http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2015-tesla-model-s-70d-instrumented-test-review The car of the century, now updated with more power and AWD. May 2015 By DON SHERMAN
[images / MICHAEL SIMARI http://media.caranddriver.com/images/15q2/657948/2015-tesla-model-s-70d-instrumented-test-review-car-and-driver-photo-658384-s-429x262.jpg 2015 Tesla Model S 70D http://media.caranddriver.com/images/media/51/2015-tesla-model-s-70d-inline1-photo-659079-s-original.jpg http://media.caranddriver.com/images/media/51/2015-tesla-model-s-70d-inline3-photo-659081-s-original.jpg http://media.caranddriver.com/images/media/51/2015-tesla-model-s-70d-inline4-photo-659082-s-original.jpg ] Instrumented Test Tesla made history with the introduction of its Model S sports sedan two-plus years ago, prompting approbation from car critics far and wide. This was the breakthrough electric car the world had seemingly been waiting for, offering attractive design, a remarkable interior, and entertaining performance. The price—starting at about $60,000 before the $7500 federal kickback—was far beyond the average household’s reach, and range anxiety will always be a concern for any pure electric, but the S was a refreshing interpretation of just how super a modern supersedan could be. The recent expansion of the lineup to provide four distinct Model S, er, models warrants an award grander than the 10Best Cars recognition we bestowed upon the S earlier this year: our nomination for “Car of the 21st Century” honors. Combining the aforementioned virtues with significant new features and a modest increase in price makes the Tesla Model S 70D reviewed here the new ultimate in four-door sedan engineering and technology. It’s worth noting that the 70D replaces the Model S 60 that picked up our 10Best accolade as the entry-level version. “D” signifies dual-motor all-wheel drive; the only RWD Model S available now is the 85. The 70D Rundown As with the rest of its Model S lineup mates, the 70D has mostly aluminum body and chassis construction, a battery pack built into the floor, comfortable seating for five (or up to seven with the optional jump seats), and attractive interior and exterior design. The huge, 17-inch touch screen providing navigation, entertainment, and car information and control functionality still smiles congenially from the center of the dash. The big news here is a pair of 257-hp (Tesla’s before-the-transmission rating, the post-gearbox rating is 329 combined horsepower) AC motors driving all four wheels and a base price of $76,200 before federal tax credits. A 70-kWh battery provides an EPA-rated 240-mile driving range; your results will vary. Compared with the Signature Performance (P85) rear-driver we tested more than two years ago, the new 70D is 177 pounds lighter and delivers slightly poorer accelerating, braking, and cornering performance. That said, it consumed less energy, achieved a higher top speed, and is a bit quieter during acceleration and cruising. A major plus is the extra confidence in adverse weather conditions provided by the 70D’s all-wheel drive. (It improves in nearly all areas save for weight versus the now-defunct, rear-drive Model S 60 we tested.) Nearly 10 percent of our test car’s $83,950 bottom line was attributable to optional embellishments: 19-inch wheels and tires ($2500), nicer seats ($2500), metallic paint ($1000), special wood interior trim ($750), and a cold-weather package ($1000). Crunching the Numbers Comparing this 70D to Mercedes-Benz’s shot at world’s-best-sedan honors—the S550 S-class—is revealing. In rear-drive form, the Mercedes has a slight edge in acceleration and braking. The Tesla ties in cornering grip and wins in top speed. The S550 provides more passenger room but with a less hospitable center-rear seating position and only about 45 percent of the Model S’s cargo space, which is divided between front and rear trunks. The greatest difference between these epic rivals is price: The base S550 costs $95,325 and crowds $100K with 4MATIC all-wheel drive, versus $83,950 (again, before state and federal rebates) for the Model S 70D tested here. Of course, the money you’ll likely need to invest upgrading your home and/or office wiring for the fastest battery charging narrows the Tesla’s dollar advantage. Nearly everyone who taps the accelerator in any Tesla Model S to enjoy the amusement-park surge becomes an instant electric-car convert. In raw numbers, this is the ability to jump from 30 to 50 mph in two seconds flat, and from 50 to 70 in 3.1 seconds with neither hesitation nor a gearchange (the 449-hp RWD Mercedes S550 achieves these tasks in 2.9 and 3.4 seconds). Then the reality sets in. To fully embrace any electric car, some lifestyle rearranging is necessary. Spur-of-the-moment trips are unwise. The next plug-in opportunity is always at the forefront of your consciousness. Speeding up when you’re running late may force an unplanned stop for a jolt of