Tesla Quietly Changes Model S Range Estimate To 390 Miles

Tesla has quietly changed the Model S LR’s range to an estimated 390 miles, bringing it closer to Elon Musk’s goal of 400 miles of range. There are a couple of reasons the miles might have changed, but either way, Tesla’s efficiency is clearly improving.

Tesla enthusiast and space traveler Starman Eli Burton first noticed the edit to the EV automaker's official page for the Model S Long Range on its official website. Burton noted that the Model S LR’s 390 miles were labeled as estimated by Tesla, so he questioned whether it was an actual change to the premium sedan’s EPA miles.

On the government website, Tesla’s premium sedan has a range of 370 miles and 373 miles for the 2019 Tesla Model S Long Range and its 2020 variant, respectively. It has been noted that the range change may be due to the Model S Long Range’s new Aero wheels.

Senior Director of Investor Relations at Tesla, Martin Viecha, did state during the last Earnings Call that the Model S and Model X’s range was actually more than the listed values on the company’s website. So the 390-mile estimate may be a result of Tesla finally updating its official website rather than a change in the Model S itself.

“Yeah. And actually, the Model S and X have more range than we are currently stating on the website. We just haven't gotten around to updating the, I guess, the EPA sort of might number. But the actual range of the Model S and X are above what the website says there are,” Viecha said. 

Seems like these numbers keep going up! Tesla #ModelS #Model3 #ModelX
❤️ 🤗 🔋 💪🏻 pic.twitter.com/IKiJvlGxDv

— 🐶Earl of Frunkpuppy🐶 (@28delayslater) February 15, 2020

Apart from the Model S, Tesla has also updated the range for the Model X and Model 3, further proving the point above.

However, 390 miles of range is only a sliver away from Musk’s 400-mile goal, which he talked about in Tesla’s recent Earnings Call as well. Musk spoke about improvements to 18650 battery cells, which could result in 400 miles of range for the Model S.

“Sure. Well, actually the core chemistry inside the 18650 cell has improved many times over the years. So, it's really just a form factor as opposed to core technology. Yes, I think we're pretty happy with the energy content of the cell and the improvements in [the] efficiency of the vehicle. We're rapidly approaching a 400-mile range for Model S, for example. So, it won't be long before Model S has [a] 400-mile range,” said Musk.

Anyone interested in ordering a Model S with 390-mile range, please click here.

Featured Image Credit: Tesla