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2013 Tesla Model S electric Review


Pros

  • High-tech, user-friendly interior
  • Excellent cargo space
  • Responsive electric motor
  • Balanced handling

Cons

  • Not yet rated for crash safety
  • Lacks some luxury features
  • Meager small item storage

The Model S is powered by an electric motor, and test drivers are amazed by its responsive nature and ample power. A single-speed transmission is standard.

Overview


Sleek, seductive, luxurious, powerful, and inspiring are all words that you'd usually expect to hear about the latest European luxury sedan. But in this case, we're talking about one of America's latest homegrown electric vehicles, the 2013 Tesla Model S. The Model S is a huge departure from the typical electric car, with its luxury sedan accommodations and pulse-quickening performance. 

Thanks to a thoroughly modern interpretation of interior design and a host of advanced technological features, the Model S also serves as a new benchmark for all vehicles, electric or otherwise. The Model S is powered by an electric motor, and test drivers are amazed by its responsive nature and ample power. A single-speed transmission is standard. The EPA reports that the 2013 Tesla Model S can go 208 miles on a charge with a 60 kWh battery pack, which is exceptional for an electric vehicle.

Pricing and Features
9.0/10


The 2013 Tesla Model S is a large five-passenger luxury sedan. It's available in two trim levels: Base and Performance. Tesla has tinkered with the Model S's standard features slightly as the model year has progressed, but in general, expect standard equipment to include 19-inch wheels, xenon headlights, full power accessories, cruise control, dual-zone automatic climate control, a 17-inch touchscreen, a rearview camera, cloth/premium vinyl upholstery, heated eight-way power front seats (with four-way power lumbar), 60/40-split-folding rear seats, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, and a seven-speaker sound system with dual USB ports (charging only), and HD radio. A cellular connection, Internet radio, and WiFi connectivity are also included.

Trim

Base

Performance

MSRP

$69,900

$89,900

Key Features

Aluminum Wheels

Aluminum wheels & tire pressure monitoring system

 

Backup camera

Alarm and backup camera

 

Auto-off headlights

Auto-off headlights and fog lamps

 

Keyless entry

Keyless entry and start

 

Power Door Locks

Remote trunk release

 

Cruise control

Heated mirrors

 

Wireless cell phone hookup

Climate control

 

Adjustable Steering Wheel

Dual-zone A/C

 

2nd Row Bench Seat

Leather seats

An option for the 60 kWh model is the Supercharger Enabled package, it allows you to utilize Tesla's growing network of Supercharger stations around the country. Upgraded tires (for slightly greater range) are also optional. Besides an increase in battery capacity and motor output, the 85-kWh models come with the above two options as standard.

We Recommend

The best balance among the three 2013 Tesla Model S variants may be the mid-range, 60-kWh version, which will likely offer about 200 miles of real-world range, plus the ability to specify Supercharger fast-charging as well. We would advise you to add the optional High Power Home Charging package as it equips your car with twin onboard chargers, effectively doubling its recharge rate and allowing you to best take advantage of high-output chargers such as Tesla's home charger, the High Powered Wall Connecter (HPWC).

Engine and Performance
9.0/10


The 2013 Tesla Model S is nothing less than a fast, comfortable, and quiet luxury sedan. As such, it's the first time any startup automaker, one that didn't exist eight years ago, has produced and delivered a car this professional. You can order a Model S with one of three different lithium-ion battery packs, sized to provide a spectrum of ranges. For the largest pack, you can also order a Performance option that boosts motor output and hence performance.

While last year's 2012 models almost all carried the largest 85-kilowatt-hour pack, which the EPA rates at 265 miles of range, the 2013 cars will also include the mid-level 60-kWh pack, and then a bit later the smallest 40-kWh option. Tesla had originally described the packs as offering 300, 230, and 160 miles respectively.

