Every once in a while Tesla likes to give its cars a sweeping update, and recently, the electric automaker's Model S sedan and — to a lesser extent — the Model X SUV, were the recipients of significant overhauls.
This bonkers steering wheel
Tesla is known for making bold design choices, and the Model S is no exception. One of those design choices comes in the form of a yoke steering wheel that may not even be legal. It's unclear if the yoke will stay in the Model S' final redesign, but if the goal was to turn heads — and not just wheels — then mission accomplished.
Automatic back-up and reverse
Perhaps one of the biggest and boldest changes is the shift (if you'll pardon a pun) away from, well, shifting. Musk said on Twitter that the new Model S will be able to automatically change between park, reverse, and drive, negating the need for a shifting stick. Documents obtained by Electrek suggest that the feature will use cameras to intuit which direction motorists want to move in.
"The vehicle uses its Autopilot sensors to intelligently and automatically determine intended drive modes and select them. For example, if the front of Model S/X is facing a garage wall, it will detect this and automatically shift to Reverse once the driver presses the brake pedal. This eliminates one more step for the drivers of the world’s most intelligent production cars."
Super, supercharging
According to documentation on Tesla's website highlighted by Teslarati, the Model S refresh has some really impressive fast-charging capabilities that will allow the car to gain 200 miles of range in just 15 minutes. Tesla didn't specify which chargers would be capable of juicing the Model S up, but it's likely that speed is only accessible via one of the company's superchargers.
Improved range
One model of revamped Model S (the Plaid+) will come with a new and improved powertrain and a new battery capable of 520 miles of range on a single charge. It'll also enable the car to go from 0 to 60 mph in under two seconds, making it, in Tesla's words, the "fastest accelerating production car ever made.”
Interior revamp
Tesla made some pretty substantial changes to the Model S interior, including a smaller touchscreen with thinner bezels and a second display in the backseat. There's also more carbon fiber and wood and a few more perks for backseat passengers — a wireless charger and the ability to play games on the newly added rear display.