Andrew Lambrecht
Project Engineer
Sep 1, 2026
Every Tesla Model S Year Compared (2012–2026): The Complete Buyer's Guide
85 / Signature: 265 mi range | 0–60 mph: 5.4s
Signature Performance / P85: 265 mi range | 0–60 mph: 4.4s
17-Inch Portrait Touchscreen: Powered by MCU1 (NVIDIA Tegra 3)
Open Center Storage: No center console.
Large Frunk (~5.3 cu ft): This massive front trunk was only ever available on pre-facelift rear-wheel-drive models
All-Aluminum Body: Lightweight aluminum chassis and body construction
Panoramic Glass Roof: Available as an option.
Air Suspension: Available as an option.
Supercharging Capability: Supercharger hardware integrated into the platform.
"Sound Studio" Premium Audio: Optional at $990 (later renamed Ultra High Fidelity Sound at $2,500; it did not become standard equipment until mid-2018).
June 2012: First customer deliveries begin. The first ~1,000 vehicles produced were Signature Series models featuring fully loaded specs along with the option for Signature Red.
September 2012: The Tesla Supercharger network officially launches. Free, unlimited Supercharging for life is bundled with 85 kWh models; for 60 kWh models, it is a paid option ($2,000 at order time).
Acceleration Revision: The P85's official 0–60 mph acceleration claim was revised from 4.4 seconds down to 4.2 seconds shortly after launch.
Entry Models Delayed: The 40 kWh and 60 kWh variants were announced at launch but were not delivered until 2013.
40: 139 mi range | 0–60 mph: 6.5s
60: 208 mi range | 0–60 mph: 5.9s
85: 265 mi range | 0–60 mph: 5.4s
P85 / P85+: 265 mi range | 0–60 mph: 4.2s
April 2013: The 40 kWh model is canceled due to low customer demand. Every "40" delivered is actually a software-locked 60 kWh vehicle, which owners could unlock later for a fee.
March 2013: Rear-facing third-row jump seat installations begin ($1,500).
Mid-2013: Red Multi-Coat paint becomes generally orderable after previously being exclusive to Signature Series builds.
P85+ Launch: The P85+ trim introduces a dedicated performance suspension setup, wider rear tires, and revised suspension bushings.
Parking Sensors: Optional parking sensors are introduced mid-year.
The 139-mile range for the 40 kWh model is Tesla's quoted internal figure; it never received standalone EPA certification because it was a software-locked 60 kWh pack.
The 40 kWh model was completely excluded from Supercharging with no option to pay for enablement at delivery. Although the physical hardware was present in the car, the software capability was withheld. Unlocking the pack to a full 60 kWh later restored Supercharging eligibility.
60: 208 mi range | 0–60 mph: 5.9s
85: 265 mi range | 0–60 mph: 5.4s
P85: 265 mi range | 0–60 mph: 4.2s
P85D: 242 mi range | 0–60 mph: 3.2s
September–October 2014: Autopilot hardware (AP1) begins shipping on all builds. Vision processing runs on Mobileye's EyeQ3 chip with Bosch supplying the radar. Tesla developed the software, but the core sensor suite was supplier-derived.
Cabin Hardware: A new gauge cluster display, updated steering wheel stalks, and a redesigned drive selector are introduced.
October 2014: The dual-motor "D" lineup is unveiled alongside announcements for the 85D and P85D.
December 2014: Deliveries for the P85D officially begin.
Frunk Space Cut: Dual-motor variants lose significant frunk volume. Rear-wheel-drive models retain the larger frunk for the time being.
New Paint: Titanium Metallic (PPTI) paint is added to the option list around this era.
While the 85D was unveiled in October 2014, customer deliveries did not begin until early 2015.
