In just 19 years, Tesla revolutionized the car industry by developing electric cars of the future that can drive themselves and have peak performances. So how did Tesla Evolve over the years?
Tesla Roadster
It all started with the Tesla Roadster that was developed in 2008. Tesla knew building the first all-electric car would be expensive, no matter what. So, they decided to build a premium electric sports car.
The Tesla Roadster could go to 60 miles per hour in just 3.7 seconds, which is only slightly slower than the Ferrari Enzo.
The Roadster had a top speed of 125 miles per hour.
But perhaps most impressive was the range; it was the first production all-electric car to travel more than 200 miles per charge. In fact, it could travel as far as 244 miles on a single charge. In total, 2,450 units were built and had a base price of $98,950.
Fun Fact:
In 2018, SpaceX launched a Falcon Heavy rocket for a test flight, and it carried Elon Musk’s personal Tesla Roadster, which still orbits in Space.
Tesla Model S
Next, Tesla began developing a very important car, the Tesla Model S, codenamed WhiteStar before its release. In 2012, the Model S was released, and it revolutionized electric driving. At the time, most electric cars were expensive, small, and couldn’t go far before the battery ran out. The Tesla Model S was different. It was a five-door luxury sedan with an impressive range of 265 miles.
It could accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 3.9 seconds, which is about the same acceleration time as the Lamborghini Murciélago. The Model S had a top speed of 130 miles per hour, making it even faster than the Tesla Roadster.
Not only did it have great performance… It was also a very safe car. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the Model S a 5-star safety rating in every subcategory.
The Tesla Model S was very well received. In fact, in 2013, it became the best-selling car in Norway. One year later, in 2014, Tesla introduced its semi-autonomous driving system, called Autopilot. Elon Musk said:
“Autopilot is a good thing to have in planes, and we should have it in cars.”
Autopilot allows cars to steer, accelerate and brake automatically within their lane. It is a feature that can be activated in all new Tesla cars.
These cars have advanced sensors that provide 360 degrees of visibility. Currently, Full Self-Driving is being tested. What an amazing time to be alive, and I really hope bad drivers can afford a Tesla. Imagine in the future a police officer stopping you and asking, “you know why we pulled you over?” and you saying, “no. I was sleeping.”
In 2016, Tesla changed the Model S, which is also known as the facelift. The most notable changes were the removed black nose cone, and the standard LED headlights.
Original Tesla Model S
Tesla Model S Facelift
The Tesla Model S was improved a lot since its release. Currently, in 2021 there are 2 models available, the Long Range and the Plaid. The Long Range has a very impressive range of 405 miles! This allows drivers to go from San Jose to Los Angeles with a single charge.
The Plaid is all about performance and has a whopping 1,020 horsepower. This allows the car to go to 200 miles per hour. That’s even faster than the Ferrari 430 Scuderia. It also set an impressive official lap time at Nürburgring of 7 minutes and 35 seconds.
But even more impressive is the acceleration time. It can reach 60 miles per hour in only 2 seconds! This is even quicker than the $3 million dollar Bugatti Chiron! The Long Range version starts at $94,990, while the Plaid model has a base price of $129,990.
Since its release in 2012, the Tesla Model S has been very well received. Consumer Reports said:
“This car performs better than anything we’ve ever tested before. Let me repeat that: Not just the best electric car, but the best car. It does just about everything really, really well.”
The Model S also won multiple rewards, including “Car of the Year” by Motor Trend. In 2018, sales passed 250,000 units, making it a huge success.
Fun Fact:
Tesla Model X
In 2015, production started for the Tesla Model X. It is a mid-size luxury SUV. The Model X is known for its falcon doors.
These doors can even be opened at a very tight parking spot.
Surprisingly the much larger Tesla Model X only weighs about 8% more than the model S. The SUV offers seating for up to seven passengers, which makes it a great family car.
At the time, the Model X could accelerate to 60 miles per hour in just 3.8 seconds, making it the quickest SUV at the time. It also had a top speed of 155 miles per hour and a range of 250 miles, but that’s not all, the Model X is also one of the safest SUVs in the world, with a 5-star rating in every subcategory.
Over the years, the Tesla Model X was improved significantly. In 2021 the Long Range version can reach 360 miles!
While the Plaid model reclaimed the thrown by becoming the quickest SUV in the world, accelerating to 60 miles per hour in just 2.7 seconds. Yeah… That’s even quicker than the Lamborghini Aventador. It also has a top speed of 163 miles per hour and can go 340 miles on a single charge.
The Model X currently starts at $104,950 dollars. The SUV became a huge success, and in 2018 over 100,000 units were sold!
Fun Fact:
Tesla Model 3
From the start, Elon Musk wanted to develop an electric car that was affordable for the mass market.
That’s why Tesla developed the Model 3, codenamed the “BlueStar.”
In 2006, even before the first Tesla car was made, Elon Musk wrote a blog called “The Secret Tesla Motor Master Plan.”
In short, the master plan was to:
1 – Build a sports car, which became the Tesla Roadster
2 – Use that money to build an affordable car, which became the Tesla Model S
3 – Use that money to build an even more affordable car, and this became the Tesla Model 3
In 2016, the Tesla Model 3 was unveiled. Within a week, 325,000 reservations were made, which represented potential sales of over $14 billion!
