Tesla has been breaking barriers and doing marvels in the electric car industry ever since it was founded.
The upcoming Tesla Model S will be capable of driving 402 miles on a single charge. This is a huge deal not just for Tesla that was trying to break this 400-mile barrier, but also for the electric car industry and consumer itself. This range is nearly 20% more than last year’s Model S.
The major improvement made in the car to improve its range is related to its overall mass. The mass of the car has been reduced. Moving less mass would require less energy from the batteries making them last longer. The material used in batteries itself is lighter than what was used in their predecessors. Seats have also seen weight reductions. According to Tesla, these improvements are brought about by learning from their mistakes in earlier Model Ys and Model 3s.
The new 8.5-inch wheels used are more aerodynamic and significant improvements have also been made in their tires. Being more aerodynamic will help the car face lesser air-resistance at higher speeds, helping it go longer distances on a single charge.
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The car has also seen some mechanical changes. Previously, mechanical pumps were used to pump the lubricants. This time around the car has an electric pump that is more efficient in lubricating the moving car parts. There is also an improvement in the gearbox. these changes have helped the range to increase by 2%.
Improvements have been made in the regenerative braking. Regenerative braking is not a new concept in the automotive industry. Regenerative braking falls into action when the foot is taken off the accelerator. Kinetic energy from the moving parts of the body is converted back into the electric energy to recharge the battery. However, up till now, this was only feasible for high speeds, but now this regenerative braking would do its job at low speeds as well.
The range was the only drawback of these electric vehicles. When asked, nearly every consumer was afraid the car would run out of charge before it could reach a charging station. Breaking this 400-mile barrier is going to open new grounds in the EV industry.
Tesla has other future plans as well. The upcoming Cybertruck is expected to have a range of 500 miles, followed by a 2022 600-mile Tesla Roadster. If Tesla manages to dominate the streets with EVs with their improved range, it would be another milestone in saving the Earth.