70: 230 mi range | 0–60 mph: 5.5s
70D: 240 mi range | 0–60 mph: 5.2s
85: 265 mi range | 0–60 mph: 5.4s
85D: 270 mi range | 0–60 mph: 4.4s
P85D: 253 mi range | 0–60 mph: 3.1s
90D: 270 mi range | 0–60 mph: 4.2s
P90D: 268 mi range | 0–60 mph: 3.1s (2.8s with Ludicrous)
January 2015: An OTA performance update improves the 85D's 0–60 mph time from 4.4s to 4.2s and adds "Insane Mode" to the P85D. Insane Mode was exclusive to the P85D.
April 2015: The 70D replaces the 60 as the new entry-level trim.
April 2015: Parking sensors become standard equipment across all trims.
July 2015: 90 kWh battery packs arrive (90D, P90D). "Ludicrous Mode" launches on the P90D, dropping its 0–60 mph time to 2.8 seconds.
Late 2015: A single-motor, rear-wheel-drive 70 variant is added below the 70D.
Color Palette Revisions: Brown and Green paint finishes are discontinued in late 2014 and early 2015. Blue Metallic was dropped in May 2015, replaced by Deep Blue Metallic. Obsidian Black Metallic is also introduced.
Wheels: Wheel offerings carry over unchanged.
Initial 90 kWh battery packs launched carrying over the 85 kWh pack's EPA ratings. Tesla did not recertify the vehicle until 2016, meaning 2015 90D models understate their range on paper (the 90D "gained" 24 miles of official range in 2016 without any underlying hardware changes).
60: 210 mi range | 0–60 mph: 5.5s
60D: 218 mi range | 0–60 mph: 5.2s
75: 249 mi range | 0–60 mph: 5.5s
75D: 259 mi range | 0–60 mph: 5.2s
90D: 294 mi range | 0–60 mph: 4.2s
P90D: 270 mi range | 0–60 mph: 2.8s (Ludicrous)
P100D: 315 mi range | 0–60 mph: 2.5s
March 2016: The integrated center console becomes standard equipment.
April 2016: The exterior refresh launches, featuring a new front bumper, full LED adaptive headlights, body-color side rocker panels, a revised rear diffuser, and a HEPA air filtration system ("Bioweapon Defense Mode").
June 2016: The 60 is reintroduced as software-locked 75 kWh packs, repeating the software strategy of the earlier 40 kWh model. A 60D is also available.
July 26, 2016: Mobileye confirms on its Q2 earnings call that its partnership with Tesla is ending following the EyeQ3 generation.
August 2016: The P100D launches. Its 315-mile rating makes it the first EV to cross the 300-mile range threshold, while its 2.5-second 0–60 mph sprint makes it the quickest production car in the world at the time.
August 2016: First-generation ventilated front seats become available as part of Tesla's Premium Seats package.
October 2016: Hardware 2 (HW2 / AP2) replaces AP1. The system transitions to Tesla's in-house vision stack using eight surround cameras without Mobileye processing.
60: 210 mi range | 0–60 mph: 5.5s
60D: 218 mi range | 0–60 mph: 5.2s
75 (built through June 2017): 249 mi range | 0–60 mph: 5.5s
75 (built July 2017+): 249 mi range | 0–60 mph: 4.3s
75D (built through June 2017): 259 mi range | 0–60 mph: 5.2s
75D (built July 2017+): 259 mi range | 0–60 mph: 4.2s
90D: 294 mi range | 0–60 mph: 4.2s
100D: 335 mi range | 0–60 mph: 4.1s
P100D: 315 mi range | 0–60 mph: 2.5s → 2.4s
January 2017: The 100D launches. Its 335-mile EPA rating makes it the longest-range EV on sale.
January 15, 2017: The original transferable free-Supercharging-for-life policy ends. Vehicles ordered by this date (and delivered by April 15) are the last to feature free unlimited Supercharging that transfers to subsequent owners.
Mid-January 2017: First-generation ventilated seats are quietly discontinued following customer complaints regarding weak airflow performance.
