The Model S has been arguably the most important electric car introduced by Tesla in the 21st century, even though it wasn't the first model Tesla ever built. The American sedan has proven since its inception that electric vehicles are not only eco-friendly but also pleasant to drive and practical for everyday commuting and long rides. Its ground-breaking performance and driving range have compelled almost every automaker in the world to adapt and prepare for an electric future.
With many automakers announcing plans for their own electric luxury sedans, the longest-serving marque of the tech mogul has finally received a much-needed revamp. The latest version has a few key stylistic modifications, particularly in the interiors, and gives this iconic sedan a new lease of life, raising competition. In fact, some of these modifications may point to Tesla's long-term vision of a self-driving future.
When compared to the previous generation Model S, there is a significant gain in both electric range and performance. The 2021 Tesla Model S is finally here, after much anticipation, suspense, and rumors. So, without further fuss, let's deep dive into what’s new in the refreshed Tesla Model S.
8 Tesla's Most Powerful And Quickest All New Model S Plaid Variant
With a fully new, long-awaited Plaid Variant, the Tesla Model S has seen the most radical variations since its birth. The sedan is the most powerful and fastest Tesla, putting it ahead of its rivals, such as the Porsche Taycan Turbo S, Lucid Air, and Audi RS e-Tron GT.
With the exception of a somewhat sportier design and distinctive "Plaid" badging, this new variant appears virtually identical to other trims of the Model S at first sight. The all-new Plaid trim replaces the previous Performance variant and is powered by Tesla's new three-motor, all-wheel-drive electric powertrain, which boasts some impressive stats.
This high-performance variant of the brand's flagship bumps out a massive 1,020 horsepower and a single-charge range of 390 miles. With this astonishing powerhouse, thanks to the new carbon-sleeved and extra motor, it can sprint 0-60 mph in less than two seconds with a top speed of 200 mph.
7 Dynamic Redesigned Interior
Tesla's cars have always had a futuristic, modernist design flair, and the all-electric carmaker is doubling down on that with the latest Model S interior dynamic makeover, which includes a revamped driver's cockpit featuring a new yoke steering, a 12.3-inch dash-mounted digital instrument panel, new ventilated front seats, a newly-designed central multimedia screen, and multiple wireless smartphones charging stations.
Interestingly, Tesla went all-in on simplicity and elegance for the refreshed Model S cabin, removing the air conditioning and heat vents. The ingenious design of the tri-zone airwave HVAC distorts the vents, a choice apparently influenced by the siblings' Model 3 and Model Y interiors. The absence of the typical intrusive vents seen in every other car gives the dash a cleaner impression.
There are also aesthetic tweaks to the center console and the storage area, with a sliding door eliminating the traditional swinging action. The extra door pockets offer additional storage, which has been a long-standing demand among the Tesla fanbase. Apart from the dashboard, Tesla has boosted legroom and headroom for passengers, making the interior more spacious and airy.
6 Anchored By The New Yoke Steering
The traditional steering wheel has been replaced with a unique flight-yoke style steering wheel for enhanced performance and handling in the latest variant is probably the most revolutionary feature of the upgraded Tesla Model S.
Tesla’s new U-shaped butterfly steering wheel is not equipped with any stalk functions, formerly it utilized steering wheel stalks for the headlamps, turn signals, gear selector stalks, driving modes, windshield wiper controls, and Tesla’s Autopilot, but those functions have since been assimilated by automatic systems and force touch buttons on the steering block and central display. The idea of the "stalkless steering yoke," according to Tesla, is to provide the greatest driving experience possible with no stalks and no shifting, as well as the car's Autopilot sensors' ability to intelligently and automatically identify and choose appropriate drive modes.
5 Swaps In Horizontal Dash Screen
The previous vertically oriented display has been swapped for a new 17-inch horizontal-oriented touchscreen device that boasts excellent responsiveness and can be adjusted from left to right to enable motorists or passengers to have easier access as desired. This enormous landscape orientation dash screen has a 2200x1300 resolution, ultra-bright, true colors, and 10 teraflops of processing power, making it excellent for both entertainment and gaming.
Tesla asserts that its performance is comparable to that of current-gen gaming consoles, allowing users to connect to wireless controllers and play games while sitting inside the car. Just underneath that screen, there are a handful of wireless charging ports. It also comes with one-year complimentary "premium" connectivity necessary to enable satellite-view maps and traffic data, internet browsers, streaming video, karaoke, and gaming capabilities.
4 Rear Cabin Center Console And Video Display
It’s not only at the front of the cockpit where an enormous redesign has been done. Even the rear cabin has received cosmetic revisions, with a new, sleeker, fold-down center console. There’s also a new, independent 8-inch infotainment touchscreen positioned in the rear center console, providing access to numerous entertainment, gaming, and comfort features for the rear-seat occupants.
3 Minor Exterior Styling Updates
The 2021 Model S appears more striking, broader, and aggressive than previously thanks to its revised high-performance chassis. However, unlike the cabin, only minimal aesthetic modifications have been made to the exterior, including a new front bumper with modified air intakes, a remodeled rear diffuser and ducktail spoiler, and new alloy wheel designs.
Additionally, the chrome trim around the windows and door handles has been substituted for a glossy black finish. The visual appeal of headlights and taillights has also been updated as well, turning them brighter and more streamlined.
2 22 Speaker Audio System
Tesla has enhanced the audio system in the latest iteration of the Model S interior to make it more pleasurable. The car is equipped with 22 speakers, a 960-watt audio system, as well as freshly updated microphones that enable active noise cancellation, which blocks out a substantial amount of road noise and offers the finest listening experience.
1 Updated Battery Architecture
Aside from the design changes, a completely revamped battery technology in conjunction with the powertrain, for unparalleled performance, efficiency, and range, is a game-changer. This innovative design lowers the number of parts in the battery pack, as well as its total mass.
Furthermore, the newly updated battery module and battery pack thermal architecture improve the speed of charging and delivers greater power and endurance in all conditions. In addition, with the updated battery architecture, the powertrains are capable of a back-to-back, consistent quarter-mile runs.