It's the world's most appealing electric car - but does that make it an appealing car?
The Tesla Model S is the first bespoke creation from PayPal creator Elon Musk’s stable, and is heading to the UK off the back of significant US sales success.Its body structure is chiefly aluminium, with steel used only to add strength in key areas. Tesla says the resultant stiffness has allowed it to bestow the car with good dynamics despite its size and weight (over two tonnes) and even on 21-inch wheels.Tesla also makes the case for aluminium’s increased strength in the event of an accident, a claim it backs up with eight standard air bags and a frontal crash structure it says has far more effective crumple zones than in a ‘standard’ car, simply because there is no engine to consider.The car sits on double wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension. All versions except the base version of the Tesla Model S sit on air suspension.The company says it has wilfully made the Tesla S look like a conventional car, to the extent of fitting a dummy radiator grille, so as not to scare off customers wary of buying an electric vehicle.The batteries – available in three forms, developed by Pioneer and also used by Toyota and Mercedes - sit under the floor of the car, running the length of the space between the axles in a 10cm deep stack, keeping the centre of gravity low, while the electric motor sits on the rear axle. Weight distribution is claimed to be 48 per cent/52 per cent front/rear.Approach the Model S and the first thing you get is a touch of theatre: pop the key blipper and the door handles pop from their flush housings. Inside, the cabin is dominated by a giant, iPad-like touchscreen, which stretches 43cm down the centre console and dominates the cabin, controlling everything from the air conditioning to the Google Earth powered sat-nav. It’s a futuristic high spot of an otherwise conventional premium cabin, which unashamedly uses switchgear straight from Tesla partner Mercedes and its parts bin.On the move you quickly feel that the Tesla Model S is a big car. At 4978mm long, 1964mm wide and 1435 in height, it is longer, wider and lower than all of its most obvious opposition, such as the BMW 5-series, Mercedes E-class and Audi A7. For instance, that’s 79mm longer than a 5-series, 164mm wider and 29mm lower.This has its benefits – the car is a true five-seater, and can be extended out to be a seven-seater with the addition of rear jump seats, and there is generous front and rear boot storage, totalling 895 litres. That compares to the 5-series’ 520 litres.But there is also a downside. The width, in particular, takes some getting used to. While open roads present few problems, it does make town driving a nervy experience, at least while you adapt to the dimensions.Acceleration is as shocking as you’d expect from a car that – in top 85kWh Performance Signature spec - produces 443lb ft of torque from a standstill, and peak power of 416bhp. Sure, the car’s two tonne plus weight holds it back off the line, but there’s no arguing with the sensations of a 4.2 sprint to 62mph, or the pace with which it reaches its limited top speed of 130mph.Buyers will eventually be able to select between 60kWh, 85kWh and 85kWh Performance versions, each with different battery capacities or set up. All three batteries are contained in the same space, but predictably deliver different balances of range and performance. The 60kWh version is rates with a 0-62mph time of 5.9sec and a range at a constant 55mph of 230 miles, the 85kWh version 5.4sec and 300 miles and the Performance version 4.2sec and 300 miles. Tesla claims that each hour of charge from a standard socket delivers 65 miles of range.All the way, regardless of the version, there’s just a slight bustle of tyre and wind noise.It is also more supple and agile than its stats suggest, the 21-inch wheels and low profile tyres providing a surprisingly decent ride on the mixture of roads we tested on. Down a twisty road you can always feel the weight, but the low down battery pack does noticeably help the centre of gravity. The steering can be switched between three settings – comfort, normal and sport, predictably – at the switch of a button, changing input weights but never really delivering much feel.Overall, it’s clear that the Tesla S certainly delivers a highly credible steer, a large, hushed premium cabin and massive load space with a nicely futuristic touch. It is, without doubt, the best of its breed (of which there are few) and for a select niche, it will make financial as well as (arguably) environmental sense.
It's the world's most appealing electric car - but does that make it an appealing car?
The Tesla Model S is the first bespoke creation from PayPal creator Elon Musk’s stable, and is heading to the UK off the back of significant US sales success.Its body structure is chiefly aluminium, with steel used only to add strength in key areas. Tesla says the resultant stiffness has allowed it to bestow the car with good dynamics despite its size and weight (over two tonnes) and even on 21-inch wheels.Tesla also makes the case for aluminium’s increased strength in the event of an accident, a claim it backs up with eight standard air bags and a frontal crash structure it says has far more effective crumple zones than in a ‘standard’ car, simply because there is no engine to consider.The car sits on double wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension. All versions except the base version of the Tesla Model S sit on air suspension.The company says it has wilfully made the Tesla S look like a conventional car, to the extent of fitting a dummy radiator grille, so as not to scare off customers wary of buying an electric vehicle.The batteries – available in three forms, developed by Pioneer and also used by Toyota and Mercedes - sit under the floor of the car, running the length of the space between the axles in a 10cm deep stack, keeping the centre of gravity low, while the electric motor sits on the rear axle. Weight distribution is claimed to be 48 per cent/52 per cent front/rear.Approach the Model S and the first thing you get is a touch of theatre: pop the key blipper and the door handles pop from their flush housings. Inside, the cabin is dominated by a giant, iPad-like touchscreen, which stretches 43cm down the centre console and dominates the cabin, controlling everything from the air conditioning to the Google Earth powered sat-nav. It’s a futuristic high spot of an otherwise conventional premium cabin, which unashamedly uses switchgear straight from Tesla partner Mercedes and its parts bin.On the move you quickly feel that the Tesla Model S is a big car. At 4978mm long, 1964mm wide and 1435 in height, it is longer, wider and lower than all of its most obvious opposition, such as the BMW 5-series, Mercedes E-class and Audi A7. For instance, that’s 79mm longer than a 5-series, 164mm wider and 29mm lower.This has its benefits – the car is a true five-seater, and can be extended out to be a seven-seater with the addition of rear jump seats, and there is generous front and rear boot storage, totalling 895 litres. That compares to the 5-series’ 520 litres.But there is also a downside. The width, in particular, takes some getting used to. While open roads present few problems, it does make town driving a nervy experience, at least while you adapt to the dimensions.Acceleration is as shocking as you’d expect from a car that – in top 85kWh Performance Signature spec - produces 443lb ft of torque from a standstill, and peak power of 416bhp. Sure, the car’s two tonne plus weight holds it back off the line, but there’s no arguing with the sensations of a 4.2 sprint to 62mph, or the pace with which it reaches its limited top speed of 130mph.Buyers will eventually be able to select between 60kWh, 85kWh and 85kWh Performance versions, each with different battery capacities or set up. All three batteries are contained in the same space, but predictably deliver different balances of range and performance. The 60kWh version is rates with a 0-62mph time of 5.9sec and a range at a constant 55mph of 230 miles, the 85kWh version 5.4sec and 300 miles and the Performance version 4.2sec and 300 miles. Tesla claims that each hour of charge from a standard socket delivers 65 miles of range.All the way, regardless of the version, there’s just a slight bustle of tyre and wind noise.It is also more supple and agile than its stats suggest, the 21-inch wheels and low profile tyres providing a surprisingly decent ride on the mixture of roads we tested on. Down a twisty road you can always feel the weight, but the low down battery pack does noticeably help the centre of gravity. The steering can be switched between three settings – comfort, normal and sport, predictably – at the switch of a button, changing input weights but never really delivering much feel.Overall, it’s clear that the Tesla S certainly delivers a highly credible steer, a large, hushed premium cabin and massive load space with a nicely futuristic touch. It is, without doubt, the best of its breed (of which there are few) and for a select niche, it will make financial as well as (arguably) environmental sense.