April 2017: The 60 and 60D trims are discontinued.
July 2017: Smart Air Suspension becomes standard equipment across the 100 kWh battery examples.
July 2017: Genuine leather seating is eliminated in favor of synthetic vegan materials.
July 2017: A new rear-drive motor hardware is introduced. Single-motor RWD 75 models can now accelerate to sixty in 4.3 seconds, a drop from 5.5 (a physical build-date split, not an OTA software update). Meanwhile, a 75D performance unlock to 4.2 seconds becomes available as a free service update, though eligibility depends on the build date; some late-2016 and early-2017 builds cannot support it.
August 2017: Hardware 2.5 (HW2.5) enters production, adding processing redundancy alongside support for Dashcam and Sentry Mode capabilities.
September 2017: Ahead of Hurricane Irma, Tesla remotely unlocked the full 75 kWh capacity of every software-locked 60 and 60D model registered in Florida, instantly expanding range from 210 to 249 miles for the evacuation window before reverting it.
Mid-2017: The 90D trim is discontinued.
Late 2017: The 75 RWD trim is discontinued.
Software Update: The "Ludicrous+" update reduces the P100D's quoted 0 to 60 mph acceleration down to 2.4 seconds.
Two separate "2017 Model S 75" cars can differ by more than a full second in 0–60 mph acceleration without any differences on the badging, window sticker, or range rating. Single-motor cars built before July 2017 have the old motor; only July 2017+ builds feature the updated motor.
75D: 259 mi range | 0–60 mph: 4.2s
100D: 335 mi range | 0–60 mph: 4.1s
P100D: 315 mi range | 0–60 mph: 2.4s
March 2018: MCU2 (Intel Atom processor) replaces the outgoing MCU1 (NVIDIA Tegra 3) processor.
May 2018: 2nd gen ventilated seats return as standard equipment on the P100D.
July 2018: The Premium Upgrades Package becomes standard equipment across the board. Every build now includes HEPA filtration, Ultra High Fidelity Sound (premium audio with a subwoofer), and XM radio compatibility.
November 2018: The rear-facing jump seats are removed from the online configurator, marking the end of the 7-seat Model S.
November 2018: The opening panoramic glass sunroof is officially discontinued, leaving a fixed glass roof as the sole option.
Interior Trim: 2018 marks the final model year offering the textile interior option.
75D (through January): 259 mi range | 0–60 mph: 4.2s
Standard Range: 285 mi range | 0–60 mph: 4.0s
Long Range: 370 mi range | 0–60 mph: 3.7s
Performance: 345 mi range | 0–60 mph: 3.0s (2.4s with Ludicrous)
January 2019: Battery capacity (kWh) naming conventions are officially retired. The trim lineup is renamed to Standard Range, Long Range, and Performance.
April 2019 (The "Raven" Update): Tesla introduces the "Raven" powertrain and chassis refresh, adding a front permanent-magnet motor (adapted from the Model 3), standard fully adaptive air suspension, and major efficiency gains. The Long Range model's range jumps to 370 miles.
April 2019: Hardware 3 (HW3 / Full Self-Driving Computer) enters Model S production alongside the Raven update. HW2 and HW2.5 vehicles with purchased FSD become eligible for free computer retrofits.
Mid-2019: The Performance trim range is re-rated from 315 miles up to 345 miles.
Late May 2019: Second-generation ventilated seats are discontinued once again.
Steering Wheel Material: The leather-wrapped steering wheel is phased out in favor of a non-leather material.
August 3, 2019: Free unlimited Supercharging returns as an incentive for new Model S orders, but it is bound to the original owner and non-transferable to subsequent buyers.
Trim Strategy: The Standard Range variant is short-lived and discontinued before the end of the calendar year.
Long Range Plus: 391 mi → 402 mi range | 0–60 mph: 3.7s
Performance: 348 mi range | 0–60 mph: 2.4s
February 2020: The Long Range Plus trim launches with an initial EPA-estimated range of 391 miles.