Model

Tesla Model S

Audi A7

Lexus GS Hybrid

MSRP

$69,900

$60,100

$59,450

Engine

Electric

Supercharged Gas V6 3.0L/183

Gas/Electric V6 3.5L/211

Drivetrain

RWD

AWD

RWD

Transmission

1-Speed Automatic

8-Speed Automatic

Continuously Variable Trans

Power

362hp@6000rpm

310hp@6500rpm

338 Combined

Torque

325

325lb-ft@4500rpm

-

0-60 mph (seconds)

4.4

5.8

6.0

Quarter-mile (mph)

12.6

14.8

14.4

Top Speed (mph)

130

155

131

No matter what its capacity may be, the battery pack forms the floorpan of the 2013 Model S, powering a 270-kW (362-hp) motor that drives the rear wheels. There's no transmission; the rear-mounted motor sends its torques directly into a reduction gear that powers the differential. The top speed is restricted to 130 mph.

A more powerful 301-kW (416-hp) motor is used in the Performance edition, along with higher-spec power electronics and other modifications. The option is available only with the largest 85-kWh pack. It delivers a 4.4-second 0-to-60-mph time, according to Tesla, while the standard Model S is quoted at 5.6 seconds.

Fuel Economy
9.9/10


Since the 2021 Tesla Model S is a fully electric car driven with an electric powertrain, instead of miles per gallon, the range estimation is being displayed. The Tesla Model S, like every Tesla, doesn’t burn a drop of gas. The EPA reports that the Model S with the 60 kWh battery pack, offers a driving range of 208 miles. Model S sedans with the 85 kWh battery pack have a range of 265 miles.

The 2013 Tesla Model S is quite clearly the most audacious electric car sold in the U.S. this year. In its few months of existence, no other maker offers the choice of three different ranges based on battery packs of different capacities. The high-end Performance version of the Model S with the 85-kWh battery pack is all but silent and stunningly quick. As do all zero-emission battery electric vehicles, the 2013 Tesla Model S earns the highest Green rating of 10 out of 10 on the scale.

Model

Tesla Model S

Audi A7

Lexus GS Hybrid

MPG (City) (mpg)

94

18

29

MPG (Highway) (mpg)

97

28

34

MPG (Combined) (mpg)

95

21

31

Fuel Capacity (gallon)

N/A

19.8

17.4

Despite its size and capaciousness for passengers and cargo, the EPA has rated the 60-kWh 2013 Model S at 89 MPGe, or "miles per gallon equivalent," a measure of the distance a car can travel electrically on the same amount of battery energy as is contained in 1 gallon of gasoline. While that efficiency rating is slightly lower than those of the Nissan Leaf (99 MPGe) and Ford Focus Electric (105 MPGe), it's nonetheless quite impressive for a larger, heavier, and much faster five-seat luxury vehicle.

Interior
9.9/10


In terms of comfort, both front and rear seats offer ample legroom for adults, though taller rear-seat passengers may run out of headroom. The front seats are nice, but they do lack the multitude of adjustments (and, ultimately, comfort and support) found in other similarly priced luxury sedans.

The optional rear-facing jump seats are comically small, and only small children are able to sit back there. That said, it's a unique option, and the seats have multipoint belts, so no added safety seat is needed.

Model

Tesla Model S

Audi A7

Lexus GS Hybrid

Seating Capacity

5

4

5

Front Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)

38.8/57.7/42.7

36.9/57.2/41.3

38.0/57.3/42.3

Rear Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)

35.3/55.0/35.4

36.6/55.9/37.0

37.8/55.7/36.3

Cargo Capacity (cu-ft)

26.3

-

13.2

These third-row seats fold flat into the foot well, allowing for a capacious 26.3 cubic feet of cargo space, which is significantly more than other large luxury sedans. Folding the middle row flat expands that space to 58 cubes. There's also a secondary trunk under the hood that offers 5.3 cubic feet of storage. Materials throughout the cabin are comparable to the typical luxury sedan, but those who purchase the range-topping models might expect more than the Model S delivers. The leather upholstery is by no means a disappointment, it's just not up to premium luxury standards. Elsewhere, the typical window switches and driver controls have been sourced from Mercedes-Benz, making them hard to fault by any measure. Major interior features include-

