Driven: Tesla Model S P85+

We discover the Tesla Model S.

I fixed myself three objectives for this road test. First, get acquainted with a Model S which (at the time of publication) 120 swiss motorists had taken delivery of, and to home in on the driving experience. Then, performance: electric cars offer ample torque from standstill, but tend to run out of steam as speed increases. How far would the Tesla still pull ? Finally, confront the realities of the current charging infrastructure and the contingencies that go with it.

Appointment is made with the Winterthur Service Center, north of Zürich, the only one in Switzerland ahead of the opening of the Geneva and Basel locations. It is still pitch dark on this late November morning, but the place is already buzzing with new customer cars delivery prep and the fitment of winter tires to existing customer cars. All cars present are 85 models, most of them nicely loaded with options. My Model S is “red”. Surprisingly Tesla did not succumb to the car industry’s habit of giving poetic names to body colors, they are all strictly descriptive. No ruby red or lava red, but simply red.

This car is equipped with all options available except one, the rear facing 6^th and 7^th seats in the luggage compartment. It is fitted with 19” “Cyclone“ wheels, shod with Pirelli Sottozero tires, instead of the 21” “Turbine” that come standard on this Performance Plus version. Rims get a metaphoric treatment, the color palette does not. The design of the Model S is elegant and fluid, almost conventional, with heavy chrome accents around the windows, door handles and mirrors. I regret that there is no alternative to this somewhat flashy trim, and that the large mirrors do not fold. Tesla must be trying to limit industrial complexity and cater with north American tastes where chrome is still cool.

The car was charged overnight and indicates a typical range of 395km (245mi). A light push on the gear selector to put the car in Drive, and the Model S exits quietly the Service Center. From the first miles, familiar sensations come to mind. First and foremost, silence. We have been writing it for years, electric power reigns supreme in refinement and serenity. The absence of noise or vibration provides stark contrast with the relative rusticity of internal combustion engines. This novel experience has long been limited to a few miles of range, sometimes a few dozen miles. Tesla bears the promise of a few hundred miles, a small revolution in the automotive world.

The large steering wheel reminds me of the Fisker Karma, this baroque competitor from southern California whose bankruptcy contrasts with the public relations and financial success of Tesla. This chunky, leather clad steering wheel probably comes from the same intent to provide a tactile reminder of the importance – and significance – of the object. Steering assistance is measured too, giving a nice sense of heft. I head north, driving some northern swiss countryside bathed in shallow sunlight.

The A4 turns into a single lane freeway, winding gently toward the Rhine Falls. At the 100 km/h speed limit for this stretch, silence is impressive, barely disturbed by slight hints of wind noise. The large diameter wheels should contribute to filter asphalt irregularities, but the stiffness of the pneumatic damping system surprises me. Bridge joints and other road bumps are harshly transmitted through the body structure. Surprised, I dive into the multimedia interface in search of a chassis setting feature. Other than window controls, a drive selector, the usual windshield wipers and blinkers and a few shortcuts on the multifunction steering wheel, the entire interface is channeled through a formidable 17” portrait format touchscreen.

It is an unusual layout, but it does not take long to get used to it. All control functions can be swiftly called by a soft key located intelligently at the lower left corner of the graphical interface, making it easy to select it without looking. The Driving sub-menu allows to alter the ride height. The lowest setting has been disabled by firmware to prevent risks of fire hazard in case of underbody damage, following a few isolated incidents in the US. Steering assistance can be adjusted, traction control disabled, and two settings are offered for creep and regeneration mode. No damper setting in sight however, a rather surprising omission. Customers will have to get used to an unusual firmness for the luxury sedan segment.

The graphical interface is superb, very polished, with gorgeous renderings of the car and a smart grouping of functions in different tabs. The lower band provides access to the climate control and heated seat settings, while the upper band gives access to the main functions. The thin status bar at the top will look familiar to smartphone users. The instrument cluster in front of the driver is a LCD display as well, with conventional instruments in the center, the satnav map or energy chart on the left, and music information on the right.

