Tesla Model S 90D leads in electric range (pictures)
With its 90 kilowatt-hour battery and dual electric motors, the Model S 90D runs further than any Tesla vehicle to date.
The Model S is the first fully Tesla-built car from the innovative California electric vehicle maker, following the Roadster, which had relied on an external body and chassis maker.
The Model S initially launched in 2012, and has become more refined in just a few years.
Recently, Tesla revised its Model S offerings to the 70, 70D, 90D and P90D.
This example is the 90D, which has a 90-kilowatt-hour battery pack and two drive motors, for all-wheel-drive.
The 90D represents a significant upgrade from the original Model S 85, adding range and all-wheel drive.
The Model S packages its battery pack, made up of lithium ion cells, in the chassis.
The 90D gets two electric motor, each making 259 horsepower, front and back. The total horsepower output comes to 417.
Being an electric vehicle, the Model S has no tailpipe emissions.
An optional air suspension contributes to comfort and handling.
The power steering and climate control are, of course, electric.
Because of the unique nature of an electric drivetrain, you can set the car to creep when you aren't touching the accelerator or brake, or stand still.
The 90 kilowatt-hour battery pack gives the Model S 90D a range of 288 miles.
The Model S is designed for exceptional aerodynamics and light weight, to maximize battery performance.
The EPA rates the Model S 90D at 100 mpg equivalent for a combined city/highway cycle, a testament to the electric drivetrain's efficiency.
The air suspension automatically lowers at speed to improve aerodynamics.
The electric motors are much smaller than an engine, leaving room under the hood for cargo.
The hatchback allows versatile cargo space.
It takes hours to charge up the Model S 90D from a Level 2 240-volt charging station, but Tesla's free Superchargers add 170 miles of range in half an hour.
A panoramic sunroof is a nice touch for the cabin.
The cabin, lacking a transmission tunnel, is very spacious.
Rear seats easily accommodate three.
Tesla keeps its dashboard relatively bare, using the touchscreen for most functions.
The steering wheel holds volume controls, and a stalk activates driver assistance features.
The new AutoPilot feature keeps the car in its lane and maintains distance from traffic ahead.
This instrument cluster display gives you confidence that the Model S is tracking traffic around it with its sensors.
Turn-by-turn instructions show up on the instrument panel.
In stop-and-go traffic, the Model S can pretty much drive itself.
The 17-inch center touchscreen shows audio, navigation, phone and vehicle settings.
A 4G/LTE data connection pipes in Google Maps.
Large settings screens make it easy to learn more about what the Model S can do.
The AutoPilot settings screen lets you fine-tune how the self-driving feature works.
Tesla builds in two apps for streaming music, Slacker and TuneIn.
For navigation, the Model S offers one-box search through Google Maps.
The Model S can play streaming audio through a Bluetooth connection to your phone.
The Model S lists nearby charging stations, including its Superchargers.
If you really want to geek out, you can track your electricity usage.