid versions.
Now, according to the Austin-based manufacturer’s website, the new entry-level variant is once again called Standard Range, which is $10,000 cheaper than the regular version for both the Model S and Model X, but the diminished estimated range may put off some buyers who are looking for the longest possible driving distance on a single charge.
With a starting price of $78,490, the Tesla Model S Standard Range offers an estimated 320 miles of driving on a full charge with the standard 19-inch Tempest wheels, dropping to 298 miles when opting for the optional, $4,500 21-inch Arachnid wheels. By comparison, the long-range Model S has an EPA estimated range of 405 miles with the standard wheels.
Tesla Model S Standard Range with standard 19-inch wheels
Tesla Model S Standard Range with optional 21-inch wheels
The specs sheet says the newly introduced Standard Range Model S is powered by a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system and can accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 3.7 seconds, compared to the 3.1 seconds of the regular Model S and the 1.99 seconds of the Model S Plaid. The top speed is rated at 149 mph, the same as with the normal Model S, while the Plaid, which has a tri-motor all-wheel drive setup, can go up to 200 mph.
The Tesla Model X Standard Range starts at $88,490 and offers an estimated range of 269 miles with the included 20-inch Cyberstream wheels, while the optional $5,500 22-inch Turbine wheels cut the range to 255 miles on a full charge. The mid-tier SUV costs $98,490 and has an estimated range of 330 miles with the standard wheels.
Tesla Model X Standard Range with standard 20-inch wheels
Tesla Model X Standard Range with optional 22-inch wheels
Top speed is 155 mph for both the Standard Range and the regular Model X, with 163 mph claimed for the Plaid, while the 0 to 60 mph sprint is done in 4.4 seconds by the Model X Standard Range, compared to the 3.8 seconds of the normal trim and the 2.5 seconds of the Plaid.
Tesla doesn’t say if there’s a new battery pack powering the Standard Range models or if they’re the same as the Long Range version, but we should find out more when deliveries start next month in the US, according to the company’s online car configurator.
As always, we’d like to know what you think about this, so head over to the comments section below to give us your thoughts.
