With the rollout of the Model S and Model X refreshments, Tesla has brought its two flagship vehicles back to the forefront of the pack. This is especially true for the Model S, which now features a Plaid propulsion system that enables it to achieve a 0-60 mph time of less than 2 seconds and a top speed of 200 mph. But that’s not all – a look at Model S’s new official website shows that the flagship sedan is now also Tesla’s fastest charging vehicle.
Tesla’s page for the Model S notes reveals that the flagship sedan can complete 200 miles of its range within 15 minutes. This effectively makes the Model S refresh about 12% faster than the Model 3, the fastest charging Tesla before updating the flagship sedan. The Model X in turn closely matches the Model 3’s charging speed, with Tesla noting that the SUV can now recharge 175 miles of its range within 15 minutes.
Tesla has not specified the chargers that will allow the updated maximum recharging speeds of Model S and Model X, although their impressive charging rates are likely to rely on the electric car’s 250 kW Supercharger V3 network, which is currently being increased. Before the refresh, the Model S and Model X could not use the V3 Superchargers’ full 250 kW power. With the refreshment, this no longer seems to be the case.
What is particularly impressive is that Tesla was able to achieve the upgraded charging rate of Model S, despite the fact that the vehicle still uses the 18650 battery cell form factor, which has been used since the days of the original Tesla Roadster. Elon Musk explained this during the Q4 FY 2020 earnings call when he explained that Tesla’s latest vehicles do not necessarily need the company’s larger 4680 cells to achieve optimum performance.
‘We’ve talking to them about making the 4680 form factor, but it’s not necessary. The new S, for example, currently uses the 18650 form factor. So they are just a more advanced cell, and we think we will use that form factor for at least a few years. But over time, we will retire the form factors and try to move to a consistent form factor.
‘But it’s not a requirement we have to make to our suppliers, because it would do – it would only result in fewer cells. It is therefore better for us to deal with the complexity of different cell form factors than to insist on our current supplier on a single form factor. As I said, in time it will make sense to have a constant form factor, ‘Musk remarked.
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