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The Tesla Model D: Making Car Buyers Drool Over New Features
The Tesla Model D: Making Car Buyers Drool Over New Features
There is no hotter company on the planet right now than Tesla, which continues to push the envelope on what people can expect from electric cars and cutting-edge technology.
The most recent development: release of a new Tesla car, the Model D. It’s basically a two-engine version of Tesla’s Model S, the groundbreaking car that put the company on the map when it debuted for sale in 2012.
Two of the Model D versions – the 60D and the 85D – have 188 horsepower motors in the front and in the rear. The engines combines to give the car 376 horsepower, 74 more than the Model S. It decreases the time it takes to go from 0 to 60 by about 0.2 seconds. It also adds about 10 to 15 miles to the range of the vehicle – if you drive either model at about 65 mph, you’ll get 226 miles from the 60D and 295 miles from the 85D.
The eye-popping, jaw-dropping news is about the P85D model. This one has a 221 horsepower motor in the front and a 470 horsepower motor in the rear. That’s 691 horsepower, which propels the Tesla Model D from 0 to 65 in just 3.2 seconds. The car can also reach 155 mph.
The term “D” refers to the dual engines. But that’s not the only thing that’s different about the Model D.
Autopilot. While other companies – including Google – are working on driverless cars, Tesla is ready to unveil its new autopilot technology. While the car is not completely autonomous, a series of 360-degree sensors, radars and cameras allow the Model D to navigate the road without human control. For example, the Model D can see road lanes, read speed signs and detect other cars on the road. Using this information, the car can adjust the Model D’s speed or switch lanes.
It’s possible that eventually the car will be able to completely control itself on the highway and that you might also be able to call the car to come your location. That’s right – just like Batman.
All-Wheel Drive. The Model D is an all-wheel drive vehicle, whereas the Model S came only with rear wheel drive. This is especially important for Tesla owners in cold weather locations, where ice and snow can make real-wheel drive cars difficult to handle on the road.
High speed. The 0 to 60 speed mentioned above puts the Model D in the same class as a Porsche 911 Turbo and actually faster than a Ferrari 458 Italia, according to the Daily Beast. Tesla claims it’s the fastest four-door production car ever.
The cost. The Model D costs $71,000 for just the base version and about $120,000 when tricked out with the latest features.
With the Model D. Tesla has again created a car that has the automotive, technology and financial press buzzing. Tesla CEO Elon Musk continues to be a winning streak, keeping his products on the edge of what technology can do.
If the Model D is too pricy, you can wait for the highly-anticipated Tesla Model III, which is expected to be ready for sale to consumers by 2017. The car, which will have a different platform than the Model S, Model D or the Model X (a crossover SUV expected to be ready for sale in 2015), was designed by former Aston Martin designer Chris Porritt.
The Model III, which is expected to cost about $35,000, will put Tesla in competition with luxury cars such as the BMW 3-Series.
Also, Tesla has selected Nevada as the site for its new gigafactory. Located outside Reno, the factory is expected to add 3,000 construction jobs and 6,500 factory jobs. The 10 million square foot facility will produce lithium ion batteries, enough for 500,000 cars by 2020.
Image Credit: Tesla Blog
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