Tesla Model S 70/70D upgrade
Aside from the visual and
tech tweaks, the base version of the recently refreshed Model S has dropped the
70 kWh battery in favor of a 75 kWh one.
Tesla has just made
the announcement. According to TheVerge, unlocking the extra juice will be made
over the air, since the hardware is already in place, with a software that will
give the car an extra 31 km of range, on top of the 377
km of the RWD Model S 70, to 407 km.
On the AWD Model S 70D, the
range will increase from 386 km to 417 km. Unlocking
the 5 kWh will set you back for $3,250 once you have purchased the entry-level
70/70D, but order it that way from the start and you will have to pay US$ 3,000.
Customers who
bought a facelifted Model S 70/70D between April 11 and May 5 will get the
extra juice free of charge. Moreover, Tesla will swap the "70" badge
for a "75" one next time the car is taken in for servicing.
This isn’t the first time Tesla
has offered a battery software upgrade: three years ago, the Model S 40 kWh was
actually equipped with "locked" 60 kWh batteries that were limited.
For the upgrade, the automaker asked US$ 8,500.
