Spotlight Electric Vehicle Week 2

Kaitlin Reed Uncategorized

The Tesla Model S is one of the most popular EVs in the world. Bringing luxury to the electric car market, this vehicle offers a stylish interior and fresh design with a long range battery. The Model S range is more than double that of many other electric vehicles. The long range version can travel 335 miles on a single charge! To top it all off, the Tesla Supercharger stations are able to charge about 80% of the battery in only 30 minutes.  With a long range and short charging time, this model helps make having an electric vehicle much more convenient.

 

Image result for tesla model s

Design

Some say the Tesla Model S is a “masterpiece of design.” Elon Musk made his vision clear early on: release a powerful EV  to fans of high performance, exotic cars in order to not only make profit, but change the way people look at EV’s. Then, once more money comes in and electric vehicles are more well known, release a more practical, cheaper car (we will get into the Tesla 3 at another time). The Tesla S did exactly the job it needed to. Providing an all electric experience with a stylish design, going from 0 to 60 in 2.4 seconds, and featuring a technology based interface are just some of the features that have attracted consumers.

Tech

This vehicle does not just look great aesthetically, but also fuels the tech nerd in all of us. Featuring many new technological advancements, it offers a look at what we can expect to see in the future. First, the car has Tesla Autopilot, capable of controlling the steering, throttle, and brakes in certain situations, and can even make lane changes on its own. Eight surrounding cameras and 12 ultrasonic sensors provide the vehicle with full visibility around the car. Enhanced Autopilot will match speed to traffic conditions, keep within a lane, automatically change lanes without requiring driver input, transition from one freeway to another, exit the freeway when the destination is near, self-park when near a parking spot and be summoned to and from a garage/parking spot. The best part about the software of Tesla’s Autopilot is that it can be updated wirelessly, so you can get the latest version with new capabilities without having to go through any trouble.

Because the car is internet connected, it also comes with the ability to browse the internet and use auto streaming services through the large touch screen display. Further, the vehicle connects to a phone app that allows the driver to unlock/lock the car, trigger the horn, or even set the climate all at the touch of a button. Lastly, the car comes with some “Easter eggs”, or cool, hidden features that can be found when messing around with the display. For example, one of these “eggs” allows the user the change the display to show the car on the infamous “Rainbow Road” from Mario Kart (shown below).

Image result for tesla model s displayThe Tesla Rainbow Road Easter egg

The technology in this car seems futuristic. As the first vehicle to have many of these capabilities, it has shown everyone the revolutionary technology that an electric vehicle can provide.

 

Safety

The Model S achieved the highest safety rating of any car ever tested, and set a record for the lowest probability of occupant injury—from front, side, rear and rollover accidents. Through over the air technology updates, as described above, the car features many safety technologies including automatic emergency braking, collision warning, and automatic high beams. While the AutoPilot will not work without human interaction, it will still kick in when necessary to ensure the safety of the car’s occupants.

 

As evident, The Tesla Model S is a very special electric car that has helped shape the industry. Unfortunately, a great vehicle like this comes with a price, starting around $75k for the shortest range, and about $135k for the longest range. While not many people can afford this car, we can still marvel in its beauty, with hopes to some day afford something like it. Successfully bringing luxury to the electric car industry, the Tesla S has well earned its spot as our Spotlight EV this week!