Tesla Model S

Generations: what actually changed if you are choosing a car

There are three catalogue generations, all Liftback, all Electro, all Automatic. The names in the data are 1 generation, 1 generation, restyling, and 1 generation, restyling 2. Do not merge the two restyles: they are separate cars with different power lists, different rear-suspension labels, and different CO2 fields.

There are three catalogue generations, all Liftback, all Electro, all Automatic. The names in the data are 1 generation, 1 generation, restyling, and 1 generation, restyling 2. Do not merge the two restyles: they are separate cars with different power lists, different rear-suspension labels, and different CO2 fields.

1 generation (2012-01-01–2016-11-30), 7 versions, all named AT. Power runs 302–762 hp (222–560 kW). Drive is RWD on three cars (302, 362, 422 hp) and AWD on four (334, 428, 700, 762 hp). 0–100 km/h is 5.9–3.0 s. Top speed is 193–250 km/h. Ground clearance is 152 mm on every measured row — 8 mm higher than the 144 mm used on both restyles. Rear suspension is Independent, spring on the 302, 334, 362 and 428 hp AT cars, and Independent, pneumatic on the 422, 700 and 762 hp AT cars. Front suspension is Independent, pneumatic throughout. Gears are not measured. CO2 is not measured. Tank, city / highway / mixed consumption, eco class, and gross weight are not measured. Kerb weight is measured on all seven: 2033–2239 kg.

1 generation, restyling (2016-04-01–2020-12-31), 10 versions. Eight are named AT (306–762 hp); two have unique names: Dual motor P100D kWh Long Range Plus (518 hp / 381 kW) and Dual motor P100D kWh Performance (762 hp / 592 kW). RWD survives only on the 306 hp and 320 hp AT cars; the other eight are AWD. 0–100 km/h is 5.5–2.5 s. Top speed is 210–261 km/h. Clearance drops to 144 mm. Rear suspension is Independent, pneumatic on every version (the spring rear of the first generation is gone). Gears are 1. Kerb weight is measured only on three cars: 2033 kg (AT 306 hp) and 2236 kg on both named P100D cars. Wheels are not measured on the four lowest AT cars; the 422–762 hp AT cars list 245/35 R21 and 265/35 R21; both P100D names list 245/45 R19 and 265/45 R19.

1 generation, restyling 2 (from 2021-01-01, stop not measured), 4 versions. All AWD, all 1-speed Automatic, all Electro, all 144 mm clearance, all 245/45 R19 and 265/45 R19, all CO2 0. Rear suspension is Dependent, pneumatic — the only generation with that rear label. Front remains Independent, pneumatic. Kerb weight is 2069 kg on the three Dual motor cars and 2162 kg on Tri motor Plaid. Torque (Nm) is not measured on any of the four. Power is 670, 670, 685 or 1020 hp.

Buyer arithmetic across generations: the fastest first-generation AT (762 hp) is 3.0 s and 250 km/h; the fastest restyle AT (762 hp) is 2.7 s and 250 km/h (−0.3 s at the same 762 hp); Dual motor P100D kWh Performance is 2.5 s and 261 km/h; Tri motor Plaid is 2.1 s and 322 km/h. That is +258 hp versus the 762 hp restyle AT (1020 − 762) and +72 km/h versus the 250 km/h Dual motor ceiling in restyling 2.

Engines and specs

Every version is Electro. Cylinders, cylinder layout, valves per cylinder, boost, engine position, and displacement are not measured. Use the exact names below; identical AT and Dual motor names are split by horsepower.

Nm on the first-generation 762 hp AT is not measured. Restyle 762 hp AT and Dual motor P100D kWh Long Range Plus both list 967 Nm; Dual motor P100D kWh Performance lists 660 Nm at the same 762 hp — 307 Nm less than the 762 hp AT, with 0.2 s quicker 0–100 km/h (2.5 vs 2.7) and +11 km/h top speed (261 vs 250).

Performance and economy

City, highway and mixed consumption are not measured on any version. Tank is not measured. Eco class is not measured. CO2 is not measured on 1 generation and 1 generation, restyling; it is 0 on all four restyling-2 cars.

1 generation AT ladder. 302 hp RWD: 5.9 s, 193 km/h. 362 hp RWD: 5.8 s (−0.1 s), 201 km/h (+8). 334 hp AWD: 5.4 s, 225 km/h — 0.4 s quicker than 362 hp despite 28 hp less, with +50 Nm (490 vs 440). 428 hp AWD: 5.2 s, 250 km/h. 422 hp RWD: 4.2 s, 209 km/h — 1.0 s quicker than 428 hp AWD with 6 hp less, 600 vs 490 Nm, and 80 kg less kerb weight (2108 vs 2188). 700 hp AWD: 3.2 s, 249 km/h. 762 hp AWD: 3.0 s (−0.2 s vs 700 hp), 250 km/h, same 2239 kg kerb.

1 generation, restyling AT ladder. Two RWD cars share 5.5 s: 306 hp (210 km/h) and 320 hp (230 km/h). The extra 14 hp buys +20 km/h, not a shorter sprint. AWD 328 hp: 5.2 s, 210 km/h. AWD 333 hp: 5.4 s, 230 km/h — 5 hp more than 328 hp, 0.2 s slower, +20 km/h. AWD 422 hp: 4.4 s, 250 km/h. AWD 449 hp: 4.2 s (−0.2 s), 250 km/h, same 660 Nm. AWD 512 hp: 3.3 s, 250 km/h, 967 Nm. AWD 762 hp: 2.7 s (−0.6 s vs 512 hp), 250 km/h, same 967 Nm. Dual motor P100D kWh Long Range Plus (518 hp, 967 Nm): 3.8 s, 250 km/h — 0.5 s slower than the 512 hp AT at +6 hp. Dual motor P100D kWh Performance (762 hp): 2.5 s, 261 km/h.

1 generation, restyling 2. Dual motor Long Range Plus 670 hp: 3.4 s, 250 km/h. Dual motor 670 hp: 3.2 s, 250 km/h — same power, 0.2 s quicker. Dual motor 685 hp: 3.2 s, 250 km/h — +15 hp versus 670 hp Dual motor, identical sprint and top speed. Tri motor Plaid 1020 hp: 2.1 s, 322 km/h.

Across the whole catalogue the 0–100 km/h span is 5.9 s (AT 302 hp) to 2.1 s (Tri motor Plaid): 3.8 s. Top speed span is 193–322 km/h: 129 km/h.

Dimensions, weight, wheels, chassis

Gross weight is not measured anywhere. Tank is not measured. Wheel sizes are not measured on many early AT cars.

Kerb weight, where measured: 2033 kg (1 generation AT 302 hp; restyle AT 306 hp), 2085 kg (AT 334 hp), 2108 kg (AT 362 hp and AT 422 hp, 1 generation), 2188 kg (AT 428 hp), 2239 kg (AT 700 hp and AT 762 hp, 1 generation), 2236 kg (both Dual motor P100D kWh names), 2069 kg (all three Dual motor cars in restyling 2), 2162 kg (Tri motor Plaid).

Weight per horsepower (kg/hp), only where kerb is measured: AT 302 hp 6.73; restyle AT 306 hp 6.64; AT 334 hp 6.24; AT 362 hp 5.82; AT 428 hp 5.11; AT 422 hp (1 generation) 5.00; Dual motor P100D kWh Long Range Plus 4.32; restyling-2 Dual motor 670 hp 3.09; Dual motor 685 hp 3.02; AT 700 hp 3.20; 1 generation AT 762 hp 2.94; Dual motor P100D kWh Performance 2.93; Tri motor Plaid 2.12. Plaid is the lowest kg/hp in the data. The 2033 kg / 306 hp restyle RWD is the heaviest kg/hp among restyle cars with a measured kerb.

Clearance: 152 mm (1 generation) vs 144 mm (both restyles), −8 mm.

Wheels when listed: 245/35 R21 and 265/35 R21 on 1 generation AT 422 / 700 / 762 hp and on restyle AT 422 / 449 / 512 / 762 hp; 245/45 R19 and 265/45 R19 on both P100D names and on all four restyling-2 cars.

Brakes: Ventilated disc front and Disc ventilated rear on every version (labels as in the data). Front suspension: Independent, pneumatic on every version.

Which version to choose

If the question is the current Model S only: take Dual motor (670 hp or 685 hp) unless you specifically want the Long Range Plus name or Plaid. Dual motor 670 hp and Dual motor 685 hp share 3.2 s, 250 km/h, 2069 kg, AWD, 1-speed Automatic, 144 mm, 245/45 R19 and 265/45 R19, CO2 0. The 685 hp car is +15 hp / +10 kW with no measured gain in 0–100 or top speed. Dual motor Long Range Plus is the same 670 hp / 493 kW and the same 2069 kg as Dual motor 670 hp, but 3.4 s instead of 3.2 s. On these numbers the Long Range Plus name does not buy a quicker car.

If the question is the fastest car in the catalogue: Tri motor Plaid. 1020 hp / 751 kW, 2.1 s, 322 km/h, 2162 kg, AWD. Versus Dual motor 670 hp that is +350 hp, −1.1 s, +72 km/h, +93 kg. Versus Dual motor 685 hp: +335 hp, −1.1 s, +72 km/h, +93 kg. Versus Dual motor P100D kWh Performance: +258 hp, −0.4 s, +61 km/h, −74 kg (2162 vs 2236). Versus the 762 hp restyle AT: +258 hp, −0.6 s, +72 km/h; kerb on that AT is not measured. Nm on Plaid is not measured.

If you want AWD from the restyle years without a 762 hp peak: AT 512 hp (3.3 s, 250 km/h, 967 Nm) is 0.5 s quicker than Dual motor P100D kWh Long Range Plus (518 hp, 3.8 s, 967 Nm) at −6 hp. The P100D Long Range Plus name is the heavier measured car (2236 kg vs not measured for the 512 hp AT). AT 449 hp (4.2 s, 250 km/h, 660 Nm) is the last step before the 967 Nm pair; AT 422 hp restyle (4.4 s, 250 km/h, 660 Nm) is 0.2 s slower at −27 hp. Wheels on 422 / 449 / 512 / 762 hp AT are 245/35 R21 and 265/35 R21, not the 19-inch pair used on the named P100D and restyling-2 cars.

If you want RWD: it exists only in 1 generation and 1 generation, restyling. Restyle AT 306 hp (5.5 s, 210 km/h, 430 Nm, 2033 kg) is the lightest measured restyle car. Restyle AT 320 hp (5.5 s, 230 km/h, 441 Nm, kerb not measured) is the same sprint with +20 km/h. First-generation AT 302 hp is 5.9 s / 193 km/h at the same 2033 kg — 0.4 s and 17 km/h behind the restyle 306 hp car, at −4 hp. First-generation AT 422 hp RWD (4.2 s, 209 km/h, 600 Nm, 2108 kg) is the quickest RWD in the data: 1.3 s quicker than restyle 306 hp RWD, 13 km/h slower on top speed, +75 kg. There is no RWD in restyling 2.

If you are comparing two 762 hp cars: 1 generation AT 762 hp: 3.0 s, 250 km/h, 2239 kg, kW 560, Nm not measured, 152 mm. Restyle AT 762 hp: 2.7 s, 250 km/h, kerb not measured, kW 568 (+8 kW), 967 Nm, 144 mm. Dual motor P100D kWh Performance: 2.5 s, 261 km/h, 2236 kg (−3 kg vs the first-generation 762), kW 592, 660 Nm. Same catalogue name family (762 hp), three different 0–100 times. The P100D Performance car is the one that also raises top speed above 250 km/h inside the restyle.

If you need 152 mm clearance: only 1 generation. Every restyle version is 144 mm. That 8 mm is the only measured ground-clearance difference in the model.

If rear-suspension type is a filter: Independent, spring rear is only the first-generation AT cars at 302, 334, 362 and 428 hp. Independent, pneumatic rear is the first-generation 422 / 700 / 762 hp AT cars and every restyle version through 2020. Dependent, pneumatic rear is only restyling 2.

What extra power buys, in numbers only. Restyle AT 306 → 762 hp is +456 hp, −2.8 s (5.5 to 2.7), +40 km/h (210 to 250), RWD to AWD. Restyle AT 512 → 762 hp is +250 hp and −0.6 s at the same 967 Nm and the same 250 km/h. Dual motor 670 → Tri motor Plaid is +350 hp, −1.1 s vs Dual motor Long Range Plus or −1.1 s vs Dual motor 670 hp, +72 km/h, +93 kg. Dual motor 670 → 685 hp is +15 hp and zero measured change in 0–100 or top speed. First-generation 700 → 762 hp is +62 hp, −0.2 s, +1 km/h, same 2239 kg.

What these data do not let you choose on. Prices are not in the data. Range, charging, consumption, tank, gross weight, eco class, cylinders, layout, boost, engine position, and (for restyling 2 and the first-generation 762 hp AT) torque are not measured. Power per litre is not defined. A version with not measured kerb cannot be ranked on kg/hp. Do not treat Dual motor Long Range Plus as quicker than Dual motor: 3.4 s versus 3.2 s at the same 670 hp says the opposite.

Short map. Daily AWD, current generation: Dual motor 670 hp or 685 hp. Named Long Range Plus in the current generation: Dual motor Long Range Plus (3.4 s). Maximum in the catalogue: Tri motor Plaid. Restyle peak with a unique name: Dual motor P100D kWh Performance. Restyle 967 Nm without the P100D Performance name: AT 512 hp or AT 762 hp. Restyle RWD: AT 306 hp or AT 320 hp. First-generation RWD sprint: AT 422 hp. First-generation lightest: AT 302 hp at 2033 kg. First-generation peak: AT 762 hp at 3.0 s.