One year later, the Tesla Model 3 was released. The Model 3 offered everything needed to attract a wide market, including range, affordability, performance, and safety. In fact, it is one of the safest cars in the world. Just like the Model S and X, it received a 5-star rating in every subcategory. It even has crash avoidance features, alerting the driver in case of a collision and braking automatically if needed.
Another great feature of the car is the very minimalistic interior design with a 15.4-inch touchscreen display. This screen also allows you to watch Netflix or play some games. Imagine someone asking, “What system do you play games on?” and you answer by saying, “Tesla.”
In 2021, the Tesla Model 3 is sold in 3 versions. The Long Range lives up to its name and can reach a range of 353 miles, which is a significant improvement compared to the 2017 Model 3 that only had a range of 220 miles.
Before the Model 3, the Model S was the cheapest Tesla available, with a base price of $57,400. In 2019 the Model 3 Standard Range became available for only $35,000. However, that model is currently not available; it was replaced with the Standard Range Plus, which is currently sold for $43,990.
For people that prefer a faster and quicker Tesla Model 3, there is the Performance. It can go to 60 miles per hour in only 3.1 seconds. It also has a top speed of 162 miles per hour. The Tesla Model 3 became a huge success. Since 2020, the Model 3 has been the best-selling electric car in world history. In 2021, it also became the first electric car to pass 1 million sales!
Fun Fact:
Tesla Model Y
The Tesla Model Y was released in 2020. It is basically a bigger Tesla Model 3.
The Model Y shares an estimated 75% of its parts with the Tesla Model 3.
The Model Y offers optional third-row seats for a seven-passenger seating capacity. It has 76 cubic feet of cargo space, which is slightly less than the Model X that has a capacity of 91 cubic feet.
The Model Y is available in 2 different configurations. The Long Range has a range of 326 miles, while the Performance can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in only 3.5 seconds and has a top speed of 155 miles per hour. The Performance has a higher base price than the Long Range variant.
All Tesla models have a line-up of the models S, E, X, and Y spelling SEXY. This is because it has always been the goal of Tesla to make electric cars sexy. However, the number 3 was used to replace the letter E because Ford had already claimed the trade name of the model E. These models help to accomplish Tesla’s goal, which is to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy. To achieve this, Tesla is not only creating cars but also Solar Panels and Roofs.
Fun Fact:
Cybertruck
SUVs are massively popular in the United States. In fact, the Ford F-Series is the most sold car there.
That’s why it makes sense that Tesla also started developing an SUV.
Even though the Cybertruck looks as if a 5-year-old kid has drawn it, it is a powerful pickup truck that looks completely different than any other pickup truck on the market. The Cybertruck is the car you want during an Apocalypse because of the bullet-resistant steel and armor glass. Although the unveiling of the bulletproof window was a big fail, when windows smashed during its presentation.
The Cybertruck will become available in 2022 in three different models. The first will be the Single Motor Rear-Wheel Drive, which has the lowest costs. Then there is the Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive, which has all specifications upgraded but also costs $10,000 more. And finally, there is the Tri Motor All-Wheel Drive. With a massive range of 500 miles, it will far exceed all previous Tesla cars. It can also go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 2.9 seconds; keep in mind that is as quick as the Lamborghini Aventador!
Fun Fact:
Tesla Semi
Tesla is also developing an all-electric truck, the Tesla Semi. It is planned to go into production in 2023. This Truck has the potential to become a real gamechanger, and Tesla claims the “Semi is the safest, most comfortable truck ever. Four independent motors provide maximum power and acceleration and require the lowest energy cost per mile.” Tesla also says it will save more than $200,000 in fuel costs and it will have enhanced Autopilot as a standard feature.
While fully loaded, the Tesla Semi can accelerate to 60 miles per hour in 20 seconds. But even more importantly is, of course, the range. It can reach an impressive range of 500 miles. This is achieved by completely changing the design of the truck to make it much more efficient.
The drag coefficient is used to measure aerodynamics. Tesla claims it will not only have a much lower drag coefficient than other trucks, but it will even have a lower drag coefficient than the Bugatti Chiron! The Semi will be available for $150,000 for the 300-mile range model and $180,000 for a 500-mile range model.
Fun Fact:
Tesla Roadster
And finally, in 2023, one of the most exciting Tesla cars of all time will be released, the next generation Tesla Roadster. This will be an absolute beast! Tesla claims it will be:
“The quickest car in the world, with record-setting acceleration, range, and performance.”
The new Tesla Roadster will go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in only 1.9 seconds! This will indeed make it the quickest car in the world. That’s right, it is even quicker than any Ferrari, Lamborghini or Bugatti. But there is much more…
It will also have a range of a massive 620 miles! This is much further than any other electric car in the world!
The Roadster will have a top speed beyond 250 miles per hour. Yeah… This is faster than the LaFerrari or any other Ferrari. It will also be faster than the Lamborghini Aventador or, yet again, any other Lamborghini.
Surprisingly, it is also much cheaper than most Ferraris or Lamborghinis. The Tesla Roadster has a base price of only $200,000.
Fun Fact:
From the Tesla Roadster in 2008 all the way to the next generation Tesla Roadster that will be released in 2023, Tesla keeps surprising the world with their revolutionary electric vehicles. The company shows us you don’t have to compromise to drive electric. Tesla isn’t just improving the performance of its cars, but also the world, with its goal to move towards a zero-emission future.
