Tesla Model S & X Get Slight Range Increase: Why Is It Newsworthy?

As if Tesla's flagships didn't already have enough range, now you can drive for about 4 more minutes before having to stop.

By: Steven Loveday

Oct 29, 2019 at 9:46am ET

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Back in April, when Tesla released its updated "not-a-refresh" Model S and Model X Raven vehicles — new powertrain, updated adaptive suspension, and more — both got a range increase. Since then, the base Model S Long Range offers 370 miles per the EPA, while the base Model X Long Range offers an equally impressive 325 miles of range.

As you may well know if you follow Tesla or the electric car segment in general, range changes/downgrades/upgrades or not few or far between, at least when it comes to the California automaker. With the company's over-the-air update technology, it seems virtually anything is possible.

With that being said, we're happy to report that now, the Model S Long Range is rated at 373 miles and the Model X Long Range comes in at 328.

You're probably asking the same thing we did when we were questioning covering this less-than-1-percent range bump. Why in the heck do three miles of range matter? Well, on one level, it really doesn't matter, but, in the grand scheme of things, it actually does.

Tesla already has a massive edge when it comes to range, with the top three range giants all within its lineup. You can compare all current U.S. EVs by checking out our Compare EVs page. With all Tesla Long Range vehicles offering over 300 miles, nothing else even comes close. The best contender right now is the Hyundai Kona Electric at 258 miles of range, but sadly, it's being sold in some areas for a premium over MSRP and it's only available in limited quantities in a handful of U.S. states.

While the EPA site hasn't been updated and likely won't for some time, Tesla CEO Elon Musk noted the range adjustment during the recent Q3 earnings. He shared:

"I mean, Model S -- basic Model S at this point has a range of 370 miles. Actually, technically it's 373, but we actually certified it incorrectly as 370, but it's 373. And there are some software improvements that we think will make that even better. I forgot to mention, we're also expecting there's going to be an over-the-air improvement that will improve the power of the Model S, X, and 3. That's, by the way coming in a few weeks. Should be in the order of 5% power improvement due to improved firmware. Drew, do you want to say anything on that?"

What do you think?

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The most important part of the above statement is, "And there are some software improvements that we think will make that even better." In the end, while a trivial range increase may not be worth covering, the potential is compelling. Keep in mind, meanwhile, rival vehicles like the pricey Audi e-tron and Jaguar I-Pace are subpar in the range department, and it seems those automakers aren't willing or able to do anything about that.

As always, please scroll down and let us know your thoughts in the comment section.

Source: Electrek