Rest assured everything you heard about the revolutionary Tesla Model S is absolutely true (and we mean the good things for sure). It stands well and handles well like an ideal premium sports sedan. A product of the Silicon Valley (and not Detroit!) would leave you baffled if you can experience it once and realize that it is indeed a car of the future. Moreover, fuel (electricity) is free at the Tesla Charging Stations. Even if you use your own electricity, the efficiency comes out to something like a 400hp turbocharged car running on $1.25 a gallon gasoline.
One Screen Rules All
Its glass cockpit comes with a 17 inch LCD in the center stack that will play virtually any song in the universe at the touch of a button while offering top notch navigation. The LCD controls all the functions in the car, so much so that the dashboard has only two buttons – one for hazard lights and the other for the glove compartment. The vehicle set up screen shows your entire car as is, and you can check it by opening a door or switching on a light. You can not only access Google Maps on the screen but also web browser and many other features.
Keep it stiff but light
The body structure of the Tesla is mainly aluminium, with steel having been used only to add strength in the key areas. The resultant stiffness has allowed the car to be bestowed with good dynamics despite its size & weight and 21 inch wheels. Within about a decade, Tesla has indeed gone from being CEO Elton Musk’s brainchild to a deadly serious player in the unpredictable business of making and selling zero emission automobiles.
Let The Numbers Be Small
The Tesla will be built in small quantities and its 265 mile range might not be enough for many. With prices being in the premium segment, it might be labelled expensive. But the kinds of innovations that are packed into this power-packed model are revolutionary.
Updating On-The-Air
Just as your iPad gets wireless software updates, the Model S also receives updates which are perhaps the most innovative feature in the car. Now unlike any other car, Tesla does not start losing value and become obsolete as soon as you leave the dealer’s showroom.
Mechanics Mystic
With the exception of the suspension, the Tesla’s mechanical package is mostly flat. The electric motor sits on the rear wheel profile while the battery rests under the cabin. Labelled as the ‘skateboard’, this design works wonders for the Tesla. And despite this, the car retains the conventional sedan look make it a lot more acceptable for customers who would shy away if thrown a radically differently designed electric sedan all of a sudden.
All in all, the Tesla feels like a real car with an established automaker fit and finish, and not at all like a ponderous vehicle put into a sleek skin at a lofty price unlike some of its electric or hybrid rivals. The design is revolutionary, so is the dynamics. The features are countless and the car will be ‘the’ zero emission car pioneers in the future for sure. The next time you feel it’s time to make a switch to being environment friendly without giving up on the luxury of the sedan, Tesla Model S is what you should be looking for. Elton Musk, take a bow!
Image Courtesy: concavowheels, steve jurvetson, kylevb, pop culture geek
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