juice. Instrumented Test We noted a couple of unusual anomalies during testing. One was an odd momentary shudder at the rear axle when the 70D was shifted from park to drive. This was quite noticeable from outside the car, although barely detectable at the driver’s seat. And while two-direction acceleration runs have been standard operating procedure at Car and Driver for ages, Teslas respond with utmost hesitation to such sustained draw of their electrical energy reserves. After the first full run from rest to a velocity of more than 100 mph, the driver’s kW meter displays a dashed line, indicating that a lengthy cool-down period is needed before the return run. (To achieve the test results reported here, we gave the car adequate opportunity to cool). Our suspicion is that this is a protective measure aimed at limiting the temperature rise in the motor, controller, and battery systems. Logging 630 miles and conducting performance tests in this 70D required 14 plug connections versus three or four stops at the pump for the most fuel-thirsty luxury sedan driven the same distance. In exchange for the loss of convenience, you do reap substantial savings in operating costs. We spent less than $30 for the Tesla’s electricity versus the $100 in premium gasoline a conventional luxury sedan would have consumed driving 630 miles. A Driving Experience to Rival the Best In keeping with its premium-sedan aspirations, the 70D’s dynamic comportment is excellent. Except for a slightly clumpy response to expansion joints and potholes, the ride is well composed. The steering is slightly numb on-center, but heft builds rapidly and satisfyingly a few degrees of lock into any maneuver. There’s more than enough tire grip and body control to attack back roads like a 16-year-old with a fresh driver’s license. Thanks to aggressive energy-regeneration calibration, you drive the 70D mainly with the accelerator in traffic, with no more than occasional use of the brake pedal. Because there is no combustion thrum, the Model S soundtrack has a few distinctive subroutines. Now and then you hear electric-motor whine mixed with a touch of gear noise and tire-tread whir. There’s a pleasant wind rustle over the side glass at 100 mph. Because the cabin din is subdued, polite conversation can continue well into the felonious-velocity range. A low beltline and well-designed roof pillars yield good visibility except for a blockage created by the center rear-seat passenger’s fixed headrest. Although folding the back seat can eliminate that impediment, doing so adds to the rear-axle tire noise entering the interior via the open hatchback area. Like every important stride forward, appreciating the Tesla Model S demands some soul searching. Are you an early adopter anxious to experience the future ahead of the crowd? Are you willing to make a few modest sacrifices to prove your concern for the environment? Do you live to embarrass Corvettes and Mustangs at stoplights? Are you convinced that Nikola Tesla was far ahead of his time in espousing AC electricity? Score high in this quiz and you’ve earned the right to sign up for a Tesla Model S 70D test drive of your own. [© caranddriver.com] http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/05/tesla-adjust-cars-chinese-standard/ Tesla Motors Inc To Adjust Cars To Meet Chinese Charging Standard By: Aman JainPosted May 12, 2015 Tesla Motors Inc announced that it will bring in changes to its vehicles to bring them in line with China’s national charging standards, says a report from Bloomberg. In its latest effort to build up sales in the country, the EV manufacturer will fully support China’s charging standards as and when they are published, claims a statement posted on the company’s Chinese website. Tesla China Addressing range anxiety Tesla stated that with the new charging infrastructure, issues related to there being limited charging spots will also be resolved. At present, Tesla vehicles are not compatible with the charging facilities built by China’s state grid, a factor that has hampered sales numbers in the country as potential buyers keep worrying about situations when they may run out of charge while driving. Tesla Motors China General Manager Zhu Xiaotong said, “Solving the charging issue is vital to the promotion of electric vehicles.” Xiaotong further stated that the Palo Alto-based company will invest all its efforts to enable the inclusion of Chinese charging standards and the construction of public charging infrastructure to build a network that covers a wide area. Tesla leaving no stone unturned U.S. research firm JL Warren Capital noted that Tesla saw fewer than 2,500 cars registered in China in the nine months from April 2014, the month when the company started delivering its vehicles. The Elon Musk-led company did not comment on its sales figures in China. Tesla slashed jobs in China earlier this year after failing to achieve its sales target. Tesla is making efforts to strengthen its