Photo: Tesla
Not long after Elon Musk sent an email to his employees about the production target for 2020, the Palo Alto-based automaker has decided to slash the starting price of the Model S by $3,000 in the United States. As a result, the Long Range Plus now retails at $71,990 and the Performance is available from $91,990.
Pricing for the tri-motor Plaid remains unchanged at $139,990 in this part of the world, probably because it’s not in production yet and because Tesla is rolling out 4680 cells and a structural battery for this specification of the electric sedan.
These cuts follow Model Y, Model 3, and Model X cuts from earlier in 2020, and this strategy raises more questions than it answers. Is the EV manufacturer taking a risk by cutting back the profit per vehicle to stimulate sales? Have production costs gone down in the past year or so? Whatever the case, it’s a welcomed change.
At $71,990 excluding destination, documents, and the federal tax credit that was dropped at the beginning of the year, the Model S is getting closer to the price point of electric vehicles from legacy automakers. The Audi e-tron, for example, starts at $65,900 in the United States while the Jaguar I-Pace can be yours for $69,850.
“They’re not direct rivals, you know,” and you’re right! Be that as it may, the Model S is the cooler and more sensible pick because of the Tesla badge and 100-kWh battery that offers 402 miles (647 kilometers) of all-electric driving range. Space also favors the full-size sedan, and don’t even get me started about tech.
Even the entry-level spec is equipped with air suspension, the premium interior, and a 17-inch touchscreen. Autopilot with or without Full Self Driving Capability is another strong point of the Model S over the competition, and the same can be said about straight-line performance at 2.3 seconds to 60 mph (97 kph).
If you place an order for the e-sedan now, the delivery date is estimated at 4 to 8 weeks for U.S. customers. As for the Plaid, make that “late 2021.”
These cuts follow Model Y, Model 3, and Model X cuts from earlier in 2020, and this strategy raises more questions than it answers. Is the EV manufacturer taking a risk by cutting back the profit per vehicle to stimulate sales? Have production costs gone down in the past year or so? Whatever the case, it’s a welcomed change.
At $71,990 excluding destination, documents, and the federal tax credit that was dropped at the beginning of the year, the Model S is getting closer to the price point of electric vehicles from legacy automakers. The Audi e-tron, for example, starts at $65,900 in the United States while the Jaguar I-Pace can be yours for $69,850.
“They’re not direct rivals, you know,” and you’re right! Be that as it may, the Model S is the cooler and more sensible pick because of the Tesla badge and 100-kWh battery that offers 402 miles (647 kilometers) of all-electric driving range. Space also favors the full-size sedan, and don’t even get me started about tech.
Even the entry-level spec is equipped with air suspension, the premium interior, and a 17-inch touchscreen. Autopilot with or without Full Self Driving Capability is another strong point of the Model S over the competition, and the same can be said about straight-line performance at 2.3 seconds to 60 mph (97 kph).
If you place an order for the e-sedan now, the delivery date is estimated at 4 to 8 weeks for U.S. customers. As for the Plaid, make that “late 2021.”
Google News