Late May 2020: The non-transferable free unlimited Supercharging promotion introduced in August 2019 officially ends for new custom orders.
June 2020: Range for the Long Range Plus increases to 402 miles, making it the first official EPA-certified 400-mile electric vehicle.
Long Range: 405 mi range | 0–60 mph: 3.1s
Plaid: 396 mi range | 0–60 mph: 1.99s
Palladium Refresh: A major interior overhaul implements a 17-inch horizontal display powered by an AMD Ryzen processor.
Rear Screen & Console: An 8-inch touchscreen display is added for rear passengers. A redesigned center console features dual wireless phone charging pads.
Interior Upgrades: A steering yoke replaces the traditional wheel, physical gear stalks are eliminated in favor of auto-shifting, and dual-pane acoustic laminated glass is added to the front door windows.
Cabin Features: Third-generation ventilated front seats return permanently as standard equipment starting on February 2021 builds. A 22-speaker, 960-watt premium audio system and a heat pump are standard.
June 2021: Model S Plaid deliveries officially begin featuring a tri-motor setup, carbon-sleeved motor rotors, and a 1.99-second 0–60 mph acceleration capability.
June 2021: The Plaid+ variant (originally announced with a 520+ mile range) is officially canceled before any customer deliveries occur.
The Plaid's 1.99-second 0–60 mph acceleration time utilizes Tesla's rollout-subtracted convention on a prepared surface. Refresh vehicles launched with LED projector headlights.
Long Range: 405 mi range | 0–60 mph: 3.1s
Plaid: 396 mi range | 0–60 mph: 1.99s
Late January 2022: Infotainment system RAM is upgraded from 8 GB to 16 GB.
February 15, 2022: A running production update introduces four visible hardware changes: Matrix LED headlights, updated rear tail lights, radar removal (transitioning entirely to Tesla Vision), and a revised motorized charge-port door.
May 2022: A motorized tilting mechanism is added to the central 17-inch infotainment screen.
Matrix LED headlight hardware shipped dormant from the factory. Adaptive high-beam software functionality was not activated until the 2024.8 over-the-air update in European markets (March 2024), followed by North America in early 2025.
Refresh models built between February 2021 and mid-February 2022 feature non-matrix projector headlights and original tail lights, serving as a clear visual build-date indicator.
Standard Range: 320 mi range | 0–60 mph: 3.7s
Long Range: 405 mi range | 0–60 mph: 3.1s
Plaid: 396 mi range | 0–60 mph: 1.99s
January 2023: A traditional round steering wheel option is reintroduced as a no-cost alternative to the yoke.
March 2023: Ultra Red exterior paint is introduced.
Spring 2023: Ultrasonic parking sensors (USS) are removed.
Mid-2023: Hardware 4 (HW4) computer and updated high-resolution cameras roll into production.
August 14 – September 1, 2023: A temporary Standard Range trim utilizing a software-locked pack (~21% capacity locked) is offered on the configurator before being pulled approximately 18 days later.
October 2023: Stealth Gray paint replaces Midnight Silver Metallic.
Display Revision: The rear 8-inch passenger display receives slimmer bezels, slightly increasing the usable screen area.
Long Range: 402 mi range | 0–60 mph: 3.1s
Plaid: 359 mi range | 0–60 mph: 1.99s
February 2024: The physical horn control is relocated from a capacitive touch button back to a center-hub horn pad on the steering wheel/yoke.
April 1, 2024: High-bolstered Plaid Sport Seats are introduced as standard equipment on the Plaid trim.
May 2024: Lunar Silver exterior paint is launched.
EPA Methodology Update: Updated EPA testing mandates deflate official range ratings across the board. The hardware remained unchanged; the Plaid's paper range drop from 396 down to 359 miles reflects revised testing protocols.
