Tesla’s new Model S can get 400 miles on a charge. Here’s why that may not matter
- by CNN
- Jun 17, 2020
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âFor an EV, anything over 200 miles is going to be more than enough for almost everybody,â said Sam Abuelsamid, an EV industry analyst with the consulting firm Guidehouse Insights.
And for those car shoppers that still arenât comfortable, even with a driving range of more than 200 miles, the jump to 400 isnât going to help, said Jessica Caldwell, an analyst with Edmunds.com.
âThat difference between 100 to 200 is great, but 300 to 400 maybe is less impactful,â she said.
More (and better) chargers
For those customers who are still hesitant, their issue isnât really range anymore, she said. Itâs charging infrastructure.
The average American drives less than 40 miles on a typical day and those with electric vehicles can charge their EVs at home. People want long range for when they take road trips. For that, more and better chargers will make the big difference, she said, not another 50 miles of range.
â[The chargers] have to be working, not brokenâ she said, âAnd not like the line is super long line to get to.â
More chargers are being installed. The number of publicly accessible chargers increased 60% around the world between 2018 and 2019, according to the International Energy Agency. The bulk of that growth was in China, however.
Is it worth the cost?
In terms of price, the Tesla Model S Long Range Plus is in the upper echelons, even among luxury vehicles. The base price of the Tesla Model S Long Range Plus is around $75,000, roughly the same as the Long Range model it replaces, which had an EPA-rated 373 miles of range.
A Tesla Model S Long Range in Manhattan. The new Long Range Plus goes even further.
David Williams/Redux for CNN
Itâs difficult to get a sense of how much money that translates to in terms of dollars-per-mile since the only other version of the Model S currently offered on Teslaâs web site in the US is the Model S Performance, which costs almost $90,000. The Model S Performance can go just 348 miles on a charge, but buyers are presumably paying for the carâs 2.3 second zero-to-60 time and better handling. (The Long Range Plus goes from zero to 60 in a comparatively leisurely 3.7 seconds.)
More long-range EVs on the way
Another thing to consider is that Tesla wonât be the only auto maker that will offer electric vehicles that can go hundreds of miles on a chrarge.
David Williams/Redux for CNN
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