  • Leather-wrapped steering wheel
  • Heated Front Seats
  • Adjustable steering wheel column
  • Optional Heated steering wheel
  • Ambient interior lighting
  • Driver Illuminated Vanity Mirror

2013 Tesla Model S Sedan Infotainment System

When you're inside the Model S, the first and by far most noticeable feature is the giant 17-inch touchscreen display that occupies the entire center stack. One of the most startling features of the Model S display is full web browsing via the built-in cellular connection. We're not sure how long that will continue--the Feds may be tempted to weigh in--and we hope drivers never do it unless the car is parked. That said, it's wicked cool.

While portable storage devices can be connected to play digital music through the Model S audio system, popular web apps like Pandora, Spotify, and Switcher haven't yet been implemented. Tesla says they're coming soon. Nor have voice commands been activated, which we feel would clearly help to reduce any distraction factor. Few key features include-

  • AM/FM Stereo
  • Auxiliary Audio Input (Optional)
  • HD Radio (Optional)
  • MP3 Player (Optional)
  • Premium Sound System (Optional)
  • Hard Disk Drive (Optional)
  • WiFi Hotspot (Optional)

Exterior
9.0/10


The 2013 Tesla Model S is visually unchanged from the introductory year, with a sleek fastback five-door body that competes across the board with the top tier of stylish luxury sedans, most notably the Jaguar XJ and Maserati Quattroporte.

In form, the Model S is sometimes mistaken for a Jaguar XF or XJ. Its nose has the elegance of the Maserati's grille. But most important, chief designer Franz von Holzhausen has fulfilled his goal for a car that not only embodies “classic modernity” but gives essentially no hint that it's electrically powered.

Model

Tesla Model S

Audi A7

Lexus GS Hybrid

Curb Weight (lbs)

4647

4167

4190

Length (in.)

196.0

195.6

190.7

Width (in.)

77.3

75.2

72.4

Height (in.)

56.5

55.9

57.3

Wheelbase (in.)

116.5

114.7

112.2

The black oval "grille" at the front is actually almost entirely a blanking plate, to improve airflow around a car that doesn't need a radiator sized to cool an entire engine. (The Model S has a handful of smaller radiators to cool the battery and other electronic components). Onlookers who know the Model S was a stylish and expensive car--but had never heard of a "Tesla", were stunned to find out that the Model S was an electric car. Few key features include-

  • Aluminum wheels
  • Tire Pressure Monitoring System
  • Fog Lamps (optional)
  • Auto-Off Headlights
  • Reverse camera
  • Sunroof/moonroof

Safety
9.0/10


Neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has yet crash-tested the 2013 Tesla Model S. In fact, neither group even lists Tesla as an existing carmaker yet. And given the car's relatively low production and sales volumes in its first year or two, it may take a while before one or both groups has anything official to say about the Model S.

Meanwhile, the Model S comes with eight airbags, and the usual suite of expected electronic safety systems, including traction control, anti-lock brakes, and the newly mandatory tire-pressure monitoring system. Outward visibility from the Model S driver's seat is good to the front and sides, but the steeply angled rear window glass offers little more than a slit in the rear-view mirror. Major safety features are-

  • Electronic Stability Control
  • Daytime Running Lights
  • Child Safety Locks
  • Traction Control
  • Emergency Trunk Release
  • Fully Equipped Airbags

Final Verdict


As one of the most desirable electric cars available today, the 2013 Tesla Model S is also one of the best luxury sedans too. Whether you spring for the base model or go all-in for a fully loaded version that exceeds the $100,000 mark, you're assured to get one of the most noteworthy cars since the introduction of the Model T. Better yet, the Tesla is nearly sacrifice-free, as it rides and drives as well as some of the best luxury cars available. It also benefits from a wealth of utility and convenience with its generous luggage space and third-row seating option.