Crossing the German border brings me to my second objective: performance. Electric power offers the distinct advantage of peak torque from start (600 Nm from 0 to 5100 rpm in the case of the Model S Performance), in contrast with an Internal Combustion Engine which needs an optimum rate of revolutions to deliver its maximum force. The downside of electric motors is that torque tends to fall with engine revs, and the absence of any gearbox (the motor drives the wheels through a fixed “single gear” ratio) does not allow it to operate in its optimum rev range up as the speed builds up. In other words, the faster you go, the less you get. As a consequence, Tesla claims a top speed of 210 km/h (130 mph), which is remarkably slow for a 416hp car. I had no doubt whatsoever that the Tesla Model S torque would deliver meaty acceleration from 0-100 km/h, but I was far more skeptical about elasticity at freeway speeds. The A81 leading to Stuttgart, birthplace of some of the mightiest autobahn rockets from Porsche and Mercedes-Benz, felt like an ideal playground to study the matter in a lawful manner.

There were are, Model S and I, sitting on a rest area along a derestricted stretch of autobahn. Our purpose is not to perform accurate measurements, but to put driving impressions in a quantitative context. In spite of the significant kerb weight (2102 kg, with 49.6% on the rear axle, barely 2kg apart from Tesla figures in spite of the optional glass roof), acceleration is massive. The immediate availability of ample torque delivers very strong and constant acceleration, while the powertrain emits a very spaceship-like vuiiiiiiii whine. A 0-100 km/h below 5s (4.4s according to Tesla) is ridiculously easy. The 100-150 km/h dash is disposed of in less than 5s as well. This would leave a Porsche Panamera Turbo S 3 to 4 lengths behind. The thrust of the electrical motor subsides from 150 km/h and the top of speed of 210 km/h (indicated) is reached relatively easily. I repeat the exercise a second time, and the deluge of torque to the rear wheels breaks traction, triggering an abrupt intervention from the stability control system.

Ask any prospective Model S after a test drive and the first comment is invariably the same, some expletive about amazing acceleration. And it is undeniably true: the Model S pulls really hard till 150 km/h (90 mph). Elasticity in all usual driving situations is supremely effortless, a level of immediacy and urge in torque delivery that no internal combustion engine can match. In one ankle movement, peaceful cruising turns into a surgical strike with no delay, no turbo lag, no downshift or hick-up. A deluge of electrons poured from the Lithium Ion batteries to the electric motor through elaborate power electronics. The promise of electric drive is entirely fulfilled in that respect, with quantitative and qualitative performance of a very high caliber. The experience is of course not as visceral as powertrains usually termed as “noble”, but it is refined and playful at the same time. The Tesla Model S delivers the claimed world class performance, even at freeway speed, with the notable exception of the Autobahn were most upscale turbodiesel will smoke – in all senses of the word – the Tesla as soon as traffic allows to drive well beyond 150 km/h.

Tapping into the performance envelope of the model S has a price: electric consumption and range. The elaborate graph of energy consumption quickly shows worrying projections when a leaded foot is applied to the pedal. The intrinsic power efficiency of an electric car translates into a significant dependency of energy consumption to driving style. A combustion engine wastes some energy whether its available torque is fully used or not, and thermal losses limit its efficiency at only around twenty percent. An electric engine only draws the current required to move it, energy efficiency exceeds 60%.

We reach Horb am Neckar after 158km, of which a third was driven at moderate speeds, before the autobahn allowed higher average speeds and a few accelerations at full load. Typical range has melted by 249km, from 394 at origin to 145km at destination.  Driving faster over a hundred kilometers has doubled energy consumption. The remaining range would not allow me to cover the return journey, a charging solution is required and Horb am Neckar offers a still rare commodity: a charging station. Luck has nothing to do with it, I chose this quiet provincial town because it has one of the three known charging stations in the Schaffhausen-Stuttgart freeway corridor. And this is according to e-charging community websites, with all of the uncertainty it entails.

The sight of solar panels and and a panel of charging plugs is therefore a relief, the station is open and operational ! I opt for the best available option, a 400V 16A three-phase connection. This Model S is equipped with the Dual Charger option (1600 CHF, highly recommended) which allows a charge current of up to 32A at 400V three-phase, but capable power outlets are scarce. Even Tesla’s own technical center in Winterthur is limited to 26A !

The charge cycle ramps slowly, raising the charge current progressively to reach after 30 minutes a rate of 50km of typical range per hour of charge, and a remaining charge time of five and a half hours to fill up. I know what I have drawn to drive here, but I do not know yet whether I can trust the typical range indicator for a mellow return journey, so I take a 100km margin. This adds up to two hours of wait time under the graceful ballet of photovoltaic panels searching for sunlight in a cloudy sky.