Long Range: 402 mi range | 0–60 mph: 3.1s
Plaid: 359 mi range | 0–60 mph: 1.99s
All-Wheel Drive: 410 mi range | 0–60 mph: 3.1s
Plaid: 368 mi range | 0–60 mph: 1.99s
June 2025: A mid-cycle refresh introduces a dedicated front bumper camera, revised chassis and suspension tuning, adaptive interior ambient lighting, and new color options (Frost Blue and Lunar Silver). The Plaid trim gains a sportier front fascia and an updated rear diffuser.
Naming Update: The "Long Range" trim is officially renamed "All-Wheel Drive."
Range Benchmark: The All-Wheel Drive model's 410-mile EPA rating makes it the longest-range production Tesla ever sold.
Pricing Adjustment: Base prices increase by $5,000 across all trims.
Supercharging Perks: Non-transferable free unlimited Supercharging for the original owner returns as a standard incentive alongside the mid-2025 price adjustments.
All-Wheel Drive: 410 mi range | 0–60 mph: 3.1s
Plaid: 368 mi range | 0–60 mph: 1.99s
Signature Edition (250 Units): Plaid specification
August 15, 2025: Every MY2026 order requires the mandatory "Luxe Package"—a $10,000 price increase bundling Full Self-Driving (Supervised), lifetime free Supercharging (original owner, non-transferable), four years of covered premium service, and Premium Connectivity.
Discontinuation Announcement: Tesla officially announces the retirement of the Model S line during its Q4 2025 earnings call, closing custom order books shortly thereafter.
May 13, 2026: The final production Model S rolls off the assembly line at the Fremont factory. The assembly line space is officially repurposed for Optimus humanoid robot manufacturing.
Signature Edition Send-Off: An invite-only run of 250 Signature Edition units is produced in Plaid specification featuring Garnet Red paint, gold exterior badging, a white interior, a steering yoke, and a numbered dash plaque. It was the bookend to the original 2012 Signature Series.
Tesla
About the Author
Andrew Lambrecht
Project Engineer
Andrew Lambrecht is a project engineer at Ever and a leading voice in the electric vehicle sector. An industrial engineer by training and a prolific contributor to outlets like Forbes, Business Insider, InsideEVs, and MSN, Andrew blends technical expertise with sharp insights on EVs, mobility trends, and charging.
Up Next
Guides
We compare four of the best used electric cars under $20,000 in 2026, analyzing the Bolt EUV, Niro EV, Model 3, and ID.4 on specs, charging, and value.
Andrew Lambrecht
Aug 18, 2026
Read resource
Watch
Guides
We break down all five Kia EV9 trims. Discover pricing, 800V fast-charging specs, real-world range numbers, and our top trim recommendations.
Andrew Lambrecht
Jul 31, 2026
Watch
Guides
Shopping for a used Tesla Model Y? We break down every hardware update, battery change, interior tweak, and feature removal from 2020 through 2027.
Andrew Lambrecht
Jul 24, 2026
Watch
Guides
We take an honest look at the $30,000 to $60,000 used Tesla market, breaking down the specific build dates, hardware specs, and real-world trade-offs for each budget tier.
Andrew Lambrecht
Jun 4, 2026
Watch
Guides
We took the 2026 Toyota bZ XLE Plus to a Tesla V3 Supercharger and hit 10–80% in just 26 minutes — beating Toyota's estimate.
Andrew Lambrecht
Mar 6, 2026
Watch
Guides
We took the 2026 Subaru Solterra to a Tesla V3 Supercharger and hit 10–80% in just 27 minutes — beating Subaru's own estimate. Here's what changed.
Andrew Lambrecht
Mar 4, 2026
Guides
From $25k used Model 3s to 18-minute charging, the EV landscape has shifted. Here is your essential 2026 guide to costs, battery health, and the latest flagship tech innovations.
Ever
Jul 2, 2025