network of charging stations, bring down range anxiety and beef up charging stations with more luxury features to suit local tastes. Further, the company wants to retain the sales force Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk described as “brain-dead.” On May 6, Musk told shareholders in a letter that the company is experiencing “encouraging signs of a return to growth in orders.” As of now, China has not stated any time schedule in launching its electric vehicle charging standards. [© valuewalk.com] http://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/2015/05/12/tesla-modify-new-cars-chinas-charging-standards/27202901/ Tesla to modify new cars to China’s charging standards Bloomberg News May 12, 2015 [image / Zhang peijian / Imaginechina) http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/66deebcf7736090e56068881f0e3ad0c588e76ea/c=312-0-5304-3744&r=x404&c=534x401/local/-/media/2015/05/12/DetroitNews/B99269713Z.1_20150512184842_000_GBUGLMNB.1-0.jpg ] Tesla Motors Inc. said it will modify its vehicles to fit China’s national charging standards, the latest move by the electric-car maker to boost sales in the world’s largest auto market. Tesla will fully support China’s charging standards when they are released and ensure that its vehicles are compatible, the company said in a statement posted on its Chinese website. Concerns over access to charging will ease with the development of charging infrastructure over the next few years, the company said. Sales of electric vehicles have been hampered by “range anxiety,” or the fear of running out of electricity while on the road, a challenge exacerbated by the incompatibility of Tesla’s vehicles to the charging facilities built by China’s State Grid. Tesla owners and prospective buyers have cited the logistics of powering the vehicles as a key concern despite the company building its biggest charging network outside the U.S. “Solving the charging issue is vital to the promotion of electric vehicles,” Tesla’s China General Manager Zhu Xiaotong said in the May 11 statement. “Tesla will devote our utmost efforts to assist the drafting of Chinese charging standards and construction of public charging infrastructure to build a network that has the widest coverage.” Tesla is rushing to expand its network of charging stations to assuage range anxiety, add luxury features that suit local tastes and retrain a sales force that Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk previously described as “brain-dead.” The company has seen “encouraging signs of a return to growth in orders” in China, though there is still work to do, Musk said in a May 6 letter to shareholders. China hasn’t given a timetable on introducing its electric-vehicle charging standards. [© detroitnews.com] http://www.nasdaq.com/article/tesla-tsla-allowed-to-directly-sell-vehicles-in-maryland-analyst-blog-cm476668 Tesla (TSLA) Allowed to Directly Sell Vehicles in Maryland - Analyst Blog By Zacks.com, May 13, 2015 ... https://transportevolved.com/2015/05/13/tesla-fans-in-sweden-imagine-what-it-would-be-like-to-drive-a-gasoline-car-for-the-first-time/ Tesla Fans in Sweden Imagine What it Would Be Like to Drive a Gasoline Car for the First Time By Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield • May 13, 2015 ... http://gas2.org/2015/05/13/tesla-model-s-becoming-a-popular-raffle-prize/ Tesla Model S Becoming A Popular Raffle Prize May 13th, 2015 ... http://masterherald.com/tesla-model-s-proving-to-be-the-ultimate-electric-car/16695/ Tesla Model S Proving to be the Ultimate Electric Car By: Ali Aslani May 13, 2015 ... http://9to5mac.com/2015/05/13/tesla-hires-head-apple-recruiter-after-losing-own-lead-recruiter-to-apple-car-team/ Tesla hires head Apple recruiter after losing own recruiter to Apple Car team by: Mark Gurman May 13, 2015 ... http://www.gladstoneobserver.com.au/news/tesla-driving-force-for-fan/2640731/ Tesla's car an impressive piece of engineering 16th May 2015 ... http://www.cybershack.com.au/news/tesla-opens-second-Australian-showroom-in-Melbourne-150515-1 Tesla opens second Australian showroom in Melbourne.au By Alex Choros 2015-05-15 ... http://fortune.com/2015/05/12/how-tesla-may-burn-past-legislators-in-a-three-wheeled-car-of-the-future/ Tesla may burn past legislators in a three-wheeled 'car of the future' by Kirsten Korosec May 12, 2015 ... http://www.rocklintoday.com/news/templates/community_news.asp?articleid=14308&zoneid=4 Coast-to-Coast: Tesla Breaks World Records? Press Release May 17, 2015 ... unofficially broken by a team of six with an elapsed drive and charge time of just 58 hours and 55 min For EVLN posts use: http://evdl.org/evln/ {brucedp.150m.com} -- View this message in context: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/Tesla-S70D-The-car-of-the-century-now-updated-with-more-power-AWD-tp4675714.html Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at Nabble.com. _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