Under a conventional appearance, Tesla has designed the Model S around a novel and unusual packaging concept. The floor contains the Lithium Ion cell packs, packing a charge capacity without comparison with other hybrid or electric cars:

The electric motor is in slight overhang of the rear axle, freeing considerable volume for occupants and cargo. This allows the Model S to feature not one but two luggage compartments. Under the hood, a useful 150L of capacity, while the trunk offers 744L, or 1645L if the rear seats are folded. The hatchback cover (an option) is not tied to the lid, and it is easy to forget to fold it back flat and block rearward visibility from the central mirror. A secondary detail, but I doubt that a German or Japanese car maker would have left this unresolved.

The giant panoramic roof is not only enjoyable for the natural light it brings to the cabin. It is also a necessity if one ambitions to transport adults in the back seats. The bench is high and shallow, and space at the knee sufficient, comparable to a Porsche Panamera. I am only 5’11” but my skull touches the glass surface, a situation which is viable for short distances but not comfortable. The situation gets critical in a car equipped with the standard metal roof. More than an inch is missing to make the rear seats viable for an adult. This limitation is difficult to understand: the Model S platform should have provided a lot of flexibility to Tesla designers to give the Model S a roomy interior. It is the case at the front, but this large sedan is more a “2+3” than a real 5 seats full size sedan. Even if the rear passengers measure only 5’7” and have enough clearance with the roof, head rest alignment may be a source of whiplash concerns. This is not a secondary consideration: the interior design of the Model S cannot welcome four adults comfortably and safely, a critical shortcoming for a sedan of this size.

For the front occupants, the absence of a center console provides ample room for movement. The elbow rest is quite high and houses two cup holders in another questionable ergonomic design choice. With all the space available, it should have been possible to let the driver use the cup holder and rest his right elbow as well. Surprisingly, the tall, hollow compartment cannot be opened for storage of travel items.

In addition to the configuration interface, the monumental 17” touch screen features several applications which can either be displayed on the full screen in portrait mode, or tiled in landscape mode. Satellite navigation is based on Google Maps, with real time information on traffic conditions and all the graphical topographic information that you have come used to expect on a computer. The internet browser is a curiosity, it would have been wise that it declared itself as a mobile device to load the tablet-oriented versions of websites and ease the load on the 3G connection. On Swiss cars, it comes in the guise of a Swisscom subscription, graciously offered for the first year. On the audio side, internet radio support comes through the TuneIn  (http://tunein.com/) platform.  Two USB ports allow connecting thumb drives with musical files on them, but music players are only supported through the wireless A2DP Bluetooth connection. It is impossible to listen to an iPod or iPhone through a cable connection.

After 2h15 of charge in this deserted industrial zone, the range indicator displays 253 km, insufficient to return home for the night, but confidence inspiring to cover 150km back to my starting point for another (and hopefully faster) charge. The menu for this segment is less appetizing: no autobahn naughty stuff anymore, but a very disciplined 120 km/h cruise speed with gentle acceleration and zealous eco-drive.

Kinetic energy recovery is essential to electric and hybrid cars. The vast majority uses the electric motor as a generator and thereby induces artificial engine braking to recharge the batteries. Most also have some form of splitter system to modulate braking and harvest as much energy as possible before actuating the hydraulic system to pinch the discs and dissipate kinetic energy as heat. On the Model S, Tesla has taken a different approach. Two regeneration modes are proposed, but these are menu settings, not driving modes accessible in real time, unlike the B mode in Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive for instance. By default, electric motor braking is huge, as with the Tesla Roadster.  Lifting up the throttle induces such a regenerative deceleration (up to 60 kW, or three times that of a Prius) that it is almost never necessary to use the brakes in conventional driving situations. One must however learn to modulate the movements of the right foot to prevent passengers from feeling car sick. The alternative is to set the Model S in “Regenerative Braking : Low” mode, which results in more conventional motor braking. Recourse to the brake pedal becomes necessary more frequently, resulting in a less optimal recovery of kinetic energy. It is a pity that the Model S does not feature adjustable regenerative braking coupled with the brake pedal.

During the journey, I keep a close watch on the range indicator and notice – with some relief – that the projection is almost realistic for a mellow driving style and nearly achievable in flat terrain. I reach Winterthur, my starting location, with 150km on the odometer and 170km less in range, which equates to 214 Wh/km of electrical consumption at 89.3 km/h (55.5 mph) of average speed. My layover has only one goal: charge up to have enough range to reach Lucerne ! The Tesla Service Center does not yet have a Supercharger station, and the maximum output of their 400V AC station is 26A, or 80 km per hour of charge. I have another 93km to cover so I aim to depart with 160km of autonomy and am on my way 56 minutes later. Night has fallen. Thus far, I have driven 309km and charged the car for 3 hours and 12 minutes.

