Since 2012

Model S

Range up to 410 miles.

Generations

• 2012–2016 Original

  Pre-facelift cars with the black nose-cone grille panel. Dual-motor AWD arrived in 2014.

• 2016–2021 Facelift

  Body-colored nose and full-LED adaptive headlights; the P100D introduced Ludicrous+ acceleration.

• 2021–present Refresh (Palladium)

  Horizontal center screen, optional yoke steering wheel, and the tri-motor Plaid variant.

Specs

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov.

What changed

• 2016 Nose cone redesign

  The front fascia lost its black grille panel in favor of a body-colored fascia with just a thin slot for the Tesla badge, alongside new full-LED adaptive headlights.

  How to recognize it: A smooth, grille-less nose instead of the earlier black grille panel marks a 2016+ car.

  Source
• 2021 Interior overhaul and yoke steering wheel

  A major refresh replaced most interior components, switched the center touchscreen to a horizontal orientation, and offered a yoke-style steering wheel instead of a traditional round wheel.

  How to recognize it: A cut-off, oval steering wheel and a horizontal center screen mark a 2021+ car; earlier cars have a round wheel and vertical screen.

  Source
• 2021 Plaid tri-motor variant introduced

  A three-motor Plaid variant joined the lineup with a manufacturer-quoted 1.98 second 0-60 time.

  How to recognize it: Plaid badging on the trunk lid distinguishes it from Long Range cars.

  Source
• 2025 Front bumper camera and chassis update

  A later update added a front bumper-mounted camera and chassis revisions, along with an updated rear diffuser on Plaid models.

  How to recognize it: Look for a small camera lens integrated into the front bumper, not present on earlier cars.

  Source

Trivia

• The front trunk gave the world the word "frunk" -- a portmanteau of front and trunk that stuck as industry slang.

  Source

• The 2021 refresh reached a 0.208 drag coefficient, the lowest of any production car at the time.

  Source

• It won Motor Trend's Car of the Year in 2013, in its first full year on sale.

  Source

• Early cars could unlock extra range with an over-the-air software upgrade from a 60 kWh to a 75 kWh battery -- no hardware changes.

  Source

• In 2015 it was the world's best-selling plug-in electric vehicle, with 50,366 units sold.

  Source

• The body is built mostly of aluminum, chosen so the non-battery structure could weigh less than a comparable gasoline car.

  Source