Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. HOMEPAGE

While we wait for the Model 3, Tesla is bringing back its cheapest car

Tesla Model S
The redesigned Model S. Screenshot via Tesla

Responding to robust demand for its just-unveiled Model 3, Tesla on Thursday reintroduced a $66,000 version of its Model S sedan, the Model S 60.

Advertisement

The four-door will be available with rear-wheel drive and as an all-wheel-drive Model S 60D.

In 2015, Tesla dropped the 60 kilowatt-hour Model S, then priced at $69,900, from its lineup.

With the arrival of the new 60 kWh car, the previous Model S 70 — at $71,500 before federal and state tax incentives and fuel savings — will no longer be in the automaker's offerings.

The Model S 70 delivered 234 miles of range on a single charge; the Model S 60 will serve up to 218.

Advertisement

A $9,500 post-order software upgrade to the vehicle can enable it to access it full 75 kWh battery back, which will enable longer range — an additional 19%, the automaker said — between charges. (No actual 60 kWh battery packs will be produced; Tesla already provides a 75 kWh option for its Model X SUV.)

Tesla explained that the decision to revive the Model S 60 was driven by a surge in interest in Tesla following the unveiling of the Model 3 in March in Los Angeles. Approximately 375,000 customers put down $1,000 each to be able to purchase the $35,000 car when it arrives in 2017 — if Tesla can meet its production plans.

Some customers might not want to wait, but are reluctant to purchase either a new Tesla at current prices or a certified pre-owned car. Additionally, the smaller Model 3 may not suit some customers needs, so they would be Model S buyers in any case.

"We’ve heard from a number of people who would like to buy a Model S, but can more easily afford it only at a lower price point," Tesla said in a statement.

Advertisement

Tesla stressed that the new Model S 60 is an improvement over the previous vehicle. It will have faster 0-60 mph acceleration — 5.5 seconds versus 5.9 — autopilot semi-self-driving capability, "bioweapon defense mode" air filtration, and all-wheel drive, which Tesla didn't offer until the introduction of its dual-motor system in 2014.

The Model S 60 will also have a recently refreshed exterior design — the S will now look like the Model 3, with a smooth front fascia as the most prominent and controversial change — and an upgraded interior.

BI_Graphics_Tesla Model 3 annotation
BI Graphics

The new trim level, like all current Teslas, will have free access to the company's Supercharger network, a perk that is likely to disappear with the cheaper Model 3. However, a Tesla spokesperson reiterated the carmaker's recommendation that Superchargers be used only to extend range on longer trips, and that owners should favor charging their cars at home and at work.

Tesla analysts and observers might be concerned that, by adding new trim level to the Model S lineup, Tesla is undercutting its push to fulfill the massive Model 3 preorders and meet CEO Elon Musk's accelerated goal of 500,000 in annual vehicle production by 2020.

Advertisement

However, the less expensive Model S 60 will simply become part of the ongoing order and production flow for the sedan, which was introduced in 2012 and was named Motor Trend's Car of the Year for 2013.

Tesla can certainly use the additional revenue provided by a car bridging the gap between current production and the arrival of the Model 3. The automaker has posted huge quarterly losses as it strives to ramp up production, as well as complete construction of a $5 billion battery factory in Nevada.

Transportation Tesla Elon Musk
Advertisement
Close icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. It indicates a way to close an interaction, or dismiss a notification.

Jump to

  1. Main content
  2. Search
  3. Account