Sucked into the traffic jams around Zürich at rush hour, I was expecting mileage to improve in slow traffic but that was surprisingly not the case. It is hard to tell whether the stop-and-go driving pattern or the drain from peripherals (headlights, fan), but the power-meter is stubbornly stuck above the typical dotted line. Traffic finally clears up, and a beat phenomenon appears between 100 and 135 km/h, clearly emanating from the rear axle: I have noticed it already earlier in the day, and it is clearly reproducible, gaining amplitude around 100 km/h and fading away above 140 km/h. It could be specific to this car or to the tires, but it is certainly not a balancing problem: there is no vibration, just noise.

As I drive through my village, I cross the 50km range mark and the Model S kindly warns me to recharge ASAP due to the incidence of cold on battery charge. As soon as I pull into my garage, I hook up the Model S to the 230V single phase plug, limited to 13A. At this rate (13km per hour), the display shows a charging time fo more than 24 hours. A good night sleep and eleven hours later, I have recovered 149km by drawing 33.2 kWh from the grid, or a net power consumption, charging efficiency included, of 223 Wh/km.

As with all electrics, the energy cost is very low: less than 4.5 CHF/100km, or the economic equivalent of 2.5 L of gasoline per 100km. The approach is unbeatable from this standpoint. Unbeatable also from a maintenance viewpoint: no more oil changes, filters, timing belts and other legacies from the century old internal combustion engine. Maintenance costs are limited to tires and brakes. The former might be chewed up by the amount of torque on tap, but the latter should be preserved by electric regeneration. In Switzerland, yearly maintenance is free for the first 8 years or 160’000km. Batteries are covered by an 8 year / 200’000km warranty. The cost of their replacement is probably extremely high and might impact severely residuals as these cars age.

The Tesla Model S does not fit anybody’s budget, but for a base price of 93’000 CHF for the 85 kWh version (revised to 81’700 CHF early 2014 after a sharp, exchange rate related price drop), Tesla offers an innovative and desirable product for an attractive price. The options list is however long, and most are necessary to deliver a coherent experience. Even then, the 117’000 CHF sticker price of our heavily optioned test model makes the Model S a very attractive proposition for the early adopter.

Bringing the Model S back to its home base in Winterthur, a sluggish morning commute gives me ample time to synthetize the 24 hours spent with this car. The Tesla Model S is everything that the Fisker Karma should have been, minus the range extender. It holds the promise of the electric driving experience, of a different and attractive car, a window on the automobile of the 21^st century. The product is not perfect however. The car is quiet but not the flying carpet one would hope for, neither in terms of suspension or noise, and the interior room is an incomprehensible flaw. If the targeted usage pattern allows to work around charging contingencies, the value proposition is tempting, but if the expectation is that of an all-around grand touring sedan, Tesla is ready for the world, but the world isn’t ready for Tesla.

There are more than 3500 gas station in Switzerland, more than 12’000 in France, serving the average customer with 500km of driving range in 5 minutes at any time of day or night. The network of charging stations is nearly non-existent, and AC charging offers 100km of mellow driving per hour of charge in the absolute best case. Tesla’s answer is called Superchargers, with the promise of 320 km of typical range in 30 minutes. As we first published this article, there were 6 superchargers in Europe, all of them in Norway. As of April 1^st 2014, there are another 8, 4 in Germany, 2 in the Netherlands, 1 in Austria and 1 in Switzerland. Further developments are planned to enable long distance travel along main transit axes, but this is a far cry from personal mobility as one expects. Long distance travel will be enabled, but between locations where flying or taking a train make more sense.

In our society, the car is an indispensable tool of “mobi-liberty”. With the Model S, Tesla gives it a fresh taste, but burdens it also with practical constraints which will be acceptable to a few, but unacceptable to most. A fantastic second car for routine, short or well-planned commuting, or a first car for green-tech junkies with an acquired taste for adventure.

Test vehicle configuration

Facing competition

* Model S 85 kWh, Model S 60 kWh from 83’000 CHF/61’700€

Our thanks to the Tesla Switzerland team for the loan of this Model